A Lady for A Duke by Alexis Hall

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A lush, sweeping queer historical romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material—perfect for fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton, Evie Dunmore, and Manda Collins!

When Viola Caroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.

Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.

As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again. 

Source: NetGalley; ARC generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

It's always so interesting to read one of your favorite authors when they're switching up genres and in Alexis Hall fashion, he's delivered a queer historical romance featuring a trans heroine which I was excited about, and seriously how awesome is it that we can be reading something like this?!

Viola, in her former life when she was known as Marleigh, had been unhappy in his body and the world his body inhabited.  When Marleigh was severely injured during the Battle of Waterloo, he took advantage of being presumed dead to disappear for a while and eventually rebuild her life in a way that finally felt true to herself.  Now as Viola and reunited with her former best friend Gracewood, she sees what the loss of Marleigh's presence and their friendship has done to him.  Gracewood has thought all along that Marleigh was dead.  In a way, yes, the Marleigh he knew no longer exists.  But meeting Viola, and sensing a connection he hasn't felt in a long time, pulls him from the deepest recesses of his grief and addiction back into the light. 

The story is heartbreaking but also so, so sweet.  There's so much pain and doubt and some regret yet so much to love as Viola is determined to live her life without apologies.  I felt all her fears as well because as much as she feels free in one sense, she's also bound herself to a life and a role that limits women, something she's getting used to.  And she's nervous about being recognized, outed and shunned.  It becomes more complicated with Gracewood as she wants to, on the one hand, reveal herself to him to ease his pain and because she loves him.  She misses their camaraderie as much as Gracewood does, and can't help but slowly fall in love with him.  On the other hand, she wants him to live a happy life free of any trouble, with a beautiful wife and children, and that would certainly not happen should they give in to their feelings. 

Y'all, my heart broke for them so many times!  I think that's the grueling part of this story - seeing how much their pain and trauma have consumed them, and how society would never accept or condone Viola's choice over her own body or Gracewood's choice to love whom he chooses. Then there are the most spectacular moments of the most intimate connection between two people and all I could do was swoon and want to rail against the world and remake it just so that they could exist as they'd like. You know that's some good writing when you feel that way!

Now I am not LGBTQIA+  so I can only review this story from my perspective as a reader who enjoys a good story and wants to grow and gain a better understanding of the world.  It gets a bit slow in the middle but picks back up with the help of some entertaining side characters the way only Hall can create them. As a romance it hits the markers of drama, the great love of your life, second chance, redemption, and of course, the happily ever after.  But I defer to folks within the LGBTQIA+ community to comment on the rest. For me, A Lady for a Duke is breathtaking and romantic and I'd definitely recommend it.

~ Bel

CW: grief, abusive father (memories), addiction, panic attacks, PTSD (war), bullying (side character), kidnapping (side character)

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

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From the acclaimed author of Boyfriend Material comes a delightfully witty romance featuring a reserved duke who’s betrothed to one twin and hopelessly enamoured of the other.

Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally.

It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again.

Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be.

Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

*Source: purchased copy

Since I read my first Alexis Hall book a few years ago I've felt that I can never really go wrong reading his novels. He makes me laugh, snicker, look up words in the dictionary...I just always enjoy them. Something Fabulous somewhat rested that for me.

I loved Valentine right off the bat. Yes, he's a bit clueless about matters of the heart but his clueless heart is sincere. And he believes in duty which is why he proposes marriage to Arabella. Except Arabella is repulsed by this idea because he's doing this out of a sense of duty, and he has no genuine feeling for her. Neither does she have any for him. I commiserated with her up to this point because she shouldn't have to be in a loveless marriage. She wants romance and she should have that. It's just that she wants the drama, too. She runs off in the dead of night away from her family, from Valentine, and then her brother Bonny shows up the next morning to insist Valentine set everything right again. Bonny's worried for his twin sister since they've never been far from each other, and he knows that she was not the least bit impressed by Valentine's attempt at a marriage proposal. This is all fairly understandable. But what ensues can only be described as consistent bullying towards Valentine.

