Cupid's Chokehold by Dee Garcia [Review]

Cupid's Chokehold (Festive ASF #2) by Dee Garcia
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 25, 2025

Festive ASF
1. Bad Santas
2. Cupid's Chokehold - Kindle
3. Dublin My Luck
4. Slash or Smash
5. Midnight Mischief

Dee Garcia
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lala and Suki are celebrating their third Valentine’s Day together.
Not that they need to spice things up—they’re compatible in every way—but Lala wants to kick things up a notch for the day dedicated to love. A couple of enhancement chocolates, an app controlled device, and some drinks at this cozy little dive bar… Sounds like the perfect night, right?

Eros Lovett hates Valentine’s Day.
The only reason this grump opens his doors for the ridiculous Hallmark holiday is to offer a place of refuge for all his fellow anti-Valentiners. So when the girls waltz into his bar, giggling and brazenly affectionate, he whips up Cupid’s Chokehold on a dime, hoping the molotov cocktail will have them out the doors sooner rather than later. Just because the rest of the world falls captive to this scam of a holiday doesn’t mean he needs to be subject to it, too.

Turns out, the only thing going out the doors are the patrons because when the girls suddenly proposition Eros with a festive ménage à trois, he can’t find it in himself to decline.

This Cupid’s arrow might not be laced with love, but lust is in the air, and three isn’t always a crowd.

Thoughts on Cupid's Chokehold: It's Valentine's and Suki and Lala are enjoying themselves (immensely) while Eros is grumping his way through the end of the night as he just waits for it to end. Then Suki and Lala invite him into their celebration and suddenly Eros isn't hating the holiday quite as much.

No lie, Suki and Lala are both a little uninhibited, they don't mind public displays of ANYTHING, and they both think the grumpy bartender is smokin' hot. So they invite him to join them in their holiday celebration and WHOO-BOY does he apply himself to their pleasure.

A sex-ay, sex-ay evening with three individuals who are all about doing what feels right. And good. And pleasurable. Let's just say they all end up happy and leave it at that. *thumbs up*

Chained by Teagan Grey [Review]

Chained (The Bastion #1) by Teagan Grey
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 6, 2026

The Bastion
1. Chained - Kindle
2. Ravished

Teagan Grey
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

He’s a monster in a cage, and she’s the only one who can tame him.

Arabella Kane is out of options. Desperate for money, she signs on as a Tamer at The Bastion, the underground prison where the world’s most dangerous supernaturals are caged. Her first assignment? A twenty-four–hour session with Rowan Hale—the most volatile inmate of them all. A hulking werewolf locked in a permanent state of rut.

He’s hunger and instinct, claws and fury—and he doesn’t just need release. He needs her. His possessive nature demands more than her body. It demands a mate.

For one day and one night, Arabella is trapped in his cell, at the mercy of his relentless desire. She only came for a paycheck. What she doesn’t expect is the dark thrill of surrender, or the way her body answers his every command. And when he whispers one possessive word against her skin, she knows she’s already lost.

Thoughts on Chained: Arabella honestly doesn't know what to expect when she signs on as a Tamer, but she needs the money and she doesn't see a lot of other options. When the warden throws all the rules and regulations out the window and asks her to take on Rowan Hale, Arabella is a little freaked out, but she says yes. Because the money is just that good for such a dangerous inmate.

While things could have turned out very badly for Arabella, they didn't. Rowan likes her scent (A LOT) and gets right down to business. He's rough around the edges and pushes more than a few of her boundaries, but he's careful enough to not do any permanent damage.

And twenty-four hours is plenty of time for both of them to know they've found something in that cold cell. To be fair, Rowan kind of knew he'd found something good as soon as he caught her scent. Arabella took a little longer, but her werewolf is exactly what she needs in all the right ways.

