Author: nicholasjgoodsell

Erotica, LGBT, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: Want You Still: by CE Ricci & Marley Valentine

nicholasjgoodsell
Publish Date: February 8th, 2024
Number of Pages: 392 Pages
Publisher: Deserted Press LLC
Genre(s): MM Romance, New Adult Romance, Erotica, Romance

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

I feel nothing. Yet, I feel fucking everything. ❞

– CE Ricci & Marley Valentine, “Want You Still”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

The heart always wants what it can’t have…

Duty, honor, and sacrifice. Dedicating my life to these elements, for family and country, leaves little for myself in return. It’s why I indulge in a no-strings hookup with a handsome stranger mere days before heading half-a-world away. Except one night turns into a week-long fling, creating a connection at the most inopportune time. And neither of us want it to end.

Staying in touch is easy at first, but dwindles to radio silence and distant memories as time passes. I didn’t expect him to reemerge in my life months later, now belonging to someone else.

It should be enough for us both to walk away. To push down this relentless, aching want. But we don’t… We can’t. Because the heart always wants what it can’t have.

~~~

What a hot and steamy forbidden romance this one was! CE Ricci and Marley made for a great writing duo with this book! I enjoyed it tremendously! The romance, the angst, the drama, the forbidden sneaking around, I was here for ALL of it. If you want a hot and angsty military MM romance, definitely get your hands on this book if you can! Will and Pierce make an awesome couple and even though the set up to their conflict/predicament in the story may feel a little farfetched, I was still all for the drama and see who was going to break first…

The story revolves around Will and Pierce, two 20-something year old men who randomly meet each other in passing in a small coastal town in Oregon, and they instantly connect and feel the sparks connect in a sizzling way. They act on their desires and end up having a week long fling that ends up leaving a bigger lasting impression on them than either care to admit…it’s funny how those things always happen when we least expect it. But Will is in the military and is due to be deployed for a year and he’s actually on his way to that and this trip was a total pit stop along the way. Pierce is moving up to Seattle as a much needed restart to his life, and similar circumstances.

After their smutty week shacking up together, they agree to write each other letters like the good ole days. At first it goes along so well, and they really open up to each other. But distance being the big boundary between these sorts of relationships, it soons becomes apparent that time and distance causes them to slowly drift apart. But that doesn’t mean they necessarily forget each other….they simply turn into that one that got away and that big “what if?”…

I’m not going to lie, this love story isn’t going to be for everyone, and that’s okay. It’s both a beautiful story for these two men, but it’s also filled with pain and it’s messy at times too with things that happen that not everyone will be able to support them with at the end of the day based off what they’ve dealt with in their past and again, I’m not going to discredit anyone on that journey because if they can’t agree with choices made.

But no one ever said true love is easy and that everyone comes out of it unscathed. This story is a great example of that.

I will give a warning without giving too much detail for spoiler reasons and say that their is a CW of cheating to worry about in this book, and part of me felt like the person who was cheated on maybe handled the whole thing a little TOO well and there should’ve been more conflict there… but at the same time, I’m still happy to see a happy ending for every notable character in this story.

One thing I will kind of critique is how the predicament Will and Pierce get into. It felt not the most believable and one of those “what are the odds” kind of situations that I almost feel like could only happen in a book or a soap opera. But I still gasped and was at the edge of my seat as the characters discovered it for themselves all the same, so can I really critique this aspect of the story?

~~~

What I Liked:

  1. The Constant Forced Proximity! Will and Pierce at a certain point in the story constantly find themselves stuck in the same spot and are forced to talk about issues and things that are keeping them apart, and I loved it every time! I did wonder also every time how far things would go if it was just the two of them.
  2. The MM Spice! So much spice in this book! Even in the first chapter it’s there and all throughout the book, there’s definitely not a slow burn here!
  3. The Forbidden Romance! I’m just always a sucker for this trope. The more forbidden, the better for me
  4. The Letters After Their Eventful Week! I liked that the bridge between the two parts of the story were separated between the letters Will and Pierce exchange. I also especially loved how with the letters you see Pierce begin to pull away and drift apart from this whole relationship and become a good way to shift into the next stage of this book. Excellently done here in terms of writing!
  5. Characters From Other Stories Incorporated! I won’t give too much away from this, but if you’ve read other books from both these authors, you may recognize a side character or a few! I like little surprises like that! It definitely makes me want to check out another book from CE Ricci now because of this!