In truth, I enjoyed the story more than I was irritated by it. Arabella is a drama queen to the nth degree and I did not like any scene she was in. All her melodrama and machinations only served to torture Valentine - emotionally and physically - and put him in harm's way several times. She does this in the name of self-preservation and above all, adventure, and seems only too delighted to thrust Valentine into danger. Her behavior does not elicit sympathy in the least. Bonny messed with Valentine, too, but mostly in a teasing and crossing boundaries way. The thing is Valentine is not a bad guy. He's just oblivious, and part of that comes from the fact that he's never felt anything real before. All he has comprehended so far is that he's part of the upper class and with that comes responsibilities and expectations. He has tried to live up to them, but there's never been anything that has caused him to question his life until now. This bizarre traumatic series of events has disrupted his world so abruptly, and yet somehow, Bonny has squirreled his way into Valentine's ambivalent heart.

I want to say this was a fun read but it doesn't feel right to say that when the comedic aspect comes at the expense of Valentine's agony and abuse. A lot of it is repetitive, and while forced proximity can be an exciting trope, it feels so ... wrong here because of the other cast of characters involved. I mean, Bonny is not as terrible as his twin but it's not like he readily jumped to Valentine's defense. So I'm not particularly fond of Bonny, either, for playing along with Arabella's games.

It might sound like I'm dissing this story but I don't think Something Fabulous was a waste of time. I stuck around for Valentine and in the end I came around to Bonny, and the idea of them together. I wish their union wasn't borne out of all the chaos, but I'm certainly wishing them a happily ever after.

~ Bel

Murder Most Actual by Alexis Hall

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From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody -- perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they're hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage - not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and – despite Hanna’s preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door – might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage -- and their lives?

Source: NetGally; ARC provided by Kobo Rakuten for an honest review

Alexis Hall writing a cozy mystery? Sign me up! Murder Most Actual is delightful mystery that pays homage to Clue and the current obsession with true crime mystery shows. 

When Liza and Hanna check into their hotel they weren't to know that their getaway, which is an attempt to repair their strained marriage, would be hijacked by multiple murders and a snow storm. The hotel is filled with the quintessential quirky characters including a Poirot-like detective who refers to himself in third person. The first murder when it occurs naturally unsettles all the guests, but Liza's inquisitive mind is drawn to the intrigue. As much as Hanna wants her wife to keep away from danger, she knows that this falls squarely into Liza's area of interest. As the bodies pile up, Liza gets deeper into the mystery potentially risking her own safety and that of Hanna's.

I truly enjoyed this book! It felt old-timey in a way and I absolutely go for that stuff being that I grew up on Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Poirot series. I never got into the true crime frenzy, however, I did enjoy reading Liza's process and getting a bit of an idea of it.

Aside from the mystery, I was incredibly taken with the subplot of Liza and Hanna's relationship. The reason for their holiday is that their marriage has felt a little off recently. Hanna distracted by work, Liza who spends the bulk of her time researching and working on her podcast with her co-host means a lot of time has been spent apart and losing touch with one another. Hanna booked their getaway hoping that would be a kind of refresh button for them. It's not easy closing a gap that's been steadily widening. I think Hall did spectacularly at capturing the nuances of a long-term relationship that has stalled, of a couple who feel so distanced from each other that where the little things they used to like about the other become the things that irritate. All the subtle changes that steadily occur over a period of time that end up gaining momentum and that eventually change the face of the relationship. I understood that so well. 

I've read a few Alexis Hall books and I've become used to his style of writing and the self-deprecating ways most of his characters have. So I was impressed by how easily he switched to mystery-mode and by how it felt different. He's still excellent with the eccentric characters, but the way he wrote Liza and Hanna as more serious-minded and steady individuals with their humor intact was what felt different for me.  I've already said I enjoyed it and yes, I'd recommend Murder Most Actual to any mystery fan or any Alexis Hall fan.

~ Bel

 

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake (Winner Bakes All #1) by Alexis Hall

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Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.

Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.

Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.

Source: NetGalley: ARC provided by publisher in exchange fir an honest review

Alexis Hall is pretty much an auto-read/buy for me. I adore his writing and humor, and all his memorable characters. Being a Great British Bake Off fan I eagerly awaited the release of Rosaline Palmer as everything about the premise promised fun and any opportunity for things to go haywire, and I was all there for it!

Rosaline is a single mother devoted to her precocious eight year-old daughter, working a part-time job and feeling content enough. When she had her daughter young she had to give up her studies in medicine and never went back to school. While she's happy with her decision, she can't help but feel like she's let people down i.e. her high-achieving parents. To break out of her mediocrity, she enters the reality show Bake Expectations hoping to prove to everyone that she can be good at something and make them proud of her. While the show's week-to-week challenges tend to go a bit sideways, her romantic prospects are at least looking up. Alain is one of the other contestants with whom she's clicked, and she's making friends on the set. 

