Tuesday Reviews: Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver

Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever.

Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colorful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won’t let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost—especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory.

Troublesome tourists don’t check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper’s award-winning flowerbeds. But Nolan Rhodes isn’t your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade, Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he’s saved the best for last: the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling.

The problem? Harper isn’t the monster he expected. And she won’t go down without a fight. When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long-lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she’ll keep quiet about his hunting habits . . . for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage—including their fragile love.

Tourist Season is a darkly funny, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance where destruction and desire are balanced on the edge of a blade—and where love is the most dangerous battleground of all.

I am completely feral for this book. Tourist Season is bloody, clever, hilarious, and addictive from start to finish. It’s one of the most entertaining and chaotic stories I’ve read all year. Think Dexter meets Twin Peaks with a splash of Butcher and the Blackbird thrown in.

First off, this is not a standalone, so prepare your heart before diving in. It ends on a massive cliffhanger that will leave you pacing the room and cursing the calendar until book two arrives.

Cape Carnage is the weirdest, bloodiest, most delightful town imaginable. It’s coastal Halloween-core, full of vigilantes, retired killers, and locals who definitely know more than they let on. It’s gory, ridiculous, and somehow still heartwarming.

Harper Starling is the town’s unhinged protector. She’s got a woodchipper named Cookie Monster, a garden full of secrets, and the kind of sarcastic, no-nonsense personality that makes her instantly lovable. She’s also caretaker to Arthur, a retired serial killer battling dementia, and their relationship adds surprising depth and warmth to all the chaos.

Then there’s Nolan Rhodes, a dark, damaged man on a mission of revenge. He shows up ready to kill Harper, but ends up tangled in her world instead. Their enemies-to-lovers chemistry is unreal. They banter, they threaten, they save each other, and they definitely steam up the page. Nolan’s obsessive streak and Harper’s razor-edged humor make them an absolute power couple.

The plot moves fast and doesn’t let up. There’s mystery, gore, dark comedy, and a steady stream of twists that somehow all work. The writing is sharp, cinematic, and laugh-out-loud funny even in the bloodiest scenes. And beneath all the mayhem is a surprisingly emotional story about grief, identity, and what it means to protect the people you love.

This book is a perfect storm of murder, mayhem, and romance. It’s outrageous, clever, and weirdly touching. I devoured it in a single sitting and immediately wanted to reread it.

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Tuesday Reviews: Tender Cruelty by Katee Robert

I was his wife. His lover. His sworn enemy. The ice queen to Olympus's most hated king.

*A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Hera and Zeus.*

The barrier that's protected Olympus for generations has fallen. The enemy's breached the gates and the Thirteen are scrambling to protect themselves, their loved ones, and the city they've sworn to protect. At least they would be if they weren't at each others' throats instead.

Hera has no intention of letting her husband, Zeus, survive the oncoming storm. But despite the white-hot hatred burning between them, when Hera and Zeus are forced to work together, enmity crystalizes into something brighter. Hotter. Too powerful to deny or destroy.

Hera never bartered on falling in love with the man she married—the man she once swore to kill. But now, standing back-to-back in the ruins of Olympus, she may be forced to admit that she's been wrong about Zeus all these years…and there may be something about their marriage worth saving if they can survive long enough to turn sworn enemies into something more.

Tender Cruelty is the explosive ninth installment in Katee Robert’s Dark Olympus series, and it absolutely delivers on the long-awaited enemies-to-lovers tension between Zeus and Hera. After years of anticipation, their story finally takes center stage, and it is full of fire, sharp dialogue, and slow-burn emotion.

This is true enemies to lovers—there are assassination attempts, deep-seated grudges, and undeniable attraction simmering just beneath the surface. Hera is fierce, proud, and unyielding, while Zeus is powerful, controlled, and surprisingly vulnerable when it comes to her. Watching them clash and slowly begin to trust each other again is one of the most satisfying arcs in the entire series.

The pacing is quick and intense, focusing on power struggles, emotional tension, and the unraveling of long-held secrets. The world of Olympus feels richer and more layered here, as all the political machinations and alliances from previous books finally start to converge. The plot is packed with intrigue, revenge, and a surprising amount of tenderness amid the chaos.

My only real wish was for the story to be longer. After so much buildup over the series, Zeus and Hera deserved just a bit more space to explore their relationship beyond the constant turmoil. Still, their connection feels earned and incredibly human beneath all the power and danger.

Tender Cruelty is sharp, sexy, and full of heart. It bridges the gap to the series finale beautifully while giving fans the enemies-to-lovers payoff they’ve been waiting for.

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Tuesday Reviews: Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee

“You made a bargain...

Your soul for his—and now, you are mine.”

Cate Holloway knows the unspoken rule of New avoid the powerful Gage crime family at all costs. Of course, that was before her brother got caught in their chaos. Now

Cate has no choice but to confront the dark and forbidding prince of New Orleans himself and beg for her brother’s life.

