Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Symbols by Mario Kai Lipinski


Violence is hard to escape because of the scars it leaves—on the body, the mind, and the heart.

Small, skinny, and timid, Matt is the school’s punching bag. He suffers in silence and holds no hope anyone will come to his aid. The last thing on his mind is finding someone special. He’s sure it’s impossible, so why bother trying?

Shane is no stranger to pain. At his old school, he broke a football player’s arms for tormenting his friend, and with his size and multiple tattoos, he looks every bit the thug everyone—Matt included—assumes he is.

Building trust isn’t easy, but a sweet yet passionate romance slowly unfolds. Their road isn’t without bumps, but Matt and Shane navigate them together, finding happiness and security in each other—until another act of violence and its aftermath threatens to tear their lives—and their love—apart once and for all. But like the symbols etched into Shane’s skin, some things are made to last.

Add to Goodreads –



Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆
I’m still not quite sure what to make of this melodramatic high school soap opera. It is a high school story with new adult aged characters and more drama than I thought possible in a single book.

At 18 and 19, Shane and Matt feel alternately too old for high school and too immature for their years. Neither character actually felt real to me. The speech in this book is oddly formal and stilted, and the boys’ experiences push past melodrama to a point where I struggled to believe in the story and engage with the characters.

The romance in this book is pure angst. Again, there is just too much drama between these two for me. By the end, the constant miscommunication between Matt and Shane became almost comical. There are a few sweet moments and a couple of steamy scenes, but I struggled to fully invest in Matt and Shane’s relationship.

The melodramatic, soap opera feel to this story will probably appeal to fans of Gossip Girl, The OC, and 90210. From assaults and wrongful convictions to bullying, a coma and parental prejudice, this story seems to include every possible teen storyline. It was all a little bit overwhelming and there were times I struggled to keep events and characters straight in my head.

If the writing were less clunky and the dialogue felt more natural, I would chalk up my dislike of this story to personal preference. Unfortunately, I feel like the writing really needs work. And I can’t help but feel that the author needs to spend time listening to teenagers speaking to each other before attempting to write more dialogue between teen characters.



MARIO KAI LIPINSKI lives in Herne, Germany.

He is a spare-time author, and his evil day job, teaching mathematics at university level, isn’t that evil after all. Granted, on some days he wants to strangle his students, but it only takes a coffee or two and he remembers how much he loves them. He loves nerdy science stuff too. Does it show in his books? Of course it does.

English is not his native language, and he frequently gets asked why he writes in English. The answer has two parts. Firstly, he has slightly masochistic tendencies. Secondly, most books he reads are in English. So it feels only natural to write in this language too. English is beautiful—until it isn’t. Never, absolutely never, get him started on comma rules.

One reader described his books as “sexually explicit Disney movies.” That hits the nail on the head. Mario is into romance with a capital R and loves his cheesy. He is so good at channeling his inner teenager that sometimes he doubts he even has an inner adult.

Connect with Mario

Facebook  ~  Goodreads


https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Symbols by Mario Kai Lipinski to read and review.

Monday, May 29, 2017

False Start by Sloan Johnson


Nixon Cross isn’t wired to share his life with anyone. He’d considered a relationship once, but after the one man patient enough to put up with all his quirks shut him down, he committed all of his energy to football and helping his players. Now, one of his players need more help than Nixon can provide and his former flame is the one man who will know what to do.

Retired NAFL player Lincoln Sims had no choice but to stay in the closet; he was a professional athlete at a time when it was impossible to be honest about his sexuality. After retiring, he confessed his secret to his wife and son because he was tired of living a lie. Now, he’s ready to live his life. Nixon Cross is the man he left behind but could never forget.

Can these men find a way to recover from their false start years earlier?

Add to Goodreads –


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆☆
False Start is the second book in the Wilmington Breakers series. It can be read as a standalone without issue.

I am, without a doubt, a huge Sloan Johnson fan. I love her m/m like no other. This story, while entertaining, hit on the topic of CTE, specifically with football players and the effects it can have not only to the person suffering with it, but those that love them. It was such an emotional raw look at those it impacts.