Now I obviously loved this. Rosaline is sarcastic so that won me over immediately, but she was also an insecure, kind of oblivious mess which I could relate to easily. She has this need to be instantly liked and it can land her in some odd situations like the one she managed when she first met Alain. Her need to impress comes from often second-guessing herself thanks to her parents nitpicking aspects of her life. If there's one thing that's beginning to bug her is that recurring assumption by others that her having a child at such a young age has ruined her life. She has never seen it that way. She's always seen that as her choice and one of my favorite moments in the book is when she acknowledges that while her choices work for her, they're not what others would have chosen for themselves. And she constantly has to fight against that. She dates Alain because he checks all the boxes that would make her parents proud. In the meantime, she gets to know another contestant, Harry better and she finds that she gets on with him really well. His blue collar view of the world and gentle considerate demeanor appeal to her. When my eldest daughter and I discussed the book after she read it, she mentioned that Rosaline's family along with Alain and Harry gave her Gilmore Girls vibes. It makes sense! 

The Bake Expectations experience is her much-needed, overdue growing up moment. I will say I was rather surprised by her naivete because how is she not familiar with people from different backgrounds? While her parents are rich, she herself is not so I sometimes couldn't comprehend how she held on to some preconceived notions about others. There is a lot of classisism which is not apparent to her even though she unknowingly participates in it herself. But that's what I like about this book - that she goes from lacking awareness to this realization about how she's been operating for years. 

There is a scene that is way out there and disturbing. Rosaline finds herself in a situation with Alain and another person that's spurred on by mixed signals and once again, assumptions. She calls it out for what it is - sexual assault - and the subsequent gaslighting on Alain's part is infuriating. Once again, as much as Rosaline can be oblivious (because the clues were all there), in that moment she did stand up for herself and refused to be taken advantage of. For anyone needing more details, she does stop it from going further and manages to find a safe place to call and wait for help. 

I know there are readers who have issues with Rosaline's sexuality in this as she is bi but ends up dating a straight guy and thus feel that it's bi erasure. At least, that's how I understand it. I don't feel that I can speak to that, and I am not here to negate anyone's own feelings or experience about it, but I can say that I was simply happy for her to be with someone who was a good person. 

So I think you get that I loved Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake even if Hall did slag off Spurs fans 😏. (At least it's the Spurs fan who ends up being the hero.) I mean, since it's been released I own the hard copy, the ebook and down the line I'll own the audio as well because I love this freaking book so much. I love Hall's writing and how he uses personal memories that are universal to bring out how the characters are feeling like when Rosaline first arrives on set, "which left Rosaline feeling distinctly first-day-of-school...". There's charm and wit galore throughout, and as always, side characters that take the mickey out of the main ones, and who add whimsy to the storyline. I got a kick out of the reality show hosts, and oh my gosh! The foul-mouthed producer had the most colorful and creative insults known to humankind. I adored her! These characters aren't perfect but the ones I really cared about gained insight and grew up. I'll definitely be reading this one again and waiting rather impatiently for the next in the Winner Bakes All series.

~ Bel

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

* * * * *

Wanted:
One (fake) boyfriend
Practically perfect in every way

Luc O'Donnell is tangentially--and reluctantly--famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he's never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don't ever want to let them go.

Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

I've been sort of done with the whole "fake relationship" trope. That is until I found out Alexis Hall was releasing Boyfriend Material and well, you know how you tend to make exceptions for authors you like/trust? I made that exception here and let me tell you, I am IN LOVE with Boyfriend Material!!

via GIPHY

Boyfriend Material's charm has everything to do with Hall's writing. I honestly love the way he writes and phrases things and emotions and moments. Oftentimes they're amusing anecdotes and other times they're absolute gems of clarity. In Luc and Oliver, I also saw a little bit of me. Who hasn't gone through that insecure feeling that they're not worthy of love and attention? When that kindness is directed at Luc and Oliver, it's almost an alien-like feeling. Luc has learned to be super protective about himself and is highly cynical of new friendships or attention because he's been a magnet for the gossip rags. Thanks to the antics of his famous parents, and especially his neglectful father, Luc's been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. When that spotlight threatens his job he has to find a way to clean up his image. The problem is solved somewhat when his best friend hooks him up with Oliver, a lawyer whose pedigree and refined mannerisms are the exact opposite of Luc's. But since they both could use some help with their love life, they go for it - fake dating to appease Luc's employer and Oliver's family. 

