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Garbage Man
He collects trash for a living.
Before sunrise, he’s collecting her.
Rook Slater is big, brutal, and permanently grumpy. By day, he’s a garbage man. By night, he plays hockey and keeps the world at arm’s length.
Until the fated mate bond strikes hard and fast. One look at Kylie Moon—right after his twenty-eighth birthday—and destiny snaps into place.
She’s his.
There’s just one problem.
Her blood is rare—coveted—and the monsters in the shadows want to claim her.
Evil. Elite. Powerful. These are the kind of men who stop at nothing to have what they want.
But Rook Slater doesn’t lose what’s his.
And he certainly doesn’t bend the knee.
He’s good at taking out the trash—and these monsters are next.
Once fate locks in, Rook won’t just fight for the woman he loves.
He’ll kidnap and kill for her.
Before sunrise, he’s collecting her.
Rook Slater is big, brutal, and permanently grumpy. By day, he’s a garbage man. By night, he plays hockey and keeps the world at arm’s length.
Until the fated mate bond strikes hard and fast. One look at Kylie Moon—right after his twenty-eighth birthday—and destiny snaps into place.
She’s his.
There’s just one problem.
Her blood is rare—coveted—and the monsters in the shadows want to claim her.
Evil. Elite. Powerful. These are the kind of men who stop at nothing to have what they want.
But Rook Slater doesn’t lose what’s his.
And he certainly doesn’t bend the knee.
He’s good at taking out the trash—and these monsters are next.
Once fate locks in, Rook won’t just fight for the woman he loves.
He’ll kidnap and kill for her.
240 pages, Paperback
Published April 17, 2026
About the author
Max Monroe
77 books9,484 followersMany moons ago, a dynamic duo of romance authors teamed up under the pseudonym Max Monroe, and, well, the rest is history...
Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of more than fifty contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their social media newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.
Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of more than fifty contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their social media newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.
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April 17, 2026We owe you an apology.
JUST KIDDING.
Yes, we titled a book Garbage Man.
Because he’s a blue-collar vigilante vampire who will k!dnap and ☠️ for you.
*He’s also grumpy AF.
*Plays hockey.
*Doesn’t care if he racks up a body count in your honor.
*He bites… for your pleasure.
AND HE’S AVAILABLE NOW!
➡️ https://geni.us/GM_BCVV
(Ebook, paperback, & Kindle unlimited)
We’re so excited to finally get this one in your hands! We had the most exhilarating, exciting, addicting time writing this book!
XOXO, Max & Monroe
P.S. We won’t be changing anything. We love our big, bad Garbage Man 😍
JUST KIDDING.
Yes, we titled a book Garbage Man.
Because he’s a blue-collar vigilante vampire who will k!dnap and ☠️ for you.
*He’s also grumpy AF.
*Plays hockey.
*Doesn’t care if he racks up a body count in your honor.
*He bites… for your pleasure.
AND HE’S AVAILABLE NOW!
➡️ https://geni.us/GM_BCVV
(Ebook, paperback, & Kindle unlimited)
We’re so excited to finally get this one in your hands! We had the most exhilarating, exciting, addicting time writing this book!
XOXO, Max & Monroe
P.S. We won’t be changing anything. We love our big, bad Garbage Man 😍
Want to Read
March 26, 2026FINALly a working class UNIONIZED (i hope) vampire. it's about time!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kylie + Rook
Rook is a garbage man by day and he plays hockey by night. He's also a vampire. Who just turned 28 - which is when his fated mate is revealed to him.
And it's Kylie. The pretty ice skater he sees at the rink. He's also her garbage man.
And he's also not the only one who wants her. Very bad 'people' are after her too.
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN!
══════════════════
ADORABLE!
Well. That was cute.
I'm not a fan of paranormal and I don't know why I would want a blue collar vampire when I could have one with all the money in the world? But here we are. And it was good.
It wasn't anything new or super amazing. Only thing different to other books is the blue collar thing. But I liked reading it. It was a quick fun romantic suspense vampire thingy with some funny moments. I liked that it wasn't all bloody bitey and super silly.
It could've been a bit longer with more info and details ... it was a bit insta here and there- but I still liked it.
I will definitely read the other two brothers next.
We get a bit of a cliffy.
Plus also - I wouldn't mind a TV Show about the Slater brothers!
GARBAGE MAN was great start to this new Vampire trilogy. Funny. Adorable. Grumpy. Suspensy. Vampirey. Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Rook - this one mine!
If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!
💜
💜
April 18, 2026
An advance reader copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
I was quite confused with this book. It was really fast paced but slow at the same time, especially at the beginning. The prologue was a bit confusing at first, and for the first half of the book you understand very little of what is going on.
The world building was a bit lacking. We don't get a lot of info on the vampires and the humans in this world. Also, when Rook takes Kylie she's of course angry and scared, but once she finds out about being mates she calms down? I get it it can be a reaction to the pull, but still.
Also, why hockey is involved? They just meet at the rink and basically no one ever plays, so why using a well loved trope and then nothing is related to it?
I was quite confused with this book. It was really fast paced but slow at the same time, especially at the beginning. The prologue was a bit confusing at first, and for the first half of the book you understand very little of what is going on.
The world building was a bit lacking. We don't get a lot of info on the vampires and the humans in this world. Also, when Rook takes Kylie she's of course angry and scared, but once she finds out about being mates she calms down? I get it it can be a reaction to the pull, but still.
Also, why hockey is involved? They just meet at the rink and basically no one ever plays, so why using a well loved trope and then nothing is related to it?
April 22, 2026
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (I wanted more depth from both mains and the vampire world building)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (there was something pretty light about these scenes)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: immediately in the prologue, but the prologue is just a cut scene from further in the novel (grr) either way though they are together in ch 1 within a few pages
Cliffhanger: So….the mains are happy for now-ish but I’d say it feels like a plot cliffhanger
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read a review copy in e-book form from Hambright PR
Why I chose this book: The title made me laugh so I wanted to check it out
Mains: Rook Slater and Kylie Moon – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Audiobook available? Not as of review posting
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Monroe’s Blue-Collar Vigilante Vampire series.
Basic plot:
Rook has realized Kylie is his fated mate – and she’s clueless about the vampire world and he will do anything to keep her safe.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary paranormal romance
- Boston area setting
- vampire hero / human heroine
- hockey player / garbage man hero
- tax accountant heroine
- heroine enjoys skating as well
- secret vampire world
- fated mates
- he’s tall – 6’6”
- telepathy
- medium steam – 3ish scenes and a slow burn but the scenes are fairly light
Ages:
- he’s 28, she’s 24
First line:
She tries to scream.
My thoughts:
I know this is probably just a me thing, but I really dislike when the ‘prologue’ of the book is a direct scene cut from much later in the book (in this case, 62%) I get it’s supposed to drive interest but my linear loving mind gets bothered by it. I’m like wtf is happening and then it’s not completely clear that it jumps back in time (because it’s prologue…) and it takes me awhile to figure it out and meanwhile I could just be getting to know the story and characters.
But, anyway, I was so curious about this one I had to try it. Garbage man. Hockey player, Fated mates. Secret vampire world. This was overall a fun read that had me so curious about what this vampire world entailed and how Rook and Kylie were going to end up together.
This one did have a slower feel to it and a lot of mysterious build up – I found myself getting antsy about the world building. And I felt like the mains barely talked by the time we were ¾ of the way through the book. I wanted them to be interacting more, having more dialogue. I felt like the interactions were a bit repetitive and the lack of communication about things (big things regarding the heroine) were frustrating to me. Rook was way too verbally constipated.
I was left wanting to know about the world building but it looks like it’s going to be a fast paced series that flows together really nicely. (the plot for book 2 picks up right at the end of this novel). Ultimately though I was left wanting more from this one.
Some world building notes – you have to wait most of the book to learn this so only read if you want the reveal early:
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me:
Favorite book: This one by default
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (I wanted more depth from both mains and the vampire world building)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (there was something pretty light about these scenes)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: immediately in the prologue, but the prologue is just a cut scene from further in the novel (grr) either way though they are together in ch 1 within a few pages
Cliffhanger: So….the mains are happy for now-ish but I’d say it feels like a plot cliffhanger
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read a review copy in e-book form from Hambright PR
Why I chose this book: The title made me laugh so I wanted to check it out
Mains: Rook Slater and Kylie Moon – This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Audiobook available? Not as of review posting
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Monroe’s Blue-Collar Vigilante Vampire series.
Basic plot:
Rook has realized Kylie is his fated mate – and she’s clueless about the vampire world and he will do anything to keep her safe.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary paranormal romance
- Boston area setting
- vampire hero / human heroine
- hockey player / garbage man hero
- tax accountant heroine
- heroine enjoys skating as well
- secret vampire world
- fated mates
- he’s tall – 6’6”
- telepathy
- medium steam – 3ish scenes and a slow burn but the scenes are fairly light
Ages:
- he’s 28, she’s 24
First line:
She tries to scream.
