Masked Protector by Ana S. Night [Review]

Masked Protector (Masked Men Halloween #3) by Ana S. Night
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 30, 2026

Masked Men Halloween
1. Masked Stranger
2. Masked Sinner
3. Masked Protector - Kindle
4. Masked Stalker
5. Masked Hunter

Ana S. Night
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

He’s sworn to protect her. But from who? Himself?

I should never have gone to the Halloween party. I was the good girl, the sheltered heiress, sneaking out for one night of freedom.

That’s when he found me. A massive, dangerous man in a terrifying, neon yellow mask. His voice hauntingly familiar. He calls himself my protector. He’s been watching me from the shadows for years, knowing my secrets, my fears, my innocent desires.

His obsession is a shield and a cage. He’s the darkness he’s trying to save me from. Now, I have to make a choice: run from the monster in the mask, or surrender to the protector behind it.

Thoughts on Masked Protector: I think I'm going to have to accept that this series is not for me. It has the creepy masks that I liiiiike, but there were too many narrative inconsistencies for me to really let go, stop thinking, and enjoy it.

Mia's the sheltered rich girl who's snuck out to join the Halloween ball with her friends. She guesses who her protector is early on, but I guess he never confirmed it (although we, as readers, knew she was correct when she named him) and she was shocked when he finally revealed himself? I honestly feel like there were missing transitional scenes that might have explained things, but instead we were just left with a scene jump and Caleb brooding darkly as he watched over Mia from the shadows.

Anywho. Caleb goes all dark (it wasn't really dark), Mia submits to him. There was a sidebar about Mia's brother begging Caleb to find Mia (I'm not sure why he was so frantic, but I guess he wanted her saved from the party?) and one where the shadowy Lucien told Caleb he had to cut the dead weight that is (I guess) Mia. I don't know. I didn't understand where all that came from and there was really zero resolution on the fact he's decided to keep her and had to deal with consequences.

Masked Sinner by Ana S. Night [Review]

Masked Sinner (Masked Men Halloween #2) by Ana S. Night
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 21, 2026

Masked Men Halloween
1. Masked Stranger
2. Masked Sinner - Kindle
3. Masked Protector
4. Masked Stalker
5. Masked Hunter

Ana S. Night
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

His touch was angelic. I became his little devil.

I went to the Crowhurst Masquerade looking for a distraction. What I found was a man who saw right through my flirty, devil-may-care act.

A wall of muscle in a simple black suit, his face hidden behind a mask of glowing red with a stitched-on smile. He didn’t just watch me. He devoured me.

He’s infuriating, arrogant, and the most intoxicating man I’ve ever met. His voice is a gravelly command that vibrates deep in my soul, demanding my surrender.

He knows I’m all sharp edges hiding a soft core, and he’s determined to claim both. He calls me his little devil, but he’s the real sinner here.

This isn’t a flirtation. It’s a corruption. And as he exposes the vulnerable woman beneath the sass, I have to decide: deny the man who sets my blood on fire, or embrace the sinner behind the mask.

Thoughts on Masked Sinner: The next couple in the Halloween masquerade is up and there were no weird scene jumps like in the last book, so maybe it was all me. (I still don't think it was, but who knows.) Luna and Jasper are the power couple this time around and she has a bit of a devilish side. Which works since he likes the devil in her.

To back up, however, Jasper is looking for salvation. Or maybe forgiveness. Or something in between. Let's just say the beast in him craves things he doesn't think he should crave. The moment he catches sight of Luna, he knows she's his. So he sets out to make it happen.

As it turns out, Luna is down for that. Sure, Jasper is a little intense and all that, but that intensity does things to her. Soon they're locking lips and sharing names and doing all the things people do during a decadent masquerade on Halloween.

Masked Stranger by Ana S. Night [Review]

Masked Stranger (Masked Men Halloween #1) by Ana S. Night
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 20, 2026

Masked Men Halloween
1. Masked Stranger - Kindle
2. Masked Sinner
3. Masked Protector
4. Masked Stalker
5. Masked Hunter

Ana S. Night
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

He pulled me into the dark. Now I can't see the light.

In Ravenshade, the Halloween festival is more than a tradition—it’s a hunting ground for The Veil, the secret society of powerful, ruthless men who rule this town from the shadows.

I knew the rules. Don’t make eye contact. Don’t attract their attention. I broke them the moment I saw him.

A mountain of a man in a tailored black suit, his face hidden behind a grotesque, glowing mask with a stitched-on smile. He watched me with an intensity that felt like a brand.

He sees the darkness I hide beneath my good-girl façade, and he’s determined to own it. To own me.

This is more than a game. It’s a possession. And as he peels away my innocence layer by layer, I have to make a choice: run from the monster in the mask, or surrender to the stranger behind it.

Thoughts on Masked Stranger: I'm torn on how I feel about this book because there seemed to be a scene jump/disconnect that really threw me. To be fair, I just finished a deadline for work and I'm kind of functioning on about 3 brain cells so maybe I missed something, but I also don't think I did. So, take this as you will.

I do like the idea of a masked party where the mysterious elite pick their special someones and give them everything they need in a very physical sense. At one point, however, Ronan pulled Maya into an unused room that somehow morphed into a alley? As an aside, I just went back and reread that section and I still feel like they went from a room in the house to an alley without actually moving. It took me out of the moment, unfortunately.

