An Angel for Emily by Jude Deveraux

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Emily Jane Todd has just found her guardian angel. Actually, the small-town librarian had just been stood up by her fiancé when she ran into the errant angel with her car. And while he appears to be unscathed, "Michael" continues to insist that his pedigree is quite legitimate. Emily just hopes his brain hasn't been scrambled in the accident; besides, she's not inclined to believe that an angel could be so dangerously sexy. 
Yet Michael quickly reveals the most astounding things about her, and makes her laugh in a way she never has before. What's more, he declares that he's been sent to save her. At this point, the only rescue Emily has in mind is her upcoming marriage, and she's ready to bid her most attractive angel good-bye. But when he lets slip that he also looks at souls -- and hers is a rare beauty -- Emily's ready to risk heaven in his arms. Their journey will break every angelic and earthly rule before it yields her one wish: a love divine.

It wasn't bad. Emily was a kind, nice, girl next door kind of character, who suddenly comes by an angel called Michael (who isn't archangel Michael) who want to protect her from a mysterious evil. Michael was kind of exasperating at times, and it was so focused on the relationship between Emily and Michael and Emil and Donald that you could almost forget there was an evil they were supposed to be looking for. 

It was overall enjoyable, but I had higher expectations. 

A Beauty for the Scarred Duke by Bridget Barton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

As young girls, Lady Isabella Tate, daughter of the Earl of Upperton, and her friend, Esme, told each other terrifying tales of the monster. But not just any monster. This monster was alive and living in his old mansion behind a tangle of overgrown hawthorn trees in the very same county. This monster was none other than Elliot Covington, the Duke of Caldwell.

The Duke of Caldwell, scarred for life in a fire which claimed the lives of those dearest to him has been hiding in his mansion for almost eighteen years. He knows he is a figure of fear and speculation in the county and chose many years before to live a life of self-imposed isolation. But he is the loneliest Duke in all of England. When the Earl of Upperton sells his daughter off as a bride for the disfigured Duke, Isabella has never been more terrified. Due to marry a man she has never met and always believed to be a monster, she truly believes her life is over.

But is life with the Duke really something to be afraid of? Will Isabella be able to get past her own prejudice and see the man beneath the scars? And will the Duke be able to let go of the pain and guilt that has swallowed him whole for almost two decades and find a new life with a new love?

It took me a while to read, because at the beginning of the book the only thing that truly labeled the duke as a monster was the fact that he was disfigured. The rest of the book was good, but it made me feel like Isabella was very vain, and I found it exasperating. Also, the fact that she couldn't get over the fact that not all of his face was handsome! Like, honestly, it doesn't seem like such a ridiculously huge scar, truth be told. For him to be self.conscious is reasonable, but I couldn't understand why she had such a hard time getting over it! Had there been a rumor about a beastly character to go with Elliot, then her fear would've been more believable.
Other than that, it was a sweet, enjoyable romance. Certainly cute, this time with a more realistic view of the lord's duties than in Bridget's previous books.

A bit tiring at times, but quite enjoyable as a whole.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book

All for the game trilogy by Nora Sakavic

Here's the summary of the first book (the foxhole court) from Goodreads

Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He's short, he's fast, he's got a ton of potential—and he's the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.

Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn't need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.

But Neil's not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil's new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can't walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he's finally found someone and something worth fighting for. 

I feel very confused. Loke, the writing is bad, there are so many things that just simply do not happen in real life, and sometimes the characters just seem just so exagerated it makes you wonder why you even like the book at all. However, the plot is very exciting, so you can't help yourself from reading like a maniac because you just need to know.

I have issues on the fact that Nora has no idea of how drugs work, how professional sports work, and didn't bother explaining her invented sport (exy) until the end of the second book (where she wrote the rules almost like an afterthought). I mean, even if you write a book about a well known sport, you should assume that at least some of your readers don't know the rules well, and so you must explain them. Even more important if the sport is something you made up yourself. Also, you shold take into account no kind of sports team allow their players to play either drunk or drugged, let alone have their coach turn a blind eye to their getting drunk or drugged. Also, mixing antipsicotics with alcohol is a bad idea. In fact, mixing any kind of drug with alcohol is a bad idea. And shouldn't the same courts who decided to drug Andrew have told him so?