My thoughts:
I know this is probably just a me thing, but I really dislike when the ‘prologue’ of the book is a direct scene cut from much later in the book (in this case, 62%) I get it’s supposed to drive interest but my linear loving mind gets bothered by it. I’m like wtf is happening and then it’s not completely clear that it jumps back in time (because it’s prologue…) and it takes me awhile to figure it out and meanwhile I could just be getting to know the story and characters.
But, anyway, I was so curious about this one I had to try it. Garbage man. Hockey player, Fated mates. Secret vampire world. This was overall a fun read that had me so curious about what this vampire world entailed and how Rook and Kylie were going to end up together.
This one did have a slower feel to it and a lot of mysterious build up – I found myself getting antsy about the world building. And I felt like the mains barely talked by the time we were ¾ of the way through the book. I wanted them to be interacting more, having more dialogue. I felt like the interactions were a bit repetitive and the lack of communication about things (big things regarding the heroine) were frustrating to me. Rook was way too verbally constipated.
I was left wanting to know about the world building but it looks like it’s going to be a fast paced series that flows together really nicely. (the plot for book 2 picks up right at the end of this novel). Ultimately though I was left wanting more from this one.
Some world building notes – you have to wait most of the book to learn this so only read if you want the reveal early:
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating from me:
Favorite book: This one by default
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
April 22, 2026
Thank you so much to Max Monroe for the advance copy of this!
This book is out now!
"So...you're obsessed with me?"
"Oh baby, I'm more than obsessed with you."
I was a little apprehensive when I learned that one of my favorite authors was trying something different and doing a paranormal series. But then it turns out that they were novellas and not a full book and I thought okay, this could be a little more digestible. I do not read a lot of paranormal especially with vampires but I knew I could trust the ladies! This was fun because not only do we have these 3 brothers who happen to be vampires but THEY ALSO PLAY HOCKEY (not professionally but for fun) - I'll take it!
I saw another review talk about that this lacked world building. I thought it had enough for me to understand what is happening. I am not a fantasy reader and sometimes hard for me to picture a fantasy world so having this set in modern times with very little world building was good for me. I understood enough of the clan and how they mate and didn't need anything further as for myself it would just complicate me.
"I don't hurt people without reason. But you're not a reason. You're the line."
"And if someone cross the line?"
"I'd kill them."
Rook is obsessed with Kylie. He plays hockey at the same rink that she does ice skating. We learn more about their connection but Kylie just thinks he is this grumpy man who doesn't like her. I don't blame her because he is very unlikable (which we also learn more about why that is). There were parts of this that made me giggle because naturally I had compared similar moments to that of my pinnacle vampire book - Twilight. He was so protective of Kylie and even though it would get on her nerves she also couldn't deny how attracted she was to him. And as the story goes on she cannot understand the urges she feels. And in true Max Monroe fashion this was spicy! Rook was so kind to Kylie and really took care of her. I was a little frustrated at him when he wouldn't tell her certain things but it all evened out.
The book ends on a slight cliff hanger but it seamlessly goes right into the next book. The next book will focus on Kane who is a Repo man (which comes out on 4/24).
If you are looking for a fun, sexy, quick read with some hot vampires and a little action - give this a read!
This book is out now!
"So...you're obsessed with me?"
"Oh baby, I'm more than obsessed with you."
I was a little apprehensive when I learned that one of my favorite authors was trying something different and doing a paranormal series. But then it turns out that they were novellas and not a full book and I thought okay, this could be a little more digestible. I do not read a lot of paranormal especially with vampires but I knew I could trust the ladies! This was fun because not only do we have these 3 brothers who happen to be vampires but THEY ALSO PLAY HOCKEY (not professionally but for fun) - I'll take it!
I saw another review talk about that this lacked world building. I thought it had enough for me to understand what is happening. I am not a fantasy reader and sometimes hard for me to picture a fantasy world so having this set in modern times with very little world building was good for me. I understood enough of the clan and how they mate and didn't need anything further as for myself it would just complicate me.
"I don't hurt people without reason. But you're not a reason. You're the line."
"And if someone cross the line?"
"I'd kill them."
Rook is obsessed with Kylie. He plays hockey at the same rink that she does ice skating. We learn more about their connection but Kylie just thinks he is this grumpy man who doesn't like her. I don't blame her because he is very unlikable (which we also learn more about why that is). There were parts of this that made me giggle because naturally I had compared similar moments to that of my pinnacle vampire book - Twilight. He was so protective of Kylie and even though it would get on her nerves she also couldn't deny how attracted she was to him. And as the story goes on she cannot understand the urges she feels. And in true Max Monroe fashion this was spicy! Rook was so kind to Kylie and really took care of her. I was a little frustrated at him when he wouldn't tell her certain things but it all evened out.
The book ends on a slight cliff hanger but it seamlessly goes right into the next book. The next book will focus on Kane who is a Repo man (which comes out on 4/24).
If you are looking for a fun, sexy, quick read with some hot vampires and a little action - give this a read!
April 20, 2026
4.25 Stars!
What an interesting, fast-paced and fun paranormal romance! I really enjoyed this book!
First, the whole blue collar vampire hiding in society and a burnt out accountant that drives him wild...ummm...hell ya! Add in that she’s in danger and he is being extra grumpy to keep her away and safe. Hell the F yeah!
Second... the TROPES!
Fated Mates
Grumpy, Possessive Alpha
Secret Vampire World
Touch Her and Die
Kidnapped for Protection
Brooding Hero
SOLD.
I inhaled this story. It sucked me in and left a mark (puns intended). So good!
What an interesting, fast-paced and fun paranormal romance! I really enjoyed this book!
First, the whole blue collar vampire hiding in society and a burnt out accountant that drives him wild...ummm...hell ya! Add in that she’s in danger and he is being extra grumpy to keep her away and safe. Hell the F yeah!
Second... the TROPES!
Fated Mates
Grumpy, Possessive Alpha
Secret Vampire World
Touch Her and Die
Kidnapped for Protection
Brooding Hero
SOLD.
I inhaled this story. It sucked me in and left a mark (puns intended). So good!
April 20, 2026
Okay I seriously had NO idea what to expect when I saw the title of this book. It sounded like a parody or something at first. However, I was immediately hooked once I started reading and can see why this book is title as such.
Tropes include the following:
*Fated Mates
*Hot Hockey Player
*Touch Her and D!e
*Superhuman Abilities
*Hidden Bloodline
*The Protective Beast
*Found Family
Kylie Moon, an accountant with a hobby of ice skating, doesn't understand why so many of the hockey men openly gawk at her as she ice skates. Especially one broody one in particular - Rook Slater. He is 28 years old, gorgeous, and also happens to be Kylie's garbage man. Him and his two brothers are blue collar workers and don't mingle well with the other rich and elite hockey players. There is more going on there than Kylie can even comprehend.
Kylie lost her parents when she was young and is extremely close with her granny. Her granny keeps trying to meet up with her to tell her something important, but Kylie can't seem to find the time. Her best friend and roommate, Alyssa, is her found family. She keeps attempting to encourage Kylie to go out and have some fun rather than save herself for a special moment. Kylie doesn't see the point in this, but she also can't explain why she has an insane pull towards Rook.
Only in books where characters have supernatural abilities is it sexy when the MMC can smell your arousal...in real life, that would be such an ick! ;-) This was an incredibly easy read I finished in two days and I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel with one of Rook's brothers because this ended on a definite cliff hanger!
Tropes include the following:
*Fated Mates
*Hot Hockey Player
*Touch Her and D!e
*Superhuman Abilities
*Hidden Bloodline
*The Protective Beast
*Found Family
Kylie Moon, an accountant with a hobby of ice skating, doesn't understand why so many of the hockey men openly gawk at her as she ice skates. Especially one broody one in particular - Rook Slater. He is 28 years old, gorgeous, and also happens to be Kylie's garbage man. Him and his two brothers are blue collar workers and don't mingle well with the other rich and elite hockey players. There is more going on there than Kylie can even comprehend.
Kylie lost her parents when she was young and is extremely close with her granny. Her granny keeps trying to meet up with her to tell her something important, but Kylie can't seem to find the time. Her best friend and roommate, Alyssa, is her found family. She keeps attempting to encourage Kylie to go out and have some fun rather than save herself for a special moment. Kylie doesn't see the point in this, but she also can't explain why she has an insane pull towards Rook.
Only in books where characters have supernatural abilities is it sexy when the MMC can smell your arousal...in real life, that would be such an ick! ;-) This was an incredibly easy read I finished in two days and I can't wait to find out what happens in the sequel with one of Rook's brothers because this ended on a definite cliff hanger!
