toddles's reviews
949 reviews

4.25 Stars!

I received an E-book ARC edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is Book Two of Casey Morales’ HEARTSTRINGS OF HONOR Series, but it can be read as a standalone. It will be available on Feb 25th on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited: www.amzn.com/B0D5VT4XMT
Or on Casey Morales website with other merch: authorcaseymorales.myshopify.com/products/autographed-the-nursling

This is Quick & Smooth-paced 229-page  Opposites Attract, Work Place MM Romance. Taking place in one of Atlanta, Georgia’s major hospitals inside their gayborhood, two guys smack together harder than magnets. Written in a duel POV in their own chapters, this book picks up some time after the first novel FIGHTING THE FLAMES WITHIN. It gives great authentic insight to Atlanta’s gay life, from different locations, to how uniquely each gay person is from each other. What I was most excited about was the author bringing in a ethnic and culture that we haven’t really seen. I love that Casey expanded and brought in Egyptian Muslim and showed how different the lifestyle can be from us and the internal fight to self-acceptance. 

When Omar transfers to a new hospital to work in the NICU as a Nurse, he Meet/Cutes with Matty, an ER Nurse, when he is attending Orientation . But one Meet Cute isn’t enough for these two,  No….. they got three. After being pressured by his coworker in hilarious fashion, Omar asks Matty out. From there, nothing will slow them down except themselves. 

--He made brass bands play in my chest and fireworks flash behind my eyes.—

While the loud and flirty Matty working in the ER has some really funny and ‘you have got to be kidding’ moments like horny grandmas, a sword in a stone moment (oh just await)  and his hilarious friendship with Sierra (SiSi), this work place plot mostly revolves around the subdued, quiet & shy Omar learning the Ins & Outs of the NICU and the different levels and what they pertain to. That is where he meets Baby Josh, the fighter. This will truly pull at your HEARTSTRINGS. The emotion and care that they all feel is expressed with such power that you feel it yourself. It truly gives respect to the hospital workers who have to work these areas and try not to get attached. 

--“I always need you, my luscious little biscuit.”—

The chemistry these two have is forceful out and in the bedroom. Their dating starts slow, so they get to know each other. While Matty is fabulously and unapologetically flamboyant, Omar is more reserved and raised to be submissive in a Muslim household where his sexuality isn’t discussed or acknowledged. What they do have in common is their own relationships with their families. While Omar moved to the States to escape a governmental suppressed and freedomless household, Matty was pretty much abandoned, but not for homophobic reasons. But because of their different personalities, it takes Omar a moment to be comfortable, but once he does, he surprises everyone with how quick tongued his raunchy mind can be. Comso + Pink Manhattan = Sonic Boom! By the way, Pink Manhattan’s are truly vile and gross and wouldn’t recommend it, lol! But what I love about them is that they are equal to each other. The care they take is perfectly balanced and supportive. They listen to needs and come running when called.  

--“It’s time to pop the package. Even a twinkie has an expiration date and needs to be eaten.”—

The Spice is like throwing powered sugar into fire, It’s a Flash! 4/5🌶!  It’s demanding, controlling, and verbal while also having sweet moments like their first kiss being like a calm breeze (Gold Star) and intimate cuddle and caring times. It wasn’t really Dom/sub or even Daddy/boy, but it teased the line without crossing over. The Casey Morales didn’t shy away from the description of the moments and changing up their locations. Even normal conversation had spicy humorous language with each other and their friends.

--“Looking at you is like looking into the sun, if you want to be poetic.” 
“Aw, Sisi. Thank you.”
“That was not a compliment.”—

The ensemble was brilliant!  Yaaasssss!! Patrick & Dane made an appearance from the first book with a new friend, Elliot, who is a Power Pole Worker. But it was Sierra (Matty’s friend) Carlie (Omar’s coworker), and Teto (Omar’s Gma) that really rounded out and filled the cast with such hilarious moments while Omar’s family troubles & Baby Josh kept the emotion taunt. 

--His emotions were more complex than a single word.—

I really did like this book. I’m from Atlanta originally, so it was fun reliving core memories thru these two characters, from the crazy traffic to references like Swinging Richard’s and Piedmont Park. The author really set the locations well and the tone of southern city hospitality.  I actually wished there was more, lol! There are so many good places in that city that would have been fun to visit that could have filled the small time-jumps in the plot. That, and maybe more ER & Baby Josh content. Maybe just allllll Baby Josh. 