What makes this story standout for me aside from the writing is how Luc and Oliver's characters are developed. Relationship-averse Luc almost self-sabotages their arrangement a few times but it's Oliver who redirects with kindness and reassurance. In fact, I was so blown away by how he helped Luc through his more neurotic moments that I might have gotten a little jealous of Luc. Then when the table is turned and Luc is the one providing all the support and encouragement to Oliver ... it's just remarkable how much growth took place for him to even venture outside of his comfort zone to be a friend to Oliver in return. 

I've been anxious lately about a number of things so I savoured every single second I had reading Boyfriend Material. It was an entirely delightful escape that gave me several moments of laugh out loud joy. I appreciated Luc's self-deprecating humour, I loved Oliver's dry retorts to Luc's silliness. They balanced each other so well and I definitely liked how their relationship gradually deepened. I also enjoyed all the quirky side characters. They just own their quirkiness. I giggled through any scene where Luc interacted with his somewhat dimwitted co-workers because they were so far out there it was hard not to love them. 

It's truly intimidating to write a review after reading something so perfect so I hope it's sufficient to say that Boyfriend Material is one of my favourites of 2020. Top 5, for sure! It was also educational because it taught me what 'versimilitude' is 😉 And I do believe that this will be a comfort read for me, one I revisit for its amusing and enigmatic personalities, and its happily ever after!

~ Bel

How To Blow It With A Billionaire Release Blitz

We are beyond thrilled to help celebrate the release of HOW TO BLOW IT WITH A BILLIONAIRE by Alexis Hall. Who wants more of Arden and Caspian and their hot, complicated affair? We do! We do! Check out the blurb below and also enter the giveaway to win one of 15 free ebooks of the first in the series, How To Bang A Billionaire!

About How To Blow It With A Billionaire

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Once upon a time there was a totally ordinary boy who fell for a cold, beautiful prince. Only it's not a fairy tale, it's my life. The prince is a billionaire called Caspian Hart. And we're trying super hard to live happily ever after.

He's everything I want, need, and can't resist: a man who looks like a god and bangs like the devil. Except he's still got his rules and he's still got his secrets . . .

But if there's one thing Caspian's taught me it's that you should never settle for less than you're worth. And I'm worth his trust. I have to show him that I see him. That I'm not afraid of his passion, or his power, or his past. And that I won't settle for less than everything.

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About the Author

Photo Source: Goodreads

Alexis Hall was born in the early 1980s and still thinks the 21st century is the future. To this day, he feels cheated that he lived through a fin de siècle but inexplicably failed to drink a single glass of absinthe, dance with a single courtesan, or stay in a single garret.

He did the Oxbridge thing sometime in the 2000s and failed to learn anything of substance. He has had many jobs, including ice cream maker, fortune teller, lab technician, and professional gambler. He was fired from most of them.

He can neither cook nor sing, but he can handle a 17th century smallsword, punts from the proper end, and knows how to hotwire a car.

He lives in southeast England, with no cats and no children, and fully intends to keep it that way.

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Enter to win 1 of 15 FREE ebook downloads of How To Bang A Billionaire!

How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall

From Forever Romance:

Rules are made to be broken . . .

If England had yearbooks, I'd probably be "Arden St. Ives: Man Least Likely to Set the World on Fire." So far, I haven't. I've no idea what I'm doing at Oxford, no idea what I'm going to do next and, until a week ago, I had no idea who Caspian Hart was. Turns out, he's brilliant, beautiful . . . oh yeah, and a billionaire.

It's impossible not to be captivated by someone like that. But Caspian Hart makes his own rules. And he has a lot of them. About when I can be with him. What I can do with him. And when he'll be through with me.

I'm good at doing what I'm told in the bedroom. The rest of the time, not so much. And now that Caspian's shown me glimpses of the man behind the billionaire I know it's him I want. Not his wealth, not his status. Him. Except that might be the one thing he doesn't have the power to give me.

