Some of Ben Sedgwick’s favorite things:

• Helping his poor parishioners 
• Baby animals 
• Shamelessly flirting with the handsome Captain Phillip Dacre 

After an unconventional upbringing, Ben is perfectly content with the quiet, predictable life of a country vicar, free of strife or turmoil. When he’s asked to look after an absent naval captain’s three wild children, he reluctantly agrees, but instantly falls for the hellions. And when their stern but gloriously handsome father arrives, Ben is tempted in ways that make him doubt everything. 

Some of Phillip Dacre’s favorite things:

• His ship 
• People doing precisely as they're told 
• Touching the irresistible vicar at every opportunity 

Phillip can’t wait to leave England’s shores and be back on his ship, away from the grief that haunts him. But his children have driven off a succession of governesses and tutors and he must set things right. The unexpected presence of the cheerful, adorable vicar sets his world on its head and now he can’t seem to live without Ben’s winning smiles or devastating kisses. 

In the midst of runaway children, a plot to blackmail Ben’s family, and torturous nights of pleasure, Ben and Phillip must decide if a safe life is worth losing the one thing that makes them come alive.

Once upon a time, I was a Cat Sebastian fan. Then she went ahead and wrote a book that was more charming and lovely than any one book has a right to be, and I was upgraded to superfan.

It Takes Two to Tumble is a bright and beautiful story overflowing with characters that the reader can’t help but fall in love with. From the gruff and grieving sea captain to the local vicar with a bit of a radical streak, even the children and their canine companion, each character makes an impression that you won’t soon forget. There are no secondary characters in this book; each one has a vital role to play.

Phillip hadn’t planned on lusting after the vicar. 

Cat Sebastian’s writing is some of the best, every word, every scene perfectly placed to keep the story moving while allowing the reader to be fully immersed.  She has an amazing capacity for storytelling, and her fictional worlds are some of my favorite to get lost in. Attraction, longing, grief, despair, love, and hope are all mixed with unexpected bits of levity and it’s truly a joy to read.

When I heard that Joel Leslie would be narrating this series, my soul left my body and I’m pretty sure I cried a little bit. (Yes, this blog is basically turning into a Joel Leslie fanpage. I’M AWARE.) All the dreams I dared not dream came true with this pairing, and this was one of his best performances I’ve heard to date.

He took an already amazing story and amplified it, giving it a new dimension that words on a page just cannot achieve.  With distinct characterizations and impressive emotional range, he tells this story like it was written specifically for him to perform.

When their lips met they both went still, and Ben had the fleeting impression that Dacre was more startled than Ben was himself. Ben wasn’t startled at all, come to think. Dacre’s mouth felt right on his, as if Ben had been waiting all his life to taste the stern line of this man’s lips, as if this was what Ben’s mouth was for and he was only now realizing it.

It Takes Two to Tumble has earned a place on my favorites shelf and has cemented Cat Sebastian as one of my auto-buy authors.

A new standalone, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting.

Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list.

Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him.

As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world.

Whether it be an emotional angst-fest or an over the top rom-com, Helena Hunting can always be counted on for a story that engages and entertains the reader, and Making Up, the latest in her Shacking Up series, is no exception.

From an impossibly ridiculous meet-cute to bedroom scenes that had me fanning myself, Helena Hunting kept me wrapped up in this story from start to finish. This may be my favorite of the series so far.

Making Up was, in a word, FUN. A fun, easy read that was a wonderful escape from real life. Griffin was that perfect swoony leading man, one who worked his way into my heart early and kept me rooting for him the whole time. A genuine good guy, I love how he loved Cosy, (even before he knew he loved her) and l adored the lengths he was willing to go to to make her happy.  

Cosy was sweet and adorable and admirable, and I wanted, no needed, her to be happy. A hard worker, even at her young age, she had a solid head on her shoulders. I loved that she wasn’t overly dramatic and kept Griffin on his toes.

“I can’t risk falling for someone temporary. I can enjoy this time with him. He can be a fairy-tale chapter in my life.”

