Tag: Dystopian

Sub-Genre

Recommended Read, Review

Review: Liar City by Allie Therin (2023)

Erin

Sugar & Vice, Book #1

Heat Factor: Yeah, so, we barely even know they like each other at the end of this one

Character Chemistry: I don’t know how Therin managed it, but I wanted them to touch SO BADLY even though 1) it’s dangerous and 2) they mostly snip at each other

Plot: Empaths are a persecuted group, feared for their abilities even though they have to be pacifists (and vegans) by virtue of their extreme empathy, except that there’s a triple homicide that looks suspiciously like Reece’s nightmares, and the man rumored to keep empaths in check suddenly arrives in town.

Overall: It is not actually a romance (yet), but it is SO FREAKING GOOD

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Review

Review: Dance with the Devil by Kit Rocha (2022)

Holly

Mercenary Librarians, Book #3

Reviews of Mercenary Librarians, Book #1 and Book #2

Heat Factor: Hot enough

Character Chemistry: Dani and Rafe have had electric, elemental chemistry from the beginning of the series

Plot: Overthrowing an evil corporation and reinstating democracy, no big deal

Overall: I was honestly more invested in the dystopia plot than the romance

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Review

Review: The Devil You Know by Kit Rocha (2021)

Holly

Mercenary Librarians, Book #2

Review of Mercenary Librarians, Book #1

Heat Factor: Maya is frequently overwhelmed by sensory experiences, so this is a slow burn as she and Gray work up to physical touch

Character Chemistry: Really supportive of each other but also let’s not get too close because Gray could drop dead at any minute

Plot: We’re tying to make this dystopian reality a better place

Overall: Really fantastic worldbuilding

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Review

Review: Pretty Little Lion by Suleikha Snyder (2021)

Holly

Third Shift, Book #2

Review of Third Shift, Book #1

Heat Factor: Blow job in a closet the first time they meet, but we don’t get a lot of explicit details.

Character Chemistry: Sexual attraction + some ineffable thing that’s breaking down the walls they’ve erected.

Plot: Elijah is trying to get information on an arms dealer, so he honeypots the guy’s girlfriend. Too bad Meghna is also an agent with her own agenda. And then Elijah kills someone he shouldn’t and shit hits the fan. 

Overall: I got bored and gave up after reading the first third.

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Dueling Review

Dueling Review: Ashwin by Kit Rocha (2017)

smutreportteam

Erin recommended a bunch of Morality Chain books to Holly this week, so that Holly would understand the greatness of this trope. Ashwin did not convince Holly that Morality Chain is the best trope, so we decided to review it together.

Gideon’s Riders, Book #1

Erin

Heat Factor: I mean, I think it’s designed to be erotic romance (or adjacent thereto), so a lot of the connection between the protagonists is sex-related

Character Chemistry: Heavily based on yearning

Plot: Ashwin is on assignment to infiltrate a powerful sector leader’s guard but, OOPS, his only emotional connection EVER got adopted by the sector leader, too, and that’s really throwing a spanner in the works

Overall: The morality chain aspect was probably my favorite part of the romance/relationship component, but overall I was more drawn to the Riders and the political intrigue. 

Holly

Heat Factor: So many multiple orgasms

Character Chemistry: Kora makes Ashwin feel, and since he has been conditioned (read: tortured) to not feel, that is a problem

Plot: Ashwin is infiltrating an elite bodyguard biker squad, and Kora is making him feel things

Overall: The romance was ok, but I was very distracted by all of the questions I had about the worldbuilding

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