Perfect Zero by October Arden (A Breaking Free Alternative Omegaverse Story)

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TITLE: ⟫ Perfect Zero
AUTHOR: ⟫ October Arden

SERIES: ⟫ A Breaking Free Alternative Omegaverse Story
RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ In a world of pheromonal noise, he is the only silence.

Nathaniel is a Zero. In a world ruled by pheromones and biological destiny, he is the silence in a room full of shouting. He doesn’t feel the heats, he doesn’t smell the ruts, and he’s perfectly content in his quiet, devoted life with his Alpha husband, Eli.


Samuel is a Continuous. A biological anomaly, trapped in a permanent, agonizing Omega heat that has made his body a weapon against his own mind. He’s spent his life being managed, suppressed, and broken by a system that sees him as a medical crisis rather than a man.


When Nathaniel finds Samuel dying on a sidewalk, he does the only thing a Zero can: he steps into the fire without burning. But saving Samuel’s life triggers a partnership that defies every law of nature. As they navigate the clinical darkness of Samuel’s recovery, the lines between medical intervention and human need begin to blur.


In this alternate universe of The Care of Broken Things, the boundaries of family and biology are pushed to the breaking point. How do you love someone when your own body is a prison? And how does a man who feels nothing navigate a passion that threatens to consume everyone he loves?


Note to Readers: Perfect Zero is a complete standalone novel that features the characters in The Care of Broken Things. It features a HEA (Happily Ever After), found family, and a unique medical subversion of the Omegaverse genre.

REVIEW:⟫ Currently reading – review to follow. I received an ARC through Gay Romance Reviews.

The Beast Who Bought Me by Leighton Greene (Clemenza Family Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ The Beast Who Bought Me
AUTHOR: ⟫ Leighton Greene

SERIES: ⟫ Clemenza Family #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ I used to be a mafia prince. Now I’m marked as prey.

Someone is systematically eliminating my Family bloodline, and I’m the last heir standing.

No money.

No allies.

No way out…except one.

An underground auction where the wealthy and the wicked bid on desperate, untouched men like me.

I expect to be sold to a stranger. Used and discarded.

Instead, I’m bought by a man with a two-decades-long vendetta against my dead father. A beast who drops ten million dollars to own me, then drags me home to a prison he built just for me.

He wants vengeance. He wants to break me. But I’m not as easy to break as he expects.

And when danger follows me into his territory, he becomes something I never expected.

A protector.

A possessor.

He keeps me safe, even while he keeps me caged.

I’m starting to think the most dangerous thing isn’t being owned by him.

It’s wanting him to keep me…

“The Beast Who Bought Me” is book 1 of an ongoing-couple trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Expect dark dealings, obsession, possessiveness, toxic dynamics, and all the red flags. These antiheroes will earn their happily ever after, but they’ll fight hard to get there.

REVIEW:⟫ This was exciting!! I absolutely adored both of Leighton Greene’s mafia series and Luca/Finch hold a very special place in my heart – I was so pleased when they got a shout out.

Caligula and Damiano are absolutely obsessed with each other and I loved the imagery of the two of them: Caligula is a mafia prince, whilst Damiano is ‘just’ an enforcer – brain and the brawn. Caligula’s internal dialog was entertaining, insightful and showed that he wasn’t just a pretty face. I thought the family Damiano has created in his home was so touching, and the scenes where the four of them were ganging up on Damiano were lovely.

The underlying mystery and how the two of them work outside of the fact that Damiano owns Caligula were brilliantly written, with control between them shifting with the tides. I am here for the next instalment and wish it could be sooner. Very pleased with this, especially as I have been struggling to read non fanfiction lately!

Book Reviews Round Up for January 2026

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Normally, I try to post a round-up of the books I have read and reviewed. They will mostly be M/M books, but occasionally something a little different slips in. This month, I have been obsessed with Heated Rivalry, the series on Crave and books by Rachel Reid. Which means, I’ve been watching and re-watching, playing on Threads with other Loons and reading fanfiction. I don’t review fanfiction, so despite how many words I’ve read, I don’t post them here.