I laughed, yelled, swooned, and overheated a bit. What more can you ask for? Helena made these two work hard for their HEA, but to me, it was worth every mile of the journey.

"Girls like you aren't exactly welcomed at a place like this, so keep your head down and look the other way."

Those were the exact words of my social worker when she dropped me in my newest hellhole, a place for "troubled teens".

I didn't listen, and now I'm on their radar.

They expect me to play along in their games of hierarchy, to fall in line in the social order they've deemed me fit.

Too bad for them, I don't follow rules.
Too bad for me, they're determined to make sure I do.

Inconceivably attractive and treated like kings...these are the boys of Brayshaw High.
And I'm the girl who got in their way.

This book was a lot of things. One thing that it was not…is good. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying I didn’t like the story, I actually did…when Penelope Douglas and Erin Watt wrote it. This book was so busy trying to replicate the essence of those books, trying so hard to be something, it forgot to actually be anything. The storyline wanders more than a zombie horde in The Walking Dead. I still don’t even know what this book was supposed to be about.

Obviously, books in this “genre” are over the top and unbelievable. And I can get down with that! They’re escapist, soap opera-ish fun. But this…this book didn’t seem to be based in any reality that I’m familiar with. This story was too far-fetched, too nonsensical, and at the risk of sounding harsh, it became almost laughable at a certain point. There were far too many things that just made no damn sense.

Raven, our main character, was a study in contradiction. Her thoughts and actions were a metronome, back and forth, back and forth, setting a repetitive pace for the entire book that just wore on my nerves as the pages turned. Don’t even get me started on the underground fighting ring nonsense…I mean, what in the Travis Maddox was going on there? That plot device is so old, it’s collecting Social Security. Can we not? No, it’s not fresh and edgy because a girl is fighting. It’s tired.

The “men” in this story (who are really boys…c’mon) are props in this game of “What Inanity Can We Foist Upon The Reader Now?”. They’re caricatures. They are the cardboard cutouts…no substance, no qualities that set them apart from others of their type. Yes, this archetype has been done, almost to death. But most authors still manage to make the characters interesting in some way. That was not the case here. I couldn’t care less about them, and I’m still, hours and tens of thousands of words later, not sure which one is which. And I’m not motivated to try and figure it out.

Side note: This book should have been subtitled, “OMG Who Talks Like That?”

And I don’t know if this book was overly long, or it just seemed that way because I had to read so many sentences over and over again because they were illegible at first glance. Commas were tossed throughout this manuscript like they were fired out of a confetti cannon, yet none of them ended up where they are supposed to be. Missing words, incorrect words, an overabundance of descriptors and qualifiers…the editorial state of this book is a TRAVESTY. I can only assume one of three things happened.

1) The editor and proofreader failed this author IN THE EXTREME. (and she should ask for a refund)

2) The author thought she knew better and did not accept the corrections said editor and proofreader made.

3) The wrong file was uploaded to Amazon.

Either way, the state of this book reeks of a complete indifference to the reader’s experience. I’m appalled that someone had the audacity to ask someone to pay to read this. It’s lazy at best, disrespectful at worst. I’m offended on behalf of readers all over the world.

The most disappointing part of this entire book is that there were brief glimmers of promise in there, but they were quickly snuffed out by all of the bullshittery. I am clearly in the minority here, but I just do not get the appeal of this book and have no desire to read anything else in this series.

Lord Thornby has been trapped on his father’s isolated Yorkshire estate for a year. There are no bars or chains; he simply can’t leave. His sanity is starting to fray. When industrial magician John Blake arrives to investigate a case of witchcraft, he finds the peculiar, arrogant Thornby as alarming as he is attractive. John soon finds himself caught up in a dark fairytale, where all the rules of magic—and love—are changed.

To set Thornby free, both men must face life-changing truths—and John must accept that the brave, witty man who’s winning his heart may also be about to break it. Can they escape a web of magic that’s as perilous as love?