But Lachlan Gage is as lethal as he is beautiful…and the only currency he’s interested in is her soul.

Because Lachlan isn’t just some ruthless criminal. He’s fae. And he has his own secret reasons for binding her to him.

Tricked and desperate, Cate is torn between humanity and the breathtaking Otherworld. A place filled with shadows and secrets, with members of each fae court plotting against her just as her captor’s motives for trapping her become more mysterious.

And if she can’t break this sinister bargain in the next thirty days, she’ll be bound to the inscrutable yet infuriatingly tempting fae prince and his deadly world…forever.

Okay, I did not expect to like this book as much as I did, but here we are. Filthy Rich Fae is messy, fun, full of tension, and totally addictive. It’s basically ACOTAR meets mafia romance, which sounds like it shouldn’t work—but somehow it does.

Cate is a nurse who gets pulled into the fae world after making a bargain with Lachlan Gage, the dangerous, sarcastic fae prince who also happens to have major crime family energy. The setup’s wild, but it keeps you reading. Their dynamic is everything you’d want in an enemies-to-lovers story: constant banter, simmering attraction, and a healthy dose of “I’d kill anyone who touches you.” I loved Cate’s loyalty and level-headedness, and Lachlan gives just enough softness under the arrogance to make him worth swooning over.

The supporting cast is great too—Lachlan’s siblings Sienna and Shaw, and his bodyguard Roark, add a lot of heart (and comic relief) to the story. The found-family vibe balances out the darker themes, and the fae world itself feels lush without getting bogged down in info dumps.

That said, the book isn’t perfect. The writing can get a little cheesy at times, and the ending wraps up fast before dropping a cliffhanger that’ll have you yelling “wait, what?” Also, there’s a weird plot point involving a ring that never fully makes sense—but I’m hoping that gets cleared up in the sequel.

Overall, this was a solid, entertaining romantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s full of secrets, bargains, danger, and a slow-burn romance that’ll have you grinning and groaning in equal measure. If you liked the Filthy Rich Vampires series but wanted tighter plotting and a heroine with more sense, this is definitely worth picking up.

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Tuesday Reviews: Filthy Rich Fae: Fallen Court by Geneva Lee

One fae prince. One deadly bargain. And a mortal caught between desire and damnation.

Cate thought she knew darkness. As a trauma nurse, she had witnessed the worst of humanity. But nothing—not the blood, the violence, or the despair—could have prepared her for the fae underworld. A realm where beauty is a weapon, desire is a trap, and mortals who stray too far don’t return.

She almost didn’t.

Until Lachlan Gage—shadowed, ruthless, and feared even among his own kind—bound her to him with a deadly bargain. As the prince of New Orleans and ruler of the Nether Court, he is as much a curse as he is salvation. And with the Wild Hunt at his heels and war stirring between the fae courts, even his protection may not be enough to save her.

Because Cate is more than just his reluctant mortal. She is wanted. Coveted. And the prince of the Hallow Court will do anything to claim her.

But something ancient is rising in the dark, warping fae magic into something unnatural and cruel. It has nothing to do with Cate’s past—or so she tells herself. Even though the ring left behind by her grandmother whispers otherwise.

There is only one thing more dangerous than the fae who would kill for her.

The fae who would die for her.

And Lachlan Gage has never been one to lose.

This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Fallen Court picks up right where Filthy Rich Fae left off, and Geneva Lee doesn’t waste a single page easing you back in. Cate’s still dealing with the mysterious ring she can’t remove, Lachlan’s on the run, and when they finally reunite, let’s just say the man puts in the groveling work.

The tension and emotion in this one are next level. Lachlan’s still the perfect mix of unhinged, protective, and secretly soft, while Cate continues to be that girl, loyal, fierce, and just the right amount of reckless. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the emotional stakes are higher than ever. I loved seeing Lachlan have to fight for her trust again, and the lengths he goes to prove himself are swoon worthy and a little terrifying in a good way.

There’s also a lot of setup for what’s coming next, and I’m officially obsessed with Ciara and Roark. The tension between those two was distracting me in the best possible way. Geneva, if you’re reading this, they need their own book. On the flip side, Cate’s brother continues to test my patience. Every time he showed up, I wanted to shake him. Reckless doesn’t even begin to cover it, but his arc does open some interesting doors for the next book.

The worldbuilding continues to impress with dark fae courts, political schemes, and that blend of urban meets fantasy that makes the whole thing feel addictive. The ending was predictable in one sense, but the twist involving her brother definitely threw me. And that cliffhanger? Geneva Lee clearly enjoys emotional damage, because I’m already counting down for book three.

If you like your romantasy high stakes, spicy, and full of messy, all consuming love stories, this one’s a must read. It’s not perfect with some pacing issues and over the top moments, but it’s ridiculously entertaining, and I’m completely hooked.

