Caffeinated Crystal's book reviews

Candy Hearts Anthology Vol.2 ALL I WANT IS YOU by Rye Cox Oh, this was a CUTE premise for a valentines-esque anthology. The trouble is telling you how cute it is and NOT giving away the plot. It IS only a short story with 6 chapters. Kevin is besties with Bernie. Bernie is in a frat and always cojoles Kevin into being his buddy/wingman. Through the frat activities, Kevin meets Lance, one of Bernie's frat brothers. Kevin secretly likes Lance. Lance not so secretly likes Kevin. Everyone knows, but Lance and Kevin. When a singing telegram fundraiser mission goes wrong... 👀 Like I said, this was a short little cutie. This anthology goes live on Febrary 4th, and hopefully, I'll have read a couple more shorties before then.

Ugh. I wanted to like this more than I did. I probably would have dnfed, but I have already dnfed two other books today and tried to stick it out. Especially since it's a daddy book, and those are usually my favorites. Love Me, Daddy was a great idea for a story, and it just sort of fell flat. Nathan, a homeless sex worker, gets hurt by a John. Loren stumbles upon him and helps. Loren just takes him home. Of course, he's a daddy, and of course, Nathan is a boy looking for a daddy. I don't know. It was too quick, and there weren't any real conversations and ... like I said, this one fell flat for me.

Just finished A STABLE DADDY 🧡 a daddy k!nk romance set in Australia between a widowed vet and a Texas cowboy. What starts as a rescue turned one night ✨️moment✨️ turns into more - months later when both mcs realize they've moved across the country separately. When they reconnect, almost like fate, both mcs are happy to jump into a relationship with a heavy dose of daddying. I liked Ryan. He was a bit of a mess. His realization that maybe he needed a daddy the entire time was such a sweet moment. Maddy, his late husband, also felt like an active character in the story. I like how Oscar never tried to take Maddy's place. I WANTED to like Oscar. And most of the time, I did. But a couple of times, he came off condescending as hell, and that irritated me a bit. But he saved Ryan at the Vault, and he genuinely loved him. I think my issues with Oscar may be down to the way the author wrote the character and less about the actual character. Overall, I liked Ryan and Oscar's HEA. ...

I am... UNWELL. And I can't stop crying. I can't believe the Bertha Boys series, not its real name, is finally over 😭😭😭 I've loved the Accidental Love series so much, and they've all partnered up and moved out of Bertha. I seriously can't stop crying. NOT CATCHING LOVE is out on January 30th. Xander gets his happily ever after with nurse Derek. How do I write a review without any spoilers? Xander suffers with anxiety and medical anxiety and panic attacks. All his brothers help as much as they can, but the nurse at the pharmacy, Derek, seems to be the best help when Xander has convinced himself that the latest medical issue has befallen him. <---- upon editing, I've realized this is the chuckles sentence ever, but I am emotionally devastated by the ending of this series, so just let me live. But nurses can't date patients. And Xander really needs therapy. Oh, this book. Xander is very unwell and very resistant to get help. Watching him struggle is...

It's release day for BENJI, book one of the Wylde Street Boys series. I'll be honest, I read this because it was marketed to be a daddy book, but alas, it was not. That kink was mentioned for side characters, but not the main pairing. Just a little public service announcement for you. This series will feature books for each of the three rent boys who work Wylde Street. They're besties, and it seems like their stories will be full of adventures. Benji & Nolan were basically a reimagining of Pretty Woman with crime family vibes. Nolan hits Benji with his car, takes him home to look after him, and the plot starts to roll. The two mcs have great chemistry. Nolan is likened to a Disney prince, lol, and Benji is all floppy curls and pouty lips. The smut smutted once it kicked off. I probably would have enjoyed this book WAY MORE if I wasn't waiting the entire time for Benji to throw a "daddy" out at Nolan. ✨️sighs dramatically✨️ It's fine. I'm fine, real...