April 12, 2026
Grumpy Garbage Man Turns Apex Predator (and Honestly… I’d Let Him)
This book? Absolute feral energy wrapped in a fated-mate fever dream and dipped in danger.
Rook Slater is the kind of MMC who doesn’t just touch grass—he hauls it away at 5 a.m., scowling like the world personally offended him. Blue-collar, brutal, emotionally constipated… and then fate hits him like a freight train made of instinct and obsession. One look at Kylie and suddenly this man goes from “leave me alone” to “I will dismantle society for you” in 0.2 seconds.
And I ate. It. Up.
Kylie isn’t just some fragile heroine either—she’s caught in a storm she didn’t ask for, with rare blood that basically paints a target on her back. The tension? Delicious. The stakes? High enough to make your pulse stutter. The villains? The kind you want to see wrecked in creative ways.
But let’s talk about Rook for a second…
This man doesn’t do soft. He does possession, protection, and unapologetic chaos. The romance isn’t gentle—it’s primal. It’s “touch her and I’ll bury you” energy with a side of kidnapping that somehow reads as devotion instead of a red flag. (We don’t question it—we support it.)
The chemistry? Electric.
The pacing? Tight, no filler.
The vibe? Dark, gritty, and just unhinged enough to keep you glued to the page at 2 a.m.
By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for them—I was fully ready to help Rook take out the trash.
If you love:
• Grumpy, morally gray heroes
• Fated mates with obsessive intensity
• High-stakes danger + protective chaos
• “He’d burn the world for her” energy
Then congrats, this book owns you now.
Final verdict: Filthy, fierce, and ferociously addictive. Rook Slater didn’t just take out the trash—he took my sanity with it. 🖤
This book? Absolute feral energy wrapped in a fated-mate fever dream and dipped in danger.
Rook Slater is the kind of MMC who doesn’t just touch grass—he hauls it away at 5 a.m., scowling like the world personally offended him. Blue-collar, brutal, emotionally constipated… and then fate hits him like a freight train made of instinct and obsession. One look at Kylie and suddenly this man goes from “leave me alone” to “I will dismantle society for you” in 0.2 seconds.
And I ate. It. Up.
Kylie isn’t just some fragile heroine either—she’s caught in a storm she didn’t ask for, with rare blood that basically paints a target on her back. The tension? Delicious. The stakes? High enough to make your pulse stutter. The villains? The kind you want to see wrecked in creative ways.
But let’s talk about Rook for a second…
This man doesn’t do soft. He does possession, protection, and unapologetic chaos. The romance isn’t gentle—it’s primal. It’s “touch her and I’ll bury you” energy with a side of kidnapping that somehow reads as devotion instead of a red flag. (We don’t question it—we support it.)
The chemistry? Electric.
The pacing? Tight, no filler.
The vibe? Dark, gritty, and just unhinged enough to keep you glued to the page at 2 a.m.
By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for them—I was fully ready to help Rook take out the trash.
If you love:
• Grumpy, morally gray heroes
• Fated mates with obsessive intensity
• High-stakes danger + protective chaos
• “He’d burn the world for her” energy
Then congrats, this book owns you now.
Final verdict: Filthy, fierce, and ferociously addictive. Rook Slater didn’t just take out the trash—he took my sanity with it. 🖤
April 18, 2026
This was fun! It was very easy reading and moved along at a cracking pace. It does offer a different vampire lore, with Elites, their gophers, and then the rest, living among the humans and being born and not made, almost exclusively male.
Kylie is one of the rare females with highly prized blood making her a target for the Elites. However, she is blissfully unaware of all of this going on around her while she works herself into a tizz over the looming tax deadline, despite some intense attention from a couple of men on the local hockey teams. To her Rook Slater is the very grumpy garage man who hates her. That is until his twenty eighth birthday when the fated mate bond strikes him and he’s now locked in on her and she’s suddenly seeing him in a different light.
There’s action, and kidnapping, and a good amount of vampire spice. The ending is designed to shock and sets up the next in the series perfectly.
Kylie is one of the rare females with highly prized blood making her a target for the Elites. However, she is blissfully unaware of all of this going on around her while she works herself into a tizz over the looming tax deadline, despite some intense attention from a couple of men on the local hockey teams. To her Rook Slater is the very grumpy garage man who hates her. That is until his twenty eighth birthday when the fated mate bond strikes him and he’s now locked in on her and she’s suddenly seeing him in a different light.
There’s action, and kidnapping, and a good amount of vampire spice. The ending is designed to shock and sets up the next in the series perfectly.
April 15, 2026
Who doesn’t want a grumpy, hot Vampire desperate for them?
This book has it all!
Giving us EXACTLY what we want with a fated mates trope…
The click. The shift. The wave of calmness and instant sense of belonging.
Spice that had you begging for more.
Yearning and angst that could cut the tension with a knife!
Tropes:
Fated Mates
Vampire Vigilante
Kidnapped for love
Touch her & 💀
Blue collar alpha
Brothers who protect
Kylie knows something is amiss when she is all of a sudden the interest of multiple intense men. A pushy hockey player who makes alarm bells ring in her head. Or the stoic grumpy knight in shining armour she didn’t ask for.
I loved the chemistry and slight enemies to lovers vibe we get from Rook & Kylie. The push and pull. She knows without knowing something is up, though she is just shy of finding out the truth.
When she does, it will turn her life upside down!
Ending on a cliffy, I’m excited to read the rest of this series!
Thank you to Max & Hambright PR for this ARC opportunity! 🫶🏻
Happy Reading
😊➕ 🩸
This book has it all!
Giving us EXACTLY what we want with a fated mates trope…
The click. The shift. The wave of calmness and instant sense of belonging.
Spice that had you begging for more.
Yearning and angst that could cut the tension with a knife!
Tropes:
Fated Mates
Vampire Vigilante
Kidnapped for love
Touch her & 💀
Blue collar alpha
Brothers who protect
Kylie knows something is amiss when she is all of a sudden the interest of multiple intense men. A pushy hockey player who makes alarm bells ring in her head. Or the stoic grumpy knight in shining armour she didn’t ask for.
I loved the chemistry and slight enemies to lovers vibe we get from Rook & Kylie. The push and pull. She knows without knowing something is up, though she is just shy of finding out the truth.
When she does, it will turn her life upside down!
Ending on a cliffy, I’m excited to read the rest of this series!
Thank you to Max & Hambright PR for this ARC opportunity! 🫶🏻
Happy Reading
😊➕ 🩸
April 16, 2026
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
After reading hundreds of books, I can confidently say 3 of my favorite tropes are hockey guys, vampires and fated mates. So when I saw a book that had all three, I had to jump at it. Does it sound totally out there? Of course! But that’s the beauty of reading.
Garbage Man follows Kylie Moon and Rook Slater. Kylie is a young woman who dedicates her days to the accounting firm she works at and her nights skating at the rink she grew up going to. She lives a simple life and that’s just fine with her. Rook Slater is always around. He’s at the rink, playing with his brothers on their competitive Rec hockey league and watching her skate. He’s outside her house, taking out her trash as her literal garbage man. And he’s always close by to protect her from power hungry vampires that want her for her royal bloodline. Oh yes, did I mention he’s a vampire? He just casually drops that into her life like it’s not absolutely insane. The Elites of the vampire world want Kylie and Rook will never let them have her.
This book was very entertaining. It wasn’t very many pages so it read more like a short story but ended on a great cliffhanger so that’s always fun. Given the length, the plot moved very quickly and while I usually hate when characters fall in love too quickly, the addition of the physiological pull between fated mates made it make more sense. These vampires are also a bit different than the classic ones you see in movies and other books and their backstory was something I’d read an entire book about on its own. Only true negative was how short it was but still a fun read!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
After reading hundreds of books, I can confidently say 3 of my favorite tropes are hockey guys, vampires and fated mates. So when I saw a book that had all three, I had to jump at it. Does it sound totally out there? Of course! But that’s the beauty of reading.
Garbage Man follows Kylie Moon and Rook Slater. Kylie is a young woman who dedicates her days to the accounting firm she works at and her nights skating at the rink she grew up going to. She lives a simple life and that’s just fine with her. Rook Slater is always around. He’s at the rink, playing with his brothers on their competitive Rec hockey league and watching her skate. He’s outside her house, taking out her trash as her literal garbage man. And he’s always close by to protect her from power hungry vampires that want her for her royal bloodline. Oh yes, did I mention he’s a vampire? He just casually drops that into her life like it’s not absolutely insane. The Elites of the vampire world want Kylie and Rook will never let them have her.
