Review: Off Plan by May Archer 4 of 5 stars

Off Plan by May Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mason Bloom arrives on Whispering Key expecting a career boost, not a romantic upheaval. The resort he’s meant to work at is crumbling, the locals are eccentric, and the island is full of wild stories — none of which were in his carefully crafted five‑step plan. Then he meets Fenn Reardon: gorgeous, maddening, and very much a man. Fenn pushes every button Mason has, turning his orderly life into chaos while making him feel more alive than he ever has. As their chemistry intensifies — beach kisses, stolen moments, and a growing desire Mason can’t ignore — he starts questioning his sexuality and his future. Falling for Fenn wasn’t part of the plan, but Mason begins to realise that happiness might come from letting go of the plan altogether.

I loved this story that thrives on the unexpected, undeniable connection between Mason and Fenn — a spark that hit long before Mason was willing to admit it. Their chemistry feels immediate and electric, the kind that sneaks up on you and refuses to be ignored, no matter how carefully Mason had planned his life. What gave the book its emotional weight is Mason’s growing dilemma: stay on Whispering Key with the man who makes him feel more alive than he ever has, or walk away to protect the future he thought he wanted. His internal tug‑of‑war is heartfelt and believable, especially as the island — and Fenn — begin to feel like home in ways he never anticipated. This was a charming, funny, and surprisingly moving romance about letting go of the plan and choosing the life — and the person — who makes your world bigger. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: Decorated by Merry Farmer 4 of 5 stars

Decorated by Merry Farmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alfie wants a quiet, uncomplicated Christmas while running his RAF unit’s charity drive at the Hawthorne Arts Centre — but that plan derails the moment Blaine Hawthorne bursts into his life. Blaine is hiding out after a spectacular business disaster, convinced his ex‑partner is out for revenge, and the last thing he expects is to get tangled up with a grumpy Christmas‑hater. Their fling grows as Blaine tries to make Alfie love the holidays and Alfie pushes Blaine to face his mess. The real question is whether their spark will fade once the decorations come down, or if this Christmas might be the start of something lasting.

I loved this story with Blaine’s delightful chaos and Alfie’s steady, grounded presence that makes them an unexpectedly perfect match. Blaine storms into every scene like a glitter‑covered hurricane, while Alfie brings the calm, practical steadiness of someone who’s spent years holding everything together. Watching these two energies collide — and then slowly click into place — is half the joy of the story. Their dynamic proves that sometimes the best relationships grow from contrast: Blaine needs someone who won’t flinch at his whirlwind, and Alfie needs someone who can shake him out of his rigid control. Together, they balanced each other beautifully, turning a holiday fling into something warmer, deeper, and full of promise. This was a charming, festive romance where chaos meets calm and somehow creates the perfect fit. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: This and Every Life by Emmy Sanders 2 of 5 stars

This and Every Life by Emmy Sanders
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This story was actually four stories set in different times about two men (one has a twist on that) and it was all pulled together in the final story. The thrust of this story was that two souls who loved each other reconnected over time. I think that the stories lacked depth and emotional themes because each one was like a novella and that it would have been improved if the last one was the entire book with each life in more detail within that story.  This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: Painted by Merry Farmer 4 of 5 stars

Painted by Merry Farmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rhys Hawthorne is lost in grief and creative burnout when Early Stevens — a vulnerable, searching member of his family’s staff — becomes the one person he can’t stay away from. Early is trying to rebuild their life after being rejected by their parents, and falling for Rhys feels both dangerous and inevitable. A teasing misunderstanding pushes their simmering tension into something far more intimate, and one night changes everything. With desire turning into something deeper, both Rhys and Early must decide whether breaking the rules is worth the chance at love.