As for the level of unreal some of the things... jusy don't add up. Either they don't really happen that way in real life (like using a trigger of a horrid memory as a way to calm down) or they're just too random to make sense and leave you feeling like ummm.... ok?

And yet, it was such an exciting series, and such an emotional roller coaster, I can't even say I won't ever read them again. In fact, between my ridiculous academic load I still managed to finish this three books in about a week and a half.

I really have plenty of things against this books, but can't bring myself to dislike them... but the fact that it was exciting still doesn't make them good! I'm so conflicted I can't even say if I recommend them or not, so do as you please with this ones.

My Partner the Wolf by Hollis Shiloh

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Tom Langley and Sean Goods work together in a human-and-wolf shifter partnership, assisting the police, rushing in to solve crimes wherever their bosses send them. They're a great team, and they have fun together, too: joking and enjoying each other's company in a way that doesn't happen every day.

Tom is also a married man. And his husband hates the wolf shifter with a passion. Tom tries to balance the sides of his life—one minute on a high-pressure chase with Sean, the next placating his husband Lowell.

Then the unthinkable happens: his marriage ends. Heartbroken, he's not expecting to ever get over Lowell's betrayal or to be able to love again.

Sean offers a solution: sex as friends. They have chemistry, and they trust each other.

But can they change their partnership that much? And is Sean secretly harboring feelings for him—expecting more than just sex?

Sean is a loveable, funny, strong, and protective. He's the best buddy a guy could have. But Tom might not be able to keep from breaking his heart—if Sean is in love with him, and Tom can't love him back.

This book is definitely emotionally heavy, but entertaining all the same. Tom finds it VERY hard to deal with the fact that his marriage is over, and that makes him hesitate a lot over pretty much everything. Sean, however, is pretty much the dream  partner anyone would want. Cute, hot, attentive, he kind of is everything Tom needs and wants, even though he doesn't know it. It is very obvious to everyone but him. 

The book is good, but the fact that Tom takes over two thirds of the book and half a year or more without being able to pick up his slack makes it a bit tiring.  It is part of a VERY long series, and I'm not so sure that I want to invest myself on it. If there's standalones, then I might think about it, as I really liked how Hollis Shiloh writes. But 13 books is a lot, and my to-read pile (both the physical and the digital one) is big enough as it is. 

A Bride for the Betrayed Earl by Bridget Barton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

When Hunter Bentley, the Earl of Addison, returns from Scotland, it is to find that the love of his life has married another. On a mission of mercy to see his beloved father through his final days in the country he loved, Hunter is unaware that the woman he was set to marry, feeling neglected by his absence, has accepted a proposal of marriage from the Duke of Galcross. Still, Lady Felicity Morgan was always a little spoiled and a little ambitious.

Weeks later, Emmeline Fitzgerald suffers the worst humiliation of her life. Just months after the death of her beloved father, the man she is set to marry publicly announces his engagement to another. Feeling all eyes on her, Emmeline almost turns to run, but her dignity is saved by none other than the Earl of Addison. Within days the Earl, a man she barely knows, makes her a most unusual proposal; a marriage of convenience. He is looking for a wife so that he might produce an heir to his title and estate. She needs a husband of means to save her, her mother, and sister from financial ruin when her second cousin, Kent Fitzgerald, finally inherits her father’s estate some months after his passing.

Finding they have more in common than they could have imagined, can Hunter and Emmeline find the path to true love? Or will the constant interference from Felicity and Kent Fitzgerald drive a wedge between them?

So, I wasn't very excited about reading this book at first because of how horrid A Lady for the Brazen Earl was for me, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is good, simple, if a bit predictable, but certainly enjoyable. Both Emmeline and Hunter have been betrayed, are hurting, and find the solution for their individual problems in each other. The thing is, they promise each other to not involve feelings in their deal. Also, there's people that aren't happy with their arrangement and would rather see them apart. And, as the author promises, there's a guaranteed happy ever after, so you kinda know where the book is headed but that doesn't make it bad.