This book was very entertaining. It wasn’t very many pages so it read more like a short story but ended on a great cliffhanger so that’s always fun. Given the length, the plot moved very quickly and while I usually hate when characters fall in love too quickly, the addition of the physiological pull between fated mates made it make more sense. These vampires are also a bit different than the classic ones you see in movies and other books and their backstory was something I’d read an entire book about on its own. Only true negative was how short it was but still a fun read!
April 22, 2026
I admit that I didn’t have exactly high expectations for a book named “garbage man”, but it exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. The plot is so fun, he’s a secret hockey playing vampire who also is a garbage collector. And I love how the mmc isn’t the rich asshole vampire for once (although he is severely grumpy, but it just makes for a fun grumpy x sunshine dynamic). And she comes from a very powerful bloodline but doesn’t know it, and becomes vulnerable. And while it is fun, I felt it was a little underwhelming. There was a lot of tension and buildup for a more mediocre climax. On one hand, I wished there was more time with them actually together, because they have so much chemistry it’s really a missed opportunity. But on another hand, there was a really rushed part, because wdym she went from hating him to loving him in ten pages? The concept is really fun, but there’s a lot more room for development of plot and characters.
It is the first in a series though and I’m quite invested so I’ll definitely tune into the next book. I give this a 3.5/5
It is the first in a series though and I’m quite invested so I’ll definitely tune into the next book. I give this a 3.5/5
April 14, 2026
Garbage Man by @maxmonroe
4 ⭐️
This was a wild, chaotic, and fun ride. Blue collar men, mixed with vampire vibes, and fated mates! This one was definitely different than anything I’ve read!!
Rook is the grumpy, touch her and ☠️, MMC who is feral and overcome with complete obsession!! Kylie is the heroine FMC who doesn’t need saving from her busy life, but finds herself in a storm of tension, high stakes, and tangled up in villains she didn’t ask for.
This book was fast paced and full of tension, banter, and chemistry that sucks you in! This one was dark, unhinged, and had me absolutely rooting for these characters! I am set & ready for the next in this series!!
If you love morally gray men, fated mates, a touch of kidnapping, and obsessed men, this one is absolutely going to be for you!!
4 ⭐️
This was a wild, chaotic, and fun ride. Blue collar men, mixed with vampire vibes, and fated mates! This one was definitely different than anything I’ve read!!
Rook is the grumpy, touch her and ☠️, MMC who is feral and overcome with complete obsession!! Kylie is the heroine FMC who doesn’t need saving from her busy life, but finds herself in a storm of tension, high stakes, and tangled up in villains she didn’t ask for.
This book was fast paced and full of tension, banter, and chemistry that sucks you in! This one was dark, unhinged, and had me absolutely rooting for these characters! I am set & ready for the next in this series!!
If you love morally gray men, fated mates, a touch of kidnapping, and obsessed men, this one is absolutely going to be for you!!
April 17, 2026
You had meat Vigilante Vampires! Thank you to Max Monroe and Hambright PR for the ARC of this Garbage Man, book one in their Blue Collar Vignette Vampires Series.
It was everything I thought it would be! Hot, hockey playing vampires, a sassy FMC, fated mates, touch her and d!e, hidden bloodlines, hilarious banter, that good spice, and an ending leaving me ready for the next one!!!
Kylie Moon and her sass were an absolute highlight in this book. I feel like I highlighted almost everything she said. I love how awkward and grumpy Rook is, our ma is trying so hard. The brother’s have such camaraderie and unspoken loyalty. 5 stars from me, what a fun read.
It was everything I thought it would be! Hot, hockey playing vampires, a sassy FMC, fated mates, touch her and d!e, hidden bloodlines, hilarious banter, that good spice, and an ending leaving me ready for the next one!!!
Kylie Moon and her sass were an absolute highlight in this book. I feel like I highlighted almost everything she said. I love how awkward and grumpy Rook is, our ma is trying so hard. The brother’s have such camaraderie and unspoken loyalty. 5 stars from me, what a fun read.
April 21, 2026
Fast and Fun
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Max Monroe has been a longtime favorite of mine, so I was really curious to see them step into the vampire world—and I did enjoy this new direction. As always, their signature mix of humor and steam is there, which makes the book an easy, entertaining read.
That said, Garbage Man felt very quick—I finished it in under two hours—and almost a little too rushed. Because of that, there’s not a ton of depth. I didn’t feel like I fully got to know the characters or what really drives them, which made it harder to get invested in their story.
The plot itself clearly stretches across the full trilogy of the Slater brothers, and this book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that rolls straight into Kane’s story.
Overall, I had fun with it and I’m definitely sticking with the series.
ARC generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 ⭐
Max Monroe has been a longtime favorite of mine, so I was really curious to see them step into the vampire world—and I did enjoy this new direction. As always, their signature mix of humor and steam is there, which makes the book an easy, entertaining read.
That said, Garbage Man felt very quick—I finished it in under two hours—and almost a little too rushed. Because of that, there’s not a ton of depth. I didn’t feel like I fully got to know the characters or what really drives them, which made it harder to get invested in their story.
The plot itself clearly stretches across the full trilogy of the Slater brothers, and this book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that rolls straight into Kane’s story.
Overall, I had fun with it and I’m definitely sticking with the series.
ARC generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2026
This book was so fun and I love the blue-collar aspect of our hero’s. This is such an original take on one genre I can’t get enough of, vampires. Yes to me vampires is a genre of their own because well…vampires!
Rook and his brothers are in a world of their own. They go to work, have each other and hockey to blow steam, but Kylie moon has turned the tied for Rook and he can no longer ignore the pull because he’s about to make his own rules!!
Rook was such a broody jerk but my gosh I totally got it because he didn’t know how to he what Kylie needed. Their pull was strong and instant and I love the sassy side of Kylie. She definitely made Rook earn her trust.
This is book one of a connected series. The ending of this book leads nicely into the next and I’m so excited to start!
Rook and his brothers are in a world of their own. They go to work, have each other and hockey to blow steam, but Kylie moon has turned the tied for Rook and he can no longer ignore the pull because he’s about to make his own rules!!
Rook was such a broody jerk but my gosh I totally got it because he didn’t know how to he what Kylie needed. Their pull was strong and instant and I love the sassy side of Kylie. She definitely made Rook earn her trust.
This is book one of a connected series. The ending of this book leads nicely into the next and I’m so excited to start!
April 20, 2026
Quick read, could have been a lot better than it was. There was not a lot of explanation aside from vague references to why the MMC delayed the connection with the FMC, then with barely anytime left they all of the sudden give in and live each other? Felt too rushed and even a bit forced, but maybe I just like more tension and build up and it don’t feel like it was really there
April 18, 2026
I read this book in seven days. This is the first book in the series and I’m excited for what is next to come.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 21, 2026
This felt like a quick read for me in the best way. It’s fast paced, super engaging, and kept me hooked the whole time. Rook is so grumpy (lol) but also insanely protective, and poor Kylie is just so sweet and has no idea the danger she’s in.
This story was such a fun ride, and now I seriously can’t wait to get more of the Slater brothers 👀
Thank you so much to Hambright PR for sending me the eARC before release day 🫶
This story was such a fun ride, and now I seriously can’t wait to get more of the Slater brothers 👀
Thank you so much to Hambright PR for sending me the eARC before release day 🫶
April 22, 2026
This book is face paced. I for sure have a lot of questions about what all is going on in this world. Can't to read the next one to find out more! All he wants to do is keep her safe!
April 15, 2026
I don’t usually read vampire/fated mate type stuff, but this was VERY good! It had me hooked from the start and I cannot wait for the next one!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Looking for more of my reviews? Want to contact me? Check out my blog! Shreya Reads, Reviews, and Writes
⭐3.5 (rounded to 4)
TROPES YOU'LL LOVE:
🩸Bad boy x Good Girl
🩸Blue Collar MMC
🩸Vampire x Human (👀)
🩸Grumpy x Sunshine
🩸Fated Mates
🩸He Kidnaps Her
🩸Vampire Rivalry
🩸HFN (happy for now)
--💟💟--
GARBAGE MAN by Max Monroe (which I just realized are two people 😅) is a paranormal, fast-paced romance that follows ordinary accountant Kylie and vampiric garbage man Rook. Kylie's just trying to live her life day by day, get past tax season, and understand why the sexy garbage man and hockey player Rook dislikes her. Meanwhile, Rook's vampiric instincts want Kylie more than anything, but there's a price to pay for taking what belongs to someone else.
This was my first Max Monroe book and it certainly won't be the last! I finished this book in one day because I just had to see what was going to happen next!