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Tuesday Reviews: Detained by Luna Mason

 

Amidst the brutal yet alluring underbelly of the New York City, a ruthless mafia boss and a determined NYPD detective play a dangerous and seductive game of cat and mouse in this thrilling dark romance for fans of J.T. Geissinger, Sav R. Miller, Sophie Lark, Rina Kent, HD Carlton, and Shantel Tessier.

Frankie

I don’t have to hide behind a mask anymore.

I rule New York.

It’s time to finish what I started ten years ago—destroy the man who took my life.

No one can get in my way.

That is, until I’m arrested for murder and have my first taste of Detective Zara O’Reilly.

The woman is hell-bent on ruining my plans.

She thinks I don’t know she’s watching my every move, waiting to drag me back into that prison cell.

She can pretend I’m the enemy all she likes.

In reality, she craves me as much as I do her.

No matter how much we fight it, my stalker becomes my obsession.

She doesn’t realize the power she holds over not only me but the city.

Together, we will be unstoppable . . . if she lets me break her.

The final book in Luna Mason’s Beneath the Mask series ends with a bang, dark, passionate, and full of fire. Detained brings the world of the mafia and law enforcement crashing together as Frankie, the ruthless yet misunderstood mafia boss, meets his match in Zara, a determined NYPD detective. Their connection is volatile, magnetic, and completely addictive.

Frankie and Zara are the definition of twin flames, two broken souls who burn brighter together. Their chemistry is intense, and Luna does not hold back on the spice or the tension. I loved seeing how Frankie, a man defined by vengeance and control, found balance and redemption through Zara’s strength and fire. She challenges him, stands her ground, and matches his darkness with her own light.

The romance does lean into fast-paced, insta-love territory, and I found myself wishing for a bit more emotional build-up before things exploded between them. The pacing can feel a little rushed at times, but the overall payoff both romantically and narratively still delivers. The detective versus mafia setup was clever and engaging, and I would have liked to see that dynamic explored for a bit longer before their worlds fully collided.

What really makes Detained stand out is how it ties the whole series together. Seeing past couples like Luca and Rosa, Keller and Sienna, and Grayson and Maddie brings the story full circle and makes the ending even more satisfying. Luna’s found-family dynamic remains one of the strongest parts of her writing, and it is clear how much love and pain have built this world.

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Tuesday Reviews: A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford

The only thing more challenging than taming a sorceress is protecting her heart a second time...

War has begun, and the fate of humans and Wolves alike lies in the hands of three fierce members of the Golden Court scattered across every corner of Aotreas.

Briar Marriel, once the heir of the Golden Court, is now a prisoner in the heart of enemy territory. But when her ex-lover Maez—now a dark sorceress—comes to “rescue” her, Briar must decide if she’s willing to trust the twisted version of the woman she once loved or remain under the rule of the cruel King Nero. In a war where enemies wear familiar faces, escape might come at a terrible cost. But if she can harness Maez’s newfound magic, could it mean winning the war?

Meanwhile, Sadie with the help of Navin races to harness ancient magic that could turn the tide of the war. With their dragon at their side, the Songkeepers uncover long-buried secrets that could save their people—or destroy them all.

At the Golden Court, Queen Calla faces an impossible choice: prepare for the looming battle or risk everything to rescue their twin sister Briar. With alliances crumbling and betrayal lurking at every corner, Calla must rally their court and lead their people into war, knowing the price of failure is unthinkable.

As war ravages the land, and love is tested by darkness, Briar, Sadie, and Calla must confront their pasts and find the strength to reclaim their future. In this epic conclusion to the Golden Court Trilogy, the battle for freedom—and for love—has never been more harrowing.

A Heart of Crimson Flames by A.K. Mulford is the epic, emotional finale the Golden Court Trilogy absolutely deserved. War is raging, the stakes are sky-high, and the heartache hits just as hard as the magic.

Briar is back and more badass than ever—trapped behind enemy lines, facing off with her ex-lover-turned-dark-sorceress, and somehow still keeping her wits sharp enough to consider teaming up with said ex to save the world. No big deal, just emotionally devastating decisions and unresolved feelings wrapped in magical chaos.

Meanwhile, Sadie and Navin are out chasing ancient magic with their dragon in tow, uncovering secrets that made me yell "oh no" and "oh YES" in equal measure. And Calla? Still the no-nonsense queen we know and love, balancing political pressure, court betrayals, and the very real possibility of losing everything.

There’s heartbreak, redemption, sibling bonds, found family, queer romance, and so many twists I nearly dropped the book. A.K. Mulford sticks the landing with a finale that is both powerful and tender, full of high fantasy drama and deeply human emotion.

If you want a romantasy series that blends magic, love, and rebellion with unapologetically queer heroines and dragons. A Heart of Crimson Flames will set your soul on fire.

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