What I Didn’t Like:

  1. I Wish the Letters Showed Up More Throughout… I loved the small section of letters inbetween the two parts of the story and how these letters become a big part of the story to connect Will and Pierce for them to refer back to. Part of me wishes the letter writing would’ve continued or been more consistent in the story? Like maybe Will did go away for awhile and they did try to be friends and exchange letters as a way to keep in touch? Maybe, maybe not.
  2. I Felt So Bad For Wills Sister…She did absolutely nothing wrong to get what happened to her in this story, and part of me feels like she really did handle this whole situation TOO well…I feel like that all resolved itself too easily. Not that I WANT to read a book with lots of family drama because I have enough dysfunction in my own, but I still feel like there should’ve been MORE here.
  3. The Wedding Set Up Seemed Too Farfetched…The set up to the wedding, like Pierce seeing photos and it being the way it turned out….what are the freakin odds?? I didn’t feel like this was the most believable thing in the story. Like there’s no way Pierce would meet HER of all people and wouldn’t piece it together before the big day….I rolled my eyes at this twist, but like I said, I gasped a dramatic gasp all the same.

Conclusion:

Overall, this was a spicy, angsty, and forbidden MM romance that I totally devoured! I understand this won’t be a story that everyone can get into or support based off what happens and what choices certain characters make, and that’s okay! I can say I was able to look past these things and that while this love story gets messy at times, I still felt like it was meant to be and that everyone ended up with the right person!

CE Ricci never disappoints, and I’m becoming a fan of Marley Valentine now too! This one and “Without You” are my two books that I’ve read, and trust me when I say I’m not planning on stopping here!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Fantasy, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: Rise of the Cinder Fae: by Whitney Dean

nicholasjgoodsell
Publish Date: February 26th, 2024
Number of Pages: 680 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Fantasy, New Adult Romance

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

So, I became the marionette. I moved when told, spoke when spoken to, and harbored guilt any time I needed to cry. Over time, I learned to be grateful for my strings because they meant I was still valuable. And if I was helpful, I had a reason to survive.“

– Whitney Dean, “Rise of the Cinder Fae”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Born and raised in the forgotten and broken kingdom of Ashbury, Elora has spent years resenting the royals of Pumpkin Hollow, the kingdom that forced the fall of Ashbury and procured the town as its own. Separated by a mysterious glass bridge, Ashbury is treated as the orphan kingdom, left to squander and starve with only the promise of protection from King Jasper, preventing anyone outside their realm from coming to search for the magic that lay within the ashy valleys and red skies of Ashbury. Because twenty-five years ago, the Cinder Fae arrived.

As mysterious as the magic encompassing Ashbury, the Cinder Fae bargained for their lives by promising to keep the entire realm warm with their ability to mine mountainsides into coal. But Elora and the Cinder Fae hold a secret that could bring death to Ashbury and the mysterious winged creatures, who, despite Elora’s best efforts to pry, refuse to share where they came from or why they can’t return.

In her desperation to prevent the downfall of her kingdom and the death of her Fae friends, Elora drinks from an enchanted spring, convinced she can make the prince of Pumpkin Hollow fall in love with her and guarantee their safety.

But magic takes to give.

And Elora didn’t realize her heart would be the sacrifice.

~~~

First and foremost, I want to thank Whitney Dean for the E-ARC she sent me of this book in exchange for an honest review!

So this was my first Whitney Dean novel, and now I MUST read her other books because it’s obvious she’s got the writer’s gift! Girl can freakin’ write!

This story is a retelling of the classic fairytale of Cinderella, but honestly, this has so many new things added to it that it doesn’t even feel like a retelling most of the time! Only in the most basic sense of the idea and with the character arc’s of most of the cast. But I can’t stress enough how much it branches off from the original story and becomes its own entity of a romantasy/adventure story that the author weaved together!

As it being a romantasy title, the romance was a major highlight to point out! The slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers development between Finnian and Elora was excellently done in my opinion! Both were great characters on their own, but together they absolutely made sparks, stars, and just about every celestial thing you can think of fly. So so good! I loved how flawed they were and how flawed their relationship was and how we got to see it all grow as the plot thickened. I had to absolutely keep reading to see what would happen next, and most importantly, when they would FINALLY KISS!

When they finally did, it was great! When things got taken further, even better! There is some great spice in this book I will add! Fin sure knows what he’s doing *wink*wink*