All of this is a long-winded way of saying that I read one book this month!

The Chase by Rina Saint ⟫ Dangerous Games Book #3 ⟫ 4/5 ⟫ Gay Romance Reviews

The Chase by Rina Saint (Dangerous Games Book #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ The Chase
AUTHOR: ⟫ Rina Saint

SERIES: ⟫ Dangerous Games #3
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Elias
I don’t know what’s wrong with me to want something like this. To pay money for something like this. But I love it, even in my terror, even with tears streaming down my face as I race through the dark. What’s happening is my fantasy, isn’t it? Not some random person chasing me? The uncertainty adds to my panic.

But when he catches me and throws me down, when his powerful body dominates mine, I know it’s him. The one who’s been instructing me via text. The one I need.

The problem is, once won’t be enough. But this one brutal, blissful moment is all I can afford.

Andre
I’ve never gotten obsessed with someone whose fantasy I fulfilled. That’s the point. It’s a moment spent, a role played. When it’s over, it’s over. But Elias …

I can’t stop thinking about him, and not just that night. Other times. Little things. Yes, I’m stalking him.

I need to stop, but instead I find myself approaching him, again and again. He doesn’t know who I am, that I’m the one who chased him. So when I offer him a job with the kind of income that could fund another of his dark fantasies? He doesn’t realize that I’ll be fulfilling a fantasy of my own. I’ll be toying with him. Playing two roles.

It’s a bad idea, of course. Everything depends on my control, on keeping things in their own, separate boxes. I tell myself I can do it. But something about Elias—the way he needs me, the way he responds to me—turns this fantasy into a very dangerous game … for both of us.

The Chase can be read as a standalone.

*This dark MM romance has an HEA but contains potentially triggering content.

REVIEW:⟫ I found Elias and Andre to be interesting characters – I could see how their desires could align, but I wasn’t quite sure about how Andre went about things. I guess it helped that Elias was seriously into it. I struggled to connect to either of the leads, but it was good to see Rafael, Dominic and Noah again, and I enjoyed the way that they all worked together.

I think this is definitely a case of me rather than the book and I will definitely check out the next one when it is released.

I received an ARC from GRR.

Ranger by Onley James (Jericho’s Boys Book #4)

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TITLE: ⟫ Ranger
AUTHOR: ⟫ Onley James

SERIES: ⟫ Jericho’s Boys Book #4
RATING: ⟫ /5

BLURB: ⟫ Seven Symanski doesn’t need anyone, least of all Enzo Conti. As one of Jericho’s Boys, a vigilante crew that protects their neighborhood, Seven has a found family, a mission, and enough baggage to keep any relationship at arm’s length. When a favor introduces him to Enzo, a charming criminal defense attorney and the son of Francesca Conti—the neighborhood’s own Robin Hood—sparks fly. But Seven’s never been good at sticking around, and a one-night stand seems like all they’re destined for.

Enzo’s life is built on rules, order, and keeping his family’s shady dealings just this side of legal. But Seven is chaos incarnate, and Enzo has never wanted anyone more. When Seven ghosts him, Enzo takes matters into his own hands, offering a no-strings deal that backfires spectacularly. Enzo’s mother intervenes with a plan to teach him a lesson, and suddenly, the boy he can’t stop thinking about is right under his nose—and maddeningly out of reach.

But when Seven’s mother is accused of embezzlement, the stakes turn deadly serious. The only one who can help is Enzo, even if it means going against his own powerful law firm. Together, they must unravel a dangerous conspiracy while navigating the growing tension between them.

As their worlds collide, trust is tested, lines are crossed, and Enzo and Seven discover that love doesn’t always follow the rules. But with a little risk, they might just find a way to save the day—and each other.

Ranger is a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers again, cozy dark romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features an infuriatingly hot defense attorney with control issues and a fed-up, frustrated vigilante brat. As with any Onley book, you’ll find dark humor, steamy sexy times, and gratuitous violence, but only against people who totally deserve it. This is book 4 in the Jericho’s Boys series. Each book follows a different couple.

