Book Review: Realm of Shadows

Title - Realm of Shadows  

Author - Rektok Ross 

Genre - Dark Romance 

Series - Heir of Hades #1 

Format - eArc Kindle 

Add to your TBR 

Grab your copy 

Synopsis 

In a world where gods and monsters walk hidden among us, falling for the wrong guy might do more than break her heart—it might awaken a war.

College freshman Alysander Smith has never fit in her small beach town of glossy smiles and airbrushed perfection. All she wants is to escape and prove she’s more than just the punchline everyone laughs at. The only bright spot? Hayden Vassilios, her gorgeous childhood best friend turned campus football god—and the guy she’s been secretly in love with for years. But when she uncovers a dark family secret about her long-lost, deadbeat father, everything changes.

Alysander starts to wonder if her mother’s crazed whispers about ancient mythological bloodlines and a secret Underworld might be less delusion and more danger. Something old and powerful is awakening, and Hayden is at the center of it all. When the truth shatters everything she thought she knew, Alysander will have to walk away—or step into the shadows and fight for a love that was never hers to keep.

Realm of Shadows is a romantic fantasy retelling of Hades and Persephone. This is a slow-burn, best-friends-to-lovers romance filled with dark yearning, ancient mythic secrets, and a supernatural reveal that changes everything.

My Review

I received Realm of Shadows in return for an honest review from the author. 

I loved Ally she's such a sweet heart you can't help just cheering her on and connecting with her she's totally my kind of character. I have a lot of feelings about her best friend Hayes and her sister Amber that he's been in and on again off relationship. I have hopes for Hayes as the series goes because he needs a little redemption because right the his cousin is looking pretty good. 

I devoured this one in just one short reading session I couldn't put it down and I had to know how it would play out. I had some high expectations going into this one as this isn't my first book by the author and she doesn't disappoint she kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and left me dying for more. I didn't catch the gothic elements per say and it feel more YA or New Adult which is refreshing. 

Let's address how stunning is that cover it's gorgeous and totally why I signed up to read this one. Well that and i've read and loved all her books plus I'm a huge Persephone and Hades retelling fan. It's a slow burn story that made me want to throw my kindle across the room a few times and all the feels. The author has created another captivating story that has my obsessed with her storytelling. I love a cliffhanger and don't let that keep you from diving in. Highly recommend and can't wait to see how it's going to play out. I loved it and have huge expectations for the next book. 

Happy Release Day! Book Review: Trust

Title - Trust 

Author - Kathy Lockheart 

Genre - Dark Romance 

Series - Sinners and Saints #5  

Format - eArc Kindle 

Add to your TBR 

Grab your copy 

Synopsis 

He’s a convicted killer.

I’m his nurse.

And he saw my bruises.

Now he keeps getting hurt on purpose,

just to see that I’m safe.

As a prison nurse, I keep my heart locked away tighter than the men I treat.

No gray areas.

No second chances.

Especially not after escaping my abusive ex.

Then Knox Blackwood, the most dangerous man in the prison, winds up in my infirmary.

Whatever he did to get locked up remains the prison’s darkest secret.

He should terrify me.

Instead, he sees what no one else does.

The scars.

The flinch when a door slams.

The fear I can’t bury.

“Who hurt you?” he growls.

When I don’t answer, Knox starts showing up in my infirmary every day.

New wounds.

Suspicious injuries.

Getting hurt on purpose,

just for five minutes with me.

Just to make sure I’m safe.

I tell myself I can’t fall for an inmate.

I won’t.

Especially not one who’s now harboring a violent vendetta against my ex.

But every stolen touch feels like salvation.

And every whispered promise paves the road to our future.

Knox is one parole hearing from freedom.

If we stay careful, maybe he’ll get out.

Reunite with his daughter.

And we’ll have a life beyond these walls.

All I have to do

is keep Knox from killing the man who hurt me.

That’s the plan.

Until my violent ex steps into the prison

as Knox’s new guard…

From an International & Amazon top 25 bestselling author, TRUST is a forbidden romance featuring an obsessive, morally gray prisoner willing to risk his only shot at freedom to protect her.

