Hawaii Five Uh-Oh by Z.A. Maxfield

Sarcastic cop Theo Hsu returns home to Hawai‘i after realizing he wants more from his life, and also, less. He hopes to reconnect with his past and make amends with his mother, who remarried a cool, distant man, leaving Theo unsure where he stands.

It doesn’t take him long to figure out where he wants to stand, though: right next to his childhood best friend, tattooed detective Koa Palapiti. Theo would like to upgrade their relationship, but Koa is putting out some seriously mixed signals. It’s a mystery Theo can’t let go, but just as they start to connect, kidnapping, murder, and a deadly game with international stakes get in the way. Koa wants to keep Theo out of it, and if it comes to a choice between him and Koa’s partner, Freddie Ortiz, Theo doesn’t like his chances.

But even if Koa wants to push him out of the investigation, and his life, Theo still has a few tricks up his sleeve. It’ll take all his special gifts, ingenuity, risk-taking, family ties—and even some kinky undercover work—to save the day… and the man he never should’ve let get away.

Book 2
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Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆
Theo and Koa were inseparable as children – until Theo’s parents divorced and he left Hawaii to live with his father. When Theo returns to Hawaii as an adult, the only thing that hasn’t changed is his attraction to Koa.

I’m not quite sure what to make of this story. Part police procedural, part family drama, part romance, the book attempts to be quite a few things. Unfortunately, there is probably too much going on in this story. I feel like most of the storylines are left unfinished and at times, the author sacrifices character and relationship development for a somewhat breathless ‘and then, and then, and then,’ sequence of events.

Theo’s pretty mixed up in his head when he returns to Hawaii. His relationship with his family is strained and he doesn’t seem to have a strong sense of identity or purpose. There are glimpses of relationship building with his mom and step family, but I didn’t feel there was enough to help me understand Theo. Koa is always viewed through Theo’s eyes and he remains an emotionally abusive enigma until the end of the story. I kept waiting for a reason for his hot/cold behaviour but it just didn’t happen. There isn’t really any romance between Theo and Koa – their connection builds from unrealistic sex scenes in the middle of an undercover investigation. There’s some heat in the connection but not much believable relationship building.

The police investigation is possibly the most successful storyline, but it takes off almost as an afterthought in the second half of the book. I enjoyed some exciting scenes and a few funny moments, but I found the whole subplot confusing and I struggled to digest the huge chunks of information and lengthy list of characters thrown at me within a few short chapters.

I feel like this book should have worked better than it did. All the pieces of this story have potential, but it just doesn’t come together as a cohesive whole.

Also Available in the Plummet to Soar Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

For reviews & more info, check out our Plummet to Soar post.

Z.A. MAXFIELD started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories—unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”

Z.A. Maxfield loves to hear from readers. You have advance permission to drop her a line.

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hawaii Five Uh-Oh (Plummet to Soar #2) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review.

Plummet to Soar by Z.A. Maxfield

Feckless, luckless, and charming, Mackenzie Detweiler is the author of a self-help book one reviewer calls “the most misbegotten motivational tool since Mein Kampf.” He’s maneuvered himself into a career as a life coach, but more often than not, his advice is bad. Really bad.

It’s even getting people hurt… and Mackenzie sued.

It falls to Mackenzie’s long-suffering editor, JD Chambers, to deliver the bad news. He chooses to do so face-to-face—to see if the spark he senses between them is real when they’re together in the flesh. Unfortunately, a snowstorm, a case of nerves, a case of mistaken identity, and finally a murder gets in the way of a potential enemies-to-lovers romance.

There are many, many people who have good reason to want Mackenzie dead. JD must find out which one is acting on it before it’s too late for both of them.

Book 1
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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This book completely took me by surprise. The cover and blurb suggest something light, fluffy, and new adult. The actual story is more Agatha Christie country house murder mystery meets The Shining and it is told with a perverse and very self-aware sense of humour that I loved.

Mackenzie is a wonderfully flawed leading man. His philosophies and the whole self-help movement built around his book are wickedly and accurately observed. He is clueless and useless but always well-meaning and charismatic. The rest of the characters in this book are equally well observed – from Mackenzie’s long-suffering editor to his obsequious fans.

