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Cambric Creek #1.5
A Blue Ribbon Romance
Morning Glory Milking Farm was just another quick tug - machine operated facility, no different from all the rest. Sure, they had big pharma money and special hands-on amenities the other milking joints couldn't boast, but at the end of the day it was the same old story — cash he didn't actually need in the bank, all for doing what he would have done for free anyway. Get in, get out, get on with his day. At least, that's what he thought.
Rourke doesn't know why he's so drawn to a particular milking tech . . . he doesn't know anything about her, after all. Not what she looks like without a mask concealing her face, not even her name. He only knows he can't stay away.
He wasn't looking for love, but it managed to find him in most unlikely of places, and now he's determined to prove that you can teach an old bull new tricks.
Fall in love all over again with Violet & Rourke's romance . . . from the other side of the milking table.
Rourke doesn't know why he's so drawn to a particular milking tech . . . he doesn't know anything about her, after all. Not what she looks like without a mask concealing her face, not even her name. He only knows he can't stay away.
He wasn't looking for love, but it managed to find him in most unlikely of places, and now he's determined to prove that you can teach an old bull new tricks.
Fall in love all over again with Violet & Rourke's romance . . . from the other side of the milking table.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2023
1064 people are currently reading
2801 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Nascosta
29 books4,244 followersC.M. Nascosta is an author and professional procrastinator from Cleveland, Ohio. As a child, she thought that living on Lake Erie meant one was eerie by nature, and her corresponding love of all things strange and unusual started young. She’s always preferred beasts to boys, the macabre to the milquetoast, the unknown darkness in the shadows to the Chad next door. She lives in a crumbling old Victorian with a scaredy-cat dachshund, where she writes nontraditional romances featuring beastly boys with equal parts heart and heat, and is waiting for the Hallmark Channel to get with the program and start a paranormal lovers series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 846 reviews
did-not-finish
July 17, 2023Checked out the first few chapters and skimmed the rest. Have returned from my quest with content warnings: for those who don’t like the idea of Rourke fantasizing about other women (including his ex wife) while being jerked off by a stranger before he meets Violet, then avoid this book. This is potentially ruinous: if these things bother you and you enjoyed MGMF ~ run the other way.
Other than that there is not much new here. It’s the exact timeline of MGMF only from Rourke’s POV and overall it made me like him a lot less. The sex scenes were taken word for word from the other book, word for word. Seriously, she didn’t even give us one new sex scene. What a joke.
Again I did not read the whole book and now I’m not going to. I had given up on this author’s messy, convoluted writing style but wanted to see what this was all about. It was not worth it and it was not very good. The time jumping, flashbacks and inner musings were rampant.
No rating, just a quick recap of my skim through this.
Other than that there is not much new here. It’s the exact timeline of MGMF only from Rourke’s POV and overall it made me like him a lot less. The sex scenes were taken word for word from the other book, word for word. Seriously, she didn’t even give us one new sex scene. What a joke.
Again I did not read the whole book and now I’m not going to. I had given up on this author’s messy, convoluted writing style but wanted to see what this was all about. It was not worth it and it was not very good. The time jumping, flashbacks and inner musings were rampant.
No rating, just a quick recap of my skim through this.
May 9, 2024
His thumb moved in a slow figure eight over her mound of Venus while two fingers stroked up and down the base of her fingers. She had yet to pull her hand away. Good. This is a preview of what you’ll do to her pussy every evening. Take your shoes off, sweetheart, come lay down. Let me finger you while you tell me about your day.
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
⚠️Trigger Warning: milking, non-human anatomy, size difference, a lot of fluid
Since this is the same story but from Rourke's point of view, I won't bother explaining my thoughts on the story itself. I've already talked about that in my review of Morning Glory Milking Farm, so there's no reason to repeat myself.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, no matter how much I love romance (YA or adult), and I love it with my whole heart, I love getting the story from the love interest's point of view even more. I did not expect to love Rourke as much as I did, and I definitely didn't expect to love him even more in his book. Men should be taking notes from this minotaur. Seriously, he is so incredibly thoughtful and wholesome, even when he's sporting a raging hard-on he can't control. Sure he talks about his penis as a loot and has an array of euphemisms for it, but he is still a sweetheart, a giant with a marshmallow heart.
One thing that annoyed me a little bit is that the story switches from present to flashback very abruptly and it confused me at times. Other than that it is the expected cringe yet charming monster smut romance.
July 23, 2023
2 stars. Just so effin repetitive that I couldn’t get through the entire book without doing A LOT of skimming. The dialogue and sex were basically a copy/paste job. Once Rourke and Violet actually begin their relationship, the story becomes totally boring. It’s not a good sign when I preferred reading the parts of the book where Rourke hasn’t met Violet yet and is getting handjobs from OW. 🥴🥴🥴
Idk what this author is thinking lately, but none of it seems to be any good. No one needed this book… it only served to ruin Rourke’s character in the original book. No big surprise there… since all of her recent books have been a mess in one way or another.