💜Happy Reading!🫶

This was awesome!!! There was so much villainous ensemble POV!! Lots of scares and really gruesome and very sad moments.

This was probably the most boring Distopian YA novel i have ever read. The concept is good, but the execution was really underwhelming.  In a society where the government controls everything little thing about your life from where you work, what you eat, what skills you are allowed to know or perform and finally... who you are MATCHED to as a life partner. 

Love triangle, government secrets, family secrets, and the urge to go against everything you know and what you should be doing. 

The whole premise needed more action and danger.....it was to calm when Cassia was told to go against the calm. I hope the 2nd book steps it up 8 notches.... Divergent/Hunger Games style!

Hot Doggin'
By Raquel Riley 
5⭐️
I received an E-book ARC edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It will be available Feb 20th on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amzn.com/B0DJZMST2F 
Signed copies and other merch can be found on Raquel’s website: Raquelriley.com/shop/ols/products/xn—hot-doggin-signed-copy-645m

--…we’re not just warriors-we’re healers, knitting together the loose ends of our lives.—

This fast-paced 224-page  bi-awakening,  Friends-to-Lovers  MM Romance, will have you laughing out loud from page one, while also showing that even though physical and mental scars are always present, they can also show a persons strength. Written in an alternating chapter duel POV , this novel picks up after the SCARS & STRIPES Series. I recommend you read those 3 books first as they do set the foundation for all the characters. You won’t regret it!

--Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? WTF?—

I am very tempted to just throw random quotes at you, out of order from the book, let you spin thru them and call it a f*cking day and let that be my review. I have so many highlights and notes; Raquel really outdid herself. It keeps with the theme of the OG series of a group of guys after they leave the Military (almost all), but this sequel series follows the guys that are already established within the group. This edition was far more humorous and less devastating than the prior 3 books, though there are some dark moments (PLEASE SEE TRIGGER WARNINGS). 

--I’m done destroying things. It solves nothing and only destroys the destroyer.—

Raquel writes in a way that even if you didn’t read the previous installments or if you have the memory of a golden fish (raises hand), you won’t miss a detail as she gives you what’s important to each character whether MCs or Ensemble. 

--…I don’t have to be the best version of myself, but he makes me want to anyway because if I don’t have my sh!t together, I can’t help him be better.—

Stiles and McCormack (Mac) are stuck at the hip, trauma besties that lean on each other in every aspect.  Stiles supports Mac with his amputee, the struggles of his flashbacks, and his unfortunate touched-starved dating life. Mac helps Stiles with his short-term memory loss, which is an emotional struggle for both of them. After 4 years of friendship and Bitches With Stitches group sessions at BALLS, they know almost everything about each other. ALMOST… 

--“Ride or Die.” That was our pact. We ride together, we die together, and generally annoy the f*ck out of each other on the days in between.—

After Stiles has to moved out of his apt temporarily, Mac takes him to his place. Instigated forced proximity and OMG, only one bed with WHATEVER vibes, they figure out their very close friendship could be more. Their trajectory takes them thru phases from joking, messing around and denial, to admitting to themselves their feelings are more than they were expecting. Along the way, antics ensue from haircuts (Glinda Hair Toss Toss), food tours (2nd Breakfasts LOTRs Style), and of course A LOT of hot dogs, in and out of the bedroom. Their chemistry is as crazy as their individual personalities but the way that they care for each other in life whether they are in a good headspace or in a fetal position on the floor shows that no matter how many knots are in their knitting yarn, they always help each other get untangled. 

--cockblocked by a b!tch. Go figure.—

The spice was a journey!!!  4/5🌶!  The tension they exude is as THICK as … well, you’ll find out. There were a lot of surprises I was not expecting at all, especially one of the early scenes!!! Raquel didn’t lose their banter and I found myself laughing or gagged even during these fun moments. 

--I’ve said it before… This circle, these men, are healers. They may not look like it, but they can reach inside you, and find the very thing that hurts the most, and beat it into submission. They can hold your hand while you cry about it. And they can help you dry your tears and remind you that you’re loved.—

The Backstreet Boys have nothing on this group of guys! The ensemble is as chaotic as ever if not more, from Nash obsessing over the health of his plant, to Mandy needing panty hose that no one wants to know why and making Arts n Craft glitter bombs. Throw in some good ribbing, innuendos, and dark humor to fight their traumatizing pasts. The next two books were heavily teased with character development and details. And at the end of this novel, the titles are revealed! 

