Husband Material by Alexis Hall

In romance, the book usually ends on the Happily Ever After or at least the Happily For Now. If there is a sequel, it usually focuses on a couple adjacent to the one in the first book. Hall continues to break into new (or at least seldom trod) paths by writing a follow up book, one wherein the two characters plan their wedding. I liked the idea of seeing what happens after the credits roll but, though Hall is an amazing writer, I had trouble reconciling everything in this book with what happened in the first, especially since most of this book felt like Luc and Oliver were on the sidelines (i.e. all of the conflicts seem external and, in a follow up book, it seems like there could be more things internal to the relationship), and I didn't especially love the way the book ended. I liked the ending, just not the actual execution.

Luc and Oliver fell in love and are now living in their HEA. But a brush with his ex-boyfriend causes Luc to question whether they are ready to take the next step in their relationship. It sure seems like everyone else is taking that step and maybe even expecting it from them as well. But are even of them really ready?

Three and a half stars.

This book came out August 2, 2020

Follows Boyfriend Material

ARC kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch

I seem to be on a spate of books centered around the Great British Bakeoff all of which have been fairly enjoyable. This iteration has Jodie Parker involved in the show (though she's not really quite sure why she was chosen.) It's just to bad that there are some weird things going on during the show, mostly centered around her very own bakes. But then one of the crew is murdered. He had only recently joined the team so Jodie isn't sure who would have hated him enough to kill him.

The secondary characters are well-developed including the host who is a drag queen with a secret to hide, the producer with a temper, and some of the crew. We get to see some relationship development between Jodie and Nate and some personal development for Jodie as well. 

Four stars

This book comes out August 18, 2022

Follows A Cornish Christmas Murder

Followed by A Cornish Seaside Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy

Okay, I have never actually watched a full episode of anything McCurdy has been in but social media seems to believe I should watch show clips and so I've seen a bundle of them and thought she was hilarious. This behind-the-scenes look at why she was on the shows... not so hilarious. As the title suggests, this is due to the machinations of her mother. And her mom was not okay. Like, not at all. It's surprising that McCurdy sounds as balanced as she is, even being able to turn down the reboot though it might have made her a ton of money. The "chapters" are incredibly short, more like a series of short stories but really interesting to listen to how a star was made.

Four stars

This book came out August 9, 2022

Audiobook from Audible

Opinions are my own

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole

Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions is a well-known evil. She has killed other people with power to gain their powers. Except that she really hasn't because she only makes illusions and talks to animals. But she knows she is the fated mate of Rydstrom Woede, the demon who should be king. 

Rydstrom has waited centuries to regain his throne. The throne that was stolen from him by the last Big Bad, Omort, who, by the way, is Sabine's half-brother. A half-brother who really wants to bed her but, as a virgin, their society dictates she cannot be taken against her will. But she has just captured him and is teasing him into trying to have sex so that she can bear his heir, as prophesied. But Rydstrom really just wants to take back his throne and is trying as hard as possible to resist her wiles. 

As always, there is just So Much going on in this book and, yet, I really enjoy it. Fun book, really moves the overall story along.

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 2009

Follows Dark Desires After Dusk

Followed by Deep Kiss of Winter

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

After Hours on Milagro Street by Angelina M. Lopez

Alex Torres left Kansas to make a name for herself. Her grandmother was certainly never going to give up her bar so Alex might as well leave. And she's made a name for herself on social media. People know and love her but not everyone. Especially not the manager that just fired her. That's fine. She'll go home. It's time for her generation to pick up Loretta's anyway. But it isn't going to be as easy as she thinks. She and her sisters have never seen eye-to-eye, her grandmother doesn't especially want to give them the business, her former hometown arch nemesis has his eye on the building, and there's a tall, handsome man living in the apartment above the bar who seems to have insinuated himself into her family. 

Jeremiah Post is a professor at the local college. He's really enjoyed getting to know the Torres family. But the woman standing in the bar late at night is not someone he recognizes. She's hot though and the more he gets to know about her, the more he likes. Too bad she's so determined to make him the villain. 

This was an interesting story and I really liked how Lopez wrapped her own family's history into the story and wove the history of Kansas that many people might not know. There were so many vibrant characters that Alex, Jeremiah, and their relationship all suffered a little but I do hope we see more in this setting.

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 26, 2022

Followed by Full Moon Over Freedom

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole

Cadeon Woede is the brother of a king. One who lost his throne because Cade didn't show up when he was needed. But there were circumstances. Still, Cade can't forgive himself and when there's the chance to get a weapon that will finally dethrone the monster who took it from Cade's brother, Cade will do anything to get it. Even give up his own mate. Or so he thinks.

Holly is human. Frighteningly so with her OCD and need for order. So when she's attacked and kidnapped by a group of men... vampires?... and then somehow miraculously makes her way out of what appears to be a sacrifice (of her) situation, she's confused. Even more so when the cute guy who couldn't talk to her on campus suddenly appears to help her out. But is that what she's doing? Suddenly, Holly, unsuspecting math adjunct, is on the run, thrust into a situation that could literally save a world. 

I didn't like this one quite as much as the others in the series but it was still enjoyable. I liked the addition of Holly's boyfriend to the story although it became pretty apparent that he wasn't going to last long.

Four stars

This book came out May 20, 2008

Follows Dark Needs at Night's Edge 

Followed by Kiss of a Demon King

Hard copy I kept

Opinions are my own

Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole

Murdered by her jealous ex-fiance, Neomi made the decision not to die. Well, at least for her soul not to leave this plane and she became tethered to the earth as a ghost. No one has seen or heard her (except peripherally a toddler) in the last eighty years. So she is astonished when a handsome man buys her mansion. She is even more astonished when he and three other men bring in a fourth who is chained. And this man, this man can see her.Except that he's one of the things that she never believed in, even though she herself is a ghost. 

Conrad never wanted to become a vampire. In fact, he was a vampire hunter. So when his brothers turned him 300 years ago, he lashed out and became a killer. Now, he has been drinking the blood of so many other killers, that he has all of these memories from all these other people roiling around in his head. He wants to kill his brothers but they just want to save him. However, his savior might actually be a little ballerina ghost that he's pretty sure is real.

I really thought Cole was pointing toward a different ending which was interesting. This book is like the others in this series with a lot of action and story movement in the last twenty or so pages leaving you wondering how it can all be wrapped up, but then... it is.

Four stars

This book came out April 29, 2008

Follows Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

Followed by Dark Desires After Dusk

Hard copy I kept

Opinions are my own