Review: Martyr by S. Massery

September 18, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

MARTYR
Series: Sterling Falls Rogues #3
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: S. Massery 
Release Date: September 18, 2025

I thought surviving Sterling Falls was the worst of it.
I was wrong.

Saint doesn’t remember the last two years—doesn’t remember the war we fought, the people we lost, or the way we burned for each other. To him, I’m a stranger. To me, he’s the man I can’t let go of, even if it feels like starting over with a ghost.

Reese shows up on the island, raw with regret and determined to prove he’s changed.
Kade follows, carrying secrets I’m not sure I want to uncover.

We’re trapped together in a place meant to heal but built to break us. And beyond the waves of Isle of Paradise, Ouranos is tightening his grip on Sterling Falls, tearing the city I love apart piece by piece.

If we can’t put our past betrayals aside and fight as one, we’ll lose more than the town we swore to protect.
We’ll lose each other.

And this time, there won’t be a second chance.

—
Nemesis and Warrior must be read prior for continuity.

AMAZON 

Don’t go thinking we aren’t inevitable, babe.” Her eyelashes flutter, and her dark-brown eyes bore into mine. “Even with all the guilt trying to crush you from the inside out.”

Phew, what a ride! This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, binge reading it well into the night. S Massery sure knows how to hook readers and this series had me in chokehold.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book two, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. I was especially excited to hear that this will also be the conclusion and instead of a 4 book series will now be a trilogy. Having finished it, I have mixed feelings about it not having the fourth book.

Artemis continued to prove in this book why she’s one of my favorite S Massery FMCs. And Reese, Saint, and Kade were each amazing in their own right. The story was an absolute powerhouse with so many moving pieces, which I will also say I appreciate a whole lot more having read the Sterling Falls series.

And while I loved the story, I also couldn’t help but feel like it left me wanting more. The conclusion, though fitting, also felt a bit anticlimactic. I supposed with the villain being as big as he was, it just felt something was missing still. I fully appreciate the full circle moment of it all, but it still just felt sudden and quick. My other quibble is that I wish we spent more time on the poly element of the relationship between Tem and her men. While it felt natural, it also felt very sudden and slightly rushed, particularly the Kade and Saint part. I wanted more time with them, I wanted to feel the feelings and the chemistry. We got a great story, but I suppose I just wanted more on the relationship development. I would love to see a bonus epilogue and spend more time with these characters. I can understand why S Massery didn’t do a 4th book, but I also felt like this one could have been a touch longer.

Did I still enjoy it? Absolutely. It’s a series that I cannot recommend enough and if you love dark why choose, it’s a must read. I’d also be lying if I didn’t share that I was greedy for just a little bit more.

But maybe S Massery will take pity on us and give us a bonus epilogue in the future.

S. Massery:

S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.

Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs–including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn’t writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.

Author Links:

Website: http://smassery.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/smassery

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/smassery

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsmassery

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/groups/smasserysquad

Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsmassery

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@smassery

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/author/s-massery

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorsmassery

 

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Review: The Reluctant Siren by Lexi Blake

August 15, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE RELUCTANT SIREN
Series: Texas Sirens: Legacy #2
Genre: Erotic Romance, Suspense
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: July 29,  2025

Harlow Dawson went through something terrible while working a case in Los Angeles. She fell in love. To be fair, the love part wasn’t so bad, but the betrayal left her devastated and in police custody. She returned home to decide how to move forward. One thing was for certain. Her life wouldn’t include Jensen Wiley. Two years later she’s back on her feet, working with her best friend, and building her business. She’s been falling for a new guy at The Hideout. Niall Griffen makes her feel safe. Until she learns his secret at the worst possible time.

Jensen Wiley has spent years working his way up in the criminal organization that took his brother’s life. The only thing that ever threatened to break his need for revenge was meeting Harlow Dawson. She became his partner until he realized she was being drawn into the darkest part of the organization. He had very little time to get her out and didn’t think she would go quietly. He knows his betrayal saved her life, but he hasn’t stopped loving her. Now they’re in the same city and he needs someone watching over her. He means to keep his distance until she walks right into the middle of his mission.

Niall Griffen has worried about his best friend, Jensen, for years. When Jensen asks him to watch over the woman he loves, Niall reluctantly agrees. The trouble is he falls for her too. If nothing happens, he doesn’t feel there’s any reason to talk to his friend about their unrequited love triangle. But after one night together changes everything, Niall knows he needs a new plan to make sure no one gets their heart broken. The good news? Harlow comes from a family with an interesting dynamic. He just might be able to make this work for all of them.

Things begin to unravel when Jensen’s past comes back to haunt him and the man he’s been hunting threatens to turn the tables on him. Protecting Harlow is now the only priority and might just send them all right into the relationship they all need.

AMAZON

What do you want, Niall?”
“A chance to show you exactly how good I can be for you, Harlow Dawson.”

If you haven’t discovered the deliciously steamy small town series full of kooky residents and kinky f…romance, you’re seriously missing out. I loved Lexi’s Texas Sirens series and I’m absolutely loving the second gen spinoff with this series.