I've loved the Accidental Love series so much 💛💛💛 I'm a complete sucker for the found family trope AND best friends to lovers and JUST BROMANTICALLY INVESTED has both. I'll be honest, I put off reading it because Not Catching Love felt so far away, but now that its release date is at the end of this month, I figured it was time. "I never thought ... this, us, was a possibility, but now that I'm with you, it feels like the only possibility." His hands roam from my hair and over my shoulders. "I need this." ••••• "Yeah,"' I croak. "'Me too." Madden, Bertha's resident nudist, and his best friend Penn FINALLY get their act together and realize they're head over heels for each other. Of course, it's way more than that. While Madden was absolutely pining away for his bestie - Penn really stole the show for me. There was just something so sad and lonely about him. It definitely gets brought up and resolved in t...

I just finished up Loving Leo, the latest camboy trying to get on Carter's site. Leo does ✨️solo✨️ work in places he shouldn't. The fans & subscribers like the thrill of it all. He meets Heath, the other mc, when Heath walks in on Leo filming... in Heath's office chair 👀 after hours. I won't spoil any of it. Needless to say: Heath was an interesting character. Too much for money to have much sense, but wanting to be a good person. And lord was he SAD. Like, give the guy an SSRI and a hug. Leo was the sunshine, bringing laughter and candy and sweetness and LIFE into Heath's day to day. Leo seemed like the kind of character who I'd want to be friends with. Absolutely ridiculous, sparking with vitality and shenanigans. And boy, did he fall for Heath. These two had to navigate a CEO/camboy•janitor situation. They had the whole financial disparity thing going on, and Leo refused to let Heath "save him." They also had Heath's whole "I'm str...

💜💜💜 Damon and Tomas were such a treat! This was a reread, as I've said, and it's JUST as amazing the second time! Damon is unapologetically himself and completely over the top - he is, to steal a bit of British slang, totally BARMY. I love him for it, though. He is a super sweet sex positive cam worker. He's in the country for a week, dogsitting for his friends' moms, and meets the hottie mechanic next door, Tomas. Tomas is the kind of character I love. Quiet and broody without the emo rage. He thinks he's straight, but Damon has him feeling some kind of way. Honestly,  this book was great right from the get-go. I laughed so much, and I was so happy with how the hea played out. If you're looking for a funny, low angst, biawakening featuring a charming mechanic and a sweet tender hearted cam worker - flatulent devil dogs, found family, honest conversations about feelings and events and a sweet as all get out hea? Look no further! Loved Damon and Tomas. ...

I finished up Becoming Bennet by Cora Rose and Nicole Dykes last night and I LOVED IT. Honestly, this story had me giggling almost the entire time. Jasper is just so entertaining with his running monologs - the man is a hoot. And Bennet. OMG, what a teddy bear. Bennet and Jasper are camboys, coworkers, and... acquaintances. Friends. Well, they're definitely something. And there's absolutely a spark between them. When Bennet receives bad news and crumbles, Jasper steps up to help. The two travel to Bennet's home town in Kansas and [redacted]. Jasper is a secret softie. A caretaker hidden beneath snark and pouts. Bennet leans on him, while they're forced to share only one bed. The side characters in this were amazing. Even the critters [and those names, OMG!] Looking forward to Jimbob and Ryan's stories too. And of COURSE Damon's. I really loved getting to see Bennet and Jasper navigate their feelings, what a mess. My only complaint, if it could even be calle...

The last of my unread Forestville Silver Foxes novellas 💕 MARRYING THE GUIDE hit me right in the feels. Since it's a novella, it was instalovey, but that's forgiven since Onno & Howell were so damn sweet. Onno, Joost from the baker's brother, is in the US visiting said brother from the Netherlands. He's making a point to try and do new things. One of those things is kayaking, and that's where he meets the outdoor guide, Howell. These two were seriously sweet. They had three weeks ✨️before Onno goes back home✨️ to fall for each other. There are all kinds of adorable dates and a steamy scene or two. My favorite part was the airport scene. That's always a favorite. I can't recommend this series of novels and novellas enough. I love Forestville! 

When I tell you that you need to read THE SILENCER and HIS PRINCE. Believe me. I'm not lying!!!! These two books are amazing and dark and morbid and also rom-comy. It should not work, but it absolutely does. I adore a good mafia romance, and Cora Rose delivers. HIS PRINCE is an arranged marriage for mafia purposes, and that is totally on my list of favorite micro-tropes. Angelo ✨️Angel✨️, is married off to Mikhail Ivanov. It's business and protection. We get hints about there being more to the plot in book one, and book two is full steam ahead. Angel is newly married, in love with his husband, and ready to make this new place his home. But after "consummation," Mikhail bails, and Angel realizes this isn't his fairytale happily ever after. Truly, what follows is Angel being 100% a badass. I adore his character and how he approaches this entire situation. There's Russian bodyguards, secrets, a push & pull between our two mcs, serious plot, series spicy s...

