I really enjoyed reading the first book in the Crowhill Cove series. Both Keaton and Olly were likeable and developed characters, each with their own issues and vulnerabilities that came to light throughout the novel. Their transition from enemies to lovers was gradual, which I appreciated as time was taken for them to heal from the past and truly get to know each other.

If you love college romances, then you will certainly enjoy Don’t Move Out and the Crowhill Cove series! 

Some high school romances just won’t fade.

A high-ranking yakuza, Yuuki enjoys his relatively quiet job. If only his mother would stop asking for grandchildren. Unwilling to come out, he contemplates a sham marriage just to shut her up. After all, it’s not as if he’ll ever be lucky in love again.

Black-listed after his divorce, the only reason luxury suit designer Kazuki is still in business is his yakuza clientele. Desperate to find new clients, he starts looking for a collaborator for the upcoming fashion show. But who’s daring enough to partner up with him?

When Kazuki’s high school sweetheart walks into his shop, all those worries disappear. Although Yuuki has far from forgiven Kazuki for his past betrayal, Kazuki wants nothing more than to rekindle their love. But then he learns Yuuki is in the yakuza…

Can these two mend their love, or are they now too different to thread their lives together?

Purchase: Amazon.com

Goodreads: My Heart’s Desire by Amy Tasukada

Review

Rating: 4 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

This is a short novel set in the Yakuza Path universe.

Just when Yuuki, a member of the Yakuza, is considering a sham marriage to please his mother who is constantly asking for grandchildren, he walks back into his high-school love’s life. Despite what happened between them in the past, Kazuki wishes to rekindle the romance between them, however he has second thoughts when he learns that Yuuki is in the Yakuza. Is this and past wounds something that they can overcome or will it drive them apart for good.

I enjoy reading these short stories set in the Yakuza Path universe. Not only is it fun to read about side characters from the main series, you also get to see the main characters through the eyes of others. Yuuki and Kazuki’s growing romance is sweet and keeps the right balance between going through the heartbreak of their school days and confronting the here and now. I liked getting to know these characters and found myself hoping that despite the odds against them, they would find a way to work through their problems together.

Overall, this is a cute second chance romance read and I really recommend you checking it out.

Twenty years ago, an infamous scientist created Liquid Onyx, a world-changing chemical which led to the rise of superheroes and supervillains.

Jack Roth is not a superhero. He’s an assassin, a killer, a lethal weapon forged and controlled by the evil organisation Obsidian Inc.

Leo Snow isn’t a superhero either. He’s a British secret agent who spends his life protecting the world and saving everyone he can.

When these two men’s lives collide on the streets of Danger City just as Obsidian Inc is gearing up for another cataclysmic scientific discovery, they’ll both need to reckon with their dark past, messy present and potentially hopeful future.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Shards of Hope (FISA Agents #1) by B.L. Jones

Review

Rating: 4 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

I love a good superhero novel, and Shards of Hope did not disappoint. When trained killer and super-human Jack Roth is ‘rescued’ from Obsidian Inc by FISA Agent Leo Snow, he is less than thrilled by the new situation that he finds himself in. Rather than kill him, FISA offers Jack a chance at redemption and to join them as an agent. He reluctantly agrees and finds himself partnered with Leo. From the beginning they both recognise the chemistry between them, however they must navigate Jack’s traumatic past with Obsidian Inc and also the new threat that is looming on the horizon.

Shards of Hope switches between the viewpoints of Leo and Jack throughout. I liked this, as well as giving you an insight into what they are both thinking and feeling, the contrasting personalities really came across as a result. Leo is naturally upbeat and light-hearted whereas, unsurprisingly, Jack broods a lot and his mood is darker due to his trauma. Despite being opposites, they work well together and develop a naturally occurring bond. I often found myself chuckling at the banter between them.

The world in which the characters inhabit was explained between the two of them, again with their contrasting views adding an interesting perspective. I did however feel like perhaps too much information was given at times and feeding it in a bit more gradually would have made the story flow a bit better.

Overall, this is a great addition to the superhero genre and one that I very much enjoyed reading.

Shards of Hope ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger and I eagerly away the second novel in the series.

1885 London, England
Silas Mercer died once. He’d rather not do it again.

On his return to the world of the living, Silas finds himself in the hands of the mysterious Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
The Order has London society clamouring for their services, with tarot readings, seances and exorcisms among their arcane specialities.
Now they seem intent on making Silas their newest recruit.
But they want far more from him than cheap parlour tricks.
When the Order partners him with the scandalous rake, Tobias Astaroth, Silas’s new life is turned on its head in more ways than one.
Tobias is quick-tempered, dangerously charming, and far more than the man he seems.

For Silas, surviving what the Order has planned for him will be a challenge.
But finding a way to survive Tobias Astaroth could prove impossible.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: The Bandalore (Pitch & Sickle #1) by Danielle K. Girl

Review

Rating: 4 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

When Silas Mercer is rescued from death, he soon learns that his saviours brought him back for a purpose. He is to join the mysterious Order of the Golden Dawn and assist them in their otherworldly activities. With no memory of his past life, Silas must not only put together who he was as a man and who he is now, but the new world around him that is such a departure from everything that he has ever known. When he is partnered with the seemingly obnoxious and non-human Tobias Astaroth, Silas learns that his role in The Order is much more important than he could ever have imagined.

The Bandalore is a great read and introduction to the version of 1800s London that the author has created. They have combined many different lores and cultures (including Japanese!) to flesh out this unique world. Taking place from Silas’ POV we learn about The Order at the same pace as the protagonist, which I preferred as it avoids an information dump and things are revealed naturally and in pace with the story.

I enjoyed meeting the characters that inhabit the world and their unique abilities. Tobias seems to do his best to alienate all those around him, but you occasionally see another side to him. A side that is in pain and is the reason for much of his behaviour. The romance is very much slow burn and there only subtle hints in this first novel. Again, due to the complexity of the series and characters, I feel this pacing is right and I look forward to seeing how their relationship develops, as well as what secrets Tobias is forbidden from speaking of.

The Bandalore is a great first installment of the series and I am very much looking forward to reading book 2.