A cold prison cell, a snarly werewolf, and a lady who finds out a whole bunch of what works for her in a very short time. *thumbs up*

Guarded by the Snake by Layla Fae [Review]

Guarded by the Snake (Monster Security Agency #2) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 6, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake - Paperback | Kindle
3. Guarded by the Spider
4. Guarded by the Kraken
5. Guarded by the Leshy
6. Guarded by the Vodnik
7. Guarded by the Nightmare
8. Guarded by the Reaper
9. Guarded by the Phantom
10. Guarded by the Krampus
11. Guarded by the Yeti
12. Guarded by the AI
13. Guarded by the Symbiote
14. Guarded by the Steel Seraph
15. Guarded by the Clanker

Layla Fae
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She stole her way into my cold, serpent heart like a thief in the night.
The tiny human hires me to shield her from the vengeance of a powerful organization. There’s nothing wrong with that, except she stole from them, got caught, and now I have to clean up her mess. Add to that her incessant chatter, and I’m in for the most unpleasant job in my career.

Until her enemies bring out the big guns, turning the irksome protection assignment into a lethal fight for survival. Necessity pushes my principal closer and closer—too close for comfort. Forced to hide in small spaces, her skin rubbing against my scales, her warm breath on my face, my exasperation gives way to lust.

It’s just physical attraction, I tell myself. All I want is to bury my two spikes in her tight body and feel her writhing under me in pleasure. Nothing more than that. Because it’s impossible I could want her–the annoying, ballsy little thief who makes the sun shine with a smile.

One thing is certain: this is no longer just a job. I’ll butcher everyone who wants to hurt her.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Snake: Kim is in a tough situation and she needs the help of MSA to stay alive long enough to get revenge. Except, it's kind of one specific MSA agent she needs. Asan. A grim, scowly (he might not actually scowl, but you can FEEL the scowl he's holding onto in his neutral expression) shehru who is NOT thrilled to be taking on her contract.

Kim's fidgeting sets off his predatory instincts. Her willingness to take risks with her life makes him upset. And the fact she thinks she's going to be going into dangerous situations ALONE? Yeah, not happening. The big guy might not have wanted to take this contract, but he did and he's going to make sure his principal stays alive no matter what.

Honestly, spending day and night with her isn't nearly as irritating as he thought it would be. Her fidgeting grows on him. Her smiles are nice. She still takes way more chances than a human in her position should, but that's why she hired him.

More than a little danger (a person does not hire a bodyguard if there isn't danger on the horizon, you know!), some snake-on-human public smooching that the other snakes aren't thrilled with (shehru/human couples are pretty taboo, but Asan doesn't care!), one VERY sexy time on the dance floor, some oddly sweet dirty talk (Asan is a master as convincing his human to try just a little more), a snake with a protective streak a mile wide, and a lady who is more than willing to be talked into trying new things. *thumbs up*

To Kill a Badger by Shelly Laurenston [Review]

To Kill a Badger (The Honey Badger Chronicles #6) by Shelly Laurenston
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 5, 2026

The Honey Badger Chronicles
1. Hot and Badgered
2. In a Badger Way
3. Badger to the Bone
4. Breaking Badger
5. Born to Be Badger
6. To Kill a Badger - Paperback | Kindle

Shelly Laurenston
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Nelle Zhao is a social media maven who knows what matters. And the only thing that matters right now is survival. Not easy, though, when her honey badger teammates attract trouble the way she attracts attention. She didn’t know when it became her job to protect the ones she cares about from themselves, but even she has to admit…she’s really good at it. Too bad some people don’t appreciate when she’s being helpful. Especially Keane Malone, who doesn’t know how to accept a friendly paw. But Nelle excels at helping! And at ignoring other people’s irrational demands, such as doing it all alone. Keane, poor pretty kitty, doesn’t understand the kind of assistance a shit-starting honey badger like Nelle can truly offer . . .

