Review: Dump Stat by Alex Silver 3 of 5 stars

Dump Stat by Alex Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Laura seems determined to find her perfect match even though she is a panromantic asexual artist who loves love. Alice is a cousin of a friend who is a sapphic intersex pharmacy technician with an awful girlfriend called Noelle who verbally abuses her and is probably unfaithful too. Together Laura and Alice become friends and spend cosy nights together. If only Alice can convince herself she is worthy of love and Laura.

This was a good read although I did get a bit frustrated with Alice's acceptance of Noelle's abuse. I thought it was a miracle that they were able to be together given their challenges. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an FF story with mature content.

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Review: Plus One Bonus by Alex Silver 3 of 5 stars

Plus One Bonus by Alex Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Max sweeps Si/Simon/Simone off their feet at their bus stop. He becomes their friend. Then, just when they think he might be into them, he throws a curve ball by asking them to be his fake date for a wedding. He claims his buddies won’t leave him alone about finding a plus one. The catch is, that the ceremony is months away, so we’ll have to be pretend datemates for a while. They suspect there’s more going on than Max’s inability to handle confronting his meddlesome friends. Especially once they meet them all and see how much they care about Max. They keep going around in circles trying to figure out how he truly feels about them, all the while trying not to fall for him.

This was a sweet story although I did find the fake datemate and deception a little tiresome after a while. I did love the way Max was careful about checking who they were and asking permission to touch them. Si/Simon/Simone was an absolute sweetheart who I would love to hug one day. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an M/X (genderfluid) story with mature content.

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Review: Saving Throw by Alex Silver 4 of 5 stars

Saving Throw by Alex Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rene was Errol's first everything. Best friend, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak. Seven years after walking out of his life, they tear open old wounds with a single photo of a smiling little boy and the message they’re coming home. Mo has Errol's smile and Rene’s eyes. It kills him that he didn’t know about him sooner. As furious as the news Rene kept such a major secret makes him, he wants a relationship with his son more than wanting to rehash old arguments. When he learns that Rene and Mo need a place to stay while they settle into life in Vancouver, it sounds like a perfect opportunity. What better way to figure out co-parenting than living together? It’s not like he's going to fall for the ex who hurt him deeper than anyone else could. That would be ridiculous.

This was a sweet story with their son Mo being central to the story with his need for knowledge, attention or just time with his "new" Daddy who adored him. I liked the exploration into why counselling was not bad with the right person. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an M/NB story with a demisexual panromantic production coordinator who likes to be in control and his first love, Rene, a non-binary trans masc ex-hockey player turned coach with mature content.

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Review: Charisma Check by Alex Silver 4 of 5 stars

Charisma Check by Alex Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gui’s the best friend that Theo had ever had and he loves him like a brother. However, he is falling for his little brother Jude, a walking, talking temptation, everything he never lets himself want. He’s sweet as chocolate, wickedly funny, and he gets Theo. The sex, well, it’s worth a repeat, and that’s something he never does. When Jude visited Gui for the holidays, Theo thought he could settle for a one-night stand, but then Jude moved to the city to work at the same studio. Gui gets him to join their gaming group and suddenly he’s all Theo can see. Now Jude’s looking at him with hearts in his eyes, and Theo is terrified that he will break his heart.

I enjoyed this story with Theo with his many problems and Jude with just one problem and a heart big enough for them both. I loved how well Jude managed Theo's problems and that he proved that nothing was too difficult with love and a determination to handle things. They made a sweet couple. Easy to read, feel and understand there were a lot of thoughts and feelings in this story. This is an MM story with mature content. 

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Review: Roll for Initiative by Alex Silver 3 of 5 stars

Roll for Initiative by Alex Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Living with a baker seems like a dream until their clashing schedules turn it into a nightmare. When Paz moved in, Gui thought he’d rolled a critical success in the housemate lottery. He’s attractive, into guys, and works at Gui's favourite sweet shop. Paz makes the most heavenly chocolate confections he'd ever tasted. Then the notes started. It’s like Paz can’t help criticizing everything Gui does. He constantly leaves passive-aggressive sticky notes, All the simmering tension between them is coming to a boil. Can they learn to coexist, or will Gui be the Grinch who ruins his Christmas by telling him to find another place to live?

I wanted to like this story but for a large part of the start of it, I was just bored. There were lots of gameplay descriptions which did nothing for me. I'm tempted to stop the series after this one book but will try for the next one before I completely write it off. The part of the story where they found a compromise was more about the physical side of things than the emotions which felt a bit fake as all of that angst over the notes would have been more emotional than it felt. Saying that it was easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.

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Review: 25 Days of Joie: A Yuletide Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance by Morena Silver 3 of 5 stars

25 Days of Joie: A Yuletide Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance by Morena Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Krynn Olwen is prepared to take on the responsibility of her first Yule since her mother died. For 25 days she must give presents to those who are hidden but make up the beautiful town of Port Joie. However, it appears that giving these gifts is actually a much more dangerous responsibility which carries the burden that if she fails the entire city will be destroyed. Three gorgeous men are determined to keep her safe but it is not going to be easy as the winter gremlins are vicious and are determined to claim her life and doom the town. Can they succeed in keeping her and the town safe?

The premise of the story was sweet and there were elements I really enjoyed, but there were times when the sexual action became more salacious and not necessarily part of the story (love can develop between people without constant sex). Contains explicit sexual content.

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