When Lee Welch appeared in my inbox asking if I would be interested in reviewing SALT MAGIC, SKIN MAGIC, I had to think long and hard about it. For about 1.3 seconds. Then I was all, “HELL YEAH!”

Salt Magic, Skin Magic is an inventive bit of historical fiction laced with magic, mysticism, and powerful romance. The book grabbed hold of me from the very first scene, and much like Lord Thornby, I was held captive, needing to unravel this story and get to the bottom of the mystery.

I don’t read a lot of books with magical elements, and I loved the way magic almost seemed to be the norm in this world. As a neophyte to this genre, the plot was unpredictable to me, so that each page was a revelation and a new opportunity to learn (and get lost) about this magic system and its role in the overarching mystery in the book.

The romance between Thornby and John Blake was wonderfully built, these two opposites going from adversaries to lovers. You can feel the affection and care these two have for another, and their developing relationship felt natural and managed to be both sweet and impossibly sexy.

Brief moments of levity brightened up the story and remind the reader that even though we’re reading about bizarre events in a fantastical world, we’re still reading about two very real men.

“You stretched it? I suppose you asked it nicely?” “No, iron prefers orders. I told it, very firmly indeed.”

Joel Leslie was the perfect choice of narrator for this story. If I didn’t know better, I would think this book was written specifically for him to perform. His narration is at once eloquent and impassioned; he takes an already compelling story and turns it into something almost tangible with the way he affects the listener. Lee and Joel are a match made in audio heaven.

Lee Welch’s writing is beautiful; it’s moody and atmospheric in a way that makes the story surround the reader like a fog, helping them get lost in the words and become a part of that world. She employed a clever and inventive twist on events of the Victorian age to tell a story that feels like an alternate history. SALT MAGIC, SKIN MAGIC was fascinating and wholly entertaining, and I would welcome more books in this world.

Max: Chill. Sports. Video games. Gay and not a big deal, not to him, not to his mom, not to his buddies. And a secret: An encounter with an older kid that makes it hard to breathe, one that he doesn't want to think about, ever.

Jordan: The opposite of chill. Poetry. His "wives" and the Chandler Mall. Never been kissed and searching for Mr. Right, who probably won't like him anyway. And a secret: A spiraling out of control mother, and the knowledge that he's the only one who can keep the family from falling apart.

Throw in a rickety, 1980s-era food truck called Coq Au Vinny. Add in prickly pears, cloud eggs, and a murky idea of what's considered locally sourced and organic. Place it all in Mesa, Arizona, in June, where the temp regularly hits 114. And top it off with a touch of undeniable chemistry between utter opposites.

Over the course of one summer, two boys will have to face their biggest fears and decide what they're willing to risk — to get the thing they want the most.

If I could, I would give all the stars in the night sky to Bill Konigsberg and The Music of What Happens. This YA LGBT novel worked its way into my heart and refuses to let go. With a unique and refreshing cast of characters who aren’t afraid to recognize their shortcomings or tackle the problems life throws at them, this book is probably my top read of the year so far.

One of the real assets of this story was how REAL it was. It wasn’t a stereotypical “summer love” young adult novel. This book showed that sometimes, shit sucks. Life is hard, lousy things happen to good people, and not everyone can deal in a constructive and healthy way.

But Max and Jordan forged an unlikely friendship which morphed into a fledgling love and learned to lean on each other, which I found heartwarming and beautiful. I loved that they were able to open up to each other and become a source of strength for one another. My momma bear instincts kicked into overdrive for these two and I have adopted Jordan as my fictional son and want to take care of him forever.

The Music of What Happens deals with some heavy topics and honestly, certain parts were difficult to read. My heart hurt for these boys, especially as I could draw some parallels between their experiences to my own youth (back when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth). But I felt they were handled respectfully and thoughtfully.

I listened to the audiobook (of course), and the narration was outstanding. Anthony Rey Perez was a new narrator for me, and he embodied Max perfectly. Joel Froomkin is, well…Joel. Need I say more? If you’ve known me more than a minute, you know my feelings there. Of course, he nails the main characters, but even beyond that, his portrayal of Jordan’s “wives” had me snort-laughing so many times throughout the story. He made even those “secondary” characters so vivid and entertaining, I loved them and couldn’t help but become attached to them.

