Guarded by the Phantom by Layla Fae [Review]

Guarded by the Phantom (Monster Security Agency #9) by Layla Fae
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 11, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake
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 - Paperback | Kindle
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’s so pristine and innocent. I’ll drag her into obscenity.

The senator’s daughter is being targeted by terrorists specializing in mind control. Considering the high-profile life she leads, filled with ballet performances, charity galas, and stifling political events, I am the worst possible fit for her. I don’t belong in polite society. Unfortunately, I am the only MSA bodyguard who can resist mind control.

It quickly turns out protecting her is much more thrilling than I suspected. My tightly buttoned-up principal is delightfully fun to tease. Her proper upbringing hasn’t prepared her for someone like me: lethal, uncouth, irreverent to the bone.
She can’t help being curious. And as her innocent, doe eyes trace the shape of my skull and linger on my mouth, mine are drawn to her genteel manners and tightly pinned hairstyle. I wonder what it will take to see her completely undone.

When I fantasize about tattooing my name on her skin, I know I’m in too deep for her good or mine. But it’s too late. This sweet princess dressed in pink will be mine, no matter how many brains I’ll have to splatter to have her.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Phantom: Oh man. Phantom is something else. I mean that in a good way. He has a comfortable lack of morals when it comes to ending threats to him (and his principals), but he absolutely falls apart when it comes to dealing with emotions. I mean, the guy called his therapist when Barbara admitted to liking-liking him. He's used to being feared and causing terror. Those softer emotions just do him in BIG TIME.

Unfortunately for him, he has to deal with them. Why? Because Barbara needs him as much as she likes him and he's not about to see her get hurt or abused on his watch. To put it bluntly, Barbara needs as much protection from her mother's emotional abuse as she does from the mind manipulator.

As for Barbara? She's been the dutiful daughter and always done as she's told. She lives in a bubble where everything around her has been curated and carefully designed to keep her more as a trophy daughter than an actual person. Phantom is loud and messy and crude and he treats her like she's a real person and that's almost as hard for Barbara to deal with as those pesky emotions are for Phantom.

Let's just say that the two of them are complete opposites and they somehow work SO WELL. Barbara brings out Phantom's gentler side (such as it is) and Phantom brings out Barbara's wilder side. They're messy and a little messed up, but BOY do they work.

The Independent Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf by Lola Glass [Review]

The Independent Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf (Mate Hunted #3) by Lola Glass
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 7, 2026

Mate Hunted
1. The Bookish Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
2. The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
3. The Independent Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf - Kindle
4. The Friendly Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
5. The Logical Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
6. The Hungry Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf

Lola Glass
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I met a werewolf in a hospital, and somehow ended up mated to him.

I never believed werewolves were real, but now I'm face-to-face with the truth.

They exist.

And this one has decided I belong to him.

Or at least his wolf has.

The man doesn't actually seem to want me.

Which makes me want him, however ridiculous or unhealthy that is.

He thinks we should just be friends, even though the monster within him disagrees.

So I decide to seduce him to prove that we could work out, because honestly?

Just friends isn't going to work for me.

Thoughts on The Independent Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf: Jade, who doesn't KNOW about werewolves, but is also a little suspicious that maybe there really are werewolves in Moon Ridge, is up and her honey-bunny is Wyatt. Much like the other rejected, the surly mechanic doesn't think he'll ever find a mate again. So he's pretty shocked when he sets eyes on Jade and his wolf immediately goes all possessive.

Jade is miles apart from his previous mate. She doesn't mind his job (in fact, it reminds her of growing up with her dad) and just seems to genuinely enjoy spending time with him. She's sassy and says what's on her mind which means Wyatt doesn't have to try to guess how she feels.

On Jade's end, she likes the big werewolf and is determined to show him they could be good together. She knows she can be a lot for others to deal with, but she also thinks maybe fate had it right when it matched the two of them together.

I'm enjoying watching these damaged wolves find their special someones. *thumbs up* all around.