On the plus side, I liked Ronan's intensity and how gentle he was with Maya afterward. I've already read book 2, so I guess the scene jump didn't bother me as much as it could have. It was just jarring and it made me wonder if I had missed something while reading.

Spooked in the Woods by Annee Jones [Review]

Spooked in the Woods (Monsters in the Woods) by Annee Jones
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 19, 2026

Monsters in the Woods
1. Claimed in the Woods
2. Autumn in the Woods
3. Demon in the Woods
4. Mated in the Woods
5. Wrecked in the Woods
6. Desired in the Woods
7. Sassed in the Woods
8. Wiled in the Woods
9. S/layed in the Woods
10. Caught in the Woods
11. Shadows in the Woods
12. Bitten in the Woods
13. Hunted in the Woods
14. Craving in the Woods
15. Vampire in the Woods
16. Surprised in the Woods
17. Spooked in the Woods - Kindle

Annee Jones
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Riley
Ghost hunting rule #1: Don't screw the haunts. But here I am, lost in Whistling Pines with dead batteries, a useless compass, and a shadow man who can literally pass through my clothes. My podcast needs this episode, even if I have to camp in this creepy forest for a week. The locals warned me about the entity that stalks trespassers, but failed to mention he's got magical hands that can touch me in places—and ways—that should be physically impossible. Now we're being hunted by very human killers, and my sexy shadow is the only thing keeping me alive. If we survive, this will either be my most downloaded episode ever or the world's kinkiest ghost story. Maybe both.

Ash
Forty years scaring away humans, and this mouthy podcaster just keeps taunting me to "bring it on." She thinks I'm a hoax. I'll show her how real I can be. I didn't expect her defiance to strengthen my manifestations or her touch to awaken sensations I thought died with my body. Now I can solidify enough to pin her against trees, trail shadow-fingers across her skin, and make her moan my name into those microphones she loves so much. I need her alive to expose my killers. She needs my protection from the men hunting her. What neither of us planned on was how addictive it would be when a creature made of shadows learns exactly how to make a skeptic believe.

Thoughts on Spooked in the Woods: With her career on the line (and an ex who has profited off her ideas and it sounds like she very much wants to throat punch him), Riley is going all out on her podcast about the entity haunting Whistling Pines. She's determined and really has nothing to lose at this point so she's in it to win it. She's also extremely open minded and willing to do whatever needs to be done to make this the podcast to end all podcasts.

There are both pros and cons to this mindset. On the plus side, Riley isn't terrified when she meets the forest shadow daddy in the flesh. So to speak. She's done her research and is pretty sure she knows who the entity is. So being confronted by him doesn't scare her. This works in her favor in a big way because Ash is able to draw energy from her belief in him. On the downside, Ash isn't nearly the scariest thing in the woods. It's the very real human men who are planning on destroying the last bit of evidence on a decades old crime that pose the biggest threat.

But Riley is determined. Not just for her career, but also to bring to light what happened to Ash and to bring some justice to the crime committed against him. And if she and Ash happen to generate enough energy to get a little physical along the way, SO IT GOES.

A fun ghostly romance that worked for me. GOOD TIMES!

The Demon's Prey Thing by Enid Camp [Review]

The Demon's Prey Thing (Protector to Predator #5) by Enid Camp
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 18, 2026

Protector to Predator
1. The Gargoyle's Prey Thing
2. The Werewolf's Prey Thing
3. The Vampire's Prey Thing
4. The Monster's Prey Thing
5. The Demon's Prey Thing - Kindle

Enid Camp
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I did not, at any point, believe this spell would produce a demon.

I was halfway through summoning a mild-mannered demon when I'm interrupted by a demon roughly ten times its size—with nothing “mild” about him. Apparently there’s a coven across town with no self-control and a truly appalling wish list, and he is desperate to avoid being dragged back into their ritual.

According to him, the only way he can get a moment’s peace tonight is if I bind him to my soul with a bargain. Which would be fine—except I cannot, for the life of me, think of a single thing I want.

Unfortunately, he takes one look at me—a woman too horny to function—and informs me he already knows exactly what I’m trying not to ask for.

Thoughts on The Demon's Prey Thing: The final D&D girlie is about to meet her match and Roxanne NEVER expected it would be a demon who did it for her. To be fair, the demon didn't expect to fall so hard for a human, so they're both dealing with this surprise.

So. Roxanne is lonely, knows texting her ex will only end in a mediocre night, and has a spell book that's supposed to be for her D&D DM gig. With a long night in front of her, she decides to summon a demon. A non-threatening demon. The "so you want to start summoning demons and need something easy" type of demon. She does NOT get an easy, non-threatening demon. I mean, Astothar isn't threatening-threatening. He's just big and a little intimidating. He also REALLY doesn't want to be summoned by the irritating coven that keeps dialing his number.

So Roxanne does what she needs to do, binds her demon to her (at his urging) and ends up with a demon very dedicated to giving her what she needs. Which is him. She needs him. Soon the two are tangling the sheets in the best way and Roxanne is figuring out that her demon is exactly what she'd ask for if she can ever catch her breath long enough to find the words.