Konigsberg wrote a story that was heartwarming and silly and serious and authentic and wonderful. I don’t have enough superlatives to describe how I felt about this book. I honestly loved it and feel it truly is a book that so many people, young, old, gay, straight, and anything in between could benefit from reading.

Introducing the first novel in the pulse-pounding Sacramento series from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.

There is a serial killer on the loose, preying on vulnerable women. The only identifiable mark the killer leaves are letters—sometimes one, sometimes two—all carved into the torsos of his victims. Together they spell “Sydney.”

When he grabs Daisy Dawson, he believes he has found his next victim. But despite her small stature, she fights back with an expertise that quickly frees her. Before fleeing the scene, Daisy also manages to grab what proves to be crucial evidence: a necklace from around the killer’s neck.

The necklace is more than a trivial item—it is a link to a cold case that Special Agent Gideon Reynolds has been tracking for seventeen years. With Daisy’s help, Gideon finally has the opportunity to get closer to the truth than ever before.

But they might not get the chance, as the serial killer has a new target: Gideon and Daisy.

With a compelling plot, fascinating backstories, complex yet accessible characters as well as one of the most interesting villains I’ve read in quite some time, Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose was everything the romantic suspense fan in me could have wanted. Coupled with a brilliant audio performance, this book owned me for the better part of a week and I’m not even sorry. (See what I did there?)

From the initial intense scene from the POV of a serial killer, I was all in with this book. Say You’re Sorry unfolded and came together in the very best way. The story is very smartly told, the threads expertly woven together to keep the reader on edge from start to finish.

Over and above the storyline, the characters in this book truly shine. Gideon with his gripping and heartbreaking history, Daisy with her unwavering strength and badassery, even the villain of this story all combine to create something special..

Daisy Dawson was one of the most admirable characters I’ve read lately, and I have no doubt she could carry a story all on her own. Tough as nails, but still maintaining a softness about her, sign me up for the Daisy Fan Club. She has so much to give and I’m all too excited to see her in future installments of his series.

One of the most surprising things about this book was how much I sympathized with the villain. Yes, I had soft feelings for a serial killer. That’s what this book did to me. I questioned my sanity more than once throughout the story, wondering how and why I wanted to take this sadistic killer under my wing and fix him. I’m not sure if that says more about my mental state or Karen’s writing…I’m choosing to blame it on Karen.
I also loved the story-within-a-story quality of this book, and the larger story arc that began in this book already has me lying in wait for the next one in the series.

Joel Froomkin’s narration was stellar. He elevates the source material to more than just words on a page; his performance becomes a living, breathing story that leaves a lasting impact on the listener. His portrayal of the villain was especially powerful and he showcased the duality of his personality perfectly. He gave the frenzied psychopath a sympathetic edge, and I am making an offering to the casting gods to get him to play more creepy psychos in the future.

Say You’re Sorry was one wild ride and I’m clutching my ticket, waiting for my turn on the next one.

In a spellbinding new Highlands story from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, the laird of the Buchanans finds the one woman who is his equal in passion and courage

Aulay Buchanan has retreated to his clan’s hunting lodge for a few days of relaxation. But the raven-haired beauty he pulls from the ocean puts an end to any chance of rest. Though he christens her Jetta, she knows nothing of her real identity, save that someone is trying to kill her. As she recovers, it will not be easy for Aulay to protect her and keep her honor intact when she mistakenly believes they are man and wife…

Jetta sees beyond Aulay’s scars to the brave, loyal warrior she’s proud to call her own. But as the attempts on her life grow more brazen, Jetta realizes that not all is as she believes. And if Aulay is not her husband, can she trust the desire flaring in his eyes, or his promise to defend her with his life?