The murder mystery is actually scary. And like all the best horror stories, it is fully aware of its clichés. It is alternately funny and horrifying and I really enjoyed the ride.

The part of the story that works least well for me is the romance between JD and Mackenzie. But I’m still not sure how much of their relationship is recounted earnestly and how much is delightfully tongue in cheek. These two make a great pairing but I’m not sure we get much actual romance.

Z.A. MAXFIELD started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories—unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”

Z.A. Maxfield loves to hear from readers. You have advance permission to drop her a line.

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Plummet to Soar (Plummet to Soar #1) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review.

All Wheel Drive by Z.A. Maxfield

Healey Holly is battered, depressed, and looking to go to ground in his childhood home. He wants to rent the garage apartment, but it’s Diego Luz’s place now, and the last thing Diego wants is to share it.

Diego is recovering too — from the accident that put him in a wheelchair and the death of his mother shortly after. The garage apartment is where he’s keeping his mother’s things, and as long as they’re up those stairs and he’s down on the ground, there’s no way he can deal with his loss. And that’s just how he likes it.

Healey believes in science. Diego believes in luck. It will take a blend of both, and some prayer thrown in besides, for these two to learn that it’s the journey and the destination that matters.

The Bluewater Bay stories can be enjoyed in any order — jump in wherever you'd like!

Book 18
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Riptide Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
The angst! Diego and Healey have way too much baggage. and at times it was almost painful to watch them tiptoe around each other. Healey is a scientist recently injured in an accident. Diego has learned to live with the injuries that put him in a wheelchair but he is grieving his mother and terrified of relationships.

It took me a while to even like either of these surly men. We learn about their pasts slowly and we see some pretty arsy behaviour before we know enough to have empathy for either of them. But they grew on me. Diego’s vulnerabilities around sex and his disability are heartbreaking. But so are the memories of the mother he’s lost. And it was impossible not to love Healey once I knew more about his accident and the toxic relationship that preceded it. But while I loved these two by the end, it took me some time to really engage with Diego and Healey.

While the chemistry between Diego and Healey is hot, Diego’s disability makes the actual sex quite complicated. And while the sex scenes are sometimes uncomfortably realistic, they are also surprisingly sexy. Because of the trust involved, the sex between these two builds a really beautiful intimacy between these two.

Unlike most of the Bluewater Bay books, this one doesn’t completely stand alone and readers will probably need to read Healey’s twin brother Nash’s book Hell on Wheels before they will fully understand this one. Here, Healey’s past is drip fed to readers out of sequence in a way that could potentially be confusing.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
My first impressions of Diego and Healey were not great. Diego seemed like a bit of an a-hole with a chip on his shoulder and Healey seemed really stubborn and pretty clueless for a guy that is supposed to be super smart.

For a while I was wondering how these two were going to end up together because: 1. the first few interactions they had were cringe worthy, and 2. they both had heaps of baggage. But during one of their conversations Diego points out that they are complete opposites, and from that point on things started to improve for the characters and I really started to get into the story.

If, like me, you like lots of conversation in your books, you'll like All Wheel Drive. Diego and Healey talk a lot – even during sex. And not really sexy talk either. With Diego’s spinal cord injury, sexy times require a bit of adjusting and considering, but the sexy times are still sexy.

I would have liked to have delved more deeply into Healey's relationship with Ford. Certain things are hinted at and I was hoping to have more detail. Early in, that was what I was expecting. I was waiting for a big scene or reveal to make me cry, but it never panned out that way.

When this story wound up, I felt that it could have kept going. This is couple I'd be happy to see more of in the future to see where their life leads. So my verdict is 3.5 stars. I rarely give a half star rating but in this case, I'm making an exception. I really enjoyed All Wheel Drive. It is worth reading.

Z.A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of All Wheel Drive (Bluewater Bay #18) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review.

Hell on Wheels by Z.A. Maxfield

Nash is the reliable one in the Holly family, the guy everyone counts on to keep things going. His genius twin brother is off at university, so Nash runs the family’s auto repair business and cares for his partially-paralyzed little sister while his crackpot father invents. His life seems mapped out for the foreseeable future, however much that might chafe.