I've enjoyed this series. It's quick and nicely naughty and YESSSS!

The Monster's Prey Thing by Enid Camp [Review]

The Monster's Prey Thing (Protector to Predator #4) by Enid Camp
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 18, 2026

Protector to Predator
1. The Gargoyle's Prey Thing
2. The Werewolf's Prey Thing
3. The Vampire's Prey Thing
4. The Monster's Prey Thing - Kindle
5. The Demon's Prey Thing

Enid Camp
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

"i'm either going insane or i just discovered a new cryptid... and he gives the BEST head"

That was the title of the first post written about our city's newest urban legend, a giant himbo running the streets at night and giving people orgasms like he was engineered by the state tourism board. I, for one, cannot sit in this bar for a second longer without finding out just how good this monster really is.

Thoughts on The Monster's Prey Thing: Sabine is the next D&D girlie to find her special someone and he's a monster who REALLY enjoys giving. He's also eight feet tall (maybe taller?) and doesn't speak. But he's a giver. Such a giver.

So. Sabine is kind of obsessed with the monster dubbed Mouthman who, ahem, gives women screaming Os in dark alleys. She's takes long meandering walks home to see if she can catch his attention. And when she does? SHE'S ALL IN. To the point where she tries to hunt down his nest to get a little more of the Mouthman action.

I liked this monster (he was super un-monstrous in his actions, just kind of otherworldly in appearance). He was all about Sabine at first and once she showed him what he could get out of their encounters he was SUPER into that while also being careful and observant as to what worked for her. The careful part came from him being huge and proportionate. There's no point in breaking your favorite person the first time you do the deed, after all. *thumbs up*

The Vampire's Prey Thing by Enid Camp [Review]

The Vampire's Prey Thing (Protector to Predator #3) by Enid Camp
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 18, 2026

Protector to Predator
1. The Gargoyle's Prey Thing
2. The Werewolf's Prey Thing
3. The Vampire's Prey Thing - Kindle
4. The Monster's Prey Thing
5. The Demon's Prey Thing

Enid Camp
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

My vampire best friend promised to turn me at thirty, then vanished for a decade and left me human, horny, and heartbroken. Now I spend my birthdays roleplaying the pornographic version of our friendship with strangers—and the masked man I brought home tonight is very good at pretending to be the vampire I never got over.

It’s a tale as old as time: your self-exiled, over-protective vampire best friend disappears for a decade, then comes back as an unapologetically predatory lover with the moral compass of a starving cat. Next thing you know, you’re tied to your own bedposts being sexually and emotionally edged. Birthdays, am I right?

Here’s a tip: when your vampire tells you he wants to wait twenty years to turn you because he “likes MILFs,” do not—under any circumstances—trust him with your eternity.

Thoughts on The Vampire's Prey Thing: Ina is the next of the group to have her world rocked and she's kind of a wee bit haunted by the ten year absence of her best friend. Who happens to be a vampire. No matter how hard she tries to forget him, Samson is in her thoughts.

So when she sees a dark figure on her walk home, she invites him to follow her and play. While part of her imagines it's really Samson, she doesn't actually expect it to BE Samson. Except...it is. Now he's toying with her and explaining in a very roundabout way what he's been up to for the last ten years. Which is basically watching Ina from afar.

However, it is her birthday and he did promise that he'd do the deed on her thirtieth. So, you know, they do the deed. And then mayyyyybe he'll think about turning her.

The Werewolf's Prey Thing by Enid Camp [Review]

The Werewolf's Prey Thing (Protector to Predator #2) by Enid Camp
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 17, 2026

Protector to Predator
1. The Gargoyle's Prey Thing
2. The Werewolf's Prey Thing - Kindle
3. The Vampire's Prey Thing
4. The Monster's Prey Thing
5. The Demon's Prey Thing

Enid Camp
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

My crush works at a game store, but looks like he was developed by a team of horny scientists. I collect werewolf minis and it shows. This is a look-don't-touch relationship.

Ram was supposed to be a fantasy—the kind of guy you daydream about, not the one who shows up to save you. But when the full moon rises, the gentle giant I flirt with becomes unrecognizable… and the werewolf who’s been secretly protecting me starts hunting me instead.

There are desiccated frat boys in the streets, a gargoyle just stole my best friend, and the wolf who carried me into the woods says I’m safer with him than anywhere else so long as I don’t run.

Rules for surviving the night:

1. Don’t run.
2. Seriously, don’t run.
3. If you do run, expect to be caught.

Reader, I ran.

This Halloween, I didn’t just meet a wolf—I triggered his mating frenzy. If I survive the night, I’ll wake up claimed—heart, body, and soul—by the predator who used to be my protector.

Thoughts on The Werewolf's Prey Thing: Tabitha is the next D&D girlie to find her special someone and he's a werewolf with a strong protective instinct. Fortunately for everyone, Tabitha REALLY likes werewolves (the same way Agnes REALLY liked gargoyles) and she's not at all put off when Ram appears, saves her from some bad guys, and then goes furry.

Well, maybe the going furry pat was a bit of a shock, but she really didn't mind it.

Anywho. While Ram is trying to be all noble and keep his distance, Tabitha's hardcore crush is in full force. And maybe getting deeper than a crush. Which is a good thing since Ram already knows she's his special someone. So when he tells her not to run or he'll have to chase her, what does our girl do? Yup. She runs. And gets caught. And THOROUGHLY enjoys every minute of it.