My Review

I received Trust in return for an honest review from the author. 

This is the fifth and final installment in the Sinners and Saints series. Trust is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 I've been excitedly waiting for this story. Each book in this series is a standalone but all interconnected. This is the story of Knox our last guy in the friend group and Harper who's just moved to town. I've been waiting since the beginning to learn Knox's story and it doesn't disappoint. 

 I've loved all the couples through the series but Knox and Harper are hands down my new favorite. I feel like I say that every time but I really enjoyed their story so much. Honestly I love them all every character has been easy to connect with and I can't help falling in love with them. This is a whirlwind action packed romance that kept me on the end of my seat till the very last page. 

I devoured Trust in just a single reading session I couldn't put it down and was hooked from the very first page. The author has done a beautiful job creating a captivating story that stole a place in my heart. I'm so sad to see the series end as I just wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I've loved all the authors books she's one of my all time favorites. I'm working my way through her back list and have loved every book I've read. I'm having a little book hangover after finishing the final book in my favorite series. 

Happy Release Day & Review: Good For Her

Title - Good For Her 

Author - Tylor Paige 

Genre - Dark Horror Romance 

Series - Standalone 

Format - eArc Kindle 

Add to your TBR 

Grab your copy 

Synopsis 

Falling in love with her first love wasn’t part of her plan. Helping her kill the Hollywood elite wasn’t part of his. 

Hollywood loves a comeback. Too bad Evie Reyes didn’t come back to play nice.

Five years ago, she watched her mother—an iconic Final Girl—die on the set of Simon Says. Now, she’s back on the same studio lot, cast as the lead in the reboot no one asked for. But Evie’s not here for fame. She’s here for revenge—and she’s got six names on her list.

Sebastian Shaw is Hollywood’s golden boy, a walking six-pack with just enough charm to disguise the fact that he’s a professional liar. He also happens to be Evie’s ex. When he finds out why she’s really back, he doesn’t try to stop her. He offers a he’ll get her access to each of the men she wants to confront—in exchange for six chances to sleep with her.

No feelings. No strings. Definitely no dates.

As bodies pile up and the on-set accidents get harder to explain away, Evie walks a razor-thin line between staying alive and getting justice. And Sebastian? He might be the only person who sees her clearly—and the one person she can’t afford to trust.

This Final Girl isn’t just surviving—she’s stealing the whole damn show.

My Review

I received Good For Her in return for an honest review. 

After her mom’s tragic death Evie left Hollywood taking a break but now she’s back to get justice for her mom. Sebastian didn’t want her to leave five years ago now she’s back and he’s determined to not let her go. As they start filming the new movie for the franchise the bodies the bodies start piling up will Evie and Sebastian make it out or be doomed to follow her mom’s fate?

I loved Evie and Sebastian right from the start you can’t help cheering her on as she uncovers the truth and attempts to get justice for her mom. She’s a sweetheart who’s not afraid to get her hands dirty along the way and I felt that I really connected with her. I love the undeniable chemistry between Evie and Sebastian they are adorable. I loved our supporting cast they have some amazing friends that I would totally want to have my back if I was Evie. 

I devoured this one in just one reading session and was hooked right from the first page. This is my first book by the author and I’m obsessed with her storytelling. I’m not typically a horror reader but this one has just enough romance to keep me hooked. The story is beautifully written and I loved every moment of it. I’m looking forward to devouring all the authors backlist as she’s quickly become one of my favorite authors. 

Happy Release Day!

Title -Love Overboard 

Author - Kandi Steiner 

Tropes - Second Chance Romance

Format - Arc eBook 

Series - Knotty Puckers Book 12 

Publication date: April 18th 2026 

Buy it on (Here)

Add to your shelf (Here)

Synopsis 

From USA Today, #1 Amazon, and BookTok bestselling author Kandi Steiner comes a sizzling, second-chance romance set on the high seas—perfect for fans of Below Deck and readers who crave angsty, high-stakes love stories.

