Tag: Romance

Book Review:: Let’s Call A Truce | Amy Buchanan

Y’all, I needed an indulgent five-star read, and Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan delivered! I absolutely loved this early 2025 release, so go don’t wait to add it to your goodreads TBR to keep it on your radar!

When Juliana returns to work after her husband unexpectedly passes away, she gets off on the wrong foot with one of the department heads at the office. She works in HR and of course has to work with him whenever his department has hiring needs, and they develop a (mostly innocent) frienemy schtick whenever they have to interact. Turns out they have a friend in common and end up at the same wedding one night, and kind of hit it off in a what-are-you-doing-here kind of way 😉 Then, at work, she and Ben are assigned to the same project and have to work together more closely than ever before. In order to be successful, they have to call a truce.

This book is such a winner. This is a complex story with real, deep conflicts that inform the decisions each character makes. I kind of love it when characters are falling hard, but don’t completely lose their heads. In this case, they both have young children and are very thoughtful about how their actions are going to affect them. The chemistry is there – it is so there – but falling in love, especially when kids are involved, is messy, and this novel really honors that.

That being said, when these two do finally indulge in their primal urges, they really go for it. There is some spice here folks, and some of it is at the office. *wipes brow nervously*

I am so grateful to St. Martin’s Griffin and netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this book. The narrator, Charlotte North, did a great job with this one.

If you’re looking for a great romance to really sink into during the bleak winter weather this year, this one is a great choice!

Details

Title:: Let’s Call A Truce
Author:: Amy Buchanan
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 3m
Audiobook Narrator:: Charlotte North
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamerlain
Sunshine and Spice | Aurora Palit
Wild Love | Elsie Silver

Book Review:: Heartless Hunter | Kristen Ciccarelli

The world is a dangerous place when you have to hide who you are from everyone. Especially when you throw yourself into danger in order to save others.

Heartless Hunter Kristen Ciccarelli Book Cover

Rune is a witch in a land that burns them. The kingdom once run by three witch sister queens has been taken over by a rebellion, and they’re hunting down every last witch to purge them. Rune, keeping her own powers carefully hidden behind a fashionista facade, is helping other witches escape the realm. To do the job better, she courts powerful men at court for information. When the witch she’s been looking for for years is captured, she takes the biggest risk yet and pursues the most dangerous man in the realm – her best friend’s brother, one of the most ruthless Blood Guard members. But there are other magical elements at play, and both Rune and Gideon have everything to lose.

If you’re looking for your next romantasy read, look no further. This one has every juicy element you’ll love. High stakes, heroes, (low spice) romance, twists, risks, secrets, and lore. There’s a reason it’s so popular!

The whole thing is structured so well from the beginning – Gideon and Rune both have reasons that make the courtship, though highly unlikely, inevitable. Neither one of them are stupid or insufferable, but they come at life with strong biases that compel their actions in ways that make perfect sense for their character while continuing to complicate the story.

The least likely element of the story, to me, were everyone’s ages, lol. I mean, every character is so young! New Adult, for sure.

I am dying to read the next book, which comes out in February. If you’re impatient, you might want to add this to your 2025 TBR 😉

Details

Title:: Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1)
Author:: Kristen Ciccarelli
Genre:: Fantasy
Publisher:: Wednesday Books
Length:: 416 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 8m
Audiobook Narrator:: Grace Gray
Audiobook Publisher:: Listening Library
Published:: February 20, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews

Book Review:: Perfect Fit | Clare Gilmore

There’s nothing I love more than a romance novel that blows away my expectations. By the cover and description, I figured this would be a light, not-that-deep rom-com that would be entertaining while it lasted, but likely wouldn’t leave much of an impression. I probably should have known better with a cover blurb from Tarah Dewitt, but I’m happy to report I was wrong. This book has pressed itself into my memory, and will not soon be forgotten.