~~~

With her life already at stake, I can’t imagine what I would do to protect her if I fell in love with her.“

– Whitney Dean, “Rise of the Cinder Fae”

What I Liked:

  1. Finnian! He is just total book boyfriend material…He’s kind of cold, aloof, and arrogant at first but ohhhhh man does he get good as the story progresses!
  2. All The Shocking Reveals! I was surprised at how many shocking reveals the author was able to put into this story! Like EVERY character it felt like had some sort of twist or reveal to Elora at some point, even a few character introductions were shocking reveals themselves!
  3. The Two MC’s Character Growth! Elora and Fin really grow and develop as individuals and as a couple in this story. The author does a wonderful job of showing their personalities and watching them bloom as a couple, and the relationship is FAR from perfect, which actually made it feel more relatable and even more realistic than a lot of other book romances.
  4. Some Great Side Characters! I especially want to shine a light on Fin’s sister, Irina, and his mother, Honora. Both are freakin’ QUEENS in their own rights and are just total comfort characters that remind you that there are still good people in this world when you feel at your lowest and when you feel all alone in this crazy world!

What I Didn’t Like:

  1. Possibly Overwhelmed at 75%…This might be a ME problem with this one, but I was getting a little overwhelmed around the 70-75% with all that was going on at this point and I will admit some of the twists maybe felt a little excessive or maybe even unnecessary by that point? Like maybe this area of the book could’ve been condensed a little bit where I think it didn’t necessarily need to be as long of a book as it was. The added spice was great though!
  2. There’s Not A Lot Revealed About the Cinder Fae…I wanted to know more about the history of the Cinder Fae because it’s pretty clear there’s a lot more there that isn’t told to us in the actual book…and I WANT ANSWERS!! I want them like NOW!!
  3. No Map…I’m not sure if this is because I was reading an ARC or not, but there wasn’t a map to be able to see the world at a bird’s eye view, and hopefully there is in the actual book when it releases!

Conclusion:

Overall, a fantastic Cinderella retelling that got changed up so much that it almost didn’t even feel like a retelling at most parts! So much new and original material was added to the story, it felt like an entirely new story all together!

Romantasy fans will immensely enjoy this tale I think! I think especially fans of Throne of Glass or the Falling Kingdoms series or other series similar to these but also wanted a little more UMMMPH in the romance/spice department, if you know what I mean…

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Horror, Mystery/Thriller, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: Haunting Adeline (Cat & Mouse Duet #1): by HD Carlton

nicholasjgoodsell
Publish Date: August 12, 2021
Number of Pages: 607 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Dark Romance, Mystery, Horror

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

Because then I wouldn’t be true to myself, little mouse. I love that I scare you. I love that you try to run from me. The push and pull. The cat and mouse game. I fucking love it. And I think a part of you does, too.”

– HD Carlton, “Haunting Adeline”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

The Manipulator

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don’t affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He’s always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.


The Shadow

I didn’t mean to fall in love.
But now that I have, I can’t stay away.
I’m mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses…
I’ll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I’ll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.

While not required, it is highly suggested to read the novella, Satan’s Affair, first.