Werewolves and gargoyles! Let's see who's up next in this series!

The Gargoyle's Prey Thing by Enid Camp [Review]

The Gargoyle's Prey Thing (Protector to Predator #1) by Enid Camp
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 17, 2026

Protector to Predator
1. The Gargoyle's Prey Thing - Kindle
2. The Werewolf's Prey Thing
3. The Vampire's Prey Thing
4. The Monster's Prey Thing
5. The Demon's Prey Thing

Enid Camp
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I’m the girl who tries to seduce gargoyles at D&D night. Here's hoping practice makes perfect—because the one outside my window just woke up.

The stone guardian overlooking my bedroom was clearly carved to torture me. Four years of pining have spiraled into an obsession no human can sate. I can't even convince one to rail my character in D&D.

But when something inhuman stalks me through the night, my fantasy shatters—literally. The statue explodes into life, and suddenly the protector I adored is a predator driven by an instinct to claim his mate.

One daring stroke along his horns unintentionally ignites a frenzy neither of us can control. Desire turns feral, and devotion turns to something far more dangerous.

Now I can't tell if I’ve been rescued or marked… and whether I can handle what this gargoyle is about to give me.

Thoughts on The Gargoyle's Prey Thing: I liked this one. It was a short and sweet little nugget of a story with a lady who REALLY likes gargoyles. To the point where if a gargoyle (or gargoyles) pop up in her D&D game, she can't help but try to seduce them. Unfortunately, her seduction attempts don't tend to end well, but Agnes is undeterred. Her love of big, winged monsters will not be turned aside so easily.

It's kind of a good ting, too. Because the gargoyle perched across from the window of her apartment is kind of watching over her. And by kind of, I mean he totally is. So when she's harassed on the way home from a D&D game, he swoops in (literally) to take care of business. Then he swoops her away and Agnes gets to live out all her sexy fantasies.

Fun with a sexy gargoyle protector. Let's see what monster's next!

Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother by Zoe Krave [Review]

Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother (Green World Monster Stepbrothers #1) by Zoe Krave
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 6, 2026

Green World Monster Stepbrothers
1. Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother - Kindle
2. Knotted by the Werewolf Stepbrother
3. Taken by the Minotaur Stepbrother
4. Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother
5. Caught by the Drider Stepbrother

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Primal Monster Stepbrothers
1. Stepbrothers of the Green World

Zoe Krave
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

To escape the dying Earth, my mother married an Orc Warlord to find us a safe place in the Green World.

The portal brought us to a world filled with jungle and humidity, where primal instincts overrule everything.
My new stepbrother looks like a monster: he is huge, green, and doesn’t think washing in the same basin as his stepsister should be forbidden. My mind wishes to stay away, but my body craves what he has to give. And he has a lot to give...

Thoughts on Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother: The Green World is dangerous and foreign, but it's giving humans the chance to survive. Even if that means marrying warlords and all that. Oshby is out of her element, a little overwhelmed by everything, and REALLY overwhelmed by the big guy sliding into the bath with her.

Garum is (to be frank) all orc. He's big, he's green, and he doesn't mind getting naked in mixed company. Especially when the company in question is his skittish new human stepsis. As he pointed out, however, they're not related by blood, only circumstances. He's the kind of orc who isn't afraid to demand what he wants and he wants the little human giving him wide-eyed looks from across the bathing basin.

A strange new world with monsters who are very giving (and demanding). *thumbs up*

The Ghost in the Pole Barn by Hailey Edwards [Review]

The Ghost in the Pole Barn (Groom & Doom #5) by Hailey Edwards
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: June 24, 2026

Groom & Doom
1. The Vampire in the Potting Shed
2. The Goblin in the Sink Drain
3. The Mermaid in the Shot Glass
4. The Pixie in the Pickle Jar
5. The Ghost in the Pole Barn - Kindle

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ana Sartori has her hands (claws?) full stepping into the role of magna of the Walsh clan. She’s got a double agent to babysit, a girl boss empire to supervise, and a slippery witch to subdue. Add to that Mercer’s determination to take her down at any cost, and Ana can’t catch her breath.

With enemies on all sides, Ana must protect her people. From dragonsbane. From other shifters. And from ambitious little girls armed with acrylic nails and cuticle nippers. As the battle for Brentwood heats up, so does Ana’s inner dragon. Flames will erupt and fur will fly in the fifth and final installment of the Groom & Doom series.

Thoughts on The Ghost in the Pole Barn: Ana has dealt with a lot since the Walsh clan blew into her life and there are still a few things that need to be finished off. Like dealing with the new alpha of her old pack. And, you know, manifesting her dragon. Oh, and keeping her new friends safe.

Yeah. Just a few little things.

Fortunately for her, the Walshes are willing to give her the time and space to come to terms with this new reality she's been dragged into. Rian trusts her implicitly and has her back every step of the way. When their enemies strike at them, he follows her lead. He's also head over heels for Ana and isn't endearingly sweet in all the ways he shows it.

Endings, beginnings, one business-minded girl who will probably amass a massive hoard before long, found family, a dragon who trusts his lady to make the choices she can live with, and a lady who is finding out what it means to belong to people who adore her. *thumbs up* all around.