Nixon and Linc have known each other for years, but something always stood in the way of them getting together. When Nixon is all but forced to contact Lincoln to help with the Zach situation, he doesn't know how to deal with all the feelings that one conversation bring up. Can Linc make Nixon see he doesn't have to hide his true self? Will Nixon let his guard down enough to not pass up on love a second time?

I have to say of everything I've read of Ms. Johnson's this is my favorite. It had me in tears, but it's also sexy and sweet. Everything you want in a read, at least for me it was. I couldn't put it down, even waking up early on my day off just to finish it! It is so worth the emotional ride to get to the ending. I hope Blake's story is coming soon. I am dying to see what is next!!


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
The second book in this series is grittier and more mature than the first – and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a second chance love story between two men in their forties. Lincoln is a retired American football star and Nixon is a professional trainer we met in the first book. Twenty years earlier, football was a much more hostile environment for gay athletes and staff and Nixon and Lincoln were never free to follow their hearts. Now, with a very different social climate and Lincoln’s son about to leave home, Nixon and Lincoln have a chance to make things right between them.

This is a darker, grittier read than most of Sloan Johnson’s sports romances. As a retired player, Lincoln watches his friends and former teammates struggle with the long-term consequences of repetitive head injuries. He deals with the toll his career has taken on his own body, mind, and relationships. The glamour and excitement of a professional sports career is long gone, but he is constantly reminded of the consequences.

I really loved these two men. They are older than the author’s usual heroes but their life experiences have made them refreshingly human. The chemistry between these two is hot, but this feels more relational and less sexual than other stories in the series. I love the reflective moments these two experience and I really enjoyed both of their complicated histories. Beyond the two characters are some interesting insights into the experiences of LGBT people in sport over the past twenty years.

This story doesn’t have as much sport in it as I’ve come to expect from this author. It makes sense because neither Lincoln or Nixon is a player. The sports focus is more on the challenges and consequences of a career in a professional contact sport rather than on a specific team or player’s progress over a season. With Lincoln reflecting on his career and his son about to enter the draft, I really enjoyed the more thoughtful elements of this story.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, while you can read it is as a standalone, you would get more out of it if you read the first book.

False Start deals with not only the relationship between Linc and Nix, it also deals with a very real subject matter in today's world, the reality of what happens in football when you take too many hits to the head.

Linc and Nix have danced around their feelings for each other for years and it's finally time for them to address them and see where things go. While I could feel the connection between them, there were times that I couldn't and I felt disconnected for some reason. There was a lot of strong emotions in this book and I will admit I shed a few tears. I loved how Nix finally came out of his shell, not all the way, but way more than Linc or anyone else expected. I hope we get to see more of this sweet couple in future books in the series. I also hope we see what happens with Linc's son, Blake, and his friend, John.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second in the series and I would recommend that you start at the beginning to get the full story. That said, this centres around a new pairing, but in a familiar setting.

The blurb gives you some context as to these two men who have been important in each other’s lives for a long time as friends, but never prepared to be open about their sexuality. The story of how they are at their current point in life, and how external influences have stopped them from acting on a strong love for each other is very moving. For too long, Nixon, in particular, has been hiding all his personal life and devoting himself to work, as though that will have to be enough.

Patrick's story made me cry and is a brilliant way of reminding us all about what is important and whose feelings we should consider first, above all else. Blake, Lincoln's son, was another side character who clearly has a lot on his plate and given the ending, maybe we will get to learn more in a future installment.

I am a huge sports romance fan and I like it when it is not all about a player, but also about support staff and families. This is a really well rounded, thoughtful, and sexy read. Thank you, Ms. Johnson!


Also Available in the Wilmington Breakers Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our Down by Contact post.



Sloan Johnson is a big city girl trapped in a country girl’s life. While she longs for the hustle and bustle of New York City or Las Vegas, she hasn’t yet figured out how to sit on the deck with her morning coffee, watching the deer and wild turkeys in the fields while surrounded by concrete and glass.

When she was three, her parents received their first call from the principal asking them to pick her up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, she was in preschool and started plotting her first story soon after.

