Tag Archives: monster romance

Book Review: A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor, by Kathryn Moon

I’d seen Kathryn Moon‘s A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor recommended several times. So, when I saw it as an Amazon freebie, I snagged a copy.

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On the brink of losing her position as a maid and with no prospects to go on, the offer of a place at Rooksgrave Manor—a house of ill and unusual repute—sounds like a perfect fit for a young woman with Esther’s inclinations. Even better, the invitation comes by the hand of the handsome Dr. Underwood, a delicate gentleman with a ferocious alter ego who knows exactly what he wants from Esther.

Upon arrival, the men and the daily decadence of the manor feel too good to be true for a girl of Esther’s station. There are rules to be followed, expectations to meet, and Esther is afraid she might be too wicked even for a place like Rooksgrave.

Temptations lurk around every shadowy corner and Esther has never been a girl able to resist. But the risk of disappointing her new gentlemen isn’t all that’s threatening Esther’s new position. Rooksgrave Manor’s protections for its unusual patrons are failing, the wards are crumbling, and Esther’s new and exquisitely pleasurable life may all come tumbling down.

my review

I have no general problem with Porn Without Plot…or without much plot. It can be a lot of fun, and I knew what kind of book I picked up. But I think I can officially now say that almost 400 pages of it is just too much. As much as I liked Ester and her men, I got booooored. Especially once everyone had made nice and become a happy family. After that, what little tension of interest there was evaporated.

a lady of rooksgrave manor photoI did appreciate that Esther was a woman who gleefully enjoyed sex. I mean, sure, if you want to be critical, it plays into the women can’t control their urges and are slaves to their desires narrative that has been so bad for women throughout so much of history. But I also think Moon was trying to subvert it a little bit. And honestly, I’m just not interested in delving into it. Mostly, this was a sweet kinkfest worth taking at face value.

I liked the characters. What little world there is, is interesting. The writing is perfectly readable. All in all, I enjoyed it. 400ish pages was just too much to keep me interested in with as little plot as there is.


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Review of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon

Reading After Dark: A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor [Tempting Monsters Series #1]

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Book Review: The Mountain’s Mate, by Sara Ivy Hill

I picked up a copy of Sara Ivy Hill‘s The Mountain’s Mate as an Amazon freebie.
the mountains mate cover

He’ll move mountains for her…

When Patrek, a giant Skarr alien, hires a human for a covert mission, he doesn’t expect a female to take the gig. Nor does he expect his long-dormant mating instinct to ignite for someone so tiny! When the heist goes awry and they’re forced to hide out together until the heat dies down, the close quarters reveal that, though they’re vastly mismatched in size, their hearts are a perfect fit.

To escape with his freedom, Patrek must flee the city. But leaving her behind will break him. Can he convince her to join him in the mountains and take a monster as her mate?

my reviewIf you’re looking for a book that is absolutely absurd but also super low angst and sweet (even if set in a rather bleak world), The Mountain’s Mate is for you. Both main characters are open, honorable, and loyal. Both are willing to overlook the other’s differences and offer all they have, even if it is very little materially. The two of them play no names, have no misunderstandings, hide nothing of their emotions, and as a result, the romance flows unabated and unimpeded.

The sex scenes made me laugh more than anything else. So, while I appreciate that the author allowed for sex being sex, even if it involved no P-in-V (for obvious reasons), I didn’t find them erotic at all. And Skarr’s size was really inconsistent. It’s stated in the beginning that she came up to his hip. By the end of the book, you’d think he was something coming from Easter Island (but he still fits through doors and into transports).

All in all, while there were aspects that didn’t appeal to me, for the most part, this was a sweet, enjoyable read.

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Book Review: Not So Kind Regards, by Clio Evans

I’d seen Clio EvansNot so Kind Regards recommended several times. So, when it popped up as a freebie on Amazon, I snagged a copy. not so kind regards cover

It’s just another Monster Monday…

Inferna expected many things to happen— but sparks flying between her, the office rival, and his lover was not one of them.

Calen is a nerdy omega witch, one that Inferna wants to sink her teeth into. Art is a stuck-up boss but can be a little more charming outside the regular 9-5.

After an evil HR agent shows up with an agenda, everything starts to change. No one is safe, tensions are high, and the creatures of Warts & Claws Inc will have to fight spell and claw to make it to the weekend.

Can Inferna, Calen, and Art survive a work week from hell while discovering a love that’s off the charts?

my review

This is just silly, sexy fun. It’s monster smut; very light on plot and heavy on the dirty talk. While I can’t speak for anyone else, I wasn’t reading it for the potential plot anyhow. There is just enough to give the characters a stage to perform on. So, not none, but not a fleshed-out one, either. I enjoyed what little there was. Unfortunately, dirty talk isn’t really my jam. So, while the sex scenes were fine, they didn’t light me on fire or anything.

Overall, however, I liked all of the characters, the power dynamics of the trio (you just don’t see enough fem doms and switches, in my opinion), and the over-arching world. I’ll happily come back to read the next in the series, even if I won’t call this a new favorite.

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