Perfect Fit Clare Gilmore Book Cover

Josephine is the CEO of her own fashion brand, Reventant, based in Austin, TX. For a side-gig she started as a hobby in college, it has grown into something she never expected: an online phenomenon with dozens of employees. In an effort to keep aligned with her values, she’s after a new certification which will tell customers how dedicated the brand is to quality and sustainability. To that end, Revenant is hiring a consultant to help, and the man who wants the job happens to be a ghost from her past she’s been afraid to run into in town. They did not part in high school on the best of terms, and she’s not sure she wants to open the door back up on all the hurtful feelings from the past. But he’s a skilled professional and has taken an interest in her business. A few months of working together should be tolerable, right? Especially if it pushes her company, which is everything to her, in the right direction.

So what do I love about this book? The romance felt realistic. These two didn’t fall in love over the course of a hot weekend, or a single business trip, or basically just a big firework of an event that ‘changed everything’. They build a genuine friendship. Yes, it might be colored by burning crushes on both sides, but over time and many interactions, the two of them form a genuine connection that is strong and true and flush with meaning. Not to mention Will Grant is a walking, talking green flag. Oh my gosh, the romance in this book is everything you could want. It reminded me of all my favorite summer romances that came out this year (reviews for my favorites are linked below)!

There were also deep themes of friendship woven into the fabric of the story. Josephine was best friends with Will’s sister Zoey in high school, and they had a falling out way back when. It happens. It’s happened to me. But it’s about recognizing your mistakes, realizing there are sometimes greater things playing into things that happen that can exaggerate or cause hurtful things to happen, and that it’s okay to forgive, and grow, and repair. The author balances these themes through several characters and really created a big impact for me.

This was my first Clare Gilmore book, but gosh dang it, she’s going on my watch list cause this book was something special. I was provided an arc copy from netgalley and the publisher, and what do you know, I hit pre-order as soon as I was finished! I will be reading it again, and I think you should too!

Details

Title:: Perfect Fit
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 47m
Audiobook Narrator:: Katharine Leonard
Audiobook Publisher:: Recorded Books
Published:: October 29th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center
Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello
Funny Story | Emily Henry

Book Review:: Butcher & Blackbird | Brynne Weaver

Holy gee whiz. I requested this from the library because I was honestly not expecting to like it. I mean, serial k*ller romantic comedy? WTF?! How does it have such high ratings? Such a wide audience? What is happening!!

Y’all.
Y’ALL.
I loved it.

Butcher & Blackbird Brynne Weaver Book Cover Dark Romance

How in the world does this book work? Let me tell you: it’s a magic mix of comedic tone, high stakes, and deliciously slow burn romance.

Sloane and Rowan are straight up serial k*llers. They hunt and destroy the biggest scumbags in the country. They have monikers. And secret identities.

On one hunt, which happens just before the start of the novel, Sloane makes a mistake and gets locked in a cage. Luckily, Rowan was coming to hunt down the same guy and finds her there before she…expires. Yes, folks, he rescues her, the modern morbid damsel in distress. They get to talking shop, and a contest is proposed. Once a year, Rowan’s brother will pick out a sleezebag for them to end and whoever gets there first and does the job wins.

Don’t get me wrong, this shit is bloody and gruesome and horrific. Sloane is known for removing the eyes of her victims, for example, and they may or may not have been served a steaming plate of human by one of their targets. But with an impossibly light and hilarious tone, it fucking works. This is exactly the same genre as any other romantic comedy you can think of, except it’s probably better than a lot of them. It’s like that movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. They’re doing all this badass shit, blowing shit up, as****inating targets, etc., but the movie is actually about their marriage. Same thing. How, Brynne Weaver. How?!

The romance is what shines in this book. Oh, it’s so juicy. Our two characters are in such high stakes situations whenever they see each other, and it makes for fast and strong trust bonding. It’s also spaced out over years, and there’s lots of longing and wondering and daydreaming and yearning and burning. Gah, the author just hits so many good notes. The nicknames, the symbolism, the ‘seeing’ of each other’s damage, the real, deep love. Extraordinary.