Later in life, her parents needed to do something to help their socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of her shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where she found her love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?

Now, Sloan is a tattooed mom with a mohawk and two kids. She’s been kicked out of the PTA in two school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because she’s been known to lose herself with a good book and forget she has somewhere to be.

Connect with Sloan

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads




Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of False Start (Wilmington Breakers #2) by Sloan Johnson to read and review.

An Unexpected Shot by Caitlin Ricci & A.J. Marcus


Darius has just retired as a police officer and opened his PI business. He expects to help people and continue the exciting life he had while on the force, but most of his cases center around cheating spouses. That is until a young boy comes into his office one afternoon.

Parker insists that his parents are missing, and not believing him, Darius calls the people on the boy’s phone to find one who is willing to pick him up. Rick, a family friend, comes to get him. As a thank you for watching over Parker, Rick invites Darius to his house for dinner. Their connection is instant, but their romantic night together becomes complicated when men break into Rick’s house and start shooting.

Add to Goodreads –



Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
NineStar Press



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆
I have to say that I've read a few books by Caitlin Ricci and this one was just as good as the others I've read. I will say though that because it is so short, the romance seems rushed, the plot was rushed, and we just simply didn't have time to really get into the drama that unfolded or the sweet romance.

However, I did like the plot. It was unique and fun and interesting. Just rushed. I would love to see this story drawn out into a full-length story where things can be slowed a bit and we get more into the various aspects of the story.


Angie – ☆☆☆
There was so much going on in such few pages, that my head was spinning. I normally don't read books with so few pages and this is why. Too much happening, not enough connection with the characters. I will say though there was one hot sex scene. This book would have been better if it was longer so I could have made a connection with the main characters and if they didn't jump so fast to hurry up and end.



Caitlin Ricci

Caitlin is the author of over 150 LGBTQ romance books including two Rainbow Award winners. While most of her books include shifters, she does write a little of everything. She was first published in 2012 and since then hasn't stopped writing. When she's not writing she enjoys gardening, hanging out with her dogs, and watching movies with her husband. She is a panromantic asexual and she lives in Centennial, Colorado.

Connect with Caitlin

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


A.J. Marcus

A.J. has been writing to pass the time since high school. The stories he wrote helped him deal with life. A few years ago, he started sharing those stories with friends who enjoyed them and he has started sending his works out into the world to share with other people. He lives in the mountains with his extremely supportive husband. They have a lot of critters, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, and rabbits. When not writing, A.J. spends a lot of time hiking, trail riding, or just driving in the mountains. Nature provides a lot of inspiration for his work and keeps him writing. He is also an avid photographer and falconer. Don’t get him started talking about his birds, because he won’t stop for a while.

Connect with A.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


https://ninestarpress.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of An Unexpected Shot by Caitlin Ricci & A.J. Marcus to read and review.

True Colors by Anyta Sunday


Oskar used to be Marco’s best friend. His everything. His sunshine yellow.

But that was before. Before Marco stopped being a hot jock. Before he learned to live with scars and pain. And before Oskar tore their friendship apart.

Now the boy next door has returned home, determined to rekindle his friendship with Marco, and Marco’s more afraid than ever. Afraid of getting hurt. Afraid of being humiliated.

Afraid of falling in love.

Can Oskar find a way through Marco’s fear, back into his heart?

True Colors is an enemies to lovers, boy next door, first time, slow burn M/M romance with a generous helping of UST. This no-cliffhanger, HEA book can be read as a standalone
.

Add to Goodreads –


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Amazing Stars.

I don't know where to begin with my review, other than fangirl for several paragraphs. Anyone who reads my reviews knows I'm not a gushing type reviewer. True Colors hit every note I need in an emotionally gut-twisting read. I've always found something special with Anyta Sunday's writing. I'm not a huge rereader when it comes to contemporary romance, but now two of this author's books are added to that list: Rock and True Colors.

Marco is our narrator, telling us a story that bridges nearly a decade. At twelve, Marco's favorite person on earth is Oskar, his neighbor and best friend. A tragic event changes all of that, when guilt and shame take over Marco's life.