I am a recent convert to historical romance novels, and The Highlander’s Promise by Lynsay Sands is now ranked among my favorites. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first Highlander romance, but this book has set the bar way high, so other books in the genre better watch their backs!

The Highlander’s Promise was an entertaining and lighthearted read, one that held me captive from the very start, and one that continues to have a hold on me even after finishing Aulay and Jetta’s story. Aulay was a perfect hero for me, a protective male who also isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. While my initial reaction to him was a little lukewarm, he quickly won me over and stole my heart.

I experienced a full spectrum of emotions while listening to this book. I sighed and swooned, I blushed and laughed out loud. The humor in this book was a pleasant surprise and made me love this family even more. The chemistry and emotional connection between Aulay and Jetta was palpable, investing the reader in this uncommon relationship. The physical tension between the two simmers throughout this book, and they are explosive together, often making me catch my breath.

I came across this audiobook while searching for Joel Froomkin narrations, and I went into it without any expectations, being my first Highlander romance. What an unexpected win it was! Joel (the Ariel to my Ursula, I only want him for his voice) delivered a vibrant and engaging performance, portraying a lively clan of characters in a way only he can.

The brothers Buchanan, their wives, friends, staff, even the villain of the story are brought to life in this narration, each character lively and distinct and endearing (well, except for that damn villain. I hope they get eaten by fire ants.) Joel’s talent is unmatched, and this story is one of my favorite narrative performances, one I’ll listen to over and over.

I had an actual physical reaction to this book and performance. I held my breath, I wrung my hands, my heart damn near beat out of my chest a time or two. Even before I finished the audio, I bought a print copy so I can pet it and have it near me always. Lynsay Sands (and Joel!) have given me my first five-star read of the year and I can’t wait to devour the rest of the series.

From national bestselling author Sylvain Reynard comes the haunting, unforgettable tale of one man’s salvation and one woman’s sensual awakening
. . .

Enigmatic and sexy, Professor Gabriel Emerson is a well-respected Dante specialist by day, but by night he devotes himself to an uninhibited life of pleasure. He uses his notorious good looks and sophisticated charm to gratify his every whim, but is secretly tortured by his dark past and consumed by the profound belief that he is beyond all hope of redemption.

When the sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrolls as his graduate student, his attraction and mysterious connection to her not only jeopardizes his career, but sends him on a journey in which his past and his present collide.

An intriguing and sinful exploration of seduction, forbidden love, and redemption, Gabriel’s Inferno is a captivating and wildly passionate tale of one man’s escape from his own personal hell as he tries to earn the impossible—forgiveness and love.

Welcome back to Moprah’s Book Club! After a long hiatus, we’re back, and we’re reading Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard. This book was one of the first indie books I’ve read, and remains one of my favorite books of all time.

This story beautiful, sensual, lush, and decadent, and I love it beyond measure.

We’d love to have you join us in Moprah’s Book Club as we read together and discuss the book throughout the month!

Mark Hansen thought working as artist’s assistant would be glamorous, especially if that artist was a vampire. Black tie events, witty repartee, gracing the pages of the local style section…. Didn’t happen. Not even once.

Jonathan Varga is an enigma. True, he’s quiet, generous, and scrupulously polite. But he has zero social life, refuses to be interviewed or photographed, and insists he can only consume feline blood.

Why supermarket blood won't suffice, Mark hasn’t asked. He’s rarely at a loss for words—he can dish an insult and follow it with a snap as quick as you can say “Miss Thang.” But one look at Jonathan’s black-as-sin gypsy eyes, and Mark’s objections drain away.

So he endures the perpetual grind of their routine: Jonathan hiding in his studio, swiping black paint onto black canvases. Mark hurling insults while he buffs the office to a shine with antiviral wipes. Each of them avoiding the other in a careful choreography…until a blurb in Art in America unleashes a chain of harrowing events.

As secrets from Jonathan’s past are brought to light, it becomes clear that all his precautions weren’t nearly enough.