RtP's Week in Review (06/14/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• No Matter the Cost by Anna Hackett [Review] - Action-packed romance!
• Guarded by the Reaper by Cara Wylde [Review] - Monster love!
• Death to Valentine's Day by Catherine Cowles [Review] - Bring on the second chances!
• Valentine's Slay by Navessa Allen [Review] - More second chances!
• The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf by Lola Glass [Review] - Werewolf love!
• Deal with my Demon by X. Callisto [Review] - Demon love!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• None!
• Currently reading
• The Firefighter's Omega by Riley Gale

Deal with My Demon by X. Callisto [Review]

Deal with My Demon (Demon Fated Mates #3) by X. Callisto
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 6, 2026

Demon Fated Mates
1. Possessed by My Demon
2. Saved by My Demon
3. Deal with My Demon - Kindle
4. Sacrificed to My Demon
5. Bound to My Demon
6. Summoning My Demon
7. Falling for My Demon
8. Snowed In with My Demon

X. Callisto
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

My life is falling apart. My bakery's failing, my divorce is bankrupting me, and I'm desperate enough to try the crossroads ritual my grandmother whispered about.

I never expected someone like Azriah to answer.

The crossroads demon offers everything I need: success, money, revenge on my cheating ex. All for the low price of my soul. But when our first kiss ignites something primal between us, I realize this deal comes with benefits I never imagined.

Two c*cks, supernatural stamina, and centuries of experience? Sign me up.

"Sign the contract, Monika. Let me give you everything you deserve."

I sold my soul for revenge. Instead, I got the best sex of my life and a demon boyfriend. Hell yeah, I'd make this deal again.

Thoughts on Deal with My Demon: Crossroads demons, AMIRITE? They bring the heat. As an incubus, Azriah not only brings the heat, he does it with style!

But first! Monika is in a not so great place what with her divorce, her soon-to-be ex's unethical lawyer, and the pending loss of her bakery. She's a little desperate when she calls for a demon at the crossroads and Azriah is definitely not what she was expecting. He's hunky, powerful, and REALLY wants her to sign his contract so he can get his hands on her.

So she does what any desperate woman would do and signs the contract. Honestly, she got a GOOD deal. Not only does her ex get what he deserves, but her business is now thriving and Azriah is all about making sure she's very well pleasured. Win/Win/Win.

Fast, sexy, and fun. *thumbs up*

The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf by Lola Glass [Review]

The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf (Mate Hunted #2) by Lola Glass
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 5, 2026

Mate Hunted
1. The Bookish Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
2. The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf - Kindle
3. The Independent Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
4. The Friendly Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
5. The Logical Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf
6. The Hungry Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf

Lola Glass
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

My friend was abducted by a werewolf, so I went looking for her—and ended up mated to one too.

Should I have seen this coming?

Probably.

Because this isn't the first time I've been trapped in a mate bond with some guy I don't know.

My last mate was an abusive a-hole, and I have no desire to repeat that nightmare.

But this guy is different.

He's shy.

Sweet, too.

I find myself having fun teasing him. And talking to him. And just hanging out with him.

Fate made him my second chance, and honestly?

I think it might actually be right this time.

Thoughts on The Artsy Girl's Guide to Mating with a Werewolf: After rejecting her last (abusive) mate, Stella is a werewolf in hiding. Or at least she's laying low. When Abby shacked up with a werewolf from the feral pack, Stella feared the worst. That she being held against her will and the wolf holding her was just as bad as the wolf Stella ran from.

So she heads out to Moon Ridge to rescue her friend. And...her wolf decides the sexy guy with fuzzy pajama pants was EXACTLY the type she wanted for a mate. So she goes all furry and now she's stuck in wolf form with a sweet guy she doesn't know and a friend who is VERY pleased with her werewolf honey (and absolutely didn't need any rescuing).

On Graham's end, he's been rejected once and barely survived it. He doesn't know that he can go through that again if Stella decides to walk away. The good news? Stella's wolf has already chosen him, so he's NOT going to get rejected again. They just have to wait out the hunt until her wolf decides he's trustworthy enough for her bite.