The beginning portion of True Colors sets up the entirety of the book, featuring scenes from when Marco is twelve and his mother is still alive, showcasing the making of the play that will be the foundation of everyone coming back together.

Marco feels betrayed over words Oskar voiced when they were teenagers. Having already lost his mother, and Oskar breaking his trust, Marco doesn't have the ability to allow people in. He has friends, but he keeps them at arm's length, never opening up. He's scarred from the tragedy that took his mother away, so he refuses to get close to guys, even for a biological need.

Returning home from college, Oskar is everywhere in Marco's life, refusing to back off, forcing Marco to deal with the past. Their meddling neighbor families refuse to allow the animosity to remain.

True Colors was sweet, heartfelt – real. The angst caused that gut-twisting sensation to happen to me over and over, a sensation I look for when reading a novel. I laughed, smiled, got teary-eyed, and felt utterly satisfied at the end of the novel.

True Colors was a beautiful story I plan on revisiting in the future... I see this is book two – I interrupt this gush-fest to go locate book one.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a beautiful story. At its most simple, it is a very damaged young man’s coming of age story. It is also the story of the life-long relationship between two young men. At its most complex, this book explores grief and betrayal, intimacy and desire. It is a story about self, family, and community.

The writing is sparse. Marcus tells his story in a disjointed, non-linear series of memories and moments. The writer forces readers to pull Marcus’ story together for themselves – but we fully understand Marcus’ past at the very moment he starts to understand his present.

Even though Marcus is a university student, there is young adult feel to this story. He is still tied tightly to his family and his community. Incidents in his past have left him scarred, but they have also left him very innocent in many ways.

The author offers very little to create a sense of place. In many ways, the other characters provide the backdrop for this story of Marcus’ emotional growth. And the characters in this story are wonderful.

This book is a deliberate puzzle and it is almost impossible to discuss it without giving too much away. I loved it. I loved the unique writing style. I enjoyed the unconventional structure and I fell in love with so many of the characters. It is an honest story. The emotions in this book are raw and real. I know that this will tug at my heart and my mind for quite some time.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/M Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Hmm, this is a very emotional story. It really is about two boys' friendship and the trials and tribulations that come with growing up. Can you really trust your family? Community?

I loved the secondary characters because they helped shape the story between Marco and Oskar. This is a story that is told in stages. You have to be willing to put some of the pieces together – it's not told in a straight fashion, but rather flashback and pieces.

While I did enjoy the story, I did find that there was a lot of back and forth but without substance. There was a lot of talk, without saying too much.

This is a fairly straight forward story – friends, enemies, confused, friends. While there are some people in the story who are less than helpful to both Marco and Oskar, I think that the accepting characters more than make up for it.

You can't really say too much without giving the story away, but this was a coming of age, discovering what's important, forgiveness at its most basic form, and about learning to love yourself.



A born and raised New Zealander, Anyta Sunday has been exploring the literary world since she started reading Roald Dahl as a kid. Inspired, stories have been piling up in her head ever since. Fast forward to her mid-twenties and jump a few countries (Germany, America, and back again), and she started putting pen to paper. When she’s not writing or chasing her kids around, she’s reading, hiking, watching a Joss Whedon series, attempting Pilates, or curling up with her two cats.

Connect with Anyta

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


https://www.netgalley.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of True Colors (True Love #2) by Anyta Sunday to read and review.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

The Sweetheart Kiss by Cheryl Ann Smith


Jess Lucas works hard at the all-female PI firm Brash & Brazen, and after a brush with death, she’s determined to play hard too—preferably with a certain detective on the Ann Arbor police force...

Jess was stuck at a frenemy’s wedding, playing bridesmaid in a mustard-yellow monstrosity, when chaos erupted. First the bride’s ex tried to stop the wedding. Then someone really put a damper on the big day by sending a bullet through a stained glass window and into one of the groomsmen. At least her ugly dress came in handy to stop the bleeding...

While the poor guy is rushed to the ER, Jess gets grilled by a gorgeous cop who’s not thrilled to learn she’s part PI and part pit bull. But he has to admit she’s highly observant... and he observes that she’s pretty hot, too.