Never and Always by Anna Hackett [Review]

Never and Always (Langston Hotels #3) by Anna Hackett
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 28, 2026

Langston Hotels
1. Night and Day
2. Before and After
3. Never and Always - Paperback | Kindle
4. Bitter and Sweet

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Fury Brothers
1. Fury

Unsanctioned
1. Burn the World Down

Anna Hackett
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She’s a driven city girl who’s not staying long.

He’s a laid-back mountain man who’s never leaving.

Sparks are flying, and its high heels versus flannel shirts.

Piper
As the COO for Langston Hotels, I travel the world, but for the moment, I’m stuck in Windward, Colorado.

The town is small, has snow (shudder), and did I mention small? Once I finish renovations to our latest acquisition, I’m gone.

One man has become the bane of my existence: head of hotel maintenance, Everett Murray.

Does the man wear his uniform? No. He wears awful flannel shirts and jeans. So maybe the denim fits his long body like a glove, and the flannel stretches over wide shoulders, but that’s beside the point.

I need the hotel to meet Langston standards, I need this job done so I can move on, and I won’t let Everett slow me down.

Everett
It took a tragedy for me to realize Windward was home. I love my job. No endless hours, no stress, no missing out on what’s important.

Then Piper Ellis struts into the hotel in her tight skirts and high heels. The woman is a high-maintenance headache I don’t need.

But when her troublemaker brother blows into town, I see another side of Piper. The softer side she keeps hidden. When his troubles make her a target, I’m there to keep her safe.

She might be a city girl, and I’m a mountain man to the bone, but neither of us can fight the force of our attraction.

Still, I know that one day she’ll pack her designer suitcase and leave, because everyone knows opposites might attract, but they don’t stay together.

Thoughts on Never and Always: Yesssss. Piper and Everett have been sparking off each other since they first met and THEIR TIME HAS COME! City lady meets a mountain man and I AM HERE FOR IT!

After watching Ro and Caden find their special someones in Windward, Piper is determined to ignore any fluttering feelings she might have for a certain flannel-wearing maintenance man. She refuses to get distracted by his great forearms and intense looks. Absolutely refuses. She's not planning on staying in this small town and Everett has roots here.

Everett has the same mindset. Piper's nice to look at, has just the right amount of sass to get him going, and she knows how to get things done on the job. But she's not staying and he's walked the big city, career driven path and doesn't plan to do it again.

Then Piper's brother blows into town and his presence puts a target on her back. Piper has to learn how to lean on the people around her (and trust that they'll catch her if she falls) and Everett is finding out that high maintenance might just be for him.

A big renovation, a little danger, a remote cabin getaway, and two people who have a whole lot of chemistry for being such opposites. GOOD TIMES!

Under the Milky Way by Jess K. Hardy [Review]

Under the Milky Way (Bluebird Basin #4) by Jess K. Hardy
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 15, 2026

Bluebird Basin
1. Come As You Are
2. Lips Like Sugar
3. Wish You Were Here
4. Under the Milky Way - Paperback | Kindle

Jess K. Hardy
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

They came for solitude and found each other instead.

After her son leaves for college and her empty nest feels more like an abandoned tomb, single mom Hannah James escapes to a remote cabin in Balsam Ridge, Montana, hoping solitude, stargazing, and small-town quiet will help her learn how to be alone again. What she doesn’t expect? A gorgeous stranger at her cabin door wearing only a towel.

Single dad Darryn Madigan has been retreating to Balsam Ridge every Labor Day weekend for years after visiting his brother Matthew in Red Falls. He’s there to unplug, reset, and enjoy the peace of an off-grid mountain town. But everything changes when Hannah shows up with heartbreak in her honey-brown eyes, claiming the cabin is supposed to be hers.

When Darryn gives Hannah a very good reason to stay, a vacation gone wrong turns into a steamy, serendipitous connection neither of them planned. But when real life comes calling, they’ll discover that making one perfect weekend last forever takes more than chemistry. It takes courage, honesty, and a little long-distance help all the way from Bluebird Basin.

Thoughts on Under the Milky Way: There's something about those Madigan men, isn't there? Darryn is a complete sweetheart who tries to rein himself in just so he doesn't scare away the best thing that ever broke down in tears on his porch. Hannah is...well, she's a little bit of an emotional mess (understandably so) and Darryn is just the thing she doesn't know she was looking for.

No lie, that Balsam Ridge magic sure knew what it was doing when it tangled these two together.

So. Darryn is on his annual Balsam Ridge retreat. He's not looking forward to the quiet and solitude maybe as much as he usually is, but a double booked cabin takes care of that. Hannah is everything he ever dreamed of in a woman. She fits him in ways he wasn't expecting. She's heartbroken about her son moving away for college and Darryn is able to help her through that since he's had his own experience with an empty nest.

As for Hannah, she did NOT expect to find a hot man who ticks off all her boxes in the cabin she rented. He's genuine and caring and he REALLY knows how to show a lady a good time. While she thoroughly enjoyed their time together, Hannah tries to be realistic and not get too attached because all great weekend cabin romances must come to an end. Right?