KYLIE is the protagonist in this dual POV story. She's your every day accountant who loves her Gammy and releases her frustrations on the ice as an ice skater. What I loved about Kylie was that she was depicted as well...ordinary. Your every-day girl just trying to get by, and I found that part of her very appealing and realistic. I was able to relate to her fatigue, her love for her Gammy, and her battling feelings toward Rook. I especially liked that Max Monroe didn't make Kylie instantly hate Rook just because he was distant and blunt with her. Realistically, I think most people would be half intrigued and half reserved, which is exactly what Kylie was, so I liked that they didn't make her overreact for no reason.
That being said, I feel like there is still a lot of ambiguity surrounding Kylie's character. I didn't completely understand her motives or her life outside of her feelings for Rook and her interactions with Holland - another hockey player, enemy of Rook, vampire, and mysterious figure. I know this is meant to be a HFN story, but I wish we'd gotten more of Kylie fleshed out before the next book.
(also, GIRL a man tells you he's a vampire and you don't ask for proof??)
ROOK had me swooning! I love a grumpy mmc, and him being a vampire was the icing on the cake! Rook's grumpy, reserved, and madly in love with Kylie, his fated mate. He's also the oldest of his brothers and is just as protective of them. One thing I loved about Rook was his absolute devotion to Kylie; this man was SMITTEN. We need more Rook's in our lives honestly.
That being said, just as I mentioned with Kylie, there's a lot of ambiguity to Rook's character that I felt should have been explored more in his book, even if it's a HFN. For example, we don't know why he's a garbage man. Is it because he already has too much money? Is it to keep an eye on Kylie? I liked the twist, since vampires are typically described as wealthy, but it makes me curious why Rook is a garbage man specifically. This leads to another point - Rook's character.
I already said I love a grumpy MMC, and Rook is the grumpiest you're going to get! I mean, who doesn't love a man with a rough exterior who's secretly yearning for his lady love? However, I found myself growing annoyed at Rook's reluctance to actually EXPLAIN to Kylie what was happening.
PLOT wise, I honestly struggled to keep myself engaged. I didn't really understand what was the plot of this story, and I felt like so much more could have been done. This kind of ties into the pacing, which I felt was too long. There were some chapters just telling Rook's feelings toward Kylie in a scene that already happened in Kylie's chapter. Or one scene where Rook is info-dumping about the enemy. I just felt like there was TALK of an underlying tension, but it fizzled out almost instantly and diverted into Rook's inner turmoil over confessing to Kylie. There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of what I felt were filler chapters, and even the danger is still vague. In complete honesty, this felt more like a prologue book than a standalone itself. I just needed MORE to be happening.
But y'all, the SPICE was SPICING!!! Rook is a man SMITTEN and Kylie knows exactly what she wants from her man. Seeing them finally, FINALLY get together was so euphoric and I swear Max Monroe was edging us with this couple XD I was a little confused about the bonding bite thing, and I felt that, despite Rook's reluctance and admancy that he wouldn't bite Kylie, I felt that he gave in a bit too quickly. That being said, I was rooting for him to bite her so honestly it's a win in my book 😂I'm also kind of curious if his kind of vampires have blood since that's really the only way to get erect, unless there's another way. This kind of brings me back to the ambiguity surrounding the characters.
Overall, y'all, I'm ready for the next book. This has become a comfort read and something I know I can get through in a day, set it aside, and go back to it again!
⭐3.5 (rounded to 4)
TROPES YOU'LL LOVE:
🩸Bad boy x Good Girl
🩸Blue Collar MMC
🩸Vampire x Human (👀)
🩸Grumpy x Sunshine
🩸Fated Mates
🩸He Kidnaps Her
🩸Vampire Rivalry
🩸HFN (happy for now)
--💟💟--
GARBAGE MAN by Max Monroe (which I just realized are two people 😅) is a paranormal, fast-paced romance that follows ordinary accountant Kylie and vampiric garbage man Rook. Kylie's just trying to live her life day by day, get past tax season, and understand why the sexy garbage man and hockey player Rook dislikes her. Meanwhile, Rook's vampiric instincts want Kylie more than anything, but there's a price to pay for taking what belongs to someone else.
This was my first Max Monroe book and it certainly won't be the last! I finished this book in one day because I just had to see what was going to happen next!
KYLIE is the protagonist in this dual POV story. She's your every day accountant who loves her Gammy and releases her frustrations on the ice as an ice skater. What I loved about Kylie was that she was depicted as well...ordinary. Your every-day girl just trying to get by, and I found that part of her very appealing and realistic. I was able to relate to her fatigue, her love for her Gammy, and her battling feelings toward Rook. I especially liked that Max Monroe didn't make Kylie instantly hate Rook just because he was distant and blunt with her. Realistically, I think most people would be half intrigued and half reserved, which is exactly what Kylie was, so I liked that they didn't make her overreact for no reason.
That being said, I feel like there is still a lot of ambiguity surrounding Kylie's character. I didn't completely understand her motives or her life outside of her feelings for Rook and her interactions with Holland - another hockey player, enemy of Rook, vampire, and mysterious figure. I know this is meant to be a HFN story, but I wish we'd gotten more of Kylie fleshed out before the next book.
(also, GIRL a man tells you he's a vampire and you don't ask for proof??)
ROOK had me swooning! I love a grumpy mmc, and him being a vampire was the icing on the cake! Rook's grumpy, reserved, and madly in love with Kylie, his fated mate. He's also the oldest of his brothers and is just as protective of them. One thing I loved about Rook was his absolute devotion to Kylie; this man was SMITTEN. We need more Rook's in our lives honestly.
That being said, just as I mentioned with Kylie, there's a lot of ambiguity to Rook's character that I felt should have been explored more in his book, even if it's a HFN. For example, we don't know why he's a garbage man. Is it because he already has too much money? Is it to keep an eye on Kylie? I liked the twist, since vampires are typically described as wealthy, but it makes me curious why Rook is a garbage man specifically. This leads to another point - Rook's character.
I already said I love a grumpy MMC, and Rook is the grumpiest you're going to get! I mean, who doesn't love a man with a rough exterior who's secretly yearning for his lady love? However, I found myself growing annoyed at Rook's reluctance to actually EXPLAIN to Kylie what was happening.
PLOT wise, I honestly struggled to keep myself engaged. I didn't really understand what was the plot of this story, and I felt like so much more could have been done. This kind of ties into the pacing, which I felt was too long. There were some chapters just telling Rook's feelings toward Kylie in a scene that already happened in Kylie's chapter. Or one scene where Rook is info-dumping about the enemy. I just felt like there was TALK of an underlying tension, but it fizzled out almost instantly and diverted into Rook's inner turmoil over confessing to Kylie. There was a lot of back and forth, a lot of what I felt were filler chapters, and even the danger is still vague. In complete honesty, this felt more like a prologue book than a standalone itself. I just needed MORE to be happening.
But y'all, the SPICE was SPICING!!! Rook is a man SMITTEN and Kylie knows exactly what she wants from her man. Seeing them finally, FINALLY get together was so euphoric and I swear Max Monroe was edging us with this couple XD I was a little confused about the bonding bite thing, and I felt that, despite Rook's reluctance and admancy that he wouldn't bite Kylie, I felt that he gave in a bit too quickly. That being said, I was rooting for him to bite her so honestly it's a win in my book 😂I'm also kind of curious if his kind of vampires have blood since that's really the only way to get erect, unless there's another way. This kind of brings me back to the ambiguity surrounding the characters.
Overall, y'all, I'm ready for the next book. This has become a comfort read and something I know I can get through in a day, set it aside, and go back to it again!
April 14, 2026
Desde que leí que esta era una serie de blue-collar MMCs sabía que era para mi🥰 un recogedor de basura que también es un jugador de hockey y lo más importante un VAMPIRO es algo que suena bueno loco pero combina sorprendente bien😮💨!