I think she forgets that she writes romance? Maybe she thinks that reading about Rourke getting handjobs from OW while fantasizing about his past sexual experiences is sexy? Yes, it’s realistic… but it doesn’t really set the scene for a romance novel at all. When he meets Violet, the only thing that stands out to him for a long time about her, versus the other milking technicians, is her skill at getting him off. He literally just thinks she gives the best handjobs and that’s why he decides to pursue her. Lol. His thoughts are so incredibly shallow where she’s concerned, it’s disappointing.
Also, Rourke just sounds like a horny teen in just about all of his thoughts. He can’t think with his brain about 80% of the time and is being led by his little head when making most of his decisions. He’s constantly horny, popping random wood that he can’t control, and somehow he can’t manage to jerk himself off enough to even take the edge off. His sexual needs are so great that they can only be met by going to the milking farm….. he doesn’t seem to know how to use his own hand…… riiiight. THIS IS NOT THE HERO I IMAGINED HIM TO BE! I expected better from him after reading MGMF, and ofc the author made sure to disillusion me about his true nature. Let’s be real… this book did nothing but ruin the original for me.
Someone get this author an honest alpha reader/editor. She needs help with her storylines. Also, wtf is up with the random time jumps that happen EVERYWHERE without any warning or indication? I get that this is part of her writing style, but there’s a reason most authors don’t write this way: because it’s confusing!
SWE
Lots of time in beginning spent with hero finding the milking farm and his time spent getting HJs from randoms (all nameless/faceless)
He fantasized about a potential hookup and his ex wife in explicit detail while getting HJs
Mentions about his past sexual partners and the random hookups he’s had
Once he meets the heroine he’s obsessed with her HJ skills and only wants her to “milk” him
He gets HJs twice on-page in detail from a different tech who doesn’t know how to do her job… these details were a major turn off for me personally since he could have just jerked himself off (if he knew how) instead of enduring her fumbling attentions to his dick.
Idk what this author is thinking lately, but none of it seems to be any good. No one needed this book… it only served to ruin Rourke’s character in the original book. No big surprise there… since all of her recent books have been a mess in one way or another.
I think she forgets that she writes romance? Maybe she thinks that reading about Rourke getting handjobs from OW while fantasizing about his past sexual experiences is sexy? Yes, it’s realistic… but it doesn’t really set the scene for a romance novel at all. When he meets Violet, the only thing that stands out to him for a long time about her, versus the other milking technicians, is her skill at getting him off. He literally just thinks she gives the best handjobs and that’s why he decides to pursue her. Lol. His thoughts are so incredibly shallow where she’s concerned, it’s disappointing.
Also, Rourke just sounds like a horny teen in just about all of his thoughts. He can’t think with his brain about 80% of the time and is being led by his little head when making most of his decisions. He’s constantly horny, popping random wood that he can’t control, and somehow he can’t manage to jerk himself off enough to even take the edge off. His sexual needs are so great that they can only be met by going to the milking farm….. he doesn’t seem to know how to use his own hand…… riiiight. THIS IS NOT THE HERO I IMAGINED HIM TO BE! I expected better from him after reading MGMF, and ofc the author made sure to disillusion me about his true nature. Let’s be real… this book did nothing but ruin the original for me.
Someone get this author an honest alpha reader/editor. She needs help with her storylines. Also, wtf is up with the random time jumps that happen EVERYWHERE without any warning or indication? I get that this is part of her writing style, but there’s a reason most authors don’t write this way: because it’s confusing!
SWE
Lots of time in beginning spent with hero finding the milking farm and his time spent getting HJs from randoms (all nameless/faceless)
He fantasized about a potential hookup and his ex wife in explicit detail while getting HJs
Mentions about his past sexual partners and the random hookups he’s had
Once he meets the heroine he’s obsessed with her HJ skills and only wants her to “milk” him
He gets HJs twice on-page in detail from a different tech who doesn’t know how to do her job… these details were a major turn off for me personally since he could have just jerked himself off (if he knew how) instead of enduring her fumbling attentions to his dick.
Want to read
June 17, 2023Rourke's pov?? lets fucking go
July 20, 2023
This book felt like coming home. This was perfection. So much humor, so much drama and pining, so many sweets. All the perfection of Lurielle (whom I love even more now), of Khash v. Rourke, of Cambric Creek characters I know and love, and the brick and mortar places I’d give anything to patronize.
Everything I wanted from a Rourke POV, this was it. The joy, the self doubt, the bantering, the laughter, the spoiling, the support, the love. I wish I could read this for the first time all over again, and I’ll certainly be rereading MGMF with this new perspective.
