Review: Who I Am - ML Rice - March 2014 You know those evenings when you're curled up with your Kindle, scrolling aimlessly because nothing quite calls to you? That was exactly where I found myself when I stumbled upon Who I Am by ML Rice. It had that quiet, unassuming quality of a book that isn't shouting for your attention and those, in my experience, are often the ones that end up meaning the most. The story centres on Devin, a military kid and a bookworm,  honestly, already my kind of character. After losing her father, Devin and her mum pick up and move to the city, the kind of upheaval that would knock anyone sideways. It's there that she meets Melanie Parker, and the two of them click instantly in that lovely, easy way that feels completely real. Best friends from the off. There's just one complication: Mel's twin brother Jason, who makes it his mission from day one to make Devin's school life miserable. What unfolds over the course of the novel is a co...

Review: The Kill Club - Wendy Heard - December 2019 What would you do to save the one you loved? Would you go to extremes and help pull off a stranger on a train scenario? The Kill Club by Wendy Heard had this vibe as I read it. I have been in a bit of a thriller mood lately as other titles have just felt blah. This was a good read as we first meet Jazz whose sibling was adopted by their foster mother. The thing now is that once Carol got ahold of what she wanted, she kicked Jazz out of the house and threatened her with Joaquin. If she doesn't follow Carol's rules then Jazz will never get to see him again. Jazz can't bear losing him and is offered an opportunity to get rid of Carol. All she has to do is join a secret society called Blackbirds and kill someone else who deserves it and in return, someone will kill Carol on her behalf. The group doesn't give second or third chances though and normally if someone fails then they end up the target. Jazz's first two tri...

The Vet’s Shelter Surprise Elle Douglas Published by: Harlequin Special Edition Publication date: October 24th 2023 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance An unlikely volunteer… Saving more than the shelter! When Georgia O’Neill bursts into the Sunset County Animal Shelter, wary veterinarian Mel Carter doesn’t know what’s hit her. But soon, Georgia’s California rays of sunshine are lighting up even the darkest parts of Mel’s heart, still raw after a heart-wrenching betrayal. Still, PR pro Georgia is set only on rehabbing her image while cleaning out her beloved aunt’s cottage. Mel’s life in rural Canada can’t possibly compete with LA glamour…can it? From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness. Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play — EXCERPT: “Alright. Follow me,” Mel said, leading Georgia down the bright hallway toward the back room. Time to see how she’d do with their resident reptile...

When Poesy Laroche was sold to the highest bidder, she found herself desperate to change her fate and disappears into the woods no one dares to speak of. The screams that come at night become only whispers of stories about the mysterious Lady Venom, whose manor is filled with snakes and horrors. And when Poesy gets lost within her maze, Lady Venom claims her as her own mistress, with no hope of escape. Fans of dark sapphic romances will devour Lady Venom Takes a Mistress by Kat Blackthorne, a spicy gothic twist on Medusa and Beauty and the Beast. Read Now! To be bid on was to be bought as a wife. To the winning bidder his prize, a maid, a servant, a child-bearer. That would be Poesy Laroche’s life, she realized, as she walked down the aisle to her future husband. He’d promised to break her into submission, and she knew his words were true. In an act of desperation, she takes the reins of her fate and dives into the woods we don’t speak of. The screams that come at night become onl...

Cosplay and Confrontation Sarah Zane Publication date: September 26th 2023 Genres: Comedy, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance Pride and Prejudice meets the legends of King Arthur in this sapphic rivals-to-lovers, sweet romantic comedy packed with plenty of banter and tension. Obstinate and headstrong cosplayer Elaine Knight prided herself on two things; her quality cosplays and being a good judge of character. Gwendolyn Reid took both of those from her. They used to be best friends, until Gwen broke their best friend’s heart and skipped town. At least with Gwen out of the way, Lanie was a shoo-in to win the upcoming cosplay contest. Except now Gwen’s back. Gwendolyn Reid should be thinking about meeting her fans, winning the cosplay contest, and dancing at the ball. Instead, all she can think about is Lanie, their unresolved issues, and her unrequited feelings. Unfortunately, there’s no denying that the only feeling Lanie has for Gwen is hatred. Lucky for them both, it is a ...

Monica Adams Skips Christmas Krista Harper Publication date: November 29th 2022 Genres: Contemporary, Holiday, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance Nineteen-year-old engineering student Monica Adams is excited to be back home in the Windy City for Christmas, even if she’s planning to tell her parents she’s dropping out of college. But when her longtime boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her, her elderly grandfather moves in, and her parents are too busy working to notice she’s home, Monica decides she’s skipping the holidays this year. It isn’t until she begins spending time with her neighbor Paige that things take a turn towards yuletide glee. Eighteen-year-old Paige Yoshida is an art student, local bookseller and self-proclaimed Christmas fanatic. She’s also lived upstairs from Monica since they were kids and may have had a secret crush on her during high school. As the countdown to Christmas continues, Monica and Paige find themselves unexpectedly spending more and more time together. Wi...

Loving Artemis Janet Mason Publication date: August 16th 2022 Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance Artemis found the love of her life when she met Linda, but their passionate relationship fizzles when Artemis lands herself on the other side of the law. Pulling the pieces of her life together, Artemis rekindles her relationship with Linda, and together they raise a daughter. Meanwhile, Grace, running from her past, starts a life with Thalia. At a pride parade, Grace spots someone who reminds her of Artemis, who she was briefly involved with in her youth. Old feelings are rekindled. A lifetime of rejection, abandonment, and fleeing rears its head. Now she must come to terms with her past, put her relationship with Artemis to rest–or risk losing everything. Artemis and Grace embark on a journey of revolution, love, and marriage and discover that love finds us when we least expect it. ——————- Janet Mason is an award-winning creative writer, teacher, marketing professional, and oc...

Yearning to Live Shirley Anne Edwards (Finding the Strength, #4) Publication date: July 24th 2022 Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance A self-proclaimed ordinarily average girl meets the one larger than life person who will make her yearn for so much more. Natalie Benton has nursed enough heartbreak in her twenty-one years. But she doesn’t like to complain even though her parents’ marriage might be falling apart, and she’s still mourning her brother, who committed suicide five years ago. On top of that, she was recently ghosted by her lover, an emotionally detached tattoo artist who ran off to California. She’s ready to graduated college in a few months but she’s not sure what her next steps will be. For now, she’ll take each day as it comes, which has become her mantra as an ordinary, average girl in Albee, Pennsylvania where nothing exciting ever happens. But fate has other plans for Natalie, when a very not ordinary average girl enters her life. It’s the lar...

Loving Artemis Janet Mason Publication date: August 16th 2022 Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance Artemis found the love of her life when she met Linda, but their passionate relationship fizzles when Artemis lands herself on the other side of the law. Pulling the pieces of her life together, Artemis rekindles her relationship with Linda, and together they raise a daughter. Meanwhile, Grace, running from her past, starts a life with Thalia. At a pride parade, Grace spots someone who reminds her of Artemis, who she was briefly involved with in her youth. Old feelings are rekindled. A lifetime of rejection, abandonment, and fleeing rears its head. Now she must come to terms with her past, put her relationship with Artemis to rest–or risk losing everything. Artemis and Grace embark on a journey of revolution, love, and marriage and discover that love finds us when we least expect it. ——————- Janet Mason is an award-winning creative writer, teacher, marketing professional, an...