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ARCs, Book Reviews, Fiction

The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair | ARC Review

17th September 2020
The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair
- Publisher: Ylva Publishing, October 1st 2019
- Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: eARC
- Page Count: 285 pages
- My Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Content warnings: non-consensual kissings between the main characters, one instance of bi-erasure from a minor character, underlying misogyny from antagonists. Note that ableist language is also present in the book (crazy, insane, mad, blind).

Sinclair definitely surprised me with The X Ingredient. I don’t normally do well with ice-queen, age-gap, office romance, but I wanted to try anyway. And I am so glad I did.
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ARCs, Book Reviews, Fiction

Fair Game by Charlotte Mills | ARC Review

28th August 2020
Fair Game (Payback #2) by Charlotte Mills
- Publisher: Ylva Publishing, September 2nd 2020
- Genre: Mystery, LGBTQ+
- Format: eARC
- Page Count: 252 pages
- My Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
Content warnings: stalking, poisoning, murder, attempted murder, death, self-harm in antagonist, blood, alcoholism, suspected cheating of minor character

This book takes place about two months after the epilogue of Payback.

Lexi Ryan (~34) now works at internet firm Shield Securities while her girlfriend ex-DCI Helen Taylor (~40) is settling down as a civilian. When Lexi feels like she is being stalked, Helen makes it her job to protect her and find out what is going on.
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ARCs, Book Reviews, Fiction

On the Square by Brenda Murphy | ARC Review

17th August 2020
On the Square (University Square #1) by Brenda Murphy
- Publisher: NineStar Press, August 17th 2020
- Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: Ebook (eARC)
- Page Count: 234 pages
- My Rating: ★★★ (3/5)
General contractor Dale Miller’s (42, lesbian) ex-girlfriend took all her savings. Tight on money, Dale knows that she needs this business deal when celebrity chef Mai Li (~39, mixed race, lesbian) contacts her to renovate her old family house. Then Dale learns that Mai has nowhere to stay for the time being, so she offers her own basement as temporary lodging. With the both of them being burned in past relationships, Dale and Mai have to figure out if being together is something they both want.
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ARCs, Book Reviews, Fiction

Sylver and Gold by Michelle Larkin | ARC Review

9th August 2020
Sylver and Gold by Michelle Larkin
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, August 11th 2020
- Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: Paperback (eARC)
- Page Count: 242 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
CW: off-screen child abuse, sexual assault, and physical torture.

I finished this book in two sittings and would have in one if not for a scheduled dinner. Since I tend to get sucked into a book and forget about reality, I am happy to say that me being hyper-alert of my surroundings in-between sittings is an indication that the suspense had really got to me. Sylver and Gold is that enthralling.
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ARCs, Book Reviews, Fiction

A Love that Leads to Home by Ronica Black | ARC Review

31st July 2020
A Love that Leads to Home by Ronica Black
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, August 11th 2020
- Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: Paperback (eARC)
- Page Count: 290 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Is it a good thing that I tend to love toaster-oven romance more than most other tropes? A story where at least one party is figuring out their sexuality almost always focuses more on the development of the relationship, and I love an extremely slow-burn book where both characters try to understand what they are feeling for each other. Reading toaster-oven romances is often like experiencing falling in love all over again, and Black’s A Love that Leads to Home is one of those beautiful works.
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