I did fall in love, all over again, from the other side of the milking table.
Everything I wanted from a Rourke POV, this was it. The joy, the self doubt, the bantering, the laughter, the spoiling, the support, the love. I wish I could read this for the first time all over again, and I’ll certainly be rereading MGMF with this new perspective.
I did fall in love, all over again, from the other side of the milking table.
August 22, 2025
Wow. Reading A Blue Ribbon Romance was like getting the best kind of secret—Rourke’s POV. Not only do you see just how protective and tender he is with Violet, but you also feel every bit of that slow, scorching build between them. The spice hits harder here because you’re in his head, knowing exactly how badly he wants her and how much he’s holding back. If you thought their story was hot before, this POV makes it downright irresistible.
But for me, the biggest drawback was the structure. The constant shifts between past and present weren’t smooth at all, and the timeline often felt disorganized and confusing. It made the story harder to follow and took away from the flow of Rourke’s voice.
Overall, it’s a steamy and interesting addition to the series, but the choppy, unorganized transitions kept it from being a higher-rated read for me.
But for me, the biggest drawback was the structure. The constant shifts between past and present weren’t smooth at all, and the timeline often felt disorganized and confusing. It made the story harder to follow and took away from the flow of Rourke’s voice.
Overall, it’s a steamy and interesting addition to the series, but the choppy, unorganized transitions kept it from being a higher-rated read for me.
September 3, 2025
like a very fluid-y Midnight Sun
July 21, 2023
The “sequel” I never knew I needed! On the flip side of Morning Glory Milking Farm is Rourke’s POV. He meets Violet at the…farm, and can’t get her out of his head. It was so sweet seeing how enamored he was with her as he fought to woo her and then take things slow. Loved!
July 15, 2023
I liked the original book, but at about the middle of this book I got super bored and just didn’t care anymore.
July 17, 2023
I absolutely loved MGMF and was SO excited when I saw news of Rourke's pov!
Sadly, I felt very confused on parts as the story would sometimes just jump back and forth between moments he interacted with her at the Farm, and then back to him speaking to someone, and then suddenly he's just at home and he's actually just been thinking about all of this the whole time. The back and forth happened so often at times I didn't know where he was or who he was speaking to.
Some chapters seemed to start halfway through a date/dinner, and I’d have to remember what was going on in MGMF at the time for it to make sense. Some parts were glossed over (The death of a family member) and I know it’s HIS pov, but it was a super important person in Violet’s life so it felt odd to just breeze over - Especially since this leads to the start of their relationship.
It also seemed unedited or rushed as there was quite a few mistakes grammar wise, and a LOT of repetition going on. There was talks of never seeing her again, and it mentioned this several times in a few paragraphs, like this:
“He could simply click that little red X on the app and be guaranteed that he never needed to see her again.”
(Next paragraph)
“The farmer made it easy to ensure she would not receive his file again,”
(Next paragraph)
“He could adjust his profile on the app so that he would never have to see her again.”
I get it. We got it; You have options to never see her again. Also, I think this was supposed to say “farm,” not “farmer.”
Also, I didn’t mind Lurielle and Khash but they felt more like the main characters as times than Violet did and I got tired of them pretty quickly.
It was nice to see how he felt each and every time he visited the farm and how he felt during each interaction with Violet. I loved seeing his panic; How he’d flounder when she spoke to him, and how he was constantly thinking and obsessing about her, just as she was him. I really didn’t like how 90% of his thoughts were sexual though. I wanted those soft smiles and feels from his pov. I wanted to see WHY he liked her, other than she gets him off hecka fast. Oh well.
This book was *okay*, and I still prefer MGMF 💯 This one seemed rushed, super messy and not up to par with her other works sadly, especially since it was constantly pushed back a few times :/
Sadly, I felt very confused on parts as the story would sometimes just jump back and forth between moments he interacted with her at the Farm, and then back to him speaking to someone, and then suddenly he's just at home and he's actually just been thinking about all of this the whole time. The back and forth happened so often at times I didn't know where he was or who he was speaking to.
Some chapters seemed to start halfway through a date/dinner, and I’d have to remember what was going on in MGMF at the time for it to make sense. Some parts were glossed over (The death of a family member) and I know it’s HIS pov, but it was a super important person in Violet’s life so it felt odd to just breeze over - Especially since this leads to the start of their relationship.
It also seemed unedited or rushed as there was quite a few mistakes grammar wise, and a LOT of repetition going on. There was talks of never seeing her again, and it mentioned this several times in a few paragraphs, like this:
“He could simply click that little red X on the app and be guaranteed that he never needed to see her again.”
(Next paragraph)
“The farmer made it easy to ensure she would not receive his file again,”
(Next paragraph)
“He could adjust his profile on the app so that he would never have to see her again.”