Author’s Note: This book ends on a cliffhanger. For CWs, please check the author’s website.

~~~

I’ve always been a firm believer in how books are a way for us to explore ideas and circumstances that we wouldn’t necessarily ever experience in our real lives. Its a safe way for people to explore these ideas or even fantasies that we may have in a fictional and more controlled way that allows us to see how far we can go with things, but then also push away when we know we’ve reached our limit, and it can be as simple as shutting the book and putting it aside. People have all sorts of content that they find triggering because of past experiences, but not everyone wants to face those past experiences again or be reminded of them.

This one definitely explores a darker idea of having a stalker, but what if someone liked the attention? What if you liked being chased? The danger? It’s a work of fiction that explores these ideas that some people are definitely curious to look further into…

I’m not someone who comes with a lot of needs for trigger warnings personally, but I’ve found it interesting how different and how torn people are with them in the book community, specifically the dark romance community, which has really skyrocketed in popularity recent years. That brings me to this book, Haunting Adeline, which feels almost like the foundation of the sub-genre! If you’re familiar with dark romance or have even skimmed the surface of it, there’s no way you haven’t at least heard of the Cat & Mouse duet by HD Carlton. From my perspective, these books have put dark romance on the map whether you like it or not. But that also means I don’t believe these are truly the “gateway” to the sub-genre either…you definitely should work your way up to these because WOW these get graphic in more ways than one!

Not sure if this is relevant or not, but this is also not my first HD Carlton novel either; I did previously read Does It Hurt, which was a more recent standalone by her, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, so of course it lead me to checking out this duet, which is by far the author’s most popular titles.

Okay now onto the review of the actual book:

The story revolves around a young woman named Adeline who moves into an older, Victorian mansion that was her great-grandmother’s. Adeline is a budding author and its soon discovered about her grandmother’s mysterious murder that happened within the house.

The story is told in a duo-perspective as we also meet Zade Meadows, a definite anti-hero vigilante-type character who’s dark himself, but also comes out after dark to rid the world of other dark beings, like serial killers, rapists, human traffickers, etc. One night he goes into a bookstore, and he discovers Adeline at a book signing of hers, and becomes absolutely obsessed.

It doesn’t stop there.

Soon Addie is starting to feel a presence that is more than just possibly restless spirits in that old mansion as single roses mysteriously are left about, creaks and moans are heard in the dark of the night, and shadows dance at the end of her vision… soon it becomes clear she’s not always alone in that house at some point…

Normally they say an adult book is 18+ and I’d even normally be on the side of arguing “read what you want to read” with no censorship…..but this one was really something, I’m not going to lie. It gets pretty graphic. It’s truly not for every reader, and please look into the trigger warnings for this book because it is a lot and deals with some dark content with human trafficking too. And Like I say in this review, Zade Meadows is ABSOLUTELY NO DISNEY PRINCE…he’s not even a Damon Salvatore…well maybe he is, but if Damon Salvatore was XXX and not from The CW network if that makes sense? Maybe not still even…

This book comes with many warnings is what I can sum it up to. And I actually completely mean that.

~~~

What I Liked:

  1. The Murder Mystery Of Adeline’s Great Grandmother! I love a good whodunnit murder mystery story, and bonus points if a creepy house and romance/spice are in the mix, so right off the bat with that made this book feel right up my alley for that alone.
  2. The Overall Creepy Vibes! Creepy Victorian Mansion on top of a hill that Adeline inherits? Check. Roses being left randomly around the house? Check. Her great-grandmother was murdered in said house? Check. See’s creepy dude in a hoodie lurking outside at night? Also check! The Vibes are definitely here for this book and its a perfect choice for spooky season!
  3. How Morally Grey/Anti-Hero Zade Meadows Is! Call him an anti-hero or call him morally grey, either way I think we can all agree: Zade Meadows is a bad dude. He is a freakin’ piece of work. It doesn’t matter that he hunts down serial killers and human traffickers and kills them to make the world a better place in that sense, some of the things he does to Adeline in this book are ABSOLUTELY questionable and even atrocious at times…I mean no one’s perfect, but holy shit Batman are there red flags galore here! Despite all that, I will say it all adds to making Zade an incredibly enigmatic and and very enticing character. When he shows up, you pay attention and you perk up a little bit because you KNOW shit is about to go down more than likely.

What I Didn’t Like:

  1. That Gun Scene…Even as a human of the male gender variety, even I had to say OWWWWWWWWWWW when I read that scene.
  2. It Could’ve Been Shorter…I feel like this book could’ve definitely compressed a little bit and didn’t need to be 607 pages long. Maybe some more editing would’ve taken out some scenes that the book would maybe survive without? I don’t know, but I will admit it felt long and drawn out in some parts and just that it didn’t need to be as long as it is. Maybe this opinion of mine will change for book 2?