Now that I am a mature, grown-up lady, I also very much appreciate vampire stories for their rich world-building, interesting and unique societal structure, and the way a skilled author can create a whole new universe from an age-old legend. These are the main selling points for me in Jordan Castillo Price’s HEMOVORE.

Price creates a unique and incredibly detailed world in which vampirism is the result of a virus that kills more people than it converts. Her writing is refreshing in that she doesn’t pander to the reader and spend endless chapters info-dumping and presenting this new vampire society. She drops the reader directly into this realm and educates them along the way, making them feel a part of this world of V positive and V negative people. Most fascinating for me is the fact that this vampire story isn’t paranormal.

HEMOVORE gives us characters that we can’t help but relate to, even in this extraordinary world. Again, we’re dropped right in the middle Of the relationship between Mark and Jonathan. Instead of following them from the first meeting, we get to know them after they’ve been working together for several years. While we understand that there are romantic feelings, we don’t see that play out much on the page for a good while. I was captivated with how Price developed their relationship. Mark and Jonathan felt like partners without being partners, in my opinion, the romance between the two was subtle but felt oh so natural, they seemed so “together” from the beginning. This was one of the least steamy vampire stories that I’ve read, but that just made their brief moments of physical connection that much more meaningful and powerful for me. I mean…THAT KISS. Wowza.

Then there’s the suspense of it all. The mystery and action in this story excited me and kept me on edge throughout the book. I didn’t even have time to second-guess things, to try and predict what would happen and whodunnit, all due to Price’s writing and the stellar narration that kept me wrapped up in each and every word, I was laser-focused on precisely what was going on in the moment as opposed to trying to see what was coming down the pike.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Joel Leslie. I’m not saying I’m on a mission to listen to everything he’s ever recorded, but I may or may not be in a bidding war for a bootleg copy of his seventh-grade student council campaign speech.

His versatility makes each character wholly unique, allowing the listener to truly immerse themselves in the world that he helps create. He’s not just telling you a story; he’s helping you experience it right alongside the character.

HEMOVORE was an exciting and well-told story that blended so many elements flawlessly and manages to do so in a brand-new world. I loved the balance of Mark’s snark and inner dialogue with Jonathan’s more reserved nature, and I giggled about as much as I gasped throughout the story. This story was interesting and intense, and I would love to experience more in this world. Add in a satisfying and heartwarming follow-up story in SWEET, and I don’t think I could have asked for much more from this book. I’ll be picking up more from Jordan Castillo Price for sure.

Spoiler Alert: I WAS NOT READY.

This book had so many more layers. Instead of the simple read I was expecting, I got a story of unlikely love, desperate longing, stolen moments coupled with impossible decisions. I got a story of two souls that belonged together, desperate for a way to rise above the societal conventions that would keep them apart. This was a story of many different kinds of love; the love between partners, family, and friends. A story of sacrifice and acceptance, a story of people trying to do what they think is best, even when it hurts.

These characters were beautifully drawn, giving and selfless, their inherent goodness coming across so easily. The secondary characters were fantastic, their wisdom, their humor, their support and love adding so much to this book.

Cassius and Merrick’s love story simmered and sparked, the chemistry between the two of the gripping me, while their realizations that they could never live out that love story together pulled at my heart, causing my own emotions to toss and pitch right along with theirs. Along with sizzling attraction and emotions between the two men, there were moments of levity that had me laughing out loud.

I listened to this book on audio, knowing that Joel Leslie would breathe life into this story in the way that only he can. His impassioned portrayal of Cas and his prince had me rapt, at times holding my breath in anticipation of what was to come, at other times weeping as this story caused fissures in my heart I could only hope the authors would heal.

This story and this narrator are a match made in audiobook heaven, an inspired pairing that elevated the book to a whole new level, allowing this ethereal world to almost become real in the listener’s mind.

EVER AFTER was unlike anything I’ve read before, a book without roots in any particular time or place, but a story so vividly told and performed, the reader can’t help but get lost in this world. The love story of Merrick and Cassius is stitched upon my heart, and I’ll go back to Evergreen to visit them again and again.