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Magical Romantic Comedies #2
Hoofin' It
All Shane wanted was to get away from the wreckage of his career for a while. He picked New York City to provide him with a distraction from his early, unwanted retirement from the police force.
New York City delivered, distracting him with three corpses and a miniature llama with a spitting problem and an attitude. If he wants to return to a normal life, he’ll have to face off against a sex trafficking ring targeting the woman of his dreams, ancient vampires, murderous criminals, his parents, and an FBI agent with a hidden agenda.
Some days, it isn’t easy being an ex-cop.
Warning: This novel contains excessive humor, action, excitement, adventure, magic, romance, and bodies. Proceed with caution.
New York City delivered, distracting him with three corpses and a miniature llama with a spitting problem and an attitude. If he wants to return to a normal life, he’ll have to face off against a sex trafficking ring targeting the woman of his dreams, ancient vampires, murderous criminals, his parents, and an FBI agent with a hidden agenda.
Some days, it isn’t easy being an ex-cop.
Warning: This novel contains excessive humor, action, excitement, adventure, magic, romance, and bodies. Proceed with caution.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2017
847 people are currently reading
742 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Blain
81 books1,304 followersRJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.
When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband, and obeys the commands of Tsu Dhi, the great warrior fish.
In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.
When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter. In reality, she herds cats and a husband, and obeys the commands of Tsu Dhi, the great warrior fish.
In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
August 17, 2020
This is second in a series, but they aren't related by more than simply being in the same madcap world. They aren't even set in the same city. So you can totally read them out of order so far. Though I liked the first one better so I don't know why you would start here.
This story was a lot like the first and if you read the series in order you'll know more or less what you're in for. Kind of. This has a lot slower start where we're just along with Shane for a while before anything like an adventure starts. So you get this almost pastoral view of him for a while and that turns out to be a little inaccurate for later developments. The world itself, and the plot as a result, is still a madcap romp with lots of supernatural elements thrown into the pot and only internal consistency keeping the author honest or preventing outright farce. This still worked for me.
What turned out to be less interesting is that once things heat up, Shane and his lady are more side-characters than not. Oh, they still have an effect on events and are important actors in the narrative. But the others on stage outclass them both by a wide margin so a lot of what they have is bravado and chutzpah. And the "Babylonians" just didn't work for me at all.
Also, the romance was a bit too autopilot for me to really commit to it. I liked them together, don't get me wrong. And their banter is great (a specialty of Blain). But it takes forever to even start and then it stuttered in zooming sequences once it got started. So while I was always on board and never bored or anything, it still felt a bit rote or taken for granted in the end.
So this is a solid three stars with a little extra for the banter. But not enough extra to zap it up to four stars or even partial stars above three. I'm still interested in the next, but I won't put a lot of effort into acquiring it.
A note about Steamy: There is banter about sex stuff and sex stuff happens. But it seems to be a thing with this author not to have any sex stuff on-page. So none of that here. So I call it chaste whereas others probably wouldn't as really, there's plenty of talk about it.
This story was a lot like the first and if you read the series in order you'll know more or less what you're in for. Kind of. This has a lot slower start where we're just along with Shane for a while before anything like an adventure starts. So you get this almost pastoral view of him for a while and that turns out to be a little inaccurate for later developments. The world itself, and the plot as a result, is still a madcap romp with lots of supernatural elements thrown into the pot and only internal consistency keeping the author honest or preventing outright farce. This still worked for me.
What turned out to be less interesting is that once things heat up, Shane and his lady are more side-characters than not. Oh, they still have an effect on events and are important actors in the narrative. But the others on stage outclass them both by a wide margin so a lot of what they have is bravado and chutzpah. And the "Babylonians" just didn't work for me at all.
Also, the romance was a bit too autopilot for me to really commit to it. I liked them together, don't get me wrong. And their banter is great (a specialty of Blain). But it takes forever to even start and then it stuttered in zooming sequences once it got started. So while I was always on board and never bored or anything, it still felt a bit rote or taken for granted in the end.
So this is a solid three stars with a little extra for the banter. But not enough extra to zap it up to four stars or even partial stars above three. I'm still interested in the next, but I won't put a lot of effort into acquiring it.
A note about Steamy: There is banter about sex stuff and sex stuff happens. But it seems to be a thing with this author not to have any sex stuff on-page. So none of that here. So I call it chaste whereas others probably wouldn't as really, there's plenty of talk about it.