Conclusion:

Overall, this book was a dark and twisty and also extremely HOT book read that was a total binge-able guilty pleasure…It’s one you’re either going to absolutely love or absolutely despise with hardly any in-between! I personally enjoyed it and liked that it explored so many dark avenues in a safe, fictional, bookish way. I’m the type of reader where if a book comes with a ton of warnings like this one does, it makes me MORE curious and draws me rather than scare me away!

I’ll definitely be checking out book two, but I also can’t necessarily say this is a book I’d recommend to all the readers either. Try it if you dare but yes, it’s not for the feint of heart!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Fantasy, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Paranormal

My Review: Forced Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #4): by J. Bree

nicholasjgoodsell
Publish Date: March 26th, 2022
Number of Pages: 539 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Fantasy, New Adult Romance, Paranormal, Reverse Harem

***Warning!! This review contains spoilers for this book and previous books in the series, continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!!***

To see my review of book 1 – Broken Bonds – Click HERE

To see my review of book 2 – Savage Bonds – Click HERE

To see my review of book 4 – Blood Bonds – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 3 Stars

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

They say to keep your friends close but your enemies closer; What if they’re one and the same?

The stable foundation I thought I’d built in the Sanctuary has been ripped away, and I find myself on the front lines of the war against the Resistance. I might have my Bonds on my side, but there are darker schemes in motion.

Can I prove myself and turn the tide to protect our most vulnerable, or am I nothing more than the monster they’ve always claimed I am? Will we make it out of this without tragic consequences?

* Forced Bonds is a full length reverse harem PNR novel with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It’s recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations.

~~~

So I want to start off and say that even though I did rate this book lower than the previous one, I did still massively enjoy it! I can still definitely see why this is considered one of the top paranormal romance series out there, and even the same in regards to popular reverse harem romance selections too. The characters are clearly the big draw and their dynamics and the balance amongst them is the major highlight, or at least it is for me!

For why I’d rated this one lower, in all honesty it just felt like a lot of it is beginning to feel repetitive in terms of plot and story beats with the main conflict of the Resistance. And maybe because certain scenes that I felt like should’ve had a higher emphasis or more attention given to them felt very glossed over. I of course go more into that further down in my review if you want specific reasons.

So as for this book, once again it continues immediately right after where book 3 ended, and what a doozy of a cliffhanger that was! Didn’t see that coming with Sage at all! J.Bree definitely knows how to make those cliffhangers sting and get you to want the next book IMMEDIATELY! So how will Oli and her bonds handle this shocking reveal and possibly bitter betrayal?? Well you gotta read it yourself to find out, you silly goose! I’m not going to spoil EVERYTHING for you!

~~~

What I Liked:

  1. The Cliffhanger Ending! Just as the previous book had a HUGE cliffhanger, this one also had a ginormous one that even raised my eyebrows and had me wondering, “how are they going to come out on the other side of this one??”
  2. As Always, The Spice! Spice is always a plus and should almost go without saying for me.
  3. Feels Like We’re Finally Getting Somewhere With Nox! I’m still very mixed on Nox, let’s be perfectly clear. Obviously he’s got some major past trauma that makes him the way he is and how he acts towards others and Oli especially. That’s understandable…but that doesn’t make some if not most of his words and actions acceptable is the difference. I always say it shouldn’t matter what you’ve gone through, it’s not hard to be a decent person, and so far Nox has only been the moody, almost bratty, d-bag that is only an antagonist who’s mission is to put down Oli at every opportunity that presents itself to him. He’s been my least favorite of the bonds. What I like about this book with him is it feels like it’s finally hinting at progress with Oli and us finding out what the freakin’ issues are and (maybe) how Nox and Oli can end up together in the end, cuz at this point I’m really not seeing it.
  4. It Put A Major Spotlight Back On Sage! The shocking twist with Sage at the end of last book and the beginning of this one really saved this character which I appreciate! I was saying in my previous review that it felt like a lot of the minor/side characters outside of Oli and her bonded group were really getting brushed aside, so this brings Sage back into the game in a major way that I really appreciated!
  5. More Emphasis on the “Bonded” Beings Inside Them! So at this point in the story, we’ve come to learn that the “bonds” are like entirely seperate beings that were dormant inside them. They’re like gods who’ve woken up and use them like vessels and its like a possession where they become a completely different person, well at least for Oli and the Draven brothers. so far. Oli’s Bond is a bloodthirsty bitch and I’m both terrified and kind of turned on by her in all honesty….don’t judge.