Keane knows two things—he doesn’t like other people, and he is going to crush the de Medicis, an evil coalition of male lion shifters who are not only snatching innocent humans for fun and profit, but also killed his father. And for once, he may not be able to fight this fight alone, forcing him to let long-legged, jet-setting Nelle join the fight. And getting close to Nelle is suddenly bringing out his roar . . .

Thoughts on To Kill a Badger: Honey badgers, man. It doesn't matter their age, they are all a little unhinged. Nelle and her teammates might not even be the most unhinged of the bunch. That title miiiiight belong to Tracey Rutowski and her band of middle aged miscreants. That group of badgers DOES NOT know how to do anything subtly. At all.

But let's not worry about Tracey and her crew (as an aside: you should absolutely ALWAYS worry about Tracey and her crew). This is Nelle and Keane's story (mostly) and THESE TWO. Nelle is one who doesn't ask for permission. She just steps up and does what needs to be done. This ranges from keeping Charlie out of the loop when it comes to what Max is about to crash into the middle of to decorating Mads house (complete with a half-court and wine cellar) without any input from Mads. So when Tracey tells her she needs to go to overseas to get the European honey badgers to help with their current problem, Nelle...actually Nelle digs in her heels. They don't need help. Nelle and her teammates can take care of whatever is going on themselves. Except the alternative is that TRACEY goes to Europe and the lady is a walking diplomatic disaster. So Nelle digs in her heels, but ultimately takes on the task set to her for the good of everyone. Also, there's a slight possibility doing this will get her out of her sister's wedding. Which Nelle REALLY does not want to be involved with.

While Nelle is moving and shaking the world's chessboard to her liking, Keane is sort of roped into joining her. Not because he cares what happens to anyone (excluding his own family, he absolutely does NOT care), but because Nelle just sort of keeps dragging him along. As her bodyguard. Which she doesn't need. But grouchy Keane maybe doesn't find Nelle nearly as irritating as most everyone else, so he follows along. He scowls. He roars when he gets upset. He does his big cat thing and pounces before playing with his food (not that he EATS people or anything. Mostly.) to keep Nelle out of trouble.

A whole lot of familiar faces (so many! *heart eyes*), an unholy amount of barely controlled rage (honey badgers, man!), Stevie accidentally stumbling over very dangerous things, bears, baking, a tiger that doesn't like anyone (until he does!), and a honey badger who can get herself into (and out of) some dangerous situations. I'm talking about Nelle with that last part. Although, that really applies to pretty much ALL the honey badgers. GOOD TIMES!

While You Were Seething by Charlotte Stein [Review]

While You Were Seething by Charlotte Stein
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 15, 2025

Purchase Links - Paperback | Kindle

Related books
When Grumpy Met Sunshine
My Big Fat Fake Marriage

Charlotte Stein
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Daisy Emmett has been enemies with famous romance author Caleb Miller since they were in college together, and time hasn’t lessened their mutual loathing. So when she agrees to manoeuvre him through a PR disaster of his own making, she knows it’s not going to be easy. She just doesn’t realise how not easy until they somehow end up trapped in the same truck, on an endless road trip from one book tour stop to another, bantering and butting heads along the way.

Then, even more horrifying: people appear to be mistaking her for the woman he dedicates all his books to. The love of his life, his adored beloved—the one who doesn’t actually exist. Now they’re trapped into pretending she does and that Daisy is her, each fake kiss and phoney embrace ratcheting up the tension to the point where enemies suddenly seems a lot closer to lovers than either of them would like.

Or so they’re telling themselves.

But sometimes it’s hard to be sure, when seething turns into something so much more…

Thoughts on While You Were Seething: No lie, Charlotte Stein gives good grumpy heroes. Men who are growly and scowly on the surface, but who hide a decidedly softer side once a someone works their way past their scowls. Caleb Miller fits that bill to a T. The guy could give a master class in grumping. And yet under it all, he's gentle and considerate and he'd burn down the world to protect someone who needed him.