March 7, 2022
It's hard to describe these books to other people. It is technically the second in a series, but it has no relation to the first book other than the fact they're in the same wacky universe. In this universe, lots of paranormal creatures are common knowledge. Lycanthropes and shifters are separate species, which is really key to this particular installment. There are succubi/incubi, gorgons, pixies, satyrs, etc. Pretty much any mythological creature you have ever heard of is bound to make an appearance at some point.
The protagonist is an ex-cop from Chicago with cop parents whom are also lycanthropes. The protagonist himself is not a lycanthrope, and believes himself to be the next best thing to powerless. Over the course of the novel he learns that he is way more supernatural --and way less human-- than he had initially thought. Meanwhile, the action starts out with a dead body plummeting onto a car he happens to be standing next to, which also happens to have an alpaca inside it. He takes the alpaca home, and thereafter becomes the target of criminal organizations.
This very respectable, good-looking virgin guy then has a lot of romance fall into his lap. (That is actually a triple entendre.)
However, his relationship with his parents is more complicated. They seem to love each other greatly, but their interactions are all about "getting" each other, or teasing with threats of physical violence.
It's weird. "Wacky" is the best description for a "A Magical Romantic Comedy (With a Bodycount)." This series appeals to me with its heavy use of hybridization.
Not everyone's cup of tea.
The protagonist is an ex-cop from Chicago with cop parents whom are also lycanthropes. The protagonist himself is not a lycanthrope, and believes himself to be the next best thing to powerless. Over the course of the novel he learns that he is way more supernatural --and way less human-- than he had initially thought. Meanwhile, the action starts out with a dead body plummeting onto a car he happens to be standing next to, which also happens to have an alpaca inside it. He takes the alpaca home, and thereafter becomes the target of criminal organizations.
This very respectable, good-looking virgin guy then has a lot of romance fall into his lap. (That is actually a triple entendre.)
However, his relationship with his parents is more complicated. They seem to love each other greatly, but their interactions are all about "getting" each other, or teasing with threats of physical violence.
It's weird. "Wacky" is the best description for a "A Magical Romantic Comedy (With a Bodycount)." This series appeals to me with its heavy use of hybridization.
Not everyone's cup of tea.
February 24, 2019
When I did settle down, I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps. Maybe my parents were more than a little crazy, but they were still together after so many years.
That's what I wanted, and I wasn't going to ruin my chances by being a dick-or thinking with it. There were plenty of girls in the world who reduced me to drooling, but I recognized the difference between love and lust.
I wanted the kind of love that resulted in a pancake-stained ceiling and a child willing to clean up my messes. That sort of love took a special woman, and I wasn't going to find her unzipping my pants every time a pretty lady took a second look at me.
This is good…actually, it's really good. Surprisingly so. I laughed through the whole damn thing. I'm not going to go in to what happens, because there's too much. I will say I wish Sally would have been around for a little longer. Also, not once did my expectations on what might happen, and what did happen, match. Pretty much I saw nothing coming so I consider that a plus. Like at the beginning, when Shane described what happened after the accident and how the people in Chicago basically act like he's a leper. I figured he'd be more of a loner. Turns out he had a very interesting assortment of friends and family. I probably should have known better. I've only read one other book by the author, and it was the one before this one, but she has some of THE most interesting creatures in her books. From the angels with no heads, to the Babylonians, they are all over the damn place and I love it. And even though the series says it's a Magical Romantic Comedy with a Body Count, it's pretty light on the romance. Usually I don't like that, I want more of the romance part, but it's made up in the magical, comedy, and body count divisions so it worked, the story moved quickly and it was interesting so I was satisfied at the end of the ride.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Mom."
"The last time you called, you'd just had your eye scooped out. You refused to bring it home in a jar for me."
At least my glass replacement made it possible for me to blink-and close my eyes so I could enjoy the illusion of normality. "That's disgusting."
"That's what your father said. How could you resist the chance to keep an actual human eye on your desk? It's a trophy. Sure, you lost your eye, but you saved three lives. That's something to be proud of. Come on, Shane. I raised you better than that."
Given five minutes, my mother could always find a silver lining in any cloud. "Why aren't you in an institution yet, Mom?"
"You'd get bored if you sent me away."
~
"You've pinched my ass at least five times since we arrived at the mall."
"It's not my fault it's so tempting and those pants fit you so well. It's begging to be touched."