I get it. We got it; You have options to never see her again. Also, I think this was supposed to say “farm,” not “farmer.”
Also, I didn’t mind Lurielle and Khash but they felt more like the main characters as times than Violet did and I got tired of them pretty quickly.
It was nice to see how he felt each and every time he visited the farm and how he felt during each interaction with Violet. I loved seeing his panic; How he’d flounder when she spoke to him, and how he was constantly thinking and obsessing about her, just as she was him. I really didn’t like how 90% of his thoughts were sexual though. I wanted those soft smiles and feels from his pov. I wanted to see WHY he liked her, other than she gets him off hecka fast. Oh well.
This book was *okay*, and I still prefer MGMF 💯 This one seemed rushed, super messy and not up to par with her other works sadly, especially since it was constantly pushed back a few times :/
April 13, 2023
Short and sweet! Very cute and wholesome, but no real need for this short story..
October 9, 2024
Surprisingly enough I liked this more than the fmc pov?
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pre-read
NOT THE MORNING GLORY MILKING FARM IN THE MINOTARS POV!?!?!?
Do I read it ??!
-------------
pre-read
NOT THE MORNING GLORY MILKING FARM IN THE MINOTARS POV!?!?!?
Do I read it ??!
November 2, 2023
This was a lot of fun! I originally read Morning Glory Milking Farm a few years ago when it came out and had a great time, so I didn’t realize until very recently that the author put out this additional book! This one is from the hero’s POV and it was just so sweet and fun to be back in Cambric Creek and see his POV. Violet and Rourke are just so sweet together and I loved seeing his thoughts throughout their story! Both books, and most of this author’s, are on hoopla and Libby and the audio was great!
April 9, 2025
Miren, no es lo que suelo leer normalmente pero desde que leí el primero de esta serie me atrajo el monster romance afhvvh. Lo más importante aquí es que el minotauro es un caballero y un dulce, así como es un calentón xDDD
Me sorprende que para lo bizarro que es todo esto, la historia está super bien construida y te hace querer seguir leyendo.
En un tiempo más continuaré con el segundo de Cambric Creek 🌚
Me sorprende que para lo bizarro que es todo esto, la historia está super bien construida y te hace querer seguir leyendo.
En un tiempo más continuaré con el segundo de Cambric Creek 🌚
July 15, 2023
2/5 ⭐️ 2/5 🌶️ I think this would have been better as a novella seeing as it was a Morning Glory Milking Farm retelling, sometimes word for word. While it was semi-interesting to read from Rourke’s POV, there’s no real insights other than finding out ejacumints exist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2023
I enjoyed this one significantly less than Violet's POV of the story, that is due mainly to the obscene amount of scenes that didn't envolve Violet, or general romantic scenes.
Some may argue that because the previous book already showed lots of scenes, this couldn't be done again in order to avoid repeating the entire book and I disagree very strongly. Violet and Rourke date for an enough amount of time for us to have new content and still show their relationship developing.
I couldn't see the romance or their feelings for each other growing and maturing, this felt very much like they wer just too horny and decided that meant they were in love, whereas is clear this is not the case on the other book.
Also, Rourke's thoughts were waay too graphic and he was incapable of thinking about Violet without objetifying at any point of the book, not a single thought that were entirely about her qualities and how he felt.
Some may argue that because the previous book already showed lots of scenes, this couldn't be done again in order to avoid repeating the entire book and I disagree very strongly. Violet and Rourke date for an enough amount of time for us to have new content and still show their relationship developing.
I couldn't see the romance or their feelings for each other growing and maturing, this felt very much like they wer just too horny and decided that meant they were in love, whereas is clear this is not the case on the other book.
Also, Rourke's thoughts were waay too graphic and he was incapable of thinking about Violet without objetifying at any point of the book, not a single thought that were entirely about her qualities and how he felt.
July 21, 2023
This was a bit of a mess, tbh. There were too many jumps between the present, the past, and Rourke's musings. Halfway through, I lost interest because it was a rambling mess, and I felt nothing was happening. This made me like him less, and now I'm just pissy about it. There were ideas/storylines (I don't even know what to call it) that were introduced, and by the end of the book, it was as if they never existed (I'm looking at you, Minoan Society, and Pfizzle Pharmaceuticals). Honestly, I wish the book could have given us more of the HEA between him and Violet. I would've loved to see their day-to-day now that they were a couple and how Violet was adjusting to her new job. Alas, this added absolutely nothing to my reading experience.