Welcome to our first triple threat review where all three of our BiblioJunkies have read and are reviewing the same book!  We had such a blast doing this and comparing notes, so we hope you enjoy it too!  

Bel  

I’d just come off of reading my first Alexis Hall novel, Glitterland when I picked up HtBaB a few days later. Admittedly I was hoping for more of the same as I was still on this glorious high but I quickly learned that HtBaB is something entirely different. Yet it felt familiar. Like Fifty Shades of Grey familiar. The similarities just kept popping up at me and I don’t know if that was Hall’s intent. (I even texted Nat asking if it was just me and we both agreed that we were seeing the same things.)

I finally stopped noticing the similarities and instead began to feel that Hall was giving this storyline a bit of a shake-up. While Caspian like Christian remains the aloof guy, Arden is the opposite of the meek Ana of Fifty. In fact, he’s the one who keeps pushing and pursuing Caspian. It didn’t matter to me that Arden is slightly adrift without a clue about his future. He’s fun and has a tendency towards self-deprecation in such a British way which means that I automatically love him. I really am hopeless when it comes to that.

By the end, I came away with a better sense of Arden than I did Caspian which is okay because this book is about him determining what he wants even if the rest of his life isn’t in order yet. Caspian seems to thaw a little and I’m trusting that Hall will show us what Arden sees and senses in him sooner rather than later.

I liked the book a lot. I know there’ll be readers who’ve read Fifty Shades who'll have a hard time letting go of the comparisons and I get that. I managed to shed that hindrance and I feel it’s mostly because I was so drawn to the dynamics between Arden and Caspian; how Arden’s naïve, witty, playful personality countered Caspian’s solemn nature. Two distinct opposites clashing is so compelling to me. And there's something alluring about them when they're together and in the right moment. I also appreciated the dynamics with his best friend and family. It’s a joy to see some positive modelling of relationships between them, and it helps that they’re also engaging characters in their own right. My only question is how the prologue – which seems out of place once you’re done with the story - plays in to the rest of the series. I suspect that the subsequent books will answer that. In the meantime, I've added them to my "want to read" list and I'll try this whole patience thing as I wait for them. (Alexis, I'm suffering here.)

So basically, I’ve come to three important conclusions after reading HtBaB. One, my author-crush on Alexis Hall is perfectly intact. Two, I will be reading more of his books. And three, he can be my Scrabble partner because it’d be fun and he's brilliant with words!

 Nat

I have loved Alexis Hall since I first read Glitterland - it's easily one of my favorite romances.  I haven't read all of his books (I'm a terrible fan) but the few I have read have been stellar.  I enjoy the prose and sharp humor that seems to be just as much as a part of Alexis Hall as it is of his books.  When Shel and Bel told me this was releasing soon (I've been woefully behind on everything it seems), I jumped at the chance to read it with them.  

The prologue was intriguing and I was slightly confused by it.  BUT, it all ties in before the end of the book.  A different (to me) and brilliant way to introduce other characters' feelings when the story is told in first person.  The first couple chapters had me laughing out loud with awkward situations and Hall's signature humor.  Then I kept reading and I was overwhelmed by a feeling of deja vu. Wait a minute.....Then it hit me that this was a retelling of 50 Shades of Grey. The initials of the main characters were the same.  Their educations/jobs were almost the same.  Wait, What?  I was both taken aback and amused by Hall's naughtiness. 

I wouldn't call this a parody (although, if you want a good 50 Shades parody, check out this).  It wasn't any more over the top than 50 Shades. To be fair, 50 Shades is pretty over the top.  I would consider How To Bang A Billionaire  a straight up retelling.  Much like a modern retelling of a fairy tale.  In a lot of ways he made it what it should have been - Arden isn't the naive wet blanket that Anastasia is and stands up to Caspian way more than Anastasia ever stood up to Christian.  I also loved that Arden's best friend was just that.  A BFF without a hidden agenda of unrequited love.  But it didn't seem to be poking fun at 50 Shades so much as somewhat re-framing the story and maybe poking fun at the readers.  I'm still trying to work that out in my head as the whole deja vu experience left me feeling a little off kilter. 

I enjoyed this book but didn't love it.  I had a really hard time separating this from and, in turn, not comparing it to 50 Shades the entire time I was reading it.  It really impacted my ability to completely immerse myself in the story. Honestly, I am not sure I can ever form an opinion of it without my prior reading clouding my view.  But, I can tell you this.  Every person I have talked to and every review I have seen by readers that have not read 50 Shades, greatly enjoyed this book. So, I am going to suggest you go with their unclouded recommendation.