The thing is, Jess was walking up the same aisle as the victim, and Sam suspects she was the real target. It’s more than professional duty that makes him want to protect her—if he doesn’t arrest her first for interfering in his investigation...


Add to Goodreads –


Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third in the series, and is just as good as the previous two! I would definitely recommend that you read them all, and whilst this could be a standalone, it is much better when read in order. This Charlie's Angel-like group of women are just so much fun.

The setup for this story with Jess in a truly awful bridesmaid dress in a wedding where she doesn't even want to be, then the guy in front of her gets shot, is just the start of the crazy. Lucky for Jess (and for Sam), Sam works out that she is the one who needs protection and takes it upon himself to do just that – in fact, they can hardly peel themselves off each other. The mystery is worth a read, let alone the super-hot romance in the making.

For a really good fun and sexy read, pick up this book and enjoy. Thanks for another great installment, Ms. Smith.


Also Available in the Brash & Brazen Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Racket post.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Game post.



A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. She’s currently working on an exciting new contemporary romance series that mixes her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female PIs who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, and when she isn’t writing, she dreams of living in a grass hut on her own tropical island. Since that’s unlikely to happen, she looks forward to any vacation that gets her near an ocean.

Connect with Cheryl

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


http://www.lyricalpress.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Sweetheart Kiss (Brash & Brazen #3) by Cheryl Ann Smith to read and review.

Coming In by Michelle Ogilvy


Jay and Adam have been sharing a flat, and a bed, since they moved down to Adelaide after high school a couple of years ago. Neither man considers himself gay or mentions the sexual nature of their friendship to anyone else.

Their arrangement doesn’t stop Jay from casually dating random women he meets through work and both men seem happy with the way things are. That is, until Adam meets April, a damsel in distress that latches herself onto Adam in a way that he doesn’t mind at all. Jay sure does, though.

As Adam gets closer to April, the friendship between the two men starts to unravel and for the first time in years, Jay is facing a life without Adam. If he wants to save their friendship, he will have to offer Adam a lot more than a spot in his bed. There’s only one problem, Jay doesn’t believe in love.

Add to Goodreads –



Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Kobo  ~  NineStar Press



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Bi Romance

Adam and Jay have been best friends for years. They moved together in order to stay close. Both are not necessarily living their dream, but they are surviving.

Adam meets April accidentally – she uses him and has a slightly strange pathology. She is a user and is not afraid to use people to get where she wants. She is struggling with her own family situation and because of that, she latches on and doesn't really let go. Is it love? I'm still not sure. I think it's more a relationship of convenience.

Adam doesn't really know how to handle the relationship with April – he also doesn't know what to do with his changing relationship with Jay. He is not happy with his current school situation – he feels like he has no life. He also has a family that doesn't really understand him nor are they very supportive.

Jay is just struggling with life in general. He has women and men in his bed, but deep in his heart, he loves Adam. When both of them struggle to find a way through the current situation, they both fumble. Jay and Adam are super young and still figuring out how to be adults.

Overall, this story had a lot packed in to it and in the end, it all smooths out, but I felt that the family situations were not really concluded well. I was left thinking what happened to the family and were they were ever able to resolve those issues.



Michelle Ogilvy was born and bred in Adelaide, Australia. In primary school, to alleviate the boredom of putting spelling list words in sentences to explain their meaning, she started weaving them all into stories. She hasn’t been able to shake this writing thing ever since.

Her day job involves working on health data collection tools, which resulted in her first publication, in a medical journal. For about a year, she worked as an editor for the department, but eventually she realised that her writing at home was enough time spent alone concentrating on words on a computer screen and she went back to her old job. It’s still a lot of time spent staring at a computer, but there’s at least more interaction with actual humans.

Connect with Michelle

Twitter  ~  Goodreads


https://ninestarpress.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Coming In by Michelle Ogilvy to read and review.

Dating the Undead by Juliet Lyons


For those mortals wanting to get up close and personal with the beautiful undead, there's...