As a romance-adjacent aside: KEV! That man sure knows how to distill relationship problems down to their bare bones and relate it back to those sexy, sexy books he reads. The speakerphone roundtable with him and the other couples was EVERYTHING. *thumbs up*

Platform Decay by Martha Wells [Review]

Platform Decay (The Murderbot Diaries #8) by Martha Wells
Format: hardcover
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 7, 2026

The Murderbot Diaries
1. All Systems Red
2. Artificial Condition
2.5. Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy
3. Rogue Protocol
4. Exit Strategy
4.5. Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory
5. Network Effect
6. Fugitive Telemetry
7. System Collapse
8. Platform Decay - Hardcover | Kindle

Martha Wells
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.

After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn't know.

Including human children. Ugh.

This may well call for... eye contact!

(Emotion check: Oh, for f—)

Thoughts on Platform Decay: For a construct who doesn't really like spending time around people, Murderbot sure ends up spending a lot of time around people. Saving them, specifically. This time around, it's some of Mensah's extended family who've been caught up in the corporate politics stemming from when Murderbot and its people thwarted Barish-Estranza's almost-subjugation of an entire planet of people into indentured servitude. Yeah, Murderbot really messed up their plans and they are NOT happy about it.

(To be fair, ART and various others were also involved in stopping BE, but Mensah's family seemed like an easy target, I guess. Which is ridiculous when you consider they have a SecUnit willing to go to EXTREMES to keep Mensah and her family safe.)

Murderbot and Three have a plan in motion to rescue one of Mensah's marital partners, one of Mensah's offspring, and Nanna Naja (who might actually be related to one of Mensah's marital partners, but is (regardless) considered to be like a grandmother to the brood) from a nightmarishly large space station. Let's just say this is a high priority extraction with a lot of moving parts and leave it at that.

No, I can't leave it. Because when things go sideways, Murderbot has to make an agreement to help some others off the station. As the rescue group gets larger, things get exponentially more complicated. Murderbot has to come up with plans on the fly, deal with any potential fallout from making sure its people survive, and do whatever needs to be done to keep it and its charges safe.

GOOD TIMES. (As as aside, with so many SecUnits now able to code break their governor modules, what does that mean for the future? TIME WILL TELL, I GUESS!)

Alien Tower by Honey Phillips [Review]

Alien Tower (Alien Wolf Tales #8) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 14, 2026

Alien Wolf Tales
1. Big, Bad Alien
2. Alien Huntsman
3. Alien Charming
4. Cursed Alien
5. Alien Song
6. Alien's Bargain
7. Alien Awakening
8. Alien Tower - Paperback | Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
How the Aliens Were Won
1. Borgaz

Seven Brides for Seven Alien Brothers
1. Artek

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The tower was never meant to keep her safe.
It was meant to keep her hidden.

Locked in a lonely tower where the jungle meets the sea, Liora has spent her entire life under the protection of a watchful AI guardian. She has never left the tower. Never met another person.

Until a massive Vultor warrior appears at her door.

Baylin came south to investigate an almost forgotten structure mentioned in an old colony record. He never expected to find a beautiful female living inside.

Curious, brave, and far too trusting, Liora is fascinated by the dangerous warrior who has suddenly entered her carefully controlled world.

But when Baylin discovers she carries a powerful secret, he must decide if he can break the tower’s hold before the world discovers she exists.

Because the moment Liora steps outside the walls… everything will change.

Thoughts on Alien Tower: Restless Vultor warrior Baylin is up and he's on a mission to find a distant tower and the mysteries it holds. As it turns out the mystery is a sweet human woman who's curious and brilliant and who's never set foot outside her tower. A woman who calls to Baylin in ways he never expected.

Liora is caught in a cage she can't see. The tower is a prison, the AI threaded through it controls every aspect of her life. She longs to see the outside world and experience life, but she's been told it's too dangerous and she's safest within the tower walls. Baylin's arrival at her tower cracks open her understanding of everything she's ever believed. His very presence has her asking questions and pushing the boundaries the AI has set for her.

Together, they begin to unravel why she's been confined to the tower and how to dismantle the walls of her prison. Which is harder than it seems because the tower is impregnable and almost indestructible and the AI keeping the doors locked is sunk into every part of the building.

A mysterious structure, an AI that is determined to carry out what it's been programmed to do, a warrior who was looking for a purpose, and a gifted woman who finds joy in everything she encounters. *thumbs up*

Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother by Zoe Krave [Review]

Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother (Green World Monster Stepbrothers #4) by Zoe Krave
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 5, 2026

Green World Monster Stepbrothers
1. Claimed by the Orc Stepbrother
2. Knotted by the Werewolf Stepbrother
3. Taken by the Minotaur Stepbrother
4. Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother - Kindle
5. Caught by the Drider Stepbrother

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Primal Monster Stepbrothers
1. Stepbrothers of the Green World

Zoe Krave
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Escaping from the dying Earth through the portals was only the beginning. To find us a safe place in the Green World, my mother married the Dryad High Elder.

My stepbrother, Thorne, is a force of nature. He is seven feet of muscle and living wood, with glowing emerald eyes that strip me bare. While other dryads are the calm of the forest, he is the storm. He watches me with a hunger that has nothing to do with family. He looks at me like a rare flower he intends to transplant into his own private garden. I tried to keep my distance, but when he decides it is time to claim what is his, escape becomes impossible. He is determined to root himself deep inside me.