"So we're even. You can keep stealing pinches as long as I can openly admire your legs. We're sexist pigs in equal proportion. It works out for everyone. You can even upgrade from pinches to gentle caresses if you like."
"How about a solid slap?"
"Two-way street. If you slap, I slap. If we start slapping, I might have to leave my parents with Ernesto and take you home." I paused. "I'm not sure that's a bad thing."
~
"If it makes her happy, give her what she wants." I didn't want any other woman, and I was glad to do the work in reverse, learning about her and learning to love her properly for the rest of my life. Maybe she'd been beautiful before I'd begun to love her, but I didn't love her because she was beautiful. I loved her because she was the kind of woman who would sacrifice a great deal to do the right thing.
She had so much courage and stubborn pride I'd spend the rest of my life worrying about her and toeing the line between protecting her no matter what and trusting her to protect herself.
I still hadn't told her I loved her, but I looked forward to spending the rest of my life showing her how much I cared. The words would come eventually, but when I said them, she wouldn't doubt my feelings for her.
~
"Be nice, Shane."
"He bit me. I don't need to be nice."
She laughed and smiled at me. "You're grumpy. Put your clothes back on. He's bribing us with weapons, so forgive him-for now. We can kneecap them both later. It'll be a date."
If I counted the ways I loved Marian, I would begin with her adaptability. Her smile and laughter were close to the top of the list. Add in her protectiveness, something I hadn't known I'd wanted, and I was lost and gratefully so. "All right."
~
Abil Ili was right; the topaz didn't restore my sight, but it warmed me all the same. The gesture was so little yet meant so much. The Babylonians saw right through me, recognized me as someone deserving better than flawed glass, valued me so few others did.
That's what I wanted, and I wasn't going to ruin my chances by being a dick-or thinking with it. There were plenty of girls in the world who reduced me to drooling, but I recognized the difference between love and lust.
I wanted the kind of love that resulted in a pancake-stained ceiling and a child willing to clean up my messes. That sort of love took a special woman, and I wasn't going to find her unzipping my pants every time a pretty lady took a second look at me.
This is good…actually, it's really good. Surprisingly so. I laughed through the whole damn thing. I'm not going to go in to what happens, because there's too much. I will say I wish Sally would have been around for a little longer. Also, not once did my expectations on what might happen, and what did happen, match. Pretty much I saw nothing coming so I consider that a plus. Like at the beginning, when Shane described what happened after the accident and how the people in Chicago basically act like he's a leper. I figured he'd be more of a loner. Turns out he had a very interesting assortment of friends and family. I probably should have known better. I've only read one other book by the author, and it was the one before this one, but she has some of THE most interesting creatures in her books. From the angels with no heads, to the Babylonians, they are all over the damn place and I love it. And even though the series says it's a Magical Romantic Comedy with a Body Count, it's pretty light on the romance. Usually I don't like that, I want more of the romance part, but it's made up in the magical, comedy, and body count divisions so it worked, the story moved quickly and it was interesting so I was satisfied at the end of the ride.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Mom."
"The last time you called, you'd just had your eye scooped out. You refused to bring it home in a jar for me."
At least my glass replacement made it possible for me to blink-and close my eyes so I could enjoy the illusion of normality. "That's disgusting."
"That's what your father said. How could you resist the chance to keep an actual human eye on your desk? It's a trophy. Sure, you lost your eye, but you saved three lives. That's something to be proud of. Come on, Shane. I raised you better than that."
Given five minutes, my mother could always find a silver lining in any cloud. "Why aren't you in an institution yet, Mom?"
"You'd get bored if you sent me away."
~
"You've pinched my ass at least five times since we arrived at the mall."
"It's not my fault it's so tempting and those pants fit you so well. It's begging to be touched."
"So we're even. You can keep stealing pinches as long as I can openly admire your legs. We're sexist pigs in equal proportion. It works out for everyone. You can even upgrade from pinches to gentle caresses if you like."
"How about a solid slap?"
"Two-way street. If you slap, I slap. If we start slapping, I might have to leave my parents with Ernesto and take you home." I paused. "I'm not sure that's a bad thing."
~
"If it makes her happy, give her what she wants." I didn't want any other woman, and I was glad to do the work in reverse, learning about her and learning to love her properly for the rest of my life. Maybe she'd been beautiful before I'd begun to love her, but I didn't love her because she was beautiful. I loved her because she was the kind of woman who would sacrifice a great deal to do the right thing.