September 28, 2023
This was disappointing and didn’t really add anything to the story by giving us his POV. Plus I ended up skimming through most of it. Womp Womp
July 17, 2023
Morning Glory Milking Farm was my introduction to the world of Cambric Creek, so reading A Blue Ribbon Romance felt like coming home 🥰 Being able to revisit these beautifully flawed (and adorably mopey in Rourke's case) characters had me chuckling at the familiarity these characters gave me. This book was an absolute delight. Reading from Rourke's POV of his and Violet's story somehow made me love and appreciate his character even more 🥹 C. M. Nascosta has done it again with A Blue Ribbon Romance 💕 If you're a fan of Morning Glory Milking Farm, then I would highly suggest you to check out this book!
July 19, 2023
Fun to get the other perspective!
I forgot how adorable and bossy Rourke was since reading MGMF and this was a cute reminder. They are such a sweet couple and the spice is so fun.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: brief mention of grief
I forgot how adorable and bossy Rourke was since reading MGMF and this was a cute reminder. They are such a sweet couple and the spice is so fun.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: brief mention of grief
July 16, 2023
I didn’t think I could love Rourke more after reading MGMF but reading the relationship blooming from his POV was so special.
It’s very rare we get a m/f romance solely written from the male POV and I loved getting inside Rourkes head. We’re made to believe in MGMF that he’s this cool, calm, collected dude- when actually he’s a ball of nerves and self doubt.His borderline insane hypothetical thoughts were hilarious and made me love him even more. I loved his inner turmoil of trying to take it slow with Violet to get to know her better instead of just banging her on the first date.
Loved seeing Lurielle and Khash and meeting some of Rourkes buddies at the Minoan Society.
It really did feel like coming home and it was an adorable read! (truth be told, I cried at the end)
It’s very rare we get a m/f romance solely written from the male POV and I loved getting inside Rourkes head. We’re made to believe in MGMF that he’s this cool, calm, collected dude- when actually he’s a ball of nerves and self doubt.His borderline insane hypothetical thoughts were hilarious and made me love him even more. I loved his inner turmoil of trying to take it slow with Violet to get to know her better instead of just banging her on the first date.
Loved seeing Lurielle and Khash and meeting some of Rourkes buddies at the Minoan Society.
It really did feel like coming home and it was an adorable read! (truth be told, I cried at the end)
Read
July 16, 2023I'm going to decline rating. Given my profound love for MGMF, I can't be impartial.
I will say that the author's note is right on the nose. This book is not for general consumption. It is a companion book for rabid fans of MGMF. Read as a standalone, the pacing would be terrible and the flashbacks badly transitioned. But, again, this book is what it is.
Fan Gush:
OMG! OMG!
The side we see of Rourke is phenomenal. He's like a duck. Calm and cool on the surface, but scrambling to stay afloat underwater. The fact that this neurotic mess of a giant, self-unaware clod managed to snag Violet is nothing short of a miracle.
His clashes with Khash. 🤌
The moment he realized he actually had friends. 🥹
Darn near the whole 1st third of the book is highlighted. I laughed so hard my side hurt.
My only complaint - I wanted more bossiness. 😆
I will say that the author's note is right on the nose. This book is not for general consumption. It is a companion book for rabid fans of MGMF. Read as a standalone, the pacing would be terrible and the flashbacks badly transitioned. But, again, this book is what it is.
Fan Gush:
OMG! OMG!
The side we see of Rourke is phenomenal. He's like a duck. Calm and cool on the surface, but scrambling to stay afloat underwater. The fact that this neurotic mess of a giant, self-unaware clod managed to snag Violet is nothing short of a miracle.
His clashes with Khash. 🤌
The moment he realized he actually had friends. 🥹
Darn near the whole 1st third of the book is highlighted. I laughed so hard my side hurt.
My only complaint - I wanted more bossiness. 😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2024
This is the same story but from Rourke's point of view. And I love him so much. He is such a thoughtful, romantic, sweet man. Violet is definitely lucky. But it’s almost exactly the same. Either way it was fun to come back to this world.
March 12, 2024
Definitely not as light and fun as Violet’s POV, but enjoyable nonetheless.
August 22, 2024
DNF 33% because I already know the story it’s just Rourke’s POV. And while I appreciate it, it’s also not so scintillating I want to read the same story again. The newness of mating with a Minotaur has worn off, as I expected.
January 11, 2024
I liked it but—
Funny as hell but sometimes I felt that certain bits were unintentionally funny and they really were written to enhance eroticism. I enjoyed this, thus the 3 star review but I do have some thoughts:
• The nonlinear storytelling from this author drives me nuts. You as a reader are constantly being bounced around from scene to scene without any transition that alerts that youre reading a flashback or a memory. This is confusing every time, and sometimes these flashback or memory scenes go on for so long that its almost jarring to be thrust back into the present.
• Because this is a retelling of the original MGMF, the scenes and plot of this book often feel repetitive and it goes in a patterned sequence of: milking visit, random conversations that do not add anything to plot or characterization, milking visit, more random interactions that ultimately do not matter
•The “meat” of this book is almost boring and then you get one sex scene at the very ending that abruptly ends the story.