A long hunt that ends up giving these two a chance to get to know one another (even though one of them is in their furry form), a guy who is wildly considerate and caring, and a lady who might initially be a little gun shy about mating, but her wolf knows what she wants. *thumbs up*

Valentine's Slay by Navessa Allen [Review]

Valentine's Slay (The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances #6) by Navessa Allen
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 5, 2026

The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances
1. Accidentally Yours
2. Time Will Tell
3. Second Act Romance
4. A Play for Love
5. Death to Valentine's Day
6. Valentine's Slay - Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Improbable Meet-Cute
1. The Exception to the Rule

Navessa Allen
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Louisiana gravedigger Noah Evans’s Valentine’s night shift takes an unexpected turn when his high school crush starts screaming from her freshly dug grave. Whoever tried to bury Emma six feet under is in for a nasty surprise—they should have checked for a pulse because she’s got unfinished business, starting with the hot gravedigger who just saved her life. As they unearth a deadly family conspiracy, Noah and Emma discover that old flames burn even hotter the second time around—especially when someone’s trying to kill them.

Thoughts on Valentine's Slay: Talk about second chances. Not only do Noah and Emma get a chance to explore a relationship with one another, Emma gets a literal second chance at life after being buried alive by her horrible husband. No lie, Emma DEFINITELY traded up when she and Noah became a thing.

But before they reached the thing portion of their relationship, Noah had to dig Emma out of her grave. Which was kind of traumatizing on a whole lot of levels for Emma. When the only person she can trust is the guy who literally dug her up, Emma held onto Noah pretty tightly. And if she maybe got an eyeful of his hot bod when he was showering, all the better to celebrate life, I guess.

On top of these two getting to know one another in a physical sense, they also have to figure out how to make Emma's terrible husband pay for what he did to her. Which involves a little B&E, as you might imagine.

Being buried on V-Day doesn't sound like a promising start to a romance, but Noah and Emma MAKE IT WORK. So nicely. *thumbs up*

Death to Valentine's Day by Catherine Cowles [Review]

Death to Valentine's Day (The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances #5) by Catherine Cowles
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 4, 2026

The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances
1. Accidentally Yours
2. Time Will Tell
3. Second Act Romance
4. A Play for Love
5. Death to Valentine's Day - Kindle
6. Valentine's Slay

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Improbable Meet-Cute
1. The Exception to the Rule

Catherine Cowles
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

After her boyfriend’s betrayal, the last thing Maia St. James wants is to celebrate Valentine’s Day. And when her friends force her out for a Death to Valentine’s Day masquerade ball at a mountain lodge, the last thing she expects is to kiss a masked stranger, especially when he ends up being her ex’s older brother. But that’s the least of her problems. When a guest is found murdered, the party becomes a mystery. And Maia must unmask a killer before her second chance at romance is cut short.

Thoughts on Death to Valentine's Day: An anti-V-Day party (sorry, masquerade ball) sounds like just the thing for Maia. She's not a big fan of the holiday thanks to her ex and his wandering eye. Or, I guess his wandering parts. Looking isn't terrible, but actually banging it out with her cousin? No thank you. Anywho. Maia isn't a fan of this couples holiday and she only goes because her friends drag her along.

What she doesn't expect? To see her ex (yuck), panic a little and grab a hunky guy to lock lips with without actually checking who she was grabbing. Turns out the guy whose kiss rocked her world is none other than her ex's brother. Who is hot. And into Maia. In fact, Decker was into Maia before his brother was into Maia. In fact, Decker's attraction to her might have been what caused Jackson to start dating Maia in the first place. (Look, Jackson is a self-absorbed idiot who wants what everyone else has, including the girl his brother has a thing for. Total douchenozzle behavior on every level.)

A little sibling rivalry (mostly on Jackson's end), a kiss that showed Maia what she'd been missing, a murdered guest, a sleazy host, NOT ENOUGH ROOMS SO OH NO MAIA WILL NEED TO SHARE WITH DECKER!, a man who only wants Maia happy, and a lady who has to decide if she'd rather run from this thing between her and Deck or grab onto it with both hands. *thumbs up*