Shel

As the only BiblioJunkie to have not read 50 Shades, I didn't have the same problems as Nat and Bel when reading HBB.  I definitely recognized the similarities, having heard people talk about 50 Shades ad nauseam and having seen the movies, but they didn't distract me from the hilarity that was Arden.  

I thoroughly enjoyed HBB.  I thought Caspian was a dick and Arden was a mess, but they came together in an entertaining train wreck.  I'm not a big fan of the SM of BDSM, so the prologue had me worried, but at the end of HBB I was full of smiles.  And full of love for Alexis Hall.

Despite Natalie's recommendations, I hadn't read any Alexis Hall before HBB.  I loved it so much, I immediately bought Glitterland.  I admit, I don't like it nearly as much as I did HBB, but I will reserve final judgment until I finish, someday when my ARC TBR isn't out of control...  As for the next in the Arden St. Ives series, I will be first in line to read it.  

We hope you enjoyed our first triple review!  Go check out How to Bang a Billionaire and then come join our debate on the book!  

~Shel, Bel, and Nat

How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall Release Day Blitz

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: HOW TO BANG A BILLIONAIRE

Author: Alexis Hall

Series: Arden St. Ives, #1

On Sale: April 16, 2017

Publisher: Forever Yours

eBook: $4.99 USD

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The first book in an all-new m/m romance trilogy by RITA Award-winning author Alexis Hall!

Rules are made to be broken . . .

If England had yearbooks, I'd probably be "Arden St. Ives: Man Least Likely to Set the World on Fire." So far, I haven't. I've no idea what I'm doing at Oxford, no idea what I'm going to do next and, until a week ago, I had no idea who Caspian Hart was. Turns out, he's brilliant, beautiful . . . oh yeah, and a billionaire.

It's impossible not to be captivated by someone like that. But Caspian Hart makes his own rules. And he has a lot of them. About when I can be with him. What I can do with him. And when he'll be through with me.

I'm good at doing what I'm told in the bedroom. The rest of the time, not so much. And now that Caspian's shown me glimpses of the man behind the billionaire I know it's him I want. Not his wealth, not his status. Him. Except that might be the one thing he doesn't have the power to give me.

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THE ARDEN ST. IVES SERIES

HOW TO BANG A BILLIONAIRE, #1

HOW TO BLOW IT WITH A BILLIONAIRE, #2

Series Page on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexis Hall was born in the early 1980s and still thinks the twenty-first century is the future. To this day, he feels cheated that he lived through a fin de siècle but inexplicably failed to drink a single glass of absinthe, dance with a single courtesan, or stay in a single garret.

He did the Oxbridge thing sometime in the 2000s and failed to learn anything of substance. He has had many jobs, including ice cream maker, fortune-teller, lab technician, and professional gambler. He was fired from most of them.

He can neither cook nor sing, but he can handle a seventeenth-century smallsword, punts from the proper end, and knows how to hot-wire a car.

He lives in southeast England, with no cats and no children, and fully intends to keep it that way.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

How We Began by Alexis Hall, Delphine Dryder, Vanessa North, Amy Jo Cousins, Annabeth Albert and Geonn Cannon

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How does love begin? 

A glance, a gesture, an unexpected offer of help from a stranger…or from a good friend. A smile across a counter at a coffee shop or video store. A secret revealed in a song from another place and time. Or in a love ballad crooned at a high school dance. 

In this anthology of never-before-published sweet LGBTQ+ stories, six authors explore the beginnings of love between young and new adult couples. All proceeds will support The Trevor Project's work with crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.

Review

When we started our blog, I was skeptical of short stories and novellas.  With the exception of the stories forced on me in high school and college, I had never read one that was very good.  And yes, I did read a lot of them.  Mostly of the romance variety.  But since we started blogging?  Every single book of short stories I have read has been absolutely stellar.  How We Began might be tied with The Curiosities as an all-time favorite.  The stories are sweet and the writing is spectacular.  But that shouldn’t be a surprise when you have contributing authors like Alexis Hall, Annabeth Albert and Amy Jo Cousins. Just to name a few.  I was familiar with these authors within the adult romance genre.  They blew me away with these Young Adult stories and I can only hope that I might see full length YA novels from some of them in the future.  