What I Didn’t Like:

  1. It Felt Repetitive At This Point…The whole “resistance comes and attacks with a not so well thought out plan” and the bonded group saves the day or Oli goes into her bond state and sucks the souls out of everyone, then Nox makes her feel guilty afterwards…and the just no advancement part of it all with the Resistance in general ever since Oli was saved from the camp she was in at the beginning of the third book, it’s just feeling very repetitive to me…and maybe the stakes just need to raised faster than they are? And sure, its also probably so the author could keep the focus on the romance and the spice, both of which I appreciate, but I feel like at this point in book 4 of the series, maybe we’d have further development in this regard too?
  2. A Certain Scene Felt Glossed-Over…Okay so spoiler warning for this point especially, but the bonding scene with Oli and Nox…it felt like there should’ve been a lot more buildup for that and that a lot of stuff that maybe went into it off-page that maybe should’ve been included actually! It was kind of a three-way scene, but not really? It started with Oli and Gryphon, but then Nox walks in and it’s obvious by this point that Gryphon is there as more to watch over and make sure nothing bad happens; he’s kind of like a chaperone? Yeah, weird to think I know…but this goes into Nox and his trauma that we still don’t know the specifics of, and if Gryphon was there in that sense, it’s obvious that it was discussed ahead of time on how to handle it, most likely with North. I feel like there would be some very mixed/conflicting feelings with all of this and the scene just sort of….happened and that was it? Maybe I’m overthinking it or overanalyzing it, but it was one of those things where afterwards I was just thinking to myself “That’s it?”

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, I did enjoy this book in the series and I would say I’m enjoying this series a whole lot! Obviously, the series is far from perfect and there are things I like and don’t like about it, pacing mainly being the main critique I have, but now I’m adding repetitiveness to that too. At this point in the series, book 4, I’d think and hope we’d have been further along in some of the plot/conflict going on with the Resistance and make them feel like a more fleshed out threat. At this point, they just feel like that annoying thing that’s keeping me from my romance and my spicy scenes…which I feel like if they became a more credible threat it would help push these books to be viewed as even better than they already are!

The romance and the characters and the cast dynamics are the main highlights and things that I love about these books! I love talking with others who’ve read them and seeing who’s their favorite guy of the bunch and their reasons why. Personally, mine is probably Gryphon and North has become a close second. Gabe is up there too, I’m a sucker for those golden retriever jock type characters…and he’s a shapeshifter which has always been the magical ability I’d want if I had one.

Obviously, I will be sticking with the series and keep reading cuz once again there’s a major WTF cliffhanger that has my eyebrows raised to the hairline and I have to know what happens next and how Oli and the Bonds possibly get themselves out this particular mess….

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Fantasy, New Adult Romance, Paranormal

My Review: Blood Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #3): by J. Bree

nicholasjgoodsell
Publish Date: December 21st, 2021
Number of Pages: 539 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): New Adult Romance, Reverse Harem, Paranormal

***Warning!! This review may contain spoilers from the previous books in the series, so continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned…***

To see my review of book 1 – Broken Bonds – Click HERE

To see my review of book 2 – Savage Bonds – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 4.25 Stars

The road to hell for me is paved with everything I would do for you, and that list never fucking ends.”

– J. Bree, “Blood Bonds”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

After three years on the run, I’m back in a Resistance camp, chained to a chair as the resident monster.
Everything I ran from, all of the villains of my past, they’re all here to take another bite out of me. But this time, I’m not alone.
With my Bonds desperately trying to reach me and new friendships I never expected, I start to believe that maybe I won’t become the weapon they want me to be. Maybe I’ll be a monster of my own creation.
When loyalties are questioned and Bonds are tested, everything I thought I knew gets turned upside down. Who are my friends, and who are my enemies?
Are Bond ties stronger than blood?

