Other – Like to read books in order? Hate randomly discovering the book you got is actually the second in a series? These books are for you!
Winner Bakes All, Book #1
Heat Factor: There’s a decent amount of mediocre sex, and then some spectacular sex.
Character Chemistry: Well…it’s complicated.
Plot: Love at the Great British Bake Off!!!!! (Obviously Alexis Hall is not looking for a lawsuit, so the name was changed and it’s not in a tent.)
Overall: I was feeling a bit anxious about where this was going in the first chunk of the book, but ended up loving it.
Dark Olympus, Book #1
Heat Factor: Look, the King of the Underworld has a certain reputation to maintain
Character Chemistry: Sparring that veers into dominance play, but underneath all that they really come to care for each other
Plot: A sexy Hades / Persephone retelling with some serious anti-Zeus intrigue happening
Overall: Satisfyingly fun and sexy
Spoiler Alert: We all loved this book. So this is more of a long discussion post than a duel.
Spires, Book #1
Holly:
Heat Factor: Sex first, emotions later
Character Chemistry: I’m not entirely sure why Darian puts up with Ash, but I’m glad he does
Plot: One-night stand becomes something more
Overall: I finished this book and immediately made Erin and Ingrid agree to read it because I needed to talk to someone
Erin:
Heat Factor: There’s a lot of sex, and the sex does a lot of work, but it’s poetically rather than graphically written
Character Chemistry: “It doesn’t make any sense, but something in you speaks to something in me.”
Plot: Ash puts himself way outside his comfort zone and challenges himself to embrace the happiness he finds there
Overall: This has been on my TBR for a while, and I had a couple false starts because Chapter 1 was really uncomfortable, but the rest of the book was really beautiful
Ingrid:
Heat Factor: It’s kind of like eating dessert first, and then getting a little uncomfortable, so when you get the real food you’re kind of relieved/grateful and also just deeply satisfied?
Character Chemistry: This is probably a healthy dose of sexual healing mixed with a serious case of the ole grumpy + sunshine
Plot: Ash meets this glitter pirate, Darian, who just oozes joy at a stag party and tries really hard to pretend this man isn’t leading him into a life where he can find his own happiness and it DOES NOT WORK.
Overall: This book is absolutely like that song you hear on the radio and you’re like, oh god I’m not going to be able to stop humming this later, and that’s exactly what happens but you really love it…
Ashes & Dust, Book #1
Heat Factor: Dry humping to climax is great, but have you ever tried a “whoops we woke up in the same bed and we’re aroused” hand job?
Character Chemistry: It was sweet
Plot: Someone is sucking the souls out of people with magic, so of course the vampire PI goes undercover to investigate and then ends up metaphysically bound to the soul-sucker
Overall: It took a long time to figure out what the deal was with the love interest, but the mystery and the magical creatures made for a fun read
Midlife Shifters, Book 1
Heat Factor: The sexytimes start by about 20%
Character Chemistry: It’s very laid back and insta
Plot: He’s a recovering alcoholic trying to reclaim his alpha position, she’s home after a 20-year abusive marriage, and (oops!) they’re having a baby.
Overall: Despite the heavy character backgrounds, this is an easy-to-read, relatively light romance with older protagonists