If you read Siren Unleashed and you loved the uber protective Chase and Ben, prepare for their firecracker of a daughter. And of course for Chase’s crazy brand of overprotectiveness.

This, like all in this series is a D/s, menage MFM romance and yes, it’s as good as it sounds.

Now if you know me then you know I love me a second chance romance. And I especially love when he grovels. And here we get not one but two completely obsessed with her alpha men. We have Jensen, the guy who broke her heart years ago and she never forgave. And we have the sweet and dominant Niall, who unbeknownst to Harlow has some secrets of why he’s there.

Sprinkle in some danger, action, the kookiness that only Ian Taggard and his company can bring, and you have yourself a sexy page turner. And did I mention the second chance?

Do you want a sincere apology?” He didn’t think so, but he needed to give her the option. If he could do this with tenderness, he would.
“Fuck you, Jensen, and fuck your apologies.”
Hate sex it was then.

Harlow was fierce and kickass. I loved how fiercely independent she was. I also loved the way she let the men soothe her harder edges. I love the balance the men brought. And you know I loved the spice!

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Review: The Secrets We Bury by Lucy Smoke

August 1, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE SECRETS WE BURY
Series: Scorpion Kings #3
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Author: Lucy Smoke
Release Date: August 1, 2025

The deeper we dig, the darker the secrets.

Silverwood is filled with nothing but liars and deceivers.
I thought I could trust them. I thought I could have them.
Now, I know … none of it was ever truly mine to keep.

There is a thin line between love and obsession.
The Scorpion Kings have crossed it.
And I fear I’m not far behind.

*This is a Dark Enemies to Lovers WhyChoose Romance*

*Trigger If you are sensitive to content common in dark romance (content such as SA, graphic depictions of violence, murder, drug and/or alcohol abuse, physical abuse, mental and/or emotional abuse, traumatic events, unhealthy coping mechanisms, dubious consent etc.) then this book may not be for you. Please read responsibly.*

AMAZON

At five years old, I wanted to marry Juliet Donovan. At nearly nineteen, I’d slit the throat of anyone who thinks to take her away from me.

Where has Lucy Smoke been all my life and how am I only discovering her with this series? Because let me tell you, I am wholly obsessed. OBSESSED. If you love fierce, absolutely kick ass heroines, then you need to meet Juliet.

I can show you that all kings were meant to fall eventually, even the three of you.”

The Secrets We Bury starts immediately where The Demons We Hide ended and what a doozy of an ending that was. I couldn’t wait to see how that unravels. Especially on the cusp of what Juliette finally realizes about her pseudo “uncle”. But I won’t be spoiling anything for you here.

I loved watching her men fall harder and harder for her in each book. You have Lex, the lovesick puppy stalker. You have Gio the playboy. And then there’s my baby Nolan, the hard edged one

You make this choice and that’s it for you, Jules. We will own you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He nods.
“Even with my demons?” I ask.
“Princess…” I close my eyes as his fingers graze my cheek. “I’ve been wanting to fuck your demons since the first day you set foot on Silverwood Public’s campus.”

The mystery of her dad’s innocence continues to unravel. There’s so much that happens in this book that I was glued to the pages from cover to cover. At a certain point, I feel like I was lulled into a false sense of security because I even started to feel it was getting predictable. Only for Lucy to hit me over the head with that ending and I no longer know which end is up.

All I know is that I desperately need the conclusion and I will not know peace until I do.

If you like dark, why choose romance with fierce heroines, a quick paced plot, and sizzling chemistry then you need this series on your TBR! 

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Review: Nemesis by S. Massery

June 5, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

NEMESIS
Series: Sterling Falls Rogues #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: S. Massery 
Release Date: June 5, 2025

A new darkness is seeping into Sterling Falls, and I’ve drawn its ire.

When a masked stranger declares he wants our ruin—mine, my brother’s, the whole town’s—I hope he’s bluffing.

A series of escalating events later, and it’s clear the threat is very present.
It’s not only present, but it drags up old nightmares from my past.

To keep my beloved city safe, I need to find this masked man and eliminate the threat.

I can’t do it on my own, but the three men poised to help are the ones I am almost certain I can’t trust.

Kade Laurent, the elusive and thrilling newcomer, leverages Olympus to get close to me.

Reese Avery, a ghost from my past, brings with him the trauma I’ve tried to bury. But he says he’s here to make amends…

Saint Hart, the partner of my dead best friend, and I will never get along. Especially since I’ve been tasked with keeping him alive. At least, I was convinced we were going to be mortal enemies forever—until we hate-screw in my kitchen…

Now things are all messed up, and I don’t know who I can rely on.

All I want is peace, but with danger climbing around me, it seems I’m destined for the opposite.

AMAZON 

You drive me insane. You’re…a glowing beacon in the dark, and I just want to smother you.”