• This author often says things like “its just smut” when people call out errors or have feedback, but then will contradict herself by then saying how romance books are “real” books and its insulting to boil these works down to “its just smut” When she wants to use “its just smut” as an excuse for poor execution, its totally fine but when a reader says the same thing its insulting? Very weird.
• The emphasis on saying the words “Big bull 🍆” used as dirty talk was honestly uncomfortable after a while. The mmc is a little bitter about his species being reduced to sexual objects and how this world sees his people. It then feels weird for him to want to give the fmc this image for sexual purposes. Much of the romance plot focuses on him wanting to be more than a client to her, he wants to pursue a meaningful relationship. Wouldnt language like this contradict his point?
• This was a quick read but despite the easily digestible length, it had nothing particularly memorable or well done. Its a run of the mill contemporary monster romance that is readable but ultimately forgettable.
Funny as hell but sometimes I felt that certain bits were unintentionally funny and they really were written to enhance eroticism. I enjoyed this, thus the 3 star review but I do have some thoughts:
• The nonlinear storytelling from this author drives me nuts. You as a reader are constantly being bounced around from scene to scene without any transition that alerts that youre reading a flashback or a memory. This is confusing every time, and sometimes these flashback or memory scenes go on for so long that its almost jarring to be thrust back into the present.
• Because this is a retelling of the original MGMF, the scenes and plot of this book often feel repetitive and it goes in a patterned sequence of: milking visit, random conversations that do not add anything to plot or characterization, milking visit, more random interactions that ultimately do not matter
•The “meat” of this book is almost boring and then you get one sex scene at the very ending that abruptly ends the story.
• This author often says things like “its just smut” when people call out errors or have feedback, but then will contradict herself by then saying how romance books are “real” books and its insulting to boil these works down to “its just smut” When she wants to use “its just smut” as an excuse for poor execution, its totally fine but when a reader says the same thing its insulting? Very weird.
• The emphasis on saying the words “Big bull 🍆” used as dirty talk was honestly uncomfortable after a while. The mmc is a little bitter about his species being reduced to sexual objects and how this world sees his people. It then feels weird for him to want to give the fmc this image for sexual purposes. Much of the romance plot focuses on him wanting to be more than a client to her, he wants to pursue a meaningful relationship. Wouldnt language like this contradict his point?
• This was a quick read but despite the easily digestible length, it had nothing particularly memorable or well done. Its a run of the mill contemporary monster romance that is readable but ultimately forgettable.
July 15, 2023
It was fun to see his point of view, but there was not a ton of new content. I kept getting pulled out of the story when he would think back to previous interactions and now we are reading a sex scene while he’s standing in line for coffee. The dialogue was written as though the partner was there, when in fact it was all in his head. Messy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
2 stars ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
･ ｡ﾟ☆:A Blue Ribbon Romance *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “Love me like you do, love, love, love me like you do / Touch me like you do, touch, touch, touch me like you do.” 🎶
Rourke (H) has always treated his job at Morning Glory Milking Farm like any other—get in, get out, and collect the cash. With all the big pharma backing and the hands-on service, it’s a smooth operation, and he’s not exactly looking for anything more. But when he’s drawn to one particular milking tech, something shifts. He doesn’t even know her name, nor has he seen her face without a mask, yet he can’t stay away.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: THOUGHTS*.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───
Honestly, this book kind of messed with Rourke's character, especially after reading his POV. Before, he seemed like this swoon-worthy, considerate guy who genuinely cared for Violet. But once we got into his head, it kind of felt like all he really cared about was the physical stuff. Like, it was all about how much he loved how Violet touched him and how she made him feel, but there wasn’t much focus on her as a person. It almost made his feelings seem shallow, like she was just another conquest or something. It’s frustrating because I was rooting for him, but his POV kind of stripped away the romantic connection I thought they had.
Rourke is out there searching for Violet, missing her, but then the second she’s not around, he just lets another woman milk him? Like, what? 😩 It’s one thing if he’s trying to get his rocks off in a situation where he has no choice, but the dude could’ve just gone home and handled it himself. The fact that he let someone else touch him, especially when he’s so into Violet, just felt wrong. It’s gross, considering that’s literally how he met Violet in the first place—through her job. It’s not just about the physical act, it’s the fact that he couldn't even be patient or respectful enough to wait for her. It made him seem less like the guy who genuinely cares about her and more like he was just out for his own satisfaction, no matter who’s there to provide it. Rourke still did all the right things in the first book, and I was all in on him as the perfect guy for Violet. But then when we got into his POV, it totally shifted. It was like he wasn’t as romantic as we thought he was. Instead of focusing on Violet and how he felt about her, it was more about his physical needs and getting off. I think there was even a moment where he thought about his ex-wife to get off, which was seriously off-putting.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: OVERALL*.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ──
I mean, at the end of the day, he is a minotaur, so there's only so much I can expect from him in the romance department. The whole "big, brooding, non-human" vibe probably doesn't scream "romantic poet" in his spare time.