Original review copied & pasted: I just finished reading The Silencer, the next book by Cora Rose, and OH. MY. GOD. Mafia goodness mixed with the humor that Rose is known for and the spice 🔥🥵 bless my heart. You're reading the review my ghost is typing. R.I.P me. This book had me hooked from the beginning. Tatum finds himself in a bad situation in a bar, in a seedier part of town *we don't victim blame in this house* The only person that could possibly be capable of helping Tatum is his best friend Angel's father, Anthony. The mob boss. Anthony swoops in like an avenging angel, takes Tatum home to his compound, and the stage is set. There are so many side characters I love and need backstories on! And the cameos from [redacted!] But the main draw of this story was Anthony and Tatum. Anthony, the mob boss who definitely has a few screws loose. He's possessive and obsessive (we love to see it!), and once he gives in... he is IN. Tatum was a tornado of sass and sweet...

✨️crying ✨️ COMFORTING THE GRUMP hit me solidly in my feels. There is something about this series that just hits different. Marnin, the self proclaimed manwhore, certified grump, and serial non-dater meets his match in Ennio, his best friend's little brother. Ennio is glitter and sunshine and romance. He's got big dreams. CTG has ah-maze-ing found family, best friend, small town vibes, and an age gap. There are BIG feelings that pack a serious punch. I loved them so much 😭 Chapter 27. When Marnin goes to Forestville to talk to Ennio & Auden's dad. I was SOBBING THE ENTIRE TIME. The Foster brothers cameo makes me want a reread of that series so badly. It was a perfect peek. Watching Marnin open up and peel back his layers was so special. He was an amazing character. Truly. I think he was my favorite from the entire series. With  York a very close second. Ennio was lovely. The scene at the doctors office, when Marnin was comparing Ennio to a beautiful vibrant bird...

 Yes. 100% yes to this book. WHISKEY & SIN is an omegaverse story. Read the content warnings before you hop in. I really enjoyed this book. Over 400+ pages flew by. Silas is an omega, and he's running. He's experienced the worst of the ABO world, and he can't take another bad situation. He takes one big last chance, for survival, and ends up walking along a highway in the dark & in the rain when he crosses paths with Bear. Bear is an alpha and sees what he thinks is a beta in need of help - so he helps. This is a romance, for sure, but if you're looking for smut, this is not it. There was just SO MUCH to unpack from both the mcs, and then situation after situation just kept happening, and the smut got pushed to the side. Which was absolutely appropriate for Silas and his past. The last 15% was so action-packed! Like action movie packed. pew pew BOOM! I enjoyed the devotion of both mcs. Bear worshiped Silas. These two loved each other SO fiercely. I absolutely re...

I LOVE a good mafia romance, and Angelo Rizzo is definitely my kind of mafia man. If you love a male mc that's: alpha, possessive, obsessive, DEFINITELY morally grey, and hell bent on marrying you whether you like it or not... you're gonna enjoy Angelo. I kinda wanted another 100 pages. Did Eddie go to Sicily to take care of business? What was the deal with the push for (redacted) and the Valentina lady? Vittoria is INNOCENT in every way and has a real LOSER of a stepbrother Giorgio. But he's her head of house after her father's accident. After some bad choices, Giorgio tries to sell off his sister to settle his debts. Angelo is one of the 5 GUYS that run NYC. He's the head of his family, Rizzo. Basically, everyone is terrified of him, with reason, and he suddenly crosses the path of Vittoria. I loved this story. It was entertaining AF and exactly what I needed. Mafia/ Cosa Nostra stories usually hit the spot for me, and this one checked all the boxes. I loved Big R...