—————
Thank you so much Hambright PR & Max Monroe for the ARC ✨
Tropes:
•paranormal romance
•hockey romance
•proximidad forzada
•fated mates
•one bed
Kylie ⛸️:
Una humana que vive una vida normal siendo contadora y tiene un hobby que es el patinaje artístico. Ella no tiene idea que existe esta mundo sobre natural del que también es parte debido a que tiene un tipo de sabe muy rara de encontrar🍷
Rook🚮 :
Un vampiro que vive una vida tranquila recorriendo basura por la mañana y jugando hockey los fines de semana. Pero eso se termina cuando después de cumplir sus 28 años siente este vínculo de fated mates con Kylie al verla caminando por primera vez a la pista de patinaje. Desde ahí sabe que no hay vuelta atrás con su obsesión con ella ❤️🔥
Historia 📝:
Desde el día que Rook sintió el vínculo con Kylie sabe que ella tiene un tipo de sangre especial que la pone en riesgo. Así que no ha dejado de seguirla a todos lados con tal de protegerla. Y cuando ve a uno de sus compañeros de equipo demasiado interesado en ella sabe que es hora de actuar y reclamarla como suya para protegerla. Solo que es demasiado tarde para tratar de cortejarla como lo haría cualquier persona normal, se ve obligado a secuestrarla 🖤🤭
Pensamientos 💭:
No sabía que esperar de este libro cuando leí que el era un vampiro que se dedicaba a recoger la basura 🤔 y fue una grata sorpresa encontrar un libro basado en la época actual con una sociedad secreta de vampiros y humanos conviviendo juntos sin saberlo. Siento que este libro fue la introducción perfecta para esta saga, te da la cantidad de información necesaria para que vayas haciéndote una idea de lo que viene a continuación con los libros de los hermanos de Rook. Y vaya final que te deja ansiosa por saber la historia de Kane y Blair. Lo bueno este ya sale este mismo mes!🥰🥹
Safety Warnings ⚠️:
-mmc obsesionado
-no drama OM (otra mujer)
-minor drama OH (otro hombre) -un compañero de equipo de él está constantemente invitándola a salir pero ella no está interesada
-célibes? Ella es virgen / él no se menciona nada
-spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (no condon)
-separación? No
-final feliz? Si
English:
Ever since I read that this was a series of blue-collar MMCs, I knew it was for me 🥰 A garbage collector who is also a hockey player and, most importantly, a VAMPIRE sounds completely wild—but it works surprisingly well 😮💨!
—————
Thank you so much Hambright PR & Max Monroe for the ARC ✨
Tropes:
• paranormal romance
• hockey romance
• forced proximity
• fated mates
• one bed
Kylie ⛸️:
A human living a normal life as an accountant, with figure skating as her hobby. She has no idea that this supernatural world exists—or that she is part of it too, because she has a very rare type of blood 🍷
Rook 🚮:
A vampire living a quiet life, collecting garbage in the mornings and playing hockey on the weekends. But everything changes after turning 28, when he feels the fated mates bond with Kylie the first time he sees her walking into the ice rink. From that moment on, he knows there is no turning back from his obsession with her ❤️🔥
Story 📝:
From the day Rook feels the bond with Kylie, he knows she has a special type of blood that puts her in danger. So he hasn’t stopped following her everywhere in order to protect her. And when he notices one of his teammates becoming a little too interested in her, he knows it’s time to act and claim her as his to keep her safe. The only problem is that it’s too late to court her like any normal person would… so he is forced to kidnap her 🖤🤭
Thoughts 💭:
I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I read that he was a vampire whose job was collecting trash 🤔, but it was such a pleasant surprise to find a story set in modern times with a secret society of vampires and humans living together without knowing it. I feel like this book was the perfect introduction to the series—it gives you just enough information to start imagining what’s coming next with the stories of Rook’s brothers. And that ending definitely leaves you eager to know Kane and Blair’s story. The good news is that it comes out later this month! 🥰🥹
—————
Thank you so much Hambright PR & Max Monroe for the ARC ✨
Tropes:
•paranormal romance
•hockey romance
•proximidad forzada
•fated mates
•one bed
Kylie ⛸️:
Una humana que vive una vida normal siendo contadora y tiene un hobby que es el patinaje artístico. Ella no tiene idea que existe esta mundo sobre natural del que también es parte debido a que tiene un tipo de sabe muy rara de encontrar🍷
Rook🚮 :
Un vampiro que vive una vida tranquila recorriendo basura por la mañana y jugando hockey los fines de semana. Pero eso se termina cuando después de cumplir sus 28 años siente este vínculo de fated mates con Kylie al verla caminando por primera vez a la pista de patinaje. Desde ahí sabe que no hay vuelta atrás con su obsesión con ella ❤️🔥
Historia 📝:
Desde el día que Rook sintió el vínculo con Kylie sabe que ella tiene un tipo de sangre especial que la pone en riesgo. Así que no ha dejado de seguirla a todos lados con tal de protegerla. Y cuando ve a uno de sus compañeros de equipo demasiado interesado en ella sabe que es hora de actuar y reclamarla como suya para protegerla. Solo que es demasiado tarde para tratar de cortejarla como lo haría cualquier persona normal, se ve obligado a secuestrarla 🖤🤭
Pensamientos 💭:
No sabía que esperar de este libro cuando leí que el era un vampiro que se dedicaba a recoger la basura 🤔 y fue una grata sorpresa encontrar un libro basado en la época actual con una sociedad secreta de vampiros y humanos conviviendo juntos sin saberlo. Siento que este libro fue la introducción perfecta para esta saga, te da la cantidad de información necesaria para que vayas haciéndote una idea de lo que viene a continuación con los libros de los hermanos de Rook. Y vaya final que te deja ansiosa por saber la historia de Kane y Blair. Lo bueno este ya sale este mismo mes!🥰🥹
Safety Warnings ⚠️:
-mmc obsesionado
-no drama OM (otra mujer)
-minor drama OH (otro hombre) -un compañero de equipo de él está constantemente invitándola a salir pero ella no está interesada
-célibes? Ella es virgen / él no se menciona nada
-spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (no condon)
-separación? No
-final feliz? Si
English:
Ever since I read that this was a series of blue-collar MMCs, I knew it was for me 🥰 A garbage collector who is also a hockey player and, most importantly, a VAMPIRE sounds completely wild—but it works surprisingly well 😮💨!
—————
Thank you so much Hambright PR & Max Monroe for the ARC ✨
Tropes:
• paranormal romance
• hockey romance
• forced proximity
• fated mates
• one bed
Kylie ⛸️:
A human living a normal life as an accountant, with figure skating as her hobby. She has no idea that this supernatural world exists—or that she is part of it too, because she has a very rare type of blood 🍷
Rook 🚮:
A vampire living a quiet life, collecting garbage in the mornings and playing hockey on the weekends. But everything changes after turning 28, when he feels the fated mates bond with Kylie the first time he sees her walking into the ice rink. From that moment on, he knows there is no turning back from his obsession with her ❤️🔥
Story 📝:
From the day Rook feels the bond with Kylie, he knows she has a special type of blood that puts her in danger. So he hasn’t stopped following her everywhere in order to protect her. And when he notices one of his teammates becoming a little too interested in her, he knows it’s time to act and claim her as his to keep her safe. The only problem is that it’s too late to court her like any normal person would… so he is forced to kidnap her 🖤🤭
Thoughts 💭:
I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I read that he was a vampire whose job was collecting trash 🤔, but it was such a pleasant surprise to find a story set in modern times with a secret society of vampires and humans living together without knowing it. I feel like this book was the perfect introduction to the series—it gives you just enough information to start imagining what’s coming next with the stories of Rook’s brothers. And that ending definitely leaves you eager to know Kane and Blair’s story. The good news is that it comes out later this month! 🥰🥹
April 22, 2026
I was so excited for this brand new series from Max and Monroe. This was so different and unlike anything they’ve written before, but to me, I feel like it could have been a tinge better. It wasn’t enough to earn a 5 but definitely a 4. I felt like there was too much cryptic things going on. It started with Kylie’s Grammy being cagey with insisting on seeing her to talk and that it needs to be in person. Then you had Rook being secretive to not only us as readers but also to Kylie, especially to her. As a reader, we know what he is and what his connection to Kylie means and the dangers that Kylie could potentially be exposed to. We just didn’t know to what intent or purpose, even what the rankings mean. On top of that, you had another character watching Kylie like a hawk. He was always showing up suddenly and insisting she join him for a “networking” party. Off the bat you know something is up with that, and especially with the insight Rook provides to us as the readers about it. As a whole though, the situation was just vague and I was lost because I felt like I wasn’t really getting concrete answers from Rook or even his brothers. It had a “find out as you go” vibe and I didn’t care for that, not when Kylie’s life was in danger and we don’t get details about it, not really. I just felt like I was on edge the entire time when I was reading this book. I was also very anxious too. I just didn’t like what was going on and with minimal information. The vampires sure have an interesting way of showing they care and in protecting their own with kidnapping tactics because that will get someone to trust you (rolls eyes). It felt more like a bother and annoyance to them that they have to be this way rather than out of love or in a fated mate way. It just felt really tense and uncomfortable for all parties because there was no explanation to Rook’s behavior. I don’t blame Kylie for thinking he hates her. If you look at it from a different perspective though, it was interesting and I liked the idea of fated mates for vampires. Normally it’s involving shifters, at least with my experience. To have fated mates for vampires, and their way of claiming them and what brings them to that realization is hard to comprehend and I think Max and Monroe captured that wonderfully. It made sense and I could see it working out that way. There is still a binding ritual, biting involved and all of it involves sex. It’s not as obvious like when a shifter claims their mate but the vampire mating goes a bit deeper and I liked the direction that went in. If anything, the reason I’m giving this a 4 is because the story had direction, it was going somewhere and the why and how kept me reading even though I didn’t care for how it went about. I didn’t like the vagueness and I didn’t like how Kylie was not informed of the situation until the very last minute. She should have known a while ago, right from the beginning or at least close to it. I could have done without the whole anxiety levels being up and the on edge feeling. I just couldn’t relax and I don’t know if that was done on purpose by Max and Monroe or if that was just me overreacting. Hopefully there’s less cryptic thoughts and situations in the next book and everything makes more sense. I feel the need for secrecy has gone out the window at this point.