The characters (all of them!) have dimensions, which is one of the things that annoyed me the most with A Lady For The Brazen Earl, as most of the characters were flat and one dimenional. It still seems a bit like the lords do nothing but socialize all year round, which it can (kind of) be forgiven as a little annoyance, but not a turn off from this book. 

It won't win any prizes, but it was certainly enjoyable and WAY better than the previous read by Barton. More of a book for relaxation than excitement, but if that's what you're looking for, go ahead and get it.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book

Man & Beast (The Savage Land, #1) by Michael Jensen

For this book, there's no summary on Goodreads and the one in Michael Jensen's web page is kind of spoiler-filled, so I'll try to write my own!

It all starts in the year 1797, when gay man John Chapman has to flee from Canada after he's discovered as a gay man. His hopes in life is a paper where they claim free land and supplies for a settlement in the unconquered frontier. Midwinter, lost cold and half starved, he stumbles into the cabin of a man called Daniel, whom John believes can be love and hope he was searching for. But is he the man he hoped, or a beast to be feared?

This book is quite interesting, as it throws a queer man in a time in which being queer was punished by death (as it is shown in chapter 1). And, even if he doesn't want to, he's forced to confront his views on his sexuality and the realities he lives in. The book is a bit slow, but interesting nonetheless. You also get  to see a curious variety of characters with plenty of layers to keep you entertained, main character included.

I actually read the summary in Michael's page, so I kind of spoiled myself about half the book, so there were things that I'd have found more exciting if I hadn't read it beforehand, and that affects my overall score for the book. For some reason I spent about half the book believing there was going to be some supernatural element to the book, but that was me being misguided by the summary of this book and the sequel, which I haven't read yet. It is historical and realistic, without any added element of magic. Meaning, the beast of a title is a real one.

It was good, a bit slow (which isn't bad), with good character development and a good plot, but I lost a lot of excitement by knowing what was going to happen. If you want to read it, Michael Jensen sends this book to you by subscribing to his newsletter (that's how I got mine). Just be wary of the summary in the page!

The Honorable Rosalind's Heart by Bridget Barton

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Rosalind Danvers is young, beautiful and witty. Daughter of Lord and Lady Danvers, minor aristocrats with great pretensions, Rosalind is promised to The Earl of Frinton. The Earl is young and impressively handsome but has the most wandering eye for many counties. Unable to find any attraction for him, Rosalind seeks to appeal to her parents to release her from any obligation, but they remain firm in their determination for elevated status.

Heath Rutherford, Duke of Langdale and veteran of the Napoleonic wars is ten years Rosalind’s senior. He is jaded, cynical and determined not to marry. With pressure being brought to bear from his family, demanding that he marry and produce an heir to the Duchy, the Duke finds himself ever more wary of title seeking young ladies and their desperate parents. Finding Heath more and more taciturn and disagreeable in public, his cousin Hector makes it his mission to take away the rough edges of the years of soldiering.

When Rosalind and Heath are introduced at the first ball of the London Season, sparks fly, and Duke’s insults look set to make them enemies forever. However, with every meeting, their feelings grow and, try as they might, Rosalind and Heath both struggle to hide their emotions. Can Rosalind finally find the courage to rebel against her parents? And can Heath overcome his cynicism and finally open his heart to true love?

I've read plenty of romance books, and regency romances are high on my list of likes, but I admit that this, although not that bad, could've been better. The characters are kind of simple and not necessarily memorable, but pleasant enough.

I found it a bit annoying the way the author developed the "hate to love" idea, as there was no in-between between both feelings. They literally hated each other until one day they noticed that they loved each other. And although that's annoying for me, it might not turn off other people.
I did like the friendship between Rosalind and Eleanor, as it feels kind of sincere. My issue... They speak a bit too formally with each other. This puts the friendship from "sincere" to "kind of sincere". It feels real based on the interactions between the characters, but kinda fake based on how they speak to each other versus how they speak to strangers or common acquaintances.

It's not my favorite, but not as bad as it could have been, so I'll give it three stars. I'm currently part of the Advanced Reader Copy team for Barton, so you'll likely see more of her in the future