Also, the audiobook is the first true duet I think I’ve ever heard (and I listen to a lot of audiobooks). It’s fantastic, and I absolutely think it adds so much to the experience of the book. I don’t always recommend one format over another, but this time I really do. (Also, do you really want this hanging out on your shelves for OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE?! I’m not even trying to scar my children that way).

Literally what are you still doing reading this. Go find this book and give it a listen (check your library, if you’re not ready to commit yet). But the best part? IT’S A SERIES (with a glorious name, see below).

One warning though, while I wouldn’t say this is erotica by a long stretch, the scenes of intimacy there are could be described as…………..wild. intense. torturous? I mean it fits their characters, hey? But they’re certainly skippable if they’re too much for you (they were for me!). However, it is absolutely still worth reading even if you’re not into that!

Details

Title:: Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1)
Author:: Brynne Weaver
Genre:: Dark Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Independently Published
Length:: 360 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 43m
Audiobook Narrator:: Joe Arden & Lucy Rivers
Audiobook Publisher:: Blue Nose Publishing
Published:: August 14, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 12?

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

King of Wrath | Ana Huang
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews
Not in Love | Ali Hazelwood

Book Review:: Book of the Month | Jennifer Probst

What do you do when you’re out of inspiration? F*ck off to North Carolina.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst. Typography cover with silhouettes of the characters and book stacks.

Aspen fears she is a one hit wonder when her second and third books don’t earn out their advances after her bestselling debut. She’s under a lot of pressure to Make The Next One Count, and under the advice of her agent, she takes off to spend the summer with her sister on the North Carolina coast. The problem is she wrote that bestselling book after the biggest heartbreak of her life, and she hasn’t been able to tap into that same deep well of emotion ever since. She’s convinced another devastating heartbreak is the only way to tap into her potential again. Enter Brick, the sulky hotter-than-sin man who moved to town to take over his grandfather’s dying touring business and is a known heartbreaker. Everyone advises her against it, and he isn’t interested either, until she strikes up a deal he can’t refuse.

I’m a little torn on this one, because I feel like it was executed well for what it is, but some of the premises got under my skin a little bit. The setting is idyllic and refreshing, but the gossip mongers in town make it sour. The romance between Aspen and Brick turns out to grow organically, but it’s set up under kind of a gross deal they strike up. A lot of things went a little too far over the top for me to give it a full five stars, but I would still recommend it to those who enjoy this genre.

I think my biggest gripe is actually with Aspen and her vice-grip on this idea of the suffering artist. That she can only make good art if her heart is in pieces on the floor. This belief is self-sabotaging and was frustrating to see her cling onto it for so damn long.

Once the romance got going, it was a really sweet story. These two characters had a real connection, and it was really nice to read. Their little adventures were so wholesome.

This was my first Jennifer Probst novel, but it looks like she’s quite prolific, and I’m excited to see what else she’s got on her backlist!

Note:: I received this title from netgalley & the publisher for free in exchange for a fair review.

Details

Title:: Book of the Month
Author:: Jennifer Probst
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Blue Box Press
Length:: 294 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 39m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alexander Cendese & Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
Audiobook Publisher:: Brilliance Audio
Published:: October 22nd, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour | Nora Nguyen
The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamberlain
Haunted Ever After | Jen DeLuca

Book Review:: Catch and Keep | Erin Hahn

She’s been fishing her whole life, but she’s finally ready to be caught.

This week I read a nice little palette cleanser romance, Erin Hahn’s new book Catch & Keep.

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn Book Cover, Cute couple sitting at the end of a dock with a dog next to them. Fall foliage in the background. Illustrated.