April 15, 2026
Wow this was everything I was excited about and more! Very much deserved 5 star rating for a fabulous first book in the series!
Kylie and Rook live in different worlds; Kylie in a human one and Rook, a vampire one. Kylie is an accountant who loves to ice skate her stresses away whilst Rook is a garbage collection man, on Kylie’s street, who enjoys playing hockey. However, their lives suddenly collide when Rook first lays eyes on Kylie, the mate bond, he’d heard of but never encountered is suddenly enacted and now Rook would burn the world down for her. Rook isn’t the only suitor after Kylie though; the vampire world is a dangerous world which humans are unaware of, and other vampires are circling Kylie but for more nefarious reasons. Will Rook be able to keep Kylie safe in a world that she doesn’t know and also doesn’t understand?!
Well, this is my first book by Max Monroe and I am smitten! The story was jump started with an electric prologue which had me totally hooked right away. I adored Kylie and her sassy attitude, and I loved the dark and brooding Rook. His other two brothers, Cal and Kane were brilliant secondary characters and really helped when the angst was angsting with a light hearted joke or trying to simmer Rook down! One of the characters made me want to vomit they were so slimy and if you read the book, you will know exactly who I am talking about. The chemistry between Kylie and Rook was electric and I loved every minute of it! I also really enjoyed the “world building”, although the book is set in modern times it was very interesting to read about the vampires that inhabited that world and how it all fits together, I feel it built the setting well. If I had anything negative to say it probably was just that I wanted more because I fell in love with Kylie and Rook so much and wasn’t ready to let them go at the end. However, saying this, I didn’t feel the plot was rushed at all and felt it moved along at a great place, I am just a bit of a greedy reader!
Overall, this first book was definitely worth waiting for and I am so so so excited for book 2 and 3. I am desperate to read Kane and Cal’s stories and I am so glad I don’t have to wait long! I highly recommend this for any reader who loves their main male character to be dark and brooding but will burn the world down for the right woman. I am ticking down the days until I can get my hands on book 2- Repo Man.
Thank you to Max Monroe, Hambright PR and BookFunnel for my advanced reading copy. Out 17th April 2026.
Kylie and Rook live in different worlds; Kylie in a human one and Rook, a vampire one. Kylie is an accountant who loves to ice skate her stresses away whilst Rook is a garbage collection man, on Kylie’s street, who enjoys playing hockey. However, their lives suddenly collide when Rook first lays eyes on Kylie, the mate bond, he’d heard of but never encountered is suddenly enacted and now Rook would burn the world down for her. Rook isn’t the only suitor after Kylie though; the vampire world is a dangerous world which humans are unaware of, and other vampires are circling Kylie but for more nefarious reasons. Will Rook be able to keep Kylie safe in a world that she doesn’t know and also doesn’t understand?!
Well, this is my first book by Max Monroe and I am smitten! The story was jump started with an electric prologue which had me totally hooked right away. I adored Kylie and her sassy attitude, and I loved the dark and brooding Rook. His other two brothers, Cal and Kane were brilliant secondary characters and really helped when the angst was angsting with a light hearted joke or trying to simmer Rook down! One of the characters made me want to vomit they were so slimy and if you read the book, you will know exactly who I am talking about. The chemistry between Kylie and Rook was electric and I loved every minute of it! I also really enjoyed the “world building”, although the book is set in modern times it was very interesting to read about the vampires that inhabited that world and how it all fits together, I feel it built the setting well. If I had anything negative to say it probably was just that I wanted more because I fell in love with Kylie and Rook so much and wasn’t ready to let them go at the end. However, saying this, I didn’t feel the plot was rushed at all and felt it moved along at a great place, I am just a bit of a greedy reader!
Overall, this first book was definitely worth waiting for and I am so so so excited for book 2 and 3. I am desperate to read Kane and Cal’s stories and I am so glad I don’t have to wait long! I highly recommend this for any reader who loves their main male character to be dark and brooding but will burn the world down for the right woman. I am ticking down the days until I can get my hands on book 2- Repo Man.
Thank you to Max Monroe, Hambright PR and BookFunnel for my advanced reading copy. Out 17th April 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kylie had a normal life, working at an accounting firm and skating on her off time to take the edge off. While she was used to running into the hockey players at the rink after their games, they never seemed to pay much attention to her, until a switch flipped and suddenly they were everywhere. The well-dressed businessman who always seemed to watch her a bit too closely is now showing up wherever she is, insisting she accompany him to a party, and her regular garbage man who looks at her with nothing but disdain is helping her at every turn. When the only person she can trust is herself, she doesn’t know if her instincts will be enough to keep her safe, especially when she doesn’t know who or what the real threat is.
Rook has always known that when he turned 28, he might end up recognizing his mate, but never expected it to be Kylie, or how strong the pull towards her would be. To make matters worse, just as he realizes his own connection, it becomes clear that she has also captured the attention of the elite vampires, seeking members of her bloodline for nefarious means, and unwilling to take no for an answer. While he tries to avoid getting involved, beyond running interference with one of their gofers who keeps getting too close, when he learns of their plans to take her against her will, he knows he will have to step in, even if it costs him everything.
I received an early copy of this book from Hambright PR and really enjoyed it. It was a quick, surprisingly lighthearted read, given that vampires are involved. While I would have liked to learn more about both Rook and Kylie’s lives before the mate bond was triggered, I appreciated that the plot didn’t drag on in any way. While this definitely wasn’t a case of instalove, it was clear early on how much safer Kylie always felt in Rook’s presence, and once they accepted their connection, it was undeniable. Given that this is a trilogy, I’m hoping that the future books will dig deeper into the history of vampires and humans, and especially how the bloodlines are involved, but the ending definitely set the scene for more to come.
Rook has always known that when he turned 28, he might end up recognizing his mate, but never expected it to be Kylie, or how strong the pull towards her would be. To make matters worse, just as he realizes his own connection, it becomes clear that she has also captured the attention of the elite vampires, seeking members of her bloodline for nefarious means, and unwilling to take no for an answer. While he tries to avoid getting involved, beyond running interference with one of their gofers who keeps getting too close, when he learns of their plans to take her against her will, he knows he will have to step in, even if it costs him everything.
I received an early copy of this book from Hambright PR and really enjoyed it. It was a quick, surprisingly lighthearted read, given that vampires are involved. While I would have liked to learn more about both Rook and Kylie’s lives before the mate bond was triggered, I appreciated that the plot didn’t drag on in any way. While this definitely wasn’t a case of instalove, it was clear early on how much safer Kylie always felt in Rook’s presence, and once they accepted their connection, it was undeniable. Given that this is a trilogy, I’m hoping that the future books will dig deeper into the history of vampires and humans, and especially how the bloodlines are involved, but the ending definitely set the scene for more to come.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: Loved It
🩸Fated Mates
🩸Blue Collar MMC
🩸Vampire x Human
🩸Grumpy x Sunshine
🩸She Has Special Blood
🩸He Kidnaps Her
🩸Vampire Rivalry
🩸HFN
🩸Class Warfare
Okay, this trilogy is shaping up to be so good.
There’s definitely a lot of world-building in this one, which pulls a bit of focus from the romance, but honestly, it needed to happen and with the whole fated mates situation, Rook and Kylie don’t exactly need a ton of “getting to know you” time anyway.
Just a heads up, this ends on a cliffhanger. I knew it was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared for it to hit like that. So far, we’ve got multiple women kidnapped by their mates to be kept safe from this mysterious Elite group. There's some special/important (and very dangerous) blood, and human women are being raised to think they’re “chosen” when they’re really just…not. It’s dark, it’s messy, and I need answers.
I actually really liked the slow drip of information. I love learning everything piece by piece. It keeps the tension high because I'm constantly trying to connect the dots when another crumb is dropped.
I loved what they did with the vampire lore. The changes make the world feel fresh and unique without losing what makes vampires…vampires. It added an extra layer of intrigue that kept me hooked the entire time.
Rook is gone for Kylie and there's no staying away no matter how hard he tries. He’s stuck in that “she deserves better than me” mindset, so naturally, he compensates by being a bit of a jerk. And listen…grumpy, blue-collar hockey player with a “I hate everyone but you” attitude? That’s my kryptonite. Especially when he’s only soft for her.