Thoughts on Stuffed by the Dryad Stepbrother: Reading these out of order (because the spidery dude caught my eye first) and Thorne is a little...huh. I don't actually know how to put this. Lily very much initially wanted to escape from Thorne and everything he represented where Hallie was VERY into Arans and could freely admit it to herself before things progressed. I guess I'm trying to say that Thorne had to use the stick (*snerk*) before Lily would admit to both herself and him that she wanted exactly what he wanted.

Anywho. Lily is trying to escape the forest and her Dryad stepbrother's influence. She's convinced herself she'd be better off in a rumored human enclave, but before she reaches the borders of the Dryad land, Thorne catches up to her. And he uses her desires against her to get her to admit that she really didn't want to escape after all.

Things get physical, Lily learns just how creative Thorne can get with his ability to control the environment around him, and Lily has to come to terms with all the pent up feelings she has for her very dominant step.

The Pixie in the Pickle Jar by Hailey Edwards [Review]

The Pixie in the Pickle Jar (Groom & Doom #4) by Hailey Edwards
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 9, 2026

Groom & Doom
1. The Vampire in the Potting Shed
2. The Goblin in the Sink Drain
3. The Mermaid in the Shot Glass
4. The Pixie in the Pickle Jar - Kindle
5. The Ghost in the Pole Barn

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Car bombs are exploding on the streets of Brentwood, and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets caught in the blast. Add to that a rash of poisonings that leaves several Walshes incapacitated, and the clan is more vulnerable than ever. And that’s before you take into consideration that Mercer Bates now rules the Sartori pack.

There’s also the small fact Carmichael is still out there, no doubt plotting his revenge. He might no longer be an alpha, but he’s still a threat, and Ana is his number one target. To eliminate the danger he poses to her new life, she’ll have to track him down. But she’s not the only predator on the hunt, and silver or not, her claws might not be the sharpest this time.

Thoughts on The Pixie in the Pickle Jar: Ana has dealt with a lot and the end isn't quite in sight yet. Her number one issue at the moment is putting a stop to Carmichael's claim on her and cutting off the threat of her being used against the Walshes. Well, that and the car bombs and the poisonings. I mean, all those are important. But until they figure out what to do about Carmichael, Ana needs to keep the bond between them intact so she can track him.

Which is risky and dangerous all all sorts of other things that are probably making Rian's hair stand on end. But he's wise enough to realize he needs to give Ana the space to make her own choices after she'd been punched down for so long. (Still, the guy is dealing with things, you know. THINGS.)

Meanwhile, there are those car bombs. And the poisonings. And Ana beginning to fledge into her dragon-ish nature. We have some closure on a few things and a few dangling threads that are leading us to the finale. THINGS ARE HAPPENING and I'm super excited about it!

Copperhead by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Copperhead (Naga Brides #8) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 12, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa
8. Copperhead - Paperback | Kindle
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I do not want a bride. They are difficult to protect. And those males who are mated have homes—clans. I have neither.

My nest was destroyed. My territory usurped, and it is her peoples’ fault.

Julia’s. The unmated female soldier within Zaku’s home.

But when I discover nagas have arrived from across the land, and that she is going to choose one to help her get back to her people, I am unsettled by what she offers in return...

Then hundreds of ships arrive.

With the landscape changing, and the tides shifting, I must leave to find out what is going on.

Except I am not alone. Julia will come with me.

Because I do not want her to be with another. I refuse to imagine it. Even if the forest is dangerous, and it is entirely up to me to keep her safe, I will take her with me.

But what if there is no safer place for her than in my arms?

Thoughts on Copperhead: Oh my goodness. Krellix and Julia fought against the thing they had. Not by choice, mind you, but because they're both a little guarded (they play their cards SERIOUSLY close to the vest) and don't want to force a situation they didn't think the other wanted. There were other reasons, too. Ones I totally got. Krellix was still grieving the loss of his clan and his nest and didn't think it was fair to bond with Julia (or anyone!) when he had nothing to offer her. Julia was in something of the same boat. She'd been betrayed by her squadron and abandoned, but she was still going through the mental motions of being a soldier. She didn't want to form attachments because she saw her future on the front line of the war against the Ketts. Plus, the naga she was most drawn to was one that didn't seem interested.

Joke's on her, though, because Krellix was VERY interested. But since these two had some difficulties actually communicating with one another (not literally, they just didn't talk things out), they kept dancing around one another until they finally broke and convinced themselves that a few nights together would be enough.

Guys. GUYS. Nagas are not good at letting go. They're territorial about a lot of things and their special someone is TOP of that list. Krellix might *think* he can walk away (and he does everything he can to make it happen), but he's still heavily invested in Julia's safety. He wants her protected and he thinks the best place for that is within a human encampment, but the big guy is still out there. Making sure she's safe.

Things are happening on the Dreadnaut survivor front. There are hidden labs and baby nagas and THINGS happening. The humans are back on Earth (not by choice, but they are definitely back) and they have to figure out how to make things work with the new dominant species if they hope to continue surviving. MAN, I like this series!