･ ｡ﾟ☆:A Blue Ribbon Romance *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ
⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°｡ 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´
🎶 “Love me like you do, love, love, love me like you do / Touch me like you do, touch, touch, touch me like you do.” 🎶
Rourke (H) has always treated his job at Morning Glory Milking Farm like any other—get in, get out, and collect the cash. With all the big pharma backing and the hands-on service, it’s a smooth operation, and he’s not exactly looking for anything more. But when he’s drawn to one particular milking tech, something shifts. He doesn’t even know her name, nor has he seen her face without a mask, yet he can’t stay away.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: THOUGHTS*.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───
“Look, I’m not trying to stalk her or something. I just want to know if she’s gone for good so that I can rebook with someone new,” he lied.
Honestly, this book kind of messed with Rourke's character, especially after reading his POV. Before, he seemed like this swoon-worthy, considerate guy who genuinely cared for Violet. But once we got into his head, it kind of felt like all he really cared about was the physical stuff. Like, it was all about how much he loved how Violet touched him and how she made him feel, but there wasn’t much focus on her as a person. It almost made his feelings seem shallow, like she was just another conquest or something. It’s frustrating because I was rooting for him, but his POV kind of stripped away the romantic connection I thought they had.
“I – there’s been some mistake. A mix-up. I put in a request for my technician, and . . . there’s been a terrible mistake.”
“No. No, it’s fine. I’ll keep this appointment, I guess. Hopefully, we won’t have any more disruptions going forward.”
Rourke is out there searching for Violet, missing her, but then the second she’s not around, he just lets another woman milk him? Like, what? 😩 It’s one thing if he’s trying to get his rocks off in a situation where he has no choice, but the dude could’ve just gone home and handled it himself. The fact that he let someone else touch him, especially when he’s so into Violet, just felt wrong. It’s gross, considering that’s literally how he met Violet in the first place—through her job. It’s not just about the physical act, it’s the fact that he couldn't even be patient or respectful enough to wait for her. It made him seem less like the guy who genuinely cares about her and more like he was just out for his own satisfaction, no matter who’s there to provide it. Rourke still did all the right things in the first book, and I was all in on him as the perfect guy for Violet. But then when we got into his POV, it totally shifted. It was like he wasn’t as romantic as we thought he was. Instead of focusing on Violet and how he felt about her, it was more about his physical needs and getting off. I think there was even a moment where he thought about his ex-wife to get off, which was seriously off-putting.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: OVERALL*.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ──
I mean, at the end of the day, he is a minotaur, so there's only so much I can expect from him in the romance department. The whole "big, brooding, non-human" vibe probably doesn't scream "romantic poet" in his spare time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
Morning Glory Milking Bar told only from the perspective of the MINOTAUR!!! It didn’t offer much more than the original other than some POVs of other “milking bars” lol
July 16, 2023
I was really looking forward to this and was hyped!!
I LOVE the cover and the other artwork of Rourke and Violet made for this book. I much prefer it over the Morning Glory Milking Farm cover. Even though it's stunning and richly beautiful in its own way, this cover feels more real, more down to earth, more tangible and I love that. Also Rourke is just so cute and I love Violet's hair. My favorite parts of this book were the humorous bits here and there and Rourke's friendship with Lurielle and Khash.
Once this was finally in my hands? I enjoyed it, I did, but not as much as I thought I would. Part of that may be my own expectations doing me in, not sure. I knew going in this was a retelling and CM Nascosta warned there's a lot of moping, but I still finished the book and felt like it was lacking, that I had expected something more. I know some others have mentioned that they were hoping for new content, and I get that, but I don't think that's the issue for me. It felt like, for having just read 250 pages of Rourke's view, I didn't get nearly as much insight as I thought I would.
The first 25% of the book is prior to Rourke's first appointment with Violet. OK, makes sense, get a sense of Rourke's character and where he's at with life and relationships prior to meeting. However, it felt like forever before they have their first date at 70% of the way through the book. After that, we get a mix of Rourke's POV and his own internal musings for the rest of the book following the same events as MGMF and I think that's where some of my disappointment lies.
It felt rushed and I didn't feel like I was actually getting much of anything new from Rourke about those events. I would have thought the retelling would have been the larger meat of the book rather than the final climax. I was also disappointed to realize how much of Rourke's thoughts had solely to do with this physical and sexual attraction to Violet, even after they started to get to know each other and date. It was THAT, the emotional attraction and buildup from Rourke's POV, that I had been craving all along, and there was barely anything in my opinion.