So when Wolf’s Landing actor Spencer Kepler-Constantine lands in his life, Nash is ready for a diversion. Spencer is in the middle of a very painful, very public divorce and isn’t ready for a relationship—not that Nash wants one. But they both need a friend, especially one with benefits.

As they grow closer, Nash starts to see his family in a whole new light. Do they really need him so badly? Or does he simply need to be needed? Then Spencer’s ex reappears with a grand romantic gesture, and Nash has to figure out what he wants—and how to get it—before Spencer’s gone for good.

Book 3
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Riptide Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Nash and Spencer meet in a chance encounter on the side of the road on a dark night. Nash is a completely loveable character. He is fun, hardworking, and loyal to his family. He is their rock. Spencer is charming, laid back, considerate, and a good guy. He is a cast member of Wolf's Landing and he is going through a very messy and public divorce after his husband knock up an actress.

Our couple spends a few weeks being friends and lovers, having a few fun dates, including a great one at a fun park, before Spencer wraps up filming. Nash and Spencer's lives are both changing and they are learning important things about themselves.

This is a story about finding love even when you aren't looking for it. It is an uplifting romance and it left me feeling happy, and I even cried happy tears.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
What a deliciously angsty treat...

Hell on Wheels is the third installment of the Bluewater Bay series. I can attest to the fact that this can be read as a standalone, or completely out of order within the series. I've been reading from both ends – the newest releases, while starting at the beginning to catch up. Also, the installments are written by different authors.

Yet again, I decided to take a walk on the wild side by going in blind – I didn't read the blurb, nor did I check out to see who authored the title. I was hooked from the get-go, and wasn't surprised in the least to find out it was written by Z.A. Maxfield, an author whose titles I look forward to reading.

Nash is a family man – the one who stays in his hometown to take care of his widowed father and disabled sister, while his twin excels at higher academia. Content, Nash is the backbone of the family, taking care of the family business while helping his loved ones reach for their dreams. The only problem, no one helps Nash reach for his dreams, dreams he doesn't even entertain.

Out for a ride in the fog, Nash comes upon a broken down car on the side of the road. Going with the flow, he's used to the baseball cap and sunglasses routine by the roaming celebrities of Wolf's Landing. Sparks ignite, and the angst begins.

Spencer is wounded with some serious ex-husband-to-be baggage, after being manipulated and used and abused by his ex and the industry of his craft. As an actor in a hit TV series, he's more down-to-earth than most celebrities, wanting a quiet home life without the flash of cameras invading his privacy. But he's torn with whom and what he wants out of life.

Nash and Spencer had a ton of banterific playfulness, chemistry and tension, and scorching heat between them. It's fast on lust, a gradual build on friendship, and a slow-burn on the romance.

The side characters were equally darling to read – the father was hilarious, the sister the usual teenage angst (which makes an adult reader shake their head while simultaneously wanting to shake the child) but she's also disabled. Spencer's PA and bodyguard were intriguing characters, and I'm curious if we ever hear their stories.

Overall, this was an amazing addition to the Bluewater Bay series, one I feverishly read, entertaining me until the wee hours of the morning. I look forward to both more in the series and more by this author.

Z.A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hell on Wheels (Bluewater Bay #3) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review.

Deep Deliverance by Z.A. Maxfield

Forever is a long time. Even for a vampire.

When Adin Tredeger discovers his lover Donte’s role in turning him into a vampire, he’s outraged. The opportunity to attend Ned Harwiche’s funeral is perfect for putting some distance between them, but as a newly turned vampire, he mustn’t go alone.

Cristobel Santos—one of Donte’s lifelong enemies—and an attractive Irish vampire named Sean offer to chaperone his trip. They are as determined to help him as he is to reject their aid.