When Maron’s boyfriend of a single year proposes in front of all her friends and family, she throws up on him and runs from California to Wisconsin, to the lake she grew up around. Her fishing mentor left her his old property (now in shambles), and she decided to tackle that project for awhile to get away from deuchetard. At the resort by the lake, Maron runs into his brother’s best friend, single-dad Josiah. Since the property is in worse shape than she thought, he lets her stay in one of the resort cabins in exchange for her running some fishing tours for their customers, a symbiotic relationship that leaves them spending quite a lot of time together.

I wonder how it ends, guys!

This is the only book I can remember…ever…wanting to give a half star rating to (on Fable, I did). I liked this book so much, except for one thing: the antagonistic characters were just too dumb (Ian and Kylie). If they would have been more realistic, I think this would have been a five-star read.

One of my favorite things about this story was how Maron fell for Jo’s kids, too. Maybe harder than she did for him. And Josiah is such a good dad. The way they fell into their relationship felt very natural and organic and I was all in for it.

The whole thing is kind of glazed in this film of escapism. It didn’t feel super realistic to me, more escapist. I think I’ve been reading too much romance! But it’s exactly what’s popular right now, for sure. It doesn’t look like this is technically part of a series, but I read the first book with characters mentioned in this one (Built to Last), and I have to say I liked this one far better. It was really nice. It’s also nice when you get an advanced readers copy of a book you already have on pre-order too 🙂

Erin Hahn, you have my thanks for this one, and I’ll certainly be keeping my eye on you!

Details

Title:: Catch and Keep
Author:: Erin Hahn
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 6m
Audiobook Narrator:: Zura Johnson & Michal Normal Johnson
Audiobook Publisher:: Spotify Audiobooks
Published:: October 15th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3 (a few explicit scenes)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamberlain
Wild Love | Elsie Silver
Business Casual | BK Borison
Play Along | Liz Tomforde

Book Review:: I Did Something Bad | Pyae Moe Thet War

I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War is not your typical romance. There’s a dead guy in it, for one, not to mention a cover-up, a Vogue expose, and no shortage of commentary on illegal abortion in Myanmar, where the story takes place. I’d say it was one part romance, two parts murder conspiracy & complications thereof.

I Did Something Bad Pyae Moe Thet War Book Review. Figure of a woman in sunglasses, which are reflecting the portrait of a man.

Khin, a freelance journalist, has been offered the job that could make her career (so far): writing the cover story of Tyler Tun for Vogue. He’s a global mega-star actor, and he’s filming a new movie in Myanmar with his best friend Mai. She’s to shadow him for two months, and if she can get a major break for the piece, she’s all but guaranteed a lead journalist job for Vogue Singapore. As a recent divorcee, the opportunity is too good to pass on. When she meets him, she can tell he’s hiding something, but they get on well enough. Then on the first day of shooting, Khin is approached by a drunkard ‘white guy’ who assaults her. She shoves a monogrammed pen in his ear and drops him off a bridge. Tyler finds her and steps in to help at the last minute, and she somehow talks him into pretending nothing happened. When the police show up on set the next day, they team up to get the story straight.

To be honest, it felt like this book was a little confused. I’m not sure what exactly it’s trying to be. It reminded me in some ways of Finlay Donovan is Killing It, except the stakes didn’t really seem that high, and it didn’t have a really high degree of humor. There were detectives, but they were pretty despicable. It was a little odd that they seemed almost more concerned with the article she’d previously written about outlawed abortions than the dead guy in the lake. The romance wasn’t incredibly strong either. I liked Tyler, but nothing about their connection felt very profound.

I was lucky to receive this title as an advanced listeners copy through netgalley from the publisher. I will say I especially enjoyed the voice she chose for Tyler, but I kind of hated the voice she chose for best friend Mai. It wasn’t enough to detract from the story though.

Overall it was an entertaining story, it just didn’t blow me away in any of the several categories it spanned. I’m not really sure what kind of reader I would recommend it to.