We see him be thoughtful about taking her to see the one old public house in Cambric Creek so she can indulge her passion over the architecture, but we already knew that from MGMF. We didn't get extra insight about that experience from Rourke's POV. We didn't get Rourke looking at Violet in her moment of excitement over the staircase or whatever and get his thoughts and feelings in the moment. We didn't get him catching himself gazing at her with a soft smile on his face as she lovingly runs her fingers over century old carved wood pieces in the house. In fact, we didn't even get it in the moment - Rourke recounts this all as having already happened and is just remembering having taken her there. Okay, I guess?
Where I can agree with some other reviewers is the messy feeling of the journey we're taken with this book. I'm purely guessing this is intentional, a meandering recount of Rourke's life from his memory interspersed with fantasy and real-life events. The problem is, it was still very confusing to the reader. One moment we'd be reading about a sexual fantasy he's having while being milked at the farm, and the combination of his fantasy and the reality of the farm are already blurred and a little unclear, but it's even more confusing because - who on earth is he fantasizing about? It's not a character we're introduced to for another few pages. Stuff like that happened ALL THE TIME. The number of times I had to reread a passage or search back in the previous pages to make sure I wasn't missing something and no, we really are just suddenly changing scenery and finding out that was something happening weeks ago, not right now, was jarring and made the read kind of a slog.
Last and actually kind of least, I was surprised at the number of errors. One or two? Sure, it happens, stuff slips through the cracks. But knowing this was ARC read and the release date was pushed back, I was especially surprised to see more than a handful. It added to the messy, rushed feeling of the book overall.
I LOVE the cover and the other artwork of Rourke and Violet made for this book. I much prefer it over the Morning Glory Milking Farm cover. Even though it's stunning and richly beautiful in its own way, this cover feels more real, more down to earth, more tangible and I love that. Also Rourke is just so cute and I love Violet's hair. My favorite parts of this book were the humorous bits here and there and Rourke's friendship with Lurielle and Khash.
Once this was finally in my hands? I enjoyed it, I did, but not as much as I thought I would. Part of that may be my own expectations doing me in, not sure. I knew going in this was a retelling and CM Nascosta warned there's a lot of moping, but I still finished the book and felt like it was lacking, that I had expected something more. I know some others have mentioned that they were hoping for new content, and I get that, but I don't think that's the issue for me. It felt like, for having just read 250 pages of Rourke's view, I didn't get nearly as much insight as I thought I would.
The first 25% of the book is prior to Rourke's first appointment with Violet. OK, makes sense, get a sense of Rourke's character and where he's at with life and relationships prior to meeting. However, it felt like forever before they have their first date at 70% of the way through the book. After that, we get a mix of Rourke's POV and his own internal musings for the rest of the book following the same events as MGMF and I think that's where some of my disappointment lies.
It felt rushed and I didn't feel like I was actually getting much of anything new from Rourke about those events. I would have thought the retelling would have been the larger meat of the book rather than the final climax. I was also disappointed to realize how much of Rourke's thoughts had solely to do with this physical and sexual attraction to Violet, even after they started to get to know each other and date. It was THAT, the emotional attraction and buildup from Rourke's POV, that I had been craving all along, and there was barely anything in my opinion.
We see him be thoughtful about taking her to see the one old public house in Cambric Creek so she can indulge her passion over the architecture, but we already knew that from MGMF. We didn't get extra insight about that experience from Rourke's POV. We didn't get Rourke looking at Violet in her moment of excitement over the staircase or whatever and get his thoughts and feelings in the moment. We didn't get him catching himself gazing at her with a soft smile on his face as she lovingly runs her fingers over century old carved wood pieces in the house. In fact, we didn't even get it in the moment - Rourke recounts this all as having already happened and is just remembering having taken her there. Okay, I guess?
Where I can agree with some other reviewers is the messy feeling of the journey we're taken with this book. I'm purely guessing this is intentional, a meandering recount of Rourke's life from his memory interspersed with fantasy and real-life events. The problem is, it was still very confusing to the reader. One moment we'd be reading about a sexual fantasy he's having while being milked at the farm, and the combination of his fantasy and the reality of the farm are already blurred and a little unclear, but it's even more confusing because - who on earth is he fantasizing about? It's not a character we're introduced to for another few pages. Stuff like that happened ALL THE TIME. The number of times I had to reread a passage or search back in the previous pages to make sure I wasn't missing something and no, we really are just suddenly changing scenery and finding out that was something happening weeks ago, not right now, was jarring and made the read kind of a slog.
Last and actually kind of least, I was surprised at the number of errors. One or two? Sure, it happens, stuff slips through the cracks. But knowing this was ARC read and the release date was pushed back, I was especially surprised to see more than a handful. It added to the messy, rushed feeling of the book overall.
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