V-DATE, THE UNDEAD DATING SERVICE

Silver Harris is done with clingy men—maybe men altogether. But when she shares a toe-curling kiss with a sexy Irish vampire on New Year's Eve, she decides maybe it's human men she's done with. Silver turns to the popular vampire dating site, V-Date. When the undead gentlemen come calling, soon she's in over her head. And her mysterious hottie is nowhere to be found...

Logan Byrne can't get that sassy redhead out of his head—or that kiss! When his boss assigns him to spy on V-Date members, he meets Silver again. Turns out, the police are recruiting humans to snitch on vampires through the dating site. As the snark and sparks fly, feelings between Silver and Logan grow deep. Logan isn't sure he can go through with his mission to make Silver forget everything she knows about vampires...and betray her.

But in the tight-knit London community of centuries-old vampires, history and grudges run deep and dating the undead can be risky business.

Add to Goodreads –


Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Kris – ☆☆☆☆
It's been ages since I've read any Urban Fantasy books, but the title and blurb of Dating the Undead drew me in and I wanted to give it a try.

Silver Harris is a single woman and jewelry clerk living in London. She lives in a flat with an old Hollywood film star for a roommate. At a New Year’s party with her boyfriend, she finds him making out with another woman and causes a scene. Being kicked out of the party in a hasty retreat, she bumps into Logan. Vampires are out and proud in London and Silver can’t believe she just bumped into one, not only that, he's HOT! The two spark up a conversation and end the evening with a steamy but mostly chaste kiss. Silver can’t believe she can’t quit thinking about a vampire, and Logan finally feels SOMETHING in his still heart for Silver. Thinking that maybe vampires are the way to date, Silver gets onto a vampire dating site called V-date, but it's really just one vampire that has her real interest.

There's a plot twist in there as Silver has always wondered what happened in the mysterious disappearance of her mother many years ago and finds it could be vampire related. There's a good amount of suspense and action that kept the book rolling really well. I enjoyed the story and the snarky heroine, Silver. Logan and Silver had some pretty good steam and the ending was a good one. Really enjoyed the premise!


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

Juliet Lyons is a new-to-me author.

Dating the Undead was an enjoyable, humorous, quick read. It was the perfect way to find a slice of entertainment for a few hours and uplift my mood. I'm not a fan of humorous books, to be honest, but this was written in a way that it felt natural instead of the slapstick, over-the-top, forced comedy that has me shying away from most books with a humor tag. Lyons did an excellent job with the levity, changing my mind on giving other books a chance that include humor.

Silver was a fun character, modern and independent, but just as insecure as she is confident, making it easy for most women to identify with her. She didn't take herself too seriously, just rolling with it. After having a horrible time dating humans, she creates a profile on a vampire/human dating app, wanting to give the vampers a try after meeting Logan on the street outside of a party.

I loved the beginning of Dating the Undead, as Silver was going on dates with the vamps – it was a hilarious adventure. Truthfully, I would have loved more of this to be honest.

Logan was also a great character – our vamp. Sexy, patient, borderline stalking, Logan was a yummy, humorous addition to the novel. The pair were steamy together with a ton of banter volleying back and forth.

The vampire culture and world-building were interesting and unique, but I wished I had just a bit more of it. Maybe it's because it's the first in the series, and the author wishes to expand it slowly over the course of the series. But I need a bit more to connect with the characters and the paranormal culture.

What didn't work for me: around the halfway mark, when Silver and Logan were together, the pacing started to drag and my interest waned. The cop story didn't fit whatsoever, and it seemed thrown in there, causing me to feel distracted and disinterested in the thread of storyline.

I highly recommend to fans of paranormal romance who love a twist of humor with their fangy between-the-sheets action.



Juliet Lyons is a paranormal romance author from the UK. She got her big break on the global storytelling site Wattpad back in 2015 when her Undead Dating Service series was picked up by Sourcebooks romance imprint, Sourcebooks Casablanca. When Juliet isn’t writing about vampires and ghosts, she enjoys reading all kinds of books and spending time with her family. She is an avid Potterhead who hopes to someday work for the Ministry of Magic.

Connect with Juliet

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


http://www.sourcebooks.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dating the Undead (Bite Nights #1) by Juliet Lyons to read and review.