Details

Title:: I Did Something Bad
Author:: Pyae Moe Thet War
Genre:: Romance/Thriller?
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 47m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jacqui Bardelang
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: October 8th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Double Exposure | Elissa R. Sloan
Finaly Donovan Is Killing It | Elle Cosimano

Book Review:: Wish I Were Here | Melissa Wiesner

I looooooooved this book. In Wish I Were Here there is adventure, humor, drama, a heist, heart, community and the smidgiest smidge of magical realism that made it an experience I won’t soon forget.

Wish I Were Here by Melissa Miesner Book Cover

Catherine has it all. The life she’s dreamed of her entire childhood. A place of her own, every aspect of her life within her control, and she’s about to start the career of her dreams: a tenure track role in the mathematics department of the university. But when she shows up for orientation, she’s told there was a problem with her paperwork. Turns out, none of her forms of ID are valid. She’s not in the system & will lose everything she clings to so desperately for if she can’t get it fixed, and fast. With the help of her disorganized but compassionate doorman with connections all around the city, it’s a race against time to save her job.

Catherine and Luca are a perfect match for a romance novel. She craves organization almost to a point of pathology and that ranks low on Luca’s priority list. His actions shout at her to stay away, but there is something about him that she can’t deny she’s drawn to. He’s an excellent problem solver and Catherine happens to have a lot of problems that need solving at the moment!

Let’s talk about Luca Morelli. Oh my. Dream boat. This guy is Catherine’s nightmare, having so much in common with her literal clown of a father, but folks, he takes the time to dance with old ladies in the lobby, run them on their errands, listen to their stories, shows up every week to family dinners, and goes out of his way to help everyone every time. He’s a tatted-up teddy bear. He’s a keeper.

Kitty Cat (as the real ones call her) has quite the journey to traverse over the course of the novel. She’s got an identity crisis (literally), her father’s lost (another) job, and she learns about her mother for the first time in her 30 years of life, who might just be the answer to unlock everything else.

Not to mention the cast of side characters in this book are all fun, endearing, and incredibly special. The community aspect of this book is truly aspirational.

The romance in this book felt so…pure. It’s completely organic and hopeful and sweet and gah I just loved every bit of it. The personal journey Catherine goes on reminds me of the best Katherine Center books. This one blew me away. I got an arc copy from netgalley and the publisher, but before I was even halfway through I knew I was going to need a copy for myself to keep on my shelves. Absolutely wonderful. What are you waiting for?!

Details

Title:: Wish I Were Here
Author:: Melissa Wiesner
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: Forever
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 23m
Audiobook Narrator:: Helen Laser
Audiobook Publisher:: Forever
Published:: October 15th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Hello Stranger | Katherine Center
PS I Hate You | Lauren Connolly

Book Review:: A Not-So Holiday Paradise | Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Molly’s had a crush on her big brother’s best friend forever, but she hasn’t seen him in years. Now that her family is planning to visit him at a stop on their cruise vacation, she’s trying to play it cool. But mom’s matchmaking goes awry when a tropical storm moves in leaving Molly stranded on an island with Beckett without her seizure medication.

A Not-So Holiday Paradise by Gracie Ruth Mitchell Book Cover

I really like the inclusion of Molly’s condition, epilepsy. The author has the same condition, and it nice to see an authentic portrayal. It certainly added a level of conflict into the story, knowing she was without her medication while stranded.

(This paragraph contains spoilers) I also really appreciated that when the feelings were sparking at the end, they didn’t just immediately live happily ever after. They waited to make sure the feelings were genuine before committing or jumping in or making any big decisions.

The thing I’m finding about most ‘sweet’ romances, including this one, is how dang innocent they are. Sometimes it feels like the characters are significantly younger than they are. It’s just something that tends to be a pet peeve of mine. It’s not that there’s no spice, it’s that they just genuinely feel a little immature as people. Like extra responsible teenagers kind of. That’s the vibe I tend to get.