Kylie is such a great FMC. She's strong, independent, and surviving tax season like a true warrior. She’s genuinely funny. Her banter with Rook is great, but her internal monologue? Had me snickering more than once because…same, girl.
Their connection was instant, their spice was delicious. I need the next book immediately.
Thank you, @hambright_pr and @m@authormaxmonroe, for the ARC!
🩸Fated Mates
🩸Blue Collar MMC
🩸Vampire x Human
🩸Grumpy x Sunshine
🩸She Has Special Blood
🩸He Kidnaps Her
🩸Vampire Rivalry
🩸HFN
🩸Class Warfare
Okay, this trilogy is shaping up to be so good.
There’s definitely a lot of world-building in this one, which pulls a bit of focus from the romance, but honestly, it needed to happen and with the whole fated mates situation, Rook and Kylie don’t exactly need a ton of “getting to know you” time anyway.
Just a heads up, this ends on a cliffhanger. I knew it was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared for it to hit like that. So far, we’ve got multiple women kidnapped by their mates to be kept safe from this mysterious Elite group. There's some special/important (and very dangerous) blood, and human women are being raised to think they’re “chosen” when they’re really just…not. It’s dark, it’s messy, and I need answers.
I actually really liked the slow drip of information. I love learning everything piece by piece. It keeps the tension high because I'm constantly trying to connect the dots when another crumb is dropped.
I loved what they did with the vampire lore. The changes make the world feel fresh and unique without losing what makes vampires…vampires. It added an extra layer of intrigue that kept me hooked the entire time.
Rook is gone for Kylie and there's no staying away no matter how hard he tries. He’s stuck in that “she deserves better than me” mindset, so naturally, he compensates by being a bit of a jerk. And listen…grumpy, blue-collar hockey player with a “I hate everyone but you” attitude? That’s my kryptonite. Especially when he’s only soft for her.
Kylie is such a great FMC. She's strong, independent, and surviving tax season like a true warrior. She’s genuinely funny. Her banter with Rook is great, but her internal monologue? Had me snickering more than once because…same, girl.
Their connection was instant, their spice was delicious. I need the next book immediately.
Thank you, @hambright_pr and @m@authormaxmonroe, for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
*An advance reader copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.*
Broody Rook Slater and his brothers, Kane and Cal, were born as vampires. Growing up orphans, Rook (being the oldest) took on the parental role. They knew that once they turned 28 years old, they would be bonded with their fated mate. As hard as Rook tried to escape it, he was matched with Kylie Moon. Kylie was an accountant, whose stress relief was to skate on the same rink that Rook and his brothers played on in a hockey league. Not to mention, she’s gorgeous. And she’s human…
You can feel the attraction and pull between them. Even if Rook makes Kylie believe that he can’t even tolerate her. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Kylie is his everything, but he doesn’t want to give in to his destiny. Rook knows that by accepting it, it means his brothers will have to, as well.
However, if Rook doesn’t give in sooner rather than later, the wealthy and elite vampires will take Kylie as their plaything. They are already circling like vultures. Her blood is rare and extremely coveted by these monsters that Kylie knows nothing about. Rook will do everything in his power to stop that from happening, even if that means giving in to his fate and making Kylie his own first. And when they do give in to their attraction, it’s explosive.
This is not your typical Max Monroe book and let me tell you there’s not anything to be worried about… I love their romcoms, but when they step outside of their norm, it’s magical. Never did I expect them to create a series about vampires and their fated mates or that I would enjoy it so much. I’m not much of a fantasy reader, aside from the Twilight series. But this just hits differently. Now that I’ve finished Garbage Man, I need more Rook… more Kylie… just more. I am addicted to the Slater Brothers, and you will be, too. Thankfully there’s not much of a wait for both brothers’ stories. I’m afraid I’ve become rather impatient…
Broody Rook Slater and his brothers, Kane and Cal, were born as vampires. Growing up orphans, Rook (being the oldest) took on the parental role. They knew that once they turned 28 years old, they would be bonded with their fated mate. As hard as Rook tried to escape it, he was matched with Kylie Moon. Kylie was an accountant, whose stress relief was to skate on the same rink that Rook and his brothers played on in a hockey league. Not to mention, she’s gorgeous. And she’s human…
You can feel the attraction and pull between them. Even if Rook makes Kylie believe that he can’t even tolerate her. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Kylie is his everything, but he doesn’t want to give in to his destiny. Rook knows that by accepting it, it means his brothers will have to, as well.
However, if Rook doesn’t give in sooner rather than later, the wealthy and elite vampires will take Kylie as their plaything. They are already circling like vultures. Her blood is rare and extremely coveted by these monsters that Kylie knows nothing about. Rook will do everything in his power to stop that from happening, even if that means giving in to his fate and making Kylie his own first. And when they do give in to their attraction, it’s explosive.
This is not your typical Max Monroe book and let me tell you there’s not anything to be worried about… I love their romcoms, but when they step outside of their norm, it’s magical. Never did I expect them to create a series about vampires and their fated mates or that I would enjoy it so much. I’m not much of a fantasy reader, aside from the Twilight series. But this just hits differently. Now that I’ve finished Garbage Man, I need more Rook… more Kylie… just more. I am addicted to the Slater Brothers, and you will be, too. Thankfully there’s not much of a wait for both brothers’ stories. I’m afraid I’ve become rather impatient…
April 17, 2026
“He looks at me like he wants to kill me, Al.”
“With orgasms, maybe.”
"I'd rather die than live in a world where she isn’t mine."
The steamy Garbage Man, by knows how to please their audience writing duo, Max Monroe, has all the angst, swoons, and banter that make us love their romance books.
Rook Slater, of course his name is Rook, is a broody blue collar garbage man by day, plays hockey in a league at night and is a vampire 24/7. Now on his 28th birthday, he learns the truth about fated mates when he can no longer deny his fierce protective possessive need for Kylie to be his forever.
Kylie is sassy, hard working and very human. She doesn't understand Rook's intense gazes or why he always appears when Holland is around her. Holland is the opposite of Rook. He's rich, always smiling, though the smiles never seem to reach his eyes and always wears suits when not playing hockey against Rook.
But here's the twists Kylie doesn't know: She has a rare blood type that powers up vampires, and Holland is part of the Elite vampires who have no problem taking the fated mates of the lowest of the vampire hierarchy, the blue collar vampires. But Rook, with his brothers Kane and Cal, is ready to go to war with the Elites for his Kylie. Books 2 and 3 are on their way and I can't get them into my hands fast enough. Garbage day just got real messy!
Blue Collar Vigilante Vampires Series
Pub date for Garbage Man (book 1) is April 17, 2026
Pub date for Repo Man (book 2) is April 24, 2026
Pub date for Demolition Man (book 3) is May 1, 2026
Series Tropes:
Brothers Who Protect
Blue Collar Alphas
Fated Mate
He's A Vampire... She's human
Touch Her & ☠️
Secret Vampires Society
Morally Gray Heroes
Vigilante Vampires
Destroy the System
Max Monroe Banter
I received a free copy of this book from Hambright_PR for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
“With orgasms, maybe.”
"I'd rather die than live in a world where she isn’t mine."
The steamy Garbage Man, by knows how to please their audience writing duo, Max Monroe, has all the angst, swoons, and banter that make us love their romance books.
Rook Slater, of course his name is Rook, is a broody blue collar garbage man by day, plays hockey in a league at night and is a vampire 24/7. Now on his 28th birthday, he learns the truth about fated mates when he can no longer deny his fierce protective possessive need for Kylie to be his forever.
Kylie is sassy, hard working and very human. She doesn't understand Rook's intense gazes or why he always appears when Holland is around her. Holland is the opposite of Rook. He's rich, always smiling, though the smiles never seem to reach his eyes and always wears suits when not playing hockey against Rook.
But here's the twists Kylie doesn't know: She has a rare blood type that powers up vampires, and Holland is part of the Elite vampires who have no problem taking the fated mates of the lowest of the vampire hierarchy, the blue collar vampires. But Rook, with his brothers Kane and Cal, is ready to go to war with the Elites for his Kylie. Books 2 and 3 are on their way and I can't get them into my hands fast enough. Garbage day just got real messy!
Blue Collar Vigilante Vampires Series
Pub date for Garbage Man (book 1) is April 17, 2026
Pub date for Repo Man (book 2) is April 24, 2026
Pub date for Demolition Man (book 3) is May 1, 2026
Series Tropes:
Brothers Who Protect
Blue Collar Alphas
Fated Mate
He's A Vampire... She's human
Touch Her & ☠️
Secret Vampires Society
Morally Gray Heroes
Vigilante Vampires
Destroy the System
Max Monroe Banter
I received a free copy of this book from Hambright_PR for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
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