*Blood Bonds is a full length reverse harem PNR novel with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It’s recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations.

~~~

Well suddenly North Draven completely flips my perception of him with this book! Its incredible to see how from one part of the series I can’t stand the guy, then BOOM suddenly I’m obsessed with him like so many other fans of these books…

This book once again continues exactly right off the cliffhanger ending that the previous books gave us, and it definitely starts off with a darker tone as Oli is actually once again a prisoner in an enemies’ war camp. To make things even worse, she has to come face-to-face with a evil face from her past whom she’d hoped to never see again…

She’s also trying to once again keep her bonds safe by blocking them out from her mind the whole time she’s there, so they can’t be discovered and hunted down. Anything past this point with describing the plot would just be spoilery, so I’ll try to just stop there!

There are some major highlights from this book and this series seriously gets better and better with each addition! Like I’ll admit I wasn’t crazy about book 1 while reading, but now I’m totally seeing it and am gabbing away with my fellow book lovers over which of the guys I like the most and how badass Oli is!

What I Liked:

  1. Oli’s “Other Side!” Oli’s bonded side is a dark, stone cold BITCH and I love her…like actually though I’m totally straight for her. I love the contrast between Oli and her because they’re polar opposites and I love a monster/dark character who sneaks out like that and takes over, kind of like a Jekyll/Hyde sort of thing. It was an interesting concept to learn about the bonds this book is that they have another being when they flip over to their bonded side (aka their eyes go demon black or pitch white). I didn’t know there was a second person in there with them.
  2. North Draven! North totally flipped my perception of him this book and he’s now a total book boyfriend addition I’d be happy to include in my extensive harem. Sure, he’s way overprotective and it gets annoying after awhile, but how his relationship with Oli develops in this book was just so chefs kiss with how he helped her and kept her safe
  3. That Cliffhanger Ending! J Bree is getting better and better with these killer cliffhangers she tosses out at us, and this one seriously had my jaw drop! Like I seriously didn’t see it coming and I’m so curious to see how she explains it in the next book!
  4. The Spice! This series gets better and better with each book and a huge reason for that is because the spice rating is going up up UP as well! Like DAYUMMMM especially goes to Gryphon and North!
  5. Kieran and Oli’s Event! I like that these two kind of bonded (not in that way) at the beginning chunk of this book and grew a mutual respect for each other and even though there’s still some tension, there’s a reluctant understanding there now that I can really appreciate.

What I Didn’t Like:

  1. Nox Continues To Be A D-Bag…I’m still failing to see what others see in him, he’s kind of a POS still in my opinion…I’m (im)patiently waiting to see why he’s some of my book friends’ favorite, cuz gurrrllllllll……we need to talk about your preferences.
  2. A Lot Of Side Characters Get Short Shafted…What happened to Sage and everyone else who isn’t Oli or her bonded? It felt like they just disappeared in this book which then makes me question their importance to the overall series? I could just be being extra judgey about it, but I also give side-eye when there’s a plethora of side characters and they only show up for a scene or two and in all honesty, the book would be fine if they got edited out.
  3. The Pacing Continues To Have a Slow Midpoint…Please refer to my previous reviews for this one because it’s essentially the same. BUT, and its a pretty nice butt, the spicy scenes make it a lot better too!

~~~

Mine. You’re mine. No one will hurt you again. Not me, not the others, not anyone. The shadows cannot harm you, they belong to you, as I do. We all do.”

– J. Bree, “Blood Bonds”

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, book three is the best of the bunch so far! We meet the big bad villain, the spice picks up, and characters and relationships are developing very nicely in my opinion. Sure, the pacing isn’t perfect still and this will be consistent with the rest of the books, but I’m so invested in the characters and what might happen that I can overlook it for the most part.

Like I said above, I’m defs going to be reading on and seeing what else can possibly happen, plus the other boys need some lovin too and I want to be there when it happens….yeah I said it, and I don’t care how weird that sounds! I am HERE for the spice….Spice is LIFE!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell