Review: The Royal in Room 3 by Gianni Holmes 3 of 5 stars

The Royal in Room 3 by Gianni Holmes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jude works at Halo House, offering stability to boys who need it, but everything changes when Soren arrives — soft, sheltered, and secretly a deposed crown prince. Despite being an ex‑convict, Jude forms an intense bond with him, creating a scandal neither could survive. A prince and a felon shouldn’t fit, but Jude can’t walk away once he’s in too deep.

I liked this book and the way it introduced the Halo House concept run by Phoenix, with Jude stepping in to help the boys who end up there. Soren felt incredibly naive and clueless about almost everything, which sometimes made me wonder whether what grew between him and Jude was truly love or more a mix of dependence and gratitude. I really felt for Jude — he had no idea who Soren really was and handled Soren’s inexperience with a lot of patience and tolerance. There were emotions and feelings throughout, but I often questioned how genuine or grounded they were, given the imbalance between them. Still, it was an interesting start to the Halo House world, and I’m curious to see how the series develops from here. This was an MM story with mature content with a BDSM-like Daddy/boy dynamic.

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Review: Dearest Milton James by N.R. Walker 5 of 5 stars

Dearest Milton James by N.R. Walker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Malachi gets shoved into Sydney’s Dead Letter Office, expecting boredom, but instead finds a team of lovable misfits — including his calm, beige‑wearing boss Julian Pollard. Malachi’s chaotic energy clashes with Julian’s order, yet the chemistry between them sparks fast. To keep his job (and his father off his back), Malachi must unravel the mystery of the old letters in Julian’s office — and figure out the man himself. It’s an opposites‑attract tale about finding where you’re meant to be… or being returned to sender.

I loved this story which was a charming opposites‑attract romance where Malachi’s colourful chaos fits surprisingly well with Julian Pollard and the wonderfully mismatched crew of the Dead Letter Office. The team of misfits was delightful, and Malachi slotted into their odd little world perfectly. The humour was a highlight, with plenty of moments that made me laugh out loud. I especially enjoyed the mystery of the old “Dear Milton James” letters that was a touching puzzle that brought the whole team together as they pieced together a forbidden romance from decades past. It added depth, emotion, and a lovely thread of nostalgia to the story. Overall, it was warm, funny, and full of feelings that was a joy to read from start to finish. This was an MM story with mature content.

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