While Adin fights his new reality he’s kidnapped by rogue hunters and used as a lab rat in some skin-searing experiments. Adin’s distress electrifies his connection to Donte, but rescue is only the beginning…

Warning: Hot vampires, spoiled teens, big cat shifters, and two men trying to figure out how to squeeze several lifetimes’ worth of love into every moment of their big, fat eternity. Ouch…

Book 3
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆☆
You need to read the first two books in this series before reading this book. I really liked this series when I didn’t think I would. Adin and Donte were just a great couple and even with all the issues and differences, I couldn’t help but root for them. I did like the addition of shifters. The part where Adin was kidnapped was a good touch though, I thought that added something to the story. The ending, of course, was predictable, at least to me it was, but overall I really enjoyed all three books.

Characters: Well written
Sex: Yes
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: Yes
Genre: Paranormal M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes


Erica – ☆☆☆
3 fangy stars.

Deep Deliverance is no doubt the highly anticipated third book in a newly titled series of books (the previous 2 had different titles, as was the series title. Also released by a different publisher. So please check to make sure you're not double-buying. Notturno & Vigil are listed as book 1&2 of the Hours Trilogy. Newly published as Deep Desire and Deep Deception from the Deep series.)

As always, I appreciate the wit and intelligent flow of Maxfield's writing style. However, I had a difficult time with Adin during this installment. Learning the true reason of his reluctant turning, he turns into a spiteful child. I can't imagine the loss of power over his own life Adin feels. But he begins acting like the baby Donte calls him.

Donte means a vampire baby, not an irrational, vindictive, petty 30+ year old intellectual who seemed to forget he has a PhD, not in middle school with hormonal teenage girls.

Basically, the entire premise of this book was Adin forgetting that perhaps those with 500 years of living experience, 500 years of being a vampire, would know a thing or two more than a 30 year old who was just turned. As with the other installments, this one more than the others, Adin has no issue putting everyone in danger while whining, which I found bizarre as he actually listened to Boaz in book 2 about doing just that. Yet he didn't learn, did he?

I'm sorry. I enjoy the author's voice and the dry witty humor that never fails to bring a smile to my face. Together, Adin and Donte have some incredible banter, for which I appreciate. But I had a difficult time reading this book in its entirety because Adin progressively devolved over the series, instead of evolving mentally/emotionally to deal with physically being top of the food chain.

I'm also confused as to why it became a thing in vampire literature to have the newly turned vampire not own their true nature by always going after animals. Feeling as if they fed from a human, it somehow makes them monsters. Yet Adin had no issue with Donte feeding from him when he was human, and feeding from Donte as a vampire. Does this irrationality make any sense? I see it in about 90% of every vampire book I read. Yet Adin had no issue feeding from Donte after Donte fed from a human. Like a baby bird eating half-digested food from its momma, it doesn't make it no longer the animal in which they eat. Adin was still drinking from a human, no matter if Donte was the middle man or not.

Adin just came off as fickle, always right even when beyond wrong, and irrational. I truly do feel bad saying this, but this overshadowed my enjoyment.

Recommended to MM romance fans who like a lot of steamy and Urban Fantasy fans who are breaking into reading the genre. Beware, the romance is the focal point, not the world building, so if you're a hardcore UF reader, you might want a pass on this. Not much truly happens in the course of all three books. I apologize, but I had to give my honest opinion.

Will I read more by this author. Most definitely. Clearly this series wasn't for me, but the author's voice is what kept me reading until the end of all three books.

Also Available in the Deep Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our Deep Desire post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our Deep Deception post.

Z. A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Deep Deliverance (Deep #3) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review. Review copy was purchased by the blog.

Deep Deception by Z.A. Maxfield

He’ll give up everything for his immortal lover…except his humanity.

Leave a note and slip away to Paris alone, Adin thought. It’ll prove to his vampire lover he doesn’t need 24/7 supervision, Adin thought. Instead, Adin lands in a surreal situation that isn’t going to endear him to Donte. At. All.

As he awaits an old foe, Ned Harwiche III, for a prearranged meeting, Adin is head butted, tossed into the back of a car…then gets the chance to acquire an artifact Harwiche had been bidding on.

Adin jumps at it, if only as payback for all the dirty tricks Harwiche has pulled over the years. To his horror, the “artifact” turns out to be an adolescent boy named Bran.

Sickened, Adin vows to help the boy out, but like Donte—like a lot of the world Adin never knew existed—Bran isn’t at all what he seems to be.