As far as this being a holiday book, I’d say that vibe was not very prominent. There is some Christmas decorating going on, but this is more of a beach/vacation book than a holiday one, I’d say.

Details

Title:: A Not-So Holiday Paradise
Author:: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Genre:: Holiday Romance
Publisher:: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Length:: 242 pages
Audio Length:: 7h 57m
Audiobook Narrator:: Rylee Kuberra & John Rogers
Audiobook Publisher:: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Published:: November 16th, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars
Spice Rating:: 0.5 (Longing and Kisses)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

It’s All Relative | Rachel Magee
How To Hide in Plain Sight | Emma Noyes

Book Review:: The Death King | Penelope Barsetti

This book is an indulgent escapist dark erotic romance fantasy. It is fiction. Please go into this one with the right expectations. This book will NOT be for everyone. Especially none with any sensitivity toward SA (se*ual as*ult).

I received this as an advanced listeners copy from Netgalley & the publisher, and though it did warn of dark themes, I’m not sure I was quite prepared for what this book is.

The Death King Penelope Barsetti Book Cover Sword Sheathed in a Broken Skull

Calista’s father was a King. When the Death King conquered the continent, her father killed himself before the conqueror could get to him. Calista witnessed it all before being shipped off to be a slave in the far reaches of the new kingdom. When she finds one of the coveted black diamonds in the sands, everything changes. Suddenly she finds herself a different kind of prisoner in the King’s own castle, and he’s fascinated by her. She doesn’t know him or what the war he’s clearly preparing for is about, and he’s not forthright with any information either. All Calista wants is freedom, and she’ll do just about anything to obtain it.

This is kind of the dark erotic answer to fourth wing. There are dragons, there is a dark leader love interest, there is a world to save (kind of?). Take that for what you will.

When this book began I was all in. The set up and the world this takes place in feels like a really great setup for an epic fantasy adventure/romance…whatever it might be. But as soon as Calista met the Death King, it turned into straight up erotica. The King is obsessed with bedding our dear Calista, despite the horrific trauma’s she’s endured. Like, literally her second night in his castle after rescuing her from her perpetual r*pist he’s wanting to bed her. And he does bed her, just not that first night. He gives her some choice, though not really the level he gaslights her into believing she has.

I’m not going to argue that this book takes things too far, because I know there are people out there who love a book like this one, it just wasn’t for me.

Anyway, there is a whole lot of sexy times in this book, and we’re not talking love-making. The King (Talon) is a damaged man. He’s basically allergic to intimacy. But Calista alights something new within him he’s unfamiliar with.

Personally, I wish the dirty stuff was toned down quite a bit because I think the skeleton of the plot is actually really interesting and I’d really like to find out what happens next. To me, the incessant lust really distracts from what the book could have been. For me it was 20% great setup, 70% nothing but sex and the pursuit of sex, and 10% hurry-and-wrap-up-the-plot. I also wondered a few times about consistency in the world. It’s a world where seamstresses are making the lingerie (not factory machines), but they have books of matches, and shave their nether regions? With what, a straight razor? …..it disconnected me from the story a few times when things like this would pop up.

There are three more books slated to be in this series, and while I added them all to my goodreads TBR soon after starting this book, I’m not sure if I’ll continue or not.

I thought the female narrator, Ramona Master, did a great job. The voice of Michael Ferraiuolo wasn’t really what I was expecting of a character called The Death King, and while I noticed every time narrators switched, I wouldn’t say it was distracting.

Details

Title:: The Death King (Death #1)
Author:: Penelope Barsetti
Genre:: Dark Erotic Fantasy
Publisher:: Hartwick Publishing
Length:: 341 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 7m
Audiobook Narrator:: Michael Ferraiuolo & Ramona Master
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars
Spice Rating:: 5!

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Not in Love | Ali Hazelwood
King of Wrath | Ana Huang