--I love BALLS. I eat, sleep, and breathe BALLS.—

I really love this BALLS to the wall world Raquel has created with as much realistic detail as possible about military trauma. She not only knows how to break a readers heart but she knits it back together before the end. The emotions conveyed feel real. That’s hard to do when writing about men showing weakness and getting it right. I have a feeling the next book is gonna up the anty and I can’t wait! 

💜Happy Reading 🫶

A great mix of LAW & ORDER. Arsons and murder are being investigated while a hoe is being tried for a murder of a boy that died from a heart defect. 

It was a good mix of cop and Lawyer plot. The newspaper and coroner seem to get the shaft in plot in these books... 

3.75 ⭐️

I received an E-book ARC edition of this novel in exchange for an honest review after it had been released. The novel will be available on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited.

This slow-paced 291-page  Alt Historical, slow-burn MM Romance, is the perfect read to escape present day reality. Written in  Graham's POV, this novel gives you insight to how it was in 1880 with classic tropes but also what our history could have been if no one blinked an eye to someone being gay, let alone, having a husband.

--Butter yellows, sunrise red, the blue of deep, clear water, the white of sheared, cleaned wool---Graham held all the colors in his hands…..--

After the Civil War, Graham builds himself a lonely, quiet and colorless rancher life but wants a partner to brighten it up and share it with. After arranging himself a marriage through the mail without ever meeting the other man, he sets out to pick up the Irish city boy Ciarán from the train station. The meet-cute was adorable.  The shell shock of them both seeing each other for the first time after only a couple letters in conversation was a LOVE IS BLIND moment and made it clear they both got what they were least expecting. With the disbelief lingering through the instant wedding, it makes it a blur in memory like a hazing dust cloud after a wagon comes to an abrupt stop. 

With new territory for them both, and trying to fight forced proximity, they slowly and shyly get to know each other while Graham teaches Ciarán how to tend to the animals and garden. While introverted Graham gets used to having another person on the ranch, extroverted  Ciarán has to get used to his new surroundings and people in town, which he does haste stat forcing Graham to open up his own world to a colorful found family they both needed.

When a thief strikes and someone is attacked, their friends, as well as the other towns people are put on edge, Graham is worried about little Ciarán on the farm alone at times. With no experience to protect himself, Graham, the burly caregiver that he is, finds a solution to protect his husband until the culprit is caught. The ensemble was a collective group of individuals ranging from other gay couples, other Irish speaking people, and neighboring ranchers that come together and take care of each other. I loved this part of the story. Found family, size difference, and polar opposites tropes are heartwarming and fun. 

The Spice was ok. 2/5🌶. Fast and quick was the name of the game with little detail. The bedroom plot wasn’t a huge part of the storyline. It was more about being together as a whole in every aspect of life. Yes, it gets steamy… I mean they have to consummate the marriage, but it’s about how they share small intimate moments with each other outside the bedroom as well which I found even better in this case as it goes more with the time period and circumstance of their relationship. 

This book was a great escape into a simpler time and a calm new beginning that anyone could ever dream about. It is a unique plot and calm plot that I highly enjoyed. And the ending couldn’t have pulled at the heart strings harder. Is this book perfect, NOPE. But it doesn’t have to be. It’s an Alt-Historical where we would never get a Brokeback Mountain movie and Matthew Shepard would still be alive today. Period facts are a bit blurred and the writing details could have been edited into more of a consistent flow. However, in this case, the good of the story far outweighs the overlooked. 

💜Happy Reading🫶

It was a reeealllllly slow start.... 
And the dialogue was irritating and repetitive AF. Once Reacher got the back story and got to the main location, the plot sped up and added some mystery and depth. The grand finale was exciting and the reveal of who was behind all of it and how Reacher pieced it together was cool. 

Also, reading this in 2025 after Trump instigated the deportation of Hispanics and other migrants bc of racism in the USA, it was a lot. 

Listened to the audiobook and the 'old guy' narrator was the reader again. Ugh... he is sooo damn dull. Plus, he reads it sooooo slow, I turned up the speed to 1.7, which cut a 17.5 hour book down to 10.25 hours.