While Donte and Adin negotiate the meaning of the word “forever”, Bran is running out of time. Especially when tragedy and betrayal pit Adin’s long-cherished beliefs against Donte’s love.

Product Warnings: Contains a gothed-up college professor armed with guyliner (which is a big problem when you’re up against a little monster) and an old vampire who doesn’t like his lover out of reach. Not that he can’t administer discipline from afar…

Book 2
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angie – ☆☆☆☆
You really need to read book one, Deep Desire, first. The love between Adin and Donte is still just as deep in this book. I just love them together. It does bother me when Donte still refers to Auselmo as his one true love and I know it hurts Adin too. I love Bran’s character, he is fascinating to me, I really would like a book about him! And Boaz, sometimes I love him and sometimes I want to throat punch him, heck I feel that way about all of them! LOL. I can’t believe I was hesitant on reading this series because I am really enjoying it!

Characters: Well written
Sex: Oh yeah!
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: Yes
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes


Erica – ☆☆☆
3 Stars in total.
5 for the dry wit.
2 for the plot.

I want to start this review by saying I adore the author's witty yet unexpectedly humorous voice. Most authors who inject humor into their stories end up with the result of over-the-top zaniness. Maxfield's dry, witty humor is exactly what the doctor ordered, causing me to laugh more than most authors accomplish.

The vocabulary is intelligent, which is a nice change of pace since Donte is 500 years old and would speak formally. Whereas in a lot of books with older characters, their voice is still that of an adolescent. So I appreciate both the dry wit and the intelligent voice of Maxfield.

This is the first and only MM Urban Fantasy series I've ever read.

Now, I'm going to be honest, and this is kind of killing me, here. There wasn't much of a plot to be found, and the world building is nonexistent, to the point Bran's origins were never truly explored, nor was anything dealing with vampires. We have an imp, but it was never explored on what that entails. It was all glossed over, like this was a transition book from book one to book three.

As with the first book, this time we are pulled into Adin's past, which I did enjoy and wanted to read more of it. This was written well, but the transition wasn't the smoothest, as there was nothing denoted the present and past, other than to read and realize the characters mentioned don't exist in the present.

Adin rescues a boy, Bran, and spends the entirety of the book going from place to place. Hotel to hotel. City to City. Donte's house to Santos's house, back to yet another house in a new location. Country to country. Continent to continent. There had to have been 20 times this occurred in only 150 pages or so. One location, and three pages later, Adin would be on the move to another, yet no one was after him. Several times, Adin was in a location for maybe 15 minutes, enough time to put his suits it the closet, then Donte would show up. They would have sex, and then be on the move to the next location. Sometimes it was so quick, they didn't even get time to unpack. One day in particular, they 'moved' four times. But later, it was made to sound like days, when it was probably the same hour from what was presently being mentioned. Deja Vu

The hopping was the entirety of the plot, and the forces they were running from NEVER present themselves, rendering the running useless. But it served as a vehicle to get it on with Donte at every turn, while professing undying love. It was a constant cycle of longing for Donte when he wasn't on scene or being 'with' Donte when he was, when I'm sure what was written (minus the ending) was only a week or so in time. Undying love that wasn't wishy washy like the rest of the plot, but definitely the only viable plot point of the story (I won't spoil it by staying what I mean by that).

I struggled while reading, it took me three separate sessions to get through the book. By sessions, I mean over months, finally resolving to sit down and read it or else, and that still took me a week to wade through when I'm good for reading two or more books in a day.

Recommended for those who are new to the genre, since there isn't much world building to confuse newbies. Also for those who are looking at romance as the focal point. The added bonus is the intelligent voice and dry wit.

Will I read more by this author: I'm starting book three as soon as this review is posted.

Also Available in the Deep Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our Deep Desire post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

Z. A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Deep Deception (Deep #2) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review. Review copy was purchased by the blog.

Deep Desire by Z.A. Maxfield

There’s no leverage like seduction…until love takes a bite of his plans.

As the Indiana Jones of historical erotica, there is no document existing—or just rumored to exist—Adin Tredeger can’t unearth. Why he would risk the biggest coup of his career to join the mile-high club is beyond him. But the disarming, dark-eyed man who somehow enters Adin’s locked airplane washroom has him completely nude and coming apart. All without a whimper of protest.