For all my peeps who read MF & mafia romance, HIS TESORO was a gem. I'm so glad I stumbled upon it and genuinely can't wait to read Romeo's book. Sofiya is the daughter of Chicago's Pakhan. Bratva. She's told she WILL marry New York's Italian mafia Don, Matteo, to seal their alliance. ✨️classic beloved mafia trope✨️ Sofiya is an AMAZING fmc. I legit love her. She doesn't let her disability (hEDS) get the best of her. She hasn't had an easy life under her tyrant of a father - but she is beautiful and kind and tough as nails behind all her sweetness. Matteo is the disaster baby of the story. He's not great at feelings even though he's boiling over with them. He's a secret softie and a little unhinged. This book had just about everything I love in a mafia romance. Who's the rat? MY WIFE. Loyal bodyguards. Spicy scenes. Violence. Bad guys running around left and right. I enjoyed the romance & the spice. Matteo was funny as hell, a...

This book was stupidly hot. Like, for real? How am I supposed to live my life as a law-abiding citizen with this level of dirty talk and hockey hottness? That is a serious question directed solely to the author. Robbie and Ant aren't enemies. They're rivals. When Robbie gets traded to the Vipers ✨️a dream come true✨️ the two clash like titans. Until the coach decides to make them room together to work their shit out. AND THEY DO. That comes with EXPLOSIVE dirty talk. And other... things. 🥰👀😳 This story had me unblinking. Ant is my favorite kind of mad bad sad boy with feelings. Robbie is so very "babygirl" sunshine. The team was amazing. The coach was hilarious. Robbie's family was cute. But the absolute stars were Robbie and Ant. The spicy scenes were perfection. The Tik Toks. The inner dialogues. The bets. The DECLARATIONS. The window/mirror. The app. You know which one. Ant and Robbie kept me turning the page well past my sleep time. I enjoyed their story SO...

Oh wow, the world building in this book is amazing and sets the stage for what I think is going to be one hell of a series. MAN OF HONOR takes place in Devil's Hand, down deep in a Parrish in the Bayou. I think each book will focus on one of the Beaufort brothers and their fall into relationships all the while fleshing out other possibly ongoing plots. Gage and Wyatt were AMAZING. I LOVE THEM. Gage is the youngest Beaufort brother. He feels like the only thing he brings to the table is his loyalty to his family & Wyatt,  and how hard he can fight AND take a beating. Wyatt is the deputy who saved him, watched over him, broke his heart, and eventually fell in love with him. When Gage came back to town after five years away, the plot goes into hyper-drive, and we saw CORRUPTION, some seriously shady stuff, found family, foster care kids in a big old Louisiana mansion, and two characters who desperately loved each other. I enjoyed the hell out of this story. It's not a quick, f...

This is a hetero ✨️MF ✨️ romance. And just so you know, this entire review is one big spoiler. So maybe don't read it, unless that's okay for you. BUCKLE UP Y'all, this book was crazy. I read it because I saw an Instagram reel with quotes and thought "I can get on board with that" ... and I DID enjoy the story. Everytime I almost dnf-ed it, I wanted to stick around to see what would happen next. This entire story was a mess 😂😂😂 it's billionaires and conglomerates and models and actresses and family dysfunction and American "royalty" - it wasn't a dystopian setting, but it sure felt like one. Picture this: a billionaire family ran by a matriarch Grandma. She arranges the marriages of her grandchildren and they don't believe in divorce. It's literally all business deals. Raven knew she would marry Ares, her best friend's older brother, and that it was an arranged marriage. She manages to fall in love anyway. When she gives him her vi...

Starting 2025 off with a kinky daddy book was probably the best decision I've ever made. Listen to me: I LOVED THIS BOOK. I stopped reading about 45% of the way through and bought it because I know this will be a reread for me. Did you like Misha Horne's Brat & the Beast duet? READ THIS BOOK. Andy is "too intense" for his dates. He likes to be in charge, to caretake, to unofficially daddy. When he finds out his high school crush (Jordan) is signing up on the Cuff'd app - Andy decides to make a profile, and hopefully, fate will match them up. Jordan is only signing up for the views and his subscriber count. But when his bff pushes him to link up with Nomilk_ WHO HAPPENS TO BE JORDAN, the story kicks off. Seeing both these characters figure out what they need and how they perfectly align... chef's kiss. The spankings: immaculate The daddy-ing: perfection The bratting: spot on Hearing what goes on in Jordan's head and knowing how much he needs what Andy c...