Ember Reed is finally living her dream: chief stew on a Mediterranean superyacht, sun-kissed days at sea, and the star of Close Quarters, the hottest new reality TV show. But just as she finds her stride, the producers throw her a curveball—by hiring the one man who nearly sank her.

Finn Pearson was the one that got away. The boy who kissed her like they had forever, then left without a word. But now he’s the chef in her new crew, and the cameras are watching their every move, innocent, or not.

Even on a superyacht, there's nowhere to hide from the past. Every stolen glance, every whispered argument, every lingering memory threatens to ignite what never fully burned out. And as the tension spills into their day jobs, even the dinner service is spiralling into disaster.

They’ve crashed before… but could eight weeks at sea be their second chance to get it right? Or will it be the storm that finally sinks them for good?

My Review

I received Love Overboard from Keeperton/ Arndell in return for an honest review. 

Ember and Finn has this amazing connection two years ago on a yacht but when it came time to leave neither was willing to walk about from there plans for the future and everything ended. Now two years later they are back on the same yacht but this time Finn has a girlfriend and Ember has become chief stew it's her chance to prove she can do it. However, the longer the season goes the harder it is to deny the connection. 

I love Ember and Finn they have some issues but they are perfect together it's been two years but clearly that four months together left an impression. I enjoyed most of the crew each character has a unique personality you just can't help liking. They all felt very real and I feel like I connected with everyone but Ember was my favorite only by a touch as Finn was trying to push his way in as we share similar cooking stories and I say food is my love language too. 

First off Below Deck is my favorite reality TV show. I've watched every spinoff and every season so I had some huge expectations going into this one. They were knocked out of the water the author has done an amazing job taking one of my favorite shows and giving me an epic love story that stole my heart. I loved every aspect of this book it was everything I needed with all the drama and angsty yet sweet love story. This isn't my first book by the author but this is for sure my favorite. I highly recommend if you enjoy a second chance romance this was one of the best books I've read this year. 

Happy Release Day and Book Review: The Wrong Pucking Omega

Title -The Wrong Pucking Omega

Author - Jane Handler  

Tropes - Omegaverse 

Format - Arc eBook 

Series - Knotty Puckers Book 12 

Publication date: April 18th 2026 

Buy it on (Here)

Add to your shelf (Here)

Synopsis 

A date gone horribly right... with the wrong person.

I came to Nashville on spring break with my aunties to forget my ex. One night, I meet two alpha hockey players in the hotel bar. I’m not ready for alphas again, but they have to fulfill their part of a bet, so I let them show me around town. With every day that passes, I grow more attached.

Then I discover that I’m not even the omega they were supposed to meet.

Why does being the wrong omega feel so right? And will we do when spring break ends and I go back to Hawai’i to finish my semester?

Two Alpha Hockey Players who lost a bet. One omega of their dreams... except this wasn't the omega they were supposed to meet.

My Review

I received The Wrong Pucking Omega in return for an honest review. 

Kai's boyfriend ditches her last minute to head off on vacation with her best friend and their friends. He even takes a new girl in her place leaving Kai behind and running off on the vacation she planned. Kai calls her auntie who swoops her away to Nashville and cancels all of her now ex's vacation. What should have been a heartbreaking week turns in new love when Kai meets Ashton and Steven two big hockey players. 

Gosh I loved Kai so much they are such a great character and I found her refreshing as an Omega. Ashton and Steven complement each other and are just what Kai needs and was starts as sweet ends up turning into a whirlwind spicy week. I loved the relationship between the characters and felt like I could really connect with them all. 

I've read every book by the author and in true fashion I devoured this one in just one reading session. I've got some pretty high expectations and the author exceeded them leaps and bounds. This is a beautifully written story that captured my heart as well as my imagination and I'm a little obsessed. However, I'm a huge fan of all the authors books but this may be my new favorite but don't tell the other books. I think Kai may just be my all time favorite omega she was unique and I just loved everything about her. Highly recommend if you enjoy why choose hockey romance.