Sometimes you finish a book, and other times the book finishes you. And this was most definitely the latter for me. I don’t know what I want to do first; beg and plead with the author for the next book, yell and rage over that ending, or send her my therapy bill. I’ll go with all of the above for a $100, Alex. Because OH MY GOD.

As a predominantly dark romance reader, truly good dark romance comes harder and harder to come by for me. One, because I’m a picky and moody sh*t. But also, because I find a lot of it to be full of gratuitous violence and shock value. But this book? This is what truly good, incredibly well written dark romance is about. That pit in your stomach feeling of dread and anxiety over turning the page because you have no idea what awaits you. The twists, the turns, all of it had me in such a choke hold that I couldn’t bring myself to put this book down for even a second.

I did myself a disservice by not reading the Sterling Falls series first, which this is a spinoff. Which I will be rectifying immediately. However, as this is also a brand new series, I had no issues keeping up.

The story is dark and I mean DARK, so definitely heed the trigger warnings because the story doesn’t mess around. Artemis’s story is full of trauma and true dark underbelly of humanity. She’s a survivor through and through and it was impossible not to fall in love with her take charge attitude. As the twin sister of the MMC in the Sterling Falls series, you’ll see the connection when you read it but I won’t spoil it for you.

This book is told mostly in Artemis’s POV with a few snippets into Saint, Reese and Kade. I love the way that the romantic element is paced to introduce each MMC in this story and what an introduction it was. Saint; her brother’s friend who lost the love of his life and still reeling from the loss, Preston; the blast from the past of the hell that Artemis survived, and Kade; the mysterious newcomer.

The romance is a s low build and I loved the way it developed. We only get a taste for it here and the hate/lust between Saint and Artemis was deliciously tantalizing. Reese is very much a mystery and Kade is a dark enigma that I couldn’t get enough of.

This was the edge of your seat kind of story that keeps you on bated breath and a razor’s edge without letting up. And just when you think you have some answers, you get hit in the head by a two by four that was the cliffhanger and are left absolutely reeling.

When I tell you that I am absolutely RABID for the next book, I am not even slightly exaggerating. I need answers desperately and will be rocking myself in a dark corner until the next release.

S. Massery:

S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.

Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs–including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn’t writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.

Author Links:

Website: http://smassery.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/smassery

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/smassery

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsmassery

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/groups/smasserysquad

Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsmassery

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@smassery

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/author/s-massery

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorsmassery

 

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Review: Crescent Kingdom by Tessa Hale

April 23, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

CRESCENT KINGDOM
Series: The Wolves of Crescent Creek #1
Author: Tessa Hale
Genre: Why Choose Romance, PNR
Release Date: April 23, 2025

Never stop running. And no matter what, never let the world know who you really are.

I’ve spent my whole life hiding. Training. Preparing. Hoping that no one will discover my secrets. What I can do. Who I am. And I’ve gotten so good at it, sometimes even I forget.

Until them.

The wolf pack with a ruthless reputation and a penchant for revenge. The protective fighter. The charming Brit. The shy hacker. The silent mercenary. The cruel assassin.

They see more than anyone ever has before. And even with demons of their own, they give me sanctuary. A place to hide, to rest, and maybe even a place to belong.

Only it turns into so much more. Because when they touch me, everything around me ignites, and nothing matters but them.

But these wolves have secrets. And those secrets bring enemies. And when they find out who I really am?

It’s not their enemies I need to fear. It’s them.

AMAZON

Fuck. This woman would ruin me. But I’d happily go down in the rubble. For her.

First of all, how is this my first Tessa Hale book and what rock have I been living under? Second of all, I may need to rock myself in the corner somewhere with a bottle of wine after that ending. But regrets? I don’t has them.

I genuinely can’t remember the last time I binged a book like this. The last few months I seem to be dragging ass with everything, even books I enjoy. And I forgot that giddy feeling of finding a book so addictive that you simply can’t put it down. This story had me in a chokehold from the first chapter and had me reading everywhere I can squeeze in a page because I simply couldn’t bring myself to put it down for even a minute. If you like a sexy why choose shifter romance, look no further.

Now do you know what I love more than tortured MMCs? Tortured FMCs. And Wren has not just walked through the pits of hell, she survived the devil himself. She’s been on the run for years, constantly looking over her shoulder and with plenty of secrets to stay buried about who she is.

She’s done her damnest to hide who she is, so when she lands in the crosshairs of a sexy stranger, she’s terrified to learn that he’s a wolf. And when that stranger has a pack of 4 more equally sexy and tortured in their own way pack mates? Well, stick a fork in me, I’m done. The chemistry was through the roof in this book. And I loved the layers to Wren’s character. She may keep to herself but still waters run deep with her and she’s a survivor through and through. The more you learn about her, the more you can’t help but love her.

Then we meet her 5 sexy shifters and I couldn’t get enough of them; especially my grumpy and thinks the worst of everyone Ender.

When I tell you that I devoured this book, I mean I binge read it in one sitting. I am so thoroughly hooked and can’t wait for the next installment. I now need to rectify my life choices and read the entirety of Tessa’s backlist because WHERE HAVE I BEEN.

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