Titanoboa by Naomi Lucas [Review]

Titanoboa (Naga Brides #7) by Naomi Lucas
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 6, 2026

Naga Brides
1. Viper
2. King Cobra
3. Blue Coral
4. Death Adder
5. Boomslang
6. Cottonmouth
7. Titanoboa - Paperback | Kindle
8. Copperhead
9. Black Mamba

Naomi Lucas
|Website | Amazon|

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She is not supposed to be here, so how is she? This human woman, found outside my nest.

Is she from the sky like the metal crafts now flying around?

Is she from the forest where my enemies are?

Until she wakes, I do not know. And deciding what to do with her if she does…

That is going to be a problem.

Because if she is my enemy, I cannot let her leave, and if she is not…

The secrets I keep close can’t come to light.

But I will not kill her. I will not let a female—any female—come to harm.

So, I believe I only have one option…

I will need to convince her to trust me… to not fear me.

I will need to convince her to be MINE.

Thoughts on Titanoboa: Well dang. Syasku caused a bit of chaos when he busted out of his chains and went on a rampage to rescue his honey aboard the Dreadnaut. Sparking a rebellion, killing a few (more than a few, really) soldiers, and causing a mass exodus from the ship was only the beginning. Now there are thousands of refugees making their way planet-side, the Dreadnaut is gone, and the survivors have to figure out their next steps.

Sabrina is one of those survivors. She and her small crew made it off the ship (barely) and landed in the (mostly) deserted ruins of a city. Their plan is to scavenge some old Earth tech to trade for fuel and beat feet to somewhere more inhabited. It's not a terrible plan as plans go, but the city isn't entirely uninhabited. As Sabrina finds out when she stumbles a little too close to Darolus's lair.

Darolus is...not bad as jailors go. He doesn't want to hurt Sabrina, but he doesn't trust her not to give away his location to any of his enemies. He's also pretty clueless when it comes to what a human needs to survive. So while he's not a bad individual, he doesn't always do the right thing when it comes to caring for her. No worries, though, she sets him straight pretty quickly.

Soon the two are navigating a tentative sort of friendship. And then...well, their friendship takes a bit of a turn and becomes a relationship. Being that Darolus never expected to have ANY sort of relationship with a female given his perceived monstrousness (and that he's a naga with all the possessive instincts that go along with that), he gets very territorial about his little human. Which doesn't sit all that well with Sabrina.

They get past that though and deal with all the weirdness that rolls in their direction. And YESSSS I am so here for all these nagas finding their special someones and treating them to their special brand of possessiveness. *thumbs up*

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy by Kimberly Lemming [Review]

I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy (Cosmic Chaos #2) by Kimberly Lemming
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 11, 2026

Cosmic Chaos
1. I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com
2. I Punched and Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy - Paperback | Kindle

Kimberly Lemming
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s not in Blair’s nature to just give up. Not when she’s beamed up to a spaceship and then dropped on an alien planet. Not even when she’s in the middle of a forest fire surrounded by dinosaurs. And definitely not when she’s captured by an arrogant alien king. If King Osid thinks he can break her, he’s in for a shock. Blair lives by one motto: If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.

But absolutely nothing could have prepared her for finding out that she’s that arrogant King Osid’s mate.

Despite recent hiccups, the alien researchers are determined to get their breeding program back on track. With that in mind, Blair and Osid are bundled off to the research center for what they’re told is couples counseling. As they face a series of increasingly dangerous challenges, it soon becomes clear the research aliens may have confused an episode of The Bachelor with Survivor. Bonding over their common enemy, and shall we say...encouraged by love darts, Blair and Osid let down their walls (and take off their clothes). When they discover that there are—somehow—even more secret plans in the works, another hilarious, steamy, over-the-top adventure is in store.

Thoughts on I Punched an Alien and Now We're in Couples Therapy: Another couple are being gently guided toward matedom by bird aliens who are WOEFULLY unprepared for the reality of human ladies who ARE NOT going to sit back and take things gracefully. Nope, Earth girls hit hard and go for the soft spots.

They also destroy enclosures, make friends with dinosaurs, and burn down (with a little help) buildings. Because YEAH THEY DO.

Anywho. We met Blair in Dory's book and Blair is a lot. I want to say that I don't mean that in a bad way, but that lady is terrifying. Just straight up chaos with a side of gleeful destruction. BUT...Osid is kinda the same. He's a good leader overall (as in he really does want his people to thrive), but he rules through fear and he's a little bloodthirsty. I'm laughing because I understated that. He's a lot bloodthirsty. He's the guy who lops off heads and asks questions later.

He's also really into Blair and her chaos demon vibe. The two of them together are gale force winds that leave a path of destruction in their wake. Which might be exactly what the survivors from Osid's planet and the abducted Earth ladies need. Throw in Dory and her men and the combined can-do attitude of the other human abductees and THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.

Probably good things. Maybe slightly chaotic things. In fact, there might be a straight up uprising against the aliens facilitating all these unhinged meet-cutes. (Also, to be fair to those aliens, Dory and Blair did mess up all their plans by escaping, but what do you expect when you put a bunch of Earthers in an unknown situation. THINGS HAPPEN.)

Dinosaurs, a whole lot of plotting and planning, a little backstabbing, a lady who is very protective of her hair, and a couple who just might have been made for one another. *thumbs up*