Which brings us to Daisy. She and Caleb have a bit of a past. Not a romantic one, either. More like, there was a vague potential for romance that fell apart before it ever got off the ground. But they both remember the other. Unfortunately, Daisy doesn't remember Caleb quite as fondly as he remembers her. However, when Beck (sweetly awkward Beck!) asks her to rehab Caleb's image after a BIG PR snafu, she agrees. After all, this is what she does. Fixing Caleb will (probably) be no different any one of the other PR disasters she's smoothed over in the past.

HA. Yeah. That's not accurate. It doesn't take long before Daisy is mistaken for Caleb's lost love and they're sharing cars and rooms and YEAH NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

On the plus side, Caleb isn't nearly the jerk Daisy thought he was. He's really just a guy navigating life the only way he knows how. He's a little awkward and a lot frustrated by all the lacks he sees in himself. And once these two start really talking? Things get laid out. In a good way.

A road trip that opens everyone's eyes (but which I mean Caleb and Daisy's), a kiss that rocks Caleb's world, several encounters that leave lasting impressions (in a good way), a man who is doing his best to be a different (better) person, and a lady who knows a good man when she meets him. Sure, she needs to get over her perception of him first, but THINGS HAPPEN in the best way!

The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting by Naomi Kuttner [Review]

The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting (Retired Assassin's Guide #2) by Naomi Kuttner
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 23, 2025

Retired Assassin's Guide
1. The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening
2. The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting - Paperback | Kindle
3. The Retired Assassin's Guide to Amateur Theatrics

Naomi Kuttner
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Assassin. Gardener. Reluctant cat adoptee.

All Dante wants is to be left alone in the small New Zealand town no one’s heard of. No drama. No bodies. No questions.

But then, of course, the orchid convention comes to town, and Dante is knee deep in suspects, intrigue, and red herrings.

On top of all this, Dante must navigate a mysterious woman from his past, cat issues, and the terrifying prospect of a first date.

And he has to do it while fighting his instinct to solve problems the old-fashioned way: permanently.

Thoughts on The Retired Assassin's Guide to Orchid Hunting: Dante and his friends are drawn into another investigation on a suspicious death when one of the prominent orchid expert in town dies during the orchid convention. Of course, the only reason they suspect foul play is because Charlie saw the deceased's spirit right after he died and he was clearly trying to tell Charlie something of importance. Something Charlie, unfortunately, didn't catch in the chaos of the moment.

Now he, Dante, and Eleanor are trying to figure out who could have killed the professor. They're hampered by the fact it looked like an accident, the suspects are only there for the convention (which isn't going to last forever), and Inspector Avery is in town. He SAYS he's on vacation, but his mere presence means they need to stay mostly within the confines of the law. Mostly.

The good news is that Eleanor and Dante are experts at working around the law. They're flexible moral stance on rules and regulations give them plenty of wiggle room in all things investigative. Also, it's possible the Inspector really IS on holiday. So, you know, maybe he'll be more of an asset than an obstacle.

Meanwhile, Dante is venturing out into entirely new territory and he's...kind of terrible at dating. Small talk, too, but that's not a surprise. Eleanor is handing out sage advice while flirting with the Inspector. Charlie is his usual sunshiny, sweet self. Who just so happens to se ghosts.

I'm REALLY enjoying this series. Watching scarily intense Dante trying to blend in is a delight. His worry over his cat, his disaster of a date, and his extreme protectiveness of his new friends is *chef's kiss*

RtP's Week in Review (04/12/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Only on Gameday by Kristen Callihan [Review] - New KC!!
• The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Ross [Review] - Escape room murrrrder!
• Bend for Balor by Aiden Pierce [Review] - Monster love!
• Submitting to the Alien Barbarian by Petra Palerno [Review] - Alien love!
• Abducted by Moonlight by Petra Palerno [Review] - A werewolf, alien, & human start a romance!
• Crow by Layla Fae [Review] - Monster love!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• None?!?
• Currently reading
• Copperhead by Naomi Lucas