She had so much courage and stubborn pride I'd spend the rest of my life worrying about her and toeing the line between protecting her no matter what and trusting her to protect herself.
I still hadn't told her I loved her, but I looked forward to spending the rest of my life showing her how much I cared. The words would come eventually, but when I said them, she wouldn't doubt my feelings for her.
~
"Be nice, Shane."
"He bit me. I don't need to be nice."
She laughed and smiled at me. "You're grumpy. Put your clothes back on. He's bribing us with weapons, so forgive him-for now. We can kneecap them both later. It'll be a date."
If I counted the ways I loved Marian, I would begin with her adaptability. Her smile and laughter were close to the top of the list. Add in her protectiveness, something I hadn't known I'd wanted, and I was lost and gratefully so. "All right."
~
Abil Ili was right; the topaz didn't restore my sight, but it warmed me all the same. The gesture was so little yet meant so much. The Babylonians saw right through me, recognized me as someone deserving better than flawed glass, valued me so few others did.
September 19, 2017
Bi-polar books
So the first half was a hell of a lot of fun. I mean, shearing a werewolf, scraping pancakes off the ceiling fun. Then it got weird.
Not that there's anything wrong with the weirdness. It just got too complicated balanced against the simplicity of the early part. It's mainly after he gets blown up that it gets to be too strange.
The brisk dialogue worked...until it didn't. I loved it up until he fell down the sewer.
So the first half was a hell of a lot of fun. I mean, shearing a werewolf, scraping pancakes off the ceiling fun. Then it got weird.
Not that there's anything wrong with the weirdness. It just got too complicated balanced against the simplicity of the early part. It's mainly after he gets blown up that it gets to be too strange.
The brisk dialogue worked...until it didn't. I loved it up until he fell down the sewer.
August 27, 2020
The next time I took a vacation, I would just stay home.
I can't even review this hot mess. I would not have finished reading it except I was reading it for a challenge. The main character is a one-eyed former police office with a werewolf for a dad and a witch for a mother(who wanted his eyeball to put on her desk). The only reason i didn't give it one star was because I liked the alpaca.
I can't even review this hot mess. I would not have finished reading it except I was reading it for a challenge. The main character is a one-eyed former police office with a werewolf for a dad and a witch for a mother(who wanted his eyeball to put on her desk). The only reason i didn't give it one star was because I liked the alpaca.
March 24, 2019
More like 2.5* but couldn't quite round up on this one. I really enjoyed the beginning until about a third of the book, but then it went off the rails too much and got repetitive. The plot got all over the place by the end. Still, there were some fun moments throughout. I loved the first book in this series so much and didn't not like this one, so I will continue on with this series.
October 10, 2018
Book started a bit slow and odd, but then settled in and halfway through was pretty good. I got a few laughs and was enjoying it. Then the author took some heavy drugs, made a bizarre and stupid decision, and stuck to it. I could not finish the book.
Spoiler below:
Spoiler below:
December 13, 2021
3+ stars. I liked it but didn’t love it. The first one was soooo good. I liked the world building in this and the male main character but the female main character felt flat and 2-dimensional. It also went from stranger to mate in too little time.
The story and characters are fun but the romance doesn’t feel like an important element to the plot. Could have had a few tweaks and been amazing.
But still a fun, low-stress read.
The story and characters are fun but the romance doesn’t feel like an important element to the plot. Could have had a few tweaks and been amazing.
But still a fun, low-stress read.
March 22, 2024
Shane is visiting NYC while trying to figure out what to do after being medically retired from the Chicago police for losing an eye, and then a body falls on the car next to him which has a llama in it. Then ends up entangled in a sex trafficking scheme.
What I enjoyed:
* This was so over the top and it hit just right for me
* Shane's parents were hilarious. His dad is a lycanthrope and his mom is a witch.
* Marian fits right in with all the snark and violence
* The whole vampire relationship came out of nowhere but was interesting
What could have been better:
* It felt a little long and the amount of different supernaturals was very large
What I enjoyed:
* This was so over the top and it hit just right for me
* Shane's parents were hilarious. His dad is a lycanthrope and his mom is a witch.
* Marian fits right in with all the snark and violence
* The whole vampire relationship came out of nowhere but was interesting
What could have been better:
* It felt a little long and the amount of different supernaturals was very large
February 9, 2023
I really wanted this to be good - I saw it for 99p in the BookBub email list and I could not resist the title, cover, and blurb! I thought it was a high chance of being crap but maybe in a *good way*. Plus such a high star rating on Goodreads!
