Dawn's Book Reviews 4/10/25 Dawn's Book Reviews 4/10/25

Beautiful Little Freaks by Tylor Paige

A Gatsby Retelling

Rating: 4/5

Spice: 3.5/5

Plot: 4/5

Primary Genre: Dark Romance

Trigger Warnings: Self harm, homophobic and transphobic comments from the villain, victim-blaming, gas-lighting, cheating, murder, cannibalism, branding, discussions in detail of sexual assault, domestic violence, coercion, discission of abortion, dub con, verbal abuse, bigoted comments from the bad guys, inference of CSA, child trafficking, parental emotional abuse

Blurb:

From top three amazon bestselling author Tylor Paige, comes a new dark romance about two star-crossed lovers whose love for a tale told 100 years ago convinces them to rewrite the ending, no matter the cost. Daisy and Gatsby dreamed of the day they’d get their happily ever after, their green light. He, the innate artist, and her, the prima prodigy. However, their dreams are shattered when Gatsby is takes the fall for the most heinous of crimes. Cannibalism. Years later, Daisy has become the famous ballerina she was destined to be, but lives a miserable, trapped life as a fiancée to a man whose cruelty matches the numbers in his bank account. It isn’t until her cousin comes to visit that she notices the green light across the lake, the one that matches the one on her dock. Could it be? Has Gatsby somehow been found innocent and come back for her? Is he still the same man? And… is she the same woman? Does she still believe in the green light? Beautiful Little Freaks is a chilling, seductive retelling of The Great Gatsby, containing forbidden romance, vengeance, and the twisted paths we take to reclaim what we’ve lost.

Beautiful Little Freaks is a dark romance retelling. It features one couple, and has a HEA.

Dawn's Book Reviews 2/2/25 Dawn's Book Reviews 2/2/25

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

Big Shots #3

Rating: 4/5

Spice: 5/5

Plot: 4/5

Primary Genre: Sports Romance

Blurb: A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey. When professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s car breaks down and his phone dies, he treks into a posh private country club to call a tow truck, where he encounters the alluring Chloe Clifford, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne. Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and the enamored pair can’t wait to see each other again, but when Sig finally arrives to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, Chloe is confusingly also there. Turns out the girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Oh, and they’re engaged. Sig’s dream girl is his future stepsister. Though the pair is now wary of being involved romantically, Chloe, a sheltered harp prodigy, yearns to escape her controlling mother. Sig promises to teach her the ins and outs of independence in Boston—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more…

Dawn's Book Reviews 1/17/25 Dawn's Book Reviews 1/17/25

Ghost by Eva Simmons

Rating: 4/5

Spice: 3

Primary Genre: Dark Romance/MC Romance

Plot: 4/5

Blurb: Ghost lied to his club to protect me, putting a target on both our backs. Trouble is… I didn’t know I needed saving. Or that I was still being haunted by my past. Now my loyalty to the Twisted Kings is in question, and the only man who can protect me is a tall, tattooed biker with a taste for revenge and a vow of abstinence. Ghost is haunted. He’s reclusive. He ignores me at every turn, and I’m certain I mean nothing to him. Until I discover Ghost has been watching more than surveillance through the clubhouse cameras. He sees everything.And I’m his favorite subject.
Author's Note: Ghost is a dark MC romance with a morally grey hero, heavy subject matter, mature content, and explicit scenes. Content/TWs (which contain spoilers) can be found on author's website. 18+ Standalone with HEA guaranteed.

Dawn's Book Reviews 12/3/24 Dawn's Book Reviews 12/3/24

The Curse of Soulwaker by Sharon Elwood

Blurb: Dunegray, commander of the undead Cursed legion, has led it in terrorizing and spilling blood throughout the kingdom of Nahmval. When Zerael, a powerful young sorcerer, lifts the curse, Dunegray and her army must learn to live among the very people they oppressed. But the Curse never forgets its servants. While she struggles with her newfound mortality and haunting visions, Silnus, a dark figure from the past, returns. Dunegray must prevent him from harnessing the Curse, or else she will be Cursed again and forced to destroy the people she’s learning to love, obliterating the last remnants of her humanity in the process. To save her people and this new world she misunderstands, Dunegray and Zerael are commanded to search for new allies in the coming war. This journey throughout Nahmval will reveal hidden motives and a secret that could unravel both Zerael’s country and Dunegray’s identity.

Dawn's Book Reviews 11/9/24 Dawn's Book Reviews 11/9/24

The Check Down by Brandy Pelletier

Rating: 4/5

Spice: 3/5

Primary Genre: Sports Romance

Trigger Warnings: Situational depression, cheating (not by either MC) and a brief mention of a loved one’s passing.

Plot 4/5:

Girl crashes boy’s car, boy saves girl from horrible relationship. Boy is an NFL superstar, BTW. Griffin and Brynn are new besties. Griffin is determined to show Brynn the magic of Memphis as she hasn’t ever acclimated to her new city even though she’s lived there for years. Will Griffin be able to keep things friendly so he can focus on his football season?

Dawn's Book Reviews 10/9/24 Dawn's Book Reviews 10/9/24

Toxic Obsession by J.A. Owenby

Rating: 4.5/5

Spice: 4/5

Primary Genre: Dark Romance

Trigger Warnings: Suicide and suicide pacts, child sexual abuse (not on the page), Dub-con, Non-con, Knife play, Anal play & Plugs, Violence, Revenge, Sensory Depriving, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Gun Violence, Degradation, Breath Play, Grooming, Mental Health, Reference to School Shooting

Favorite Quote: He’s just a boy. Make sure he actually deserves you instead of trying to convince everyone you deserve him. You have nothing to prove, girl.

Plot 5/5:

Wynter is finally leaving home to head to Whitmore College. She can’t wait to leave her difficult past behind and start fresh. She meets Quinn and he’s determined to make her fall for him. Little does she know, he thinks that she’s responsible for his twin sister’s death and he’s out for revenge. But you know what they say, there’s three versions of the truth. Yours, mine and the truth.