From that moment, Adin and Donte Fedelta engage in an international battle of wit and cunning. The prize—a priceless, 500-year-old journal with illustrations so erotic it could make the Marquis de Sade blush.

Yet Donte’s desire for the journal goes far beyond simple possession. The undead nobleman wrote it. And he’s not above using every trick in his otherworldly arsenal—including seduction—to get it back.

Chemistry draws them together even as fortune tugs them apart. But when a third party joins the chase, they must unite to fight an enemy with a deadly goal—to erase Donte from history.

Publisher’s Note: This book is a rerelease of a previously published book, with substantial rewrites.

Warning: This product contains one cocky college professor, one centuries-old vampire who is out to show him who’s at the top of the food chain, and red wine. Because it goes so well with humble pie.

Book 1
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4 Fangy Stars.

Deep Desire was a nice change of pace for me, because I hadn't read any vampires in ages, especially MM vampires. The story flowed at a steady pace, with intelligent dialogue and monologue, and an unexpected side of witty humor.

*I need to note this*
The mentality of the author is brought into the stories, and without proper research, only what the author knows is shown. There are often times where doctors, lawyers, professionals, 500 year-old vampires sound younger, less educated. Example: doctors who behave like teenage children, and speak as if they have a narrow vocabulary and no knowledge of anatomy. Lawyers who seem to have forgotten their education and profession, and don't know any laws whatsoever. 500-year-old vampires who giggle and act like teenagers, instead of world-weary after seeing countless tragedies and learned many life lessons. Wisdom of age.

ZA Maxfield manages to make both the academic and the old vamper sound/behave/react/act like their intelligence level would demand, with knowledge of their professions. I wanted to note this because I appreciate the research and maturity.

Adin is a collector of precious artifacts on a flight home with his prize. Donte is a vampire stalking Adin, because the journal Adin is in possession of belongs to Donte – not only belongs to him, but was written by him. Donte's personal thoughts and experiences. Instead of taking his book back with violence and a strike of force, he uses passion and lust instead.

With a lot of inter-play and banter, together, the pair gain and lose their prize, only to reclaim it and have it taken away again. Opposing sides join forces to retrieve the journal from a third party.

Donte isn't over-the-top vampire like some books portray the culture. But he doesn't hesitate to inform Adin how Donte is the top of the food chain. Adin, on the other hand, Donte fears for him because he's too trusting, not seeing vampires for their negative traits, when he should be terrified. Adin and self-preservation are not the best of friends. Adin is a male version of a damsel in distress, but it's easy to understand as he is an academic who sees things in a different light. Adin isn't a macho guy whose male ego will get bent, but he doesn't lie down and die either.

Deep Desire has two separate romance threads playing out in the novel. The underlying, budding romance between Adin and Donte, which is built on pure, undeniable lust. Then, during journal entries, the love between Donte and the boy he grew up with whom had died during his mortal life. With his lover's death and Donte's being made a 'monster,' Donte lost all sense of his humanity. This was the large chip on Donte's shoulder, the issue holding the romance between Donte and Adin back, even though he was the most empathetic and compassionate character in the series.

I recommend to fans of MM, UF, adventuring, and bitey fun.

Will I read more in this series and by this author? Yes, I've already started book 2. Book #3's release is upon us, and I've already obtained an ARC copy for review, and I'm looking forward to it.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I was torn on if I wanted to read this book or not, but glad I did. Unlike others, I didn’t really care for the journal entries about Donte and Auselmo, I wanted more Adin and Donte. I found myself skimming a few times but that isn’t anything against the author, I just tend to get bored when there isn’t much dialogue between characters. I liked how once Adin understood why Donte wanted the book back, he really started to read the book and see how much it meant and how it wasn’t just “art.” The book isn’t something I would normally read but it kept my attention and I wanted to see how everything turned out.

Characters: Well written
Sex: Yes
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: Yes
Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes

Also Available in the Deep Series

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Samhain  Publishing

Z. A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Deep Desire (Deep #1) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review. Review copy was purchased by the blog.