I really should read the samples on Kindle before I click buy!
It had potential but all the fun elements are severely let down by incredibly dull and repetitive writing - I have never read anything this repetitive before, it is mind-numbing - and frankly baffling plot choices in what is meant to be COMEDY book (what is more hilarious than... er... sex trafficking?).
I found the writing so boring. This author is from the "tell don't show" school of writing. Nothing is ever demonstrated, we just get told. Important scenes and events happen off-scene and we just hear about them after the fact. What we do get is a lot of dialogue.. which is also boring and every single character I met, in the 42% I got through of this book, sounded exactly the same and had the same "snarky" sense of humour.
It is difficult to talk about characters because essentially everyone is the same with maybe a slightly tweaked "quirk." Main Character - Shane - is on leave from being a cop because he has lost an eye (you will hear endlessly about how he lost that eye every time he comes into contact with a new character). He is conscientious and nice, too nice, but also very snarky (sigh). He is meant to be 27 but he sounds and acts like he is 17. He has very quirky embarrassing parents who are both lycanthropes; they have no boundaries and talk about sex a lot. All very cringey tropes, but I could have rolled with it if it had been well written.
Shane is a virgin and much is made of this early in the novel as an important character trait - his reasons for remaining a virgin are painted as noble. Then Shane just out of the blue loses his virginity in a very confusing, lackluster scene both in the way it was written with a complete fade to black (I genuinely had to re-read those pages to work out if they did in fact have sex), and the entire context for the scene. Never mind that Shane losing his virginity should have been a major moment given all the talking about it I had to endure for chapters before! This was the point when I decided I'm wasting my time hoping this would get better!
Oh and that exciting blurb that promises an alpaca sidekick? Not true It could have just been a kidnapping... why did she have to make it sex trafficking?!
I also have to say that the fact that Shane's parents are Cops and all their Cop friends we meet was pretty uncomfortable to read in 2023, given all the news about US police... they genuinely all sound like awful police officers to me who just do whatever they want without a care for any consequences, and its meant to be, like, cute or something?
Basically, this book is just not funny. I thought it had potential at the start but then any generosity I had towards the attempts at humour in this book where beaten out of me by the repetitive writing and annoying characters.
I really should read the samples on Kindle before I click buy!
It had potential but all the fun elements are severely let down by incredibly dull and repetitive writing - I have never read anything this repetitive before, it is mind-numbing - and frankly baffling plot choices in what is meant to be COMEDY book (what is more hilarious than... er... sex trafficking?).
I found the writing so boring. This author is from the "tell don't show" school of writing. Nothing is ever demonstrated, we just get told. Important scenes and events happen off-scene and we just hear about them after the fact. What we do get is a lot of dialogue.. which is also boring and every single character I met, in the 42% I got through of this book, sounded exactly the same and had the same "snarky" sense of humour.
It is difficult to talk about characters because essentially everyone is the same with maybe a slightly tweaked "quirk." Main Character - Shane - is on leave from being a cop because he has lost an eye (you will hear endlessly about how he lost that eye every time he comes into contact with a new character). He is conscientious and nice, too nice, but also very snarky (sigh). He is meant to be 27 but he sounds and acts like he is 17. He has very quirky embarrassing parents who are both lycanthropes; they have no boundaries and talk about sex a lot. All very cringey tropes, but I could have rolled with it if it had been well written.
Shane is a virgin and much is made of this early in the novel as an important character trait - his reasons for remaining a virgin are painted as noble. Then Shane just out of the blue loses his virginity in a very confusing, lackluster scene both in the way it was written with a complete fade to black (I genuinely had to re-read those pages to work out if they did in fact have sex), and the entire context for the scene. Never mind that Shane losing his virginity should have been a major moment given all the talking about it I had to endure for chapters before! This was the point when I decided I'm wasting my time hoping this would get better!
Oh and that exciting blurb that promises an alpaca sidekick? Not true It could have just been a kidnapping... why did she have to make it sex trafficking?!
I also have to say that the fact that Shane's parents are Cops and all their Cop friends we meet was pretty uncomfortable to read in 2023, given all the news about US police... they genuinely all sound like awful police officers to me who just do whatever they want without a care for any consequences, and its meant to be, like, cute or something?
