The Wolf at the Door by Charlie Adhara
This is a debut m/m murder mystery/romantic suspense with werewolves. It was such an engaging read, twisty and kept me guessing who the murderer was till the very end. I liked the writing, it was smooth and there was an easy flow to the whole story. This story offers an interesting mix or real world + wereloves who are kept secret from the general public. I loved the narrator's POV, got to know him well and could relate to him feeling confused and awkward both in his professional and personal life.
I wished we got more insight on the werewolves and their community though. It's the first books in a series that will follow the same couple, so in a way it was more of setting the stage than full immersion in the wereloves-human interactions. I'm excited to read the next book which comes in September and I already got the ARC, so I'm looking forward to starting it some time in August.
By Her Touch by Adriana Anders
In two words, I loved it. I read the other two books in the series when they came out last year and I got this one soon after that but somehow it got lost in the never-ending pile of unread books on my Kindle. I finally read it this week and it's fabulous, my favourite in the series together with book one.
I was worried about the doctor-patient aspect of the romance but I think it was handled well. It was a very emotional, dark and very hard read at times but it's captivating and unforgettable. I explores a wide range of heavy subjects - the aftermath of trauma, grieving the loss of a loved one, moving on, believing you are worth it and deserve happiness and second chance to love and be loved.
My only minor complaint is that I wish we got a more conclusive solution re hero's PTSD. I would also have loved to see the couple in a few month's time (we get a glimpse of them in the next book, so there is that). Highly recommended read!
CW: abuse in the past (physical and psychological), cancer (in the past), loss of a loved one, grieving, PTSD, kidnapping, violence
Real Kind of Love by Sara Rider
This is the fluffiest of fluff and just what I needed after the brilliant but heavy book I finished before it. It stars an introverted heroine (a rarity in romance I'd say) who struggles with her over-active and over-sharing/meddling family, She got into a fake relationship with the hero while camping with her family and all the fun and cute and sweet and heart-warming things happened. It eas a bit of "I'm not good enough for her, he is too perfect for me" type of conflict but it felt believable and work in the context of the story. Great family dynamics, interesting side characters and children who acted their age and I didn't find annoying at all.
There was a bit too much drama towards the end for me but it didn't take away from my general enjoyment of the story. I really, really appreciate the introverted heroine and the hero who respects her boundaries and needs for personal space and alone time. There was no magic transformation into more outgoing social butterfly for her. Rather the opposite, she became more assertive with regard what she needed/liked and the people aroudn her accepted that. Epic grovel scene and I-love-you gesture and a lovely epilogue.
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