I loved this story that beautifully captured the magnetic pull between Rhys and Early — two people carrying very different kinds of grief that nonetheless draw them together with quiet inevitability. Rhys was still shattered by the loss of his sister, while Early is grieving parents who can’t accept their true self. Their pain runs parallel, creating a connection that feels both fragile and deeply powerful. What makes their relationship so compelling is how they recognised pieces of their own hurt in each other. The tenderness that grows between them isn’t simple or convenient, but it’s honest, healing, and impossible to ignore. As their bond deepens, it becomes clear that love isn’t just something they want — it’s something they need in order to move forward. This was a gentle, emotional, and beautifully intimate story about two wounded souls finding solace, understanding, and hope in each other. I loved the Rhys painting Early scene. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: Kiss My Axe by May Archer 4 of 5 stars

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Kiss My Axe by May Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Griffin’s PR disaster sends him fleeing Manhattan to a quirky Vermont town, where he ends up living in a fairy‑tale treehouse he inherited. His plan is to hide out and regroup — until he clashes with his grumpy, ridiculously attractive lumberjack neighbour, Beckett “the Axe” Axford, who insists the surrounding forest belongs to him. What starts as a battle of wills turns into flirtation, pickle‑festival chaos, and late‑night kisses in the woods. As their rivalry heats up, so does their chemistry, and Griffin finds himself fighting just as hard for his heart as he is for his inheritance.

I loved that this romance leans hard into that deliciously thin line between love and hate, and the connection between these two men absolutely crackles. Every clash, every challenge, every stubborn stand‑off only highlighted how fiercely drawn they are to each other. Their chemistry was undeniable from the start — sharp, heated, and impossible to ignore. What makes the story shine is how quickly their rivalry turned into something deeper. Beneath all the sniping and tension was a bond that felt inevitable, as if fighting each other was just their way of circling what they really wanted. Watching them shift from enemies to something far more intimate was both fun and deeply satisfying. A lively, heat‑filled read that proved sometimes the strongest love stories start with a spark of irritation and a whole lot of stubbornness. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: Thrown by Merry Farmer 3 of 5 stars

Thrown by Merry Farmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Robbie Hawthorne is desperate to save his family home, but the only person who can help is Toby Tilman — a grumpy, rough‑edged guy he can’t stand. Their mutual dislike simmers until a forced road trip and a shared bed push them into dangerously close territory. As sparks replace sniping, they realise they might have more in common than they ever expected. And when Toby ends up needing Robbie just as much as Robbie needs him, their hate‑to‑heat dynamic becomes something far more complicated.

I enjoyed this enemies‑to‑lovers romance that definitely delivers on the sparks — Robbie and Toby have chemistry from the moment they collide, and their banter crackles with tension. The road trip, the forced proximity, and the slow shift from irritation to attraction all hit the right notes. That said, the constant sniping between them sometimes drags the story down. What starts as fun, sharp‑edged banter eventually becomes repetitive enough to dull the momentum. When the plot leans too heavily on their bickering, it loses some of the charm that their chemistry initially promised. Still, once the walls finally crack and the heat takes over, their connection shines. A story with great potential and strong sparks — just occasionally weighed down by too much back‑and‑forth. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: All of My Heart by Becca Neil 5 of 5 stars

All of My Heart by Becca Neil
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nico has survived years of childhood abuse, leaving him with deep trauma and an inability to be touched by anyone except his best friend, Alex. When his mother lets her abusive ex back into their home on graduation night, Nico flees to Alex’s house with nowhere else to go. Staying together brings all his buried feelings to the surface — especially with Alex leaving for college soon. Alex has always cared for Nico, even when he didn’t know how to help. But with Nico suddenly living under his roof, he realises he can’t imagine a future without him. Both boys are terrified to confess their feelings, afraid of hurting each other or losing the most important person in their lives. Their story is a tender, emotional best‑friends‑to‑lovers journey filled with mutual pining, trauma and healing, first times, and the slow, hopeful courage it takes to choose love after surviving so much pain.

I loved this story which was a tender, emotional best‑friends‑to‑lovers story where love had been quietly growing for years, even if neither Nico nor Alex dared to say it out loud. Their bond was deep, loyal, and unwavering — the kind of love that survives trauma, distance, and fear. What makes the story so moving is how clearly they want a future together, even when they’re terrified of hurting each other or taking the wrong step. Nico’s healing and Alex’s patience intertwined beautifully, and their summer under the same roof became a turning point: a chance to finally admit what they meant to one another and figure out how to build a life side by side. This was a heartfelt, hopeful story about choosing love, choosing healing, and choosing each other. This will cause a few tears as you live through Nico's abuse and trauma. This was an MM story with mature content.

** Please read the trigger warnings and be kind to yourself.

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