REVIEW:⟫ Currently reading – review to follow. I received an ARC through the author’s Patreon.

Heated Rivalry Series by Rachel Reid

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TITLE: ⟫ Heated Rivalry Series
AUTHOR: ⟫ Rachel Reid

SERIES: ⟫ Game Changer Series Books #1 – #6
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Nothing interferes with pro hockey star Shane Hollander’s game.

Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. Publicly, they’re enemies. Privately, they can’t stop touching each other.

The smart thing to do? Walk away, once a few secret hookups turn into a struggle to keep their relationship out of the press. The truth could ruin them both. But for Shane and Ilya, secrecy is soon no longer an option…

REVIEW: ⟫ Like pretty much the rest of the world, I have been LOVING the Heated Rivalry series released on Crave. I had read ‘Game Changer’ but didn’t realise it was from the same story until episode three, which features Scott and Kip. This isn’t to review the series, but I can say that they were incredibly faithful to the story, including the intimate scenes and I really think everyone needs to see the way that this story has been portrayed – all kudos to the actors, directors, editors, etc because they did an amazing job.

After watching the first three episodes, I decided to read the rest of the series and I am so glad that I did. These men had me in such a chokehold, although my favourite character is Ilya, closely followed by Shane. The love stories are all focused around the world of hockey, but real life decisions get in the way of things, as well as bigotry, homophobia, and out of control competitiveness on some occasions.

I ‘hear’ the voices in the story from the actors, that is how well they embodied Rachel Reid’s creations, and I admit I am one of those who got a subscription to Quinn in order to listen to Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams narrating a MM story. I didn’t gel with every story but I am glad that I read all of them because of the fuller picture it gives. Add the series to your TBR, you really won’t regret it and I look forward to chatting about the books/TV series with you guys on Reddit!

Newcomers by October Arden (Inside Book #3)

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TITLE: ⟫ Newcomers
AUTHOR: ⟫ October Arden

SERIES: ⟫ Inside Book #3
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ “When one of them breaks, they all do.”
Alex was never meant to stay. He was created to protect Jaime—nothing more. Now that Luke is here, devoted and strong and real, what is Alex for?
So he disappears.
And Jaime shatters.
When Luke shuts down from guilt, a new voice rises in the dark. Hunter—born of Luke’s need, desperate to protect them all. As the system tilts toward collapse, it’s someone else’s turn to be the anchor, and Alex must decide what kind of love is worth surviving for.
A gutting, healing, polyamorous conclusion about broken minds, impossible devotion, and the terrifying beauty of being needed.


REVIEW: ⟫ I’ve sat on this for quite a while, allowing my brain to figure out what it wants to say but I’m gonna be honest, my brain has nothing! This book was just such a trip – it simply didn’t occur to me that Luke might have a headmate and it completely threw me. I read this book not quite sure what I wanted to happen, but I was pleased with how it ended. I have learned quite a bit about plurality and am definitely interested in learning more. Overall, I would say that this was a satisfactory end to the series and that Luke, Jamie, Alex and Hunter got the happily ever after that they fought so hard for and well deserved. I received an ARC from the author.

Just For Christmas by Crea Reitan (Longwood University Book #4)

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TITLE: ⟫ Just For Christmas
AUTHOR: ⟫ Crea Reitan

SERIES: ⟫ Longwood University Book #4
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ It’s only temporary holiday magic

Brent

Life has taught me not to get attached to anyone because they’ll only let you down but I can’t stop myself from falling in love with my roommate and frat brother the moment we meet. It’s been three years and not only do I secretly pine for him, but now he’s also my very best friend. My first real friend.

Nothing can possibly go wrong when I agree to be his fake boyfriend for the holidays, right? I know I’m putting my heart on the line but it’ll just be a bit of hand-holding. My heart can survive that…

Rafe

I know my mother will get off my back about settling down if I bring home a partner so I recruit my best friend into becoming my fake boyfriend. It’ll be fun, easy, and a great holiday without all the subtle hints from my parents.

One kiss under the mistletoe changes everything and the childhood make believe suddenly morphs into so much more. There’s only one problem – this arrangement is only for Christmas and then we’re back to being only friends when we return to school.