Since these are short stories I am limiting myself to just a few sentences on each story in an effort to not spoil any of it for you.  In the end I hope you guys give this one a try.  It’s a book full of beautiful and diverse stories that include characters from all over the LGBT spectrum.  And to top it off, proceeds from the sale of this book go to The Trevor Project.  So you not only get a great book but you also contribute to a wonderful organization.

TruNorth by Alexis Hall – This is the story of Noah, the least visible member of the boy band TruNorth.  In a future world where management tracks members every movement, it’s impossible for Noah to explore and be who he really is.  When he spies fellow bandmate and crush, Callum, sneaking out, he follows him to discover a secret club where no one has to hide their secrets.  Alexis Hall never fails to write characters that are hyper-realistic and draw you in emotionally.

Unexpected Dragons by Delphine Dryder – Zev is afraid that he will never figure out how to shift to his dragon form.  But when it finally and unexpectedly happens he has to face a future of still being different and a possible future without his friend Rook.  Because Rook hasn’t changed form yet either. I rarely pick up fantasy anymore and I have never read a dragon-shifter story (please don’t hurt me, Bel and Shel) but this story was simply amazing and visually beautiful that I’ll probably add some dragon-shifter amazing-ness to my TBR this year.

A Song for a Sweater-boy by Vanessa North – Jamie lives with autism and is known as the Sweater-boy at school because he knits during class to help keep him focused and to control his ticks.  When Jamie’s classmate, Ash, shows up at his aunt’s yarn shop as part of his probation (it’s a long story), they form an unexpected friendship that Jamie hopes might grow into something more.  Gah!  This story was so darn adorable I could barely stand it.

A Taste of Coffee and Cream by Amy Jo Cousins – Saturday’s are the best day of Jude’s week.  Those are the days she can escape town and be who she really is.  Owen is the barista at the coffee shop where Jude changes her clothes for the day.  Jude doesn’t necessarily want any connections but Owen not only wants to be her friend but also might have access to the resources that could allow Jude to be who she is all the time and not just on Saturdays.  She’ll have to decide if she can take the necessary leap to trust Owen chase after her future.  Amy’s combination of empathy and reality always works for me.  Perfection is overrated when you are handed honest characters like the ones in this story.

First in Line by Annabeth Albert – Ethaniel has finally arrived at school and he can finally step out of the closet.  But something that he thought would be easy once he was away from home is extremely difficult.  It would seem, even across country, his parents’ opinion on things can affect him. But, as he navigates campus, he finds allies in the most important places, including campus GSA member, Nesto.  Annabeth Albert writes the best geek romances and this one is no exception.

Extinction Level Events by Geonn Cannon – Cassandra’s list of things to do before she leaves for college include, having a garage sale, putting in her two weeks’ notice, telling her parent’s she’s gay and telling her best friend, Natalie, that she’s in love with her.  Yeah, those last two are eating her up a bit.  But she won’t be a coward and she will get it done.  I really loved this story.  Cassandra is one of those rare girls that has really taken advantage of her teen years to discover who she is.  This story contains a now favorite book quote of mine.  Cassandra’s mom tells her, “High school is your fitting room stage.  Try on everything and see what fits.  Otherwise how will you know who you really are?” And Cassandra really takes that advice to heart.  I’ve never read anything by Geonn Cannon before but, based on this story, I will definitely  be reading her books in the near future.

Nat

That's What HE Said Thursday #19

Image courtesy of Kei at The Lovely Pages Review

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies at Chapter Break, where we spotlight a quote from our book crush to the object of his desire. We like to pretend it's us.

What better way to celebrate our book boyfriends?

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Nat's pick is by Alexis Hall who previously wrote the fantastic, Glitterland. She's been anxious to share this quote from Waiting For The Flood for weeks!

“I want to do far more thank kiss you, Edwin.”

I was drowning blissfully in the heat of his gaze. “W-what…what do you want to do with me?”

“I want to…drink tea with you again. Take you out to dinner somewhere and hold your hand under the table. I want to watch you with your books.  I want to listen to you talk.  I want you to make some more of that amazing bread.  I want to know who you are.   I want you to want to do those things with me.”

~ Adam to Edwin

Waiting For The Flood

by Alexis Hall