I didn’t plan to fall in love with Brent Mitchell… I don’t know what to do now that he’s acting like I don’t exist.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was sweet and hot but also a little frustrating. I loved seeing the boys’ inner dialogue but I admit that part of me wanted to smack both of them to get them to just talk!

Lust by Devon McCormack (Saints & Sinners Book #1)

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TITLE: ⟫ Lust
AUTHOR: ⟫ Devon McCormack

SERIES: ⟫ Saints and Sinners Book #1
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ LUKE
 
I’ve never been attracted to guys.
I definitely would never be attracted to a privileged, cocky bastard like Brad Henning.
Even though I’ve only been at St. Lawrence University for a few weeks, this prick and his friends are on a mission to mess with me—a scholarship kid who I guess they don’t think belongs at a prestigious school intended for the nation’s elite.
I’ve always been a loner, so I’ve dealt with my share of bullies. But unlike the bullying I encountered when I was younger, Brad and his friends have some unusual tricks up their sleeves.
They’re using…
I don’t even want to name it, but it’s the only explanation for what’s happening.
Magic.
These guys have powers, and Brad is using his to make me want him.
No—not just want him. Lust after him like I’ve never lusted after anyone in my life.
The way I crave him sears to my core, causes physical pain until I have the only thing that brings relief—his touch.
But when I discover that whatever he’s done to me hurts him too, I realize there’s more to all this than Brad and his friends trying to mess up my life.
More to it than these feral urges that are, at times, more than I think I can bear.
I have to get to the bottom of this, but until I do, there’s only one way to end my agony.
I must surrender to the lust.
 
Content Warning: Lust is a steamy paranormal romance, but it contains content that some readers may find triggering, including a character grieving the loss of his parents and mentions of a character’s loved one who struggles with a chronic illness. The book also contains depictions of and discussions about bullying.

REVIEW: ⟫ This book had me a little confused in some respects. I was expecting a typical mm romance with some magic involved, and that is what I got but with more to it. I was really interested in just how Brad and the others stumbled into their powers and seeing it all through Lance’s eyes was nicely done. I struggled a little with the ‘lust’ aspect of things, especially with regard to things being consensual. I didn’t love all of the characters (I’m looking at you Seth) but overall it was a good read and I am looking forward to the next in the series which is due out soon.

Hide Nor Hare by Alice La Roux (Hunt Prey Love Book #7)

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TITLE: ⟫ Hide Nor Hare
AUTHOR: ⟫ Alice La Roux

SERIES: ⟫ Hunt Prey Love Book #7
RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Madoc

After dedicating years to tracking down infamous jewelry thief, The Ghost, my mother’s illness forces me to admit defeat.

Three years later, working as a PI, I’m hired to track down a missing young shifter who stole from his Warren and vanished.

I expect to find a runaway led astray. Instead, I discover a beautiful man living a suspiciously ordinary life.

We all have secrets, but the more I learn about Blue Aubin, the clearer everything becomes.

He’s my Fated Mate. He’s also the one who got away.

Blue

I’ve finally put roots down and built a life for myself. I have a job, friends, a home.

Away from the High Leap.
Away from The Warren.
Away from the people who use me like another tool in their quest for power.

Paying for my freedom in blood, sweat and tears, I can’t go back. I won’t.

There’s just one problem…No one escapes The Husk.

Join us for Heat, Prey, Love, an omegaverse collaboration where prey shifters take center stage with a whole lot of heat and love. We can’t wait for you to devour these stories.

REVIEW: ⟫ I should preface this by saying that I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, although that doesn’t seem to make any difference as I wasn’t confused by anything.

This is the second Alice La Roux book that I have read today (insomnia sucks) and although it was a ‘quick’ read, it was pretty engrossing and entertaining. There were some things I struggled with – I didn’t understand why Blue didn’t do a runner as soon as he found out about Madoc, although the sex was obviously out of this world! I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and way of telling a story and was able to immerse myself with no difficulty. I am off to see what else they have to offer!