Basically, this book is just not funny. I thought it had potential at the start but then any generosity I had towards the attempts at humour in this book where beaten out of me by the repetitive writing and annoying characters.
June 5, 2021
This was OTT madness in a delightful way.
I really like the way R.J. Blain writes. This wonderful tale starts with a body falling from a skyscraper in NYC onto a car right beside our hero, and then the madness begins.
I really like the way R.J. Blain writes. This wonderful tale starts with a body falling from a skyscraper in NYC onto a car right beside our hero, and then the madness begins.
May 11, 2020
Blain is back in her magical romantic comedies. In this one ex cop offspring of a werewolf visits New York to have a body drop from the skies onto a car next to him. In the car, the driver and passenger die but in the back seat - a mini alpaca. The police threaten to shoot it and he steps between a gun and the alpaca. He takes the alpaca and heads for home in Nebraska. While walking with his alpaca, Shane is attacked and the alpaca is stolen. From there all hell breaks loose. Overall the humor and craziness of the story are at the top but there was too little interaction between the two love interests in this book. While I enjoyed it, I wouldn't come back to read it a second time. I listened to the audio book during a car trip and it was entertaining while driving.
July 1, 2020
A little bit less entertaining than the 1st one, but just as ridiculous :)
This book really was saved by the otter xD
This book really was saved by the otter xD
May 13, 2019
I didn't like this book as much as the first of the series. It had some really funny parts, and I did enjoy the story and characters for the most part. The biggest problem seems to be that the author was in desperate need of an editor. Not only were there plenty of typos, there was WAY too much repetition, repetition, repetition. The same thing was described over and over (and over and over and over) sometimes in the same words! I remember one page where the phrase "becoming a circus" was used twice with only one short paragraph between. There was also just plain chaos toward the end. I had to go back and reread certain parts, because I had no idea what the heck was happening. Also, there was a lot of sexual innuendo thrown back and forth between Shane and his parents, which is just YUCKY.
December 7, 2017
3.5± Amazon; 3.0± Goodreads. Entertaining but with reservations (and typos).
I enjoyed this story and its characters, as I did with the previous Magical Rom-Com w/a Body Count.
However, although it contains:
• some very funny stuff, major and minor,
• interesting history and creature creations (like who secretly lives below the reeking "abyss", and their mounts/allies — spoilers!) and non-standard shifter species' — though only one makes a major animal-form "onscreen" appearance (not counting the transformation spell, which isn't the same),
• a hero who, as the son of a werewolf and his werewolf-to-be mate-for-life, is the opposite of a man whore (He starts the book matter-of-fact about being a virgin!),
• and some exciting action scenes that involve both modern weapons and arcane abilities, ...
I once again just couldn't get fully into it.
The points that together made me knock off a couple stars:
1) The family dynamics and other interactions tend toward the over-the-top/cartoonish, e.g., the whole thing with Shane repeatedly kneecapping his friendly-enemy vampire(s), and being thanked for it.
2) Though I'll agree that Ernesto and his vamp clan, and the succubi & incubi who work for them, are miles better than the sex traffickers who got Shane (and company) on their tails by trying to kill him, I just can't be as blasé as everybody here is about sex-under-the-irresistible-influence-of-a-sex-demon. Not every person they feed from directly is a volunteer (even in the cases where they're treated well afterward, and despite the fact that "of course, they enjoy it"), and there's a radius of chaotic, libidinous influence the demons are gleeful about.
3) I also find it a bit jarring to have such a light tone throughout a book where the crime in question is so serious. I gather the heroine had to let herself be used sexually while undercover, and I'm not clear how often an incubus would have even been involved. It's certainly not something RJB dwells on, or explores in psychological depth, other than Marian's saying that the FBI makes sure agents get counseling. We don't actually meet any helpless, innocent victims of the sex-slavery ring, at all.
Oh, and the light touch persists through a sub-issue of anti-werewolf prejudice in the city where Shane was a cop, mainly relegated to low-status traffic duty. This led to his getting the least possible insurance payout and consideration after he lost his eye in an act of heroism. Still, he only shows bitterness a couple times, which makes him likable, but is somewhat implausible.
4) It's a bit long for such a "lightweight" book, and there is at least one slow patch where I was surprised by how much was still left on my progress bar — though I didn't *really* mind, since the characters kept me amused.
5) In a common ~flaw~ among action books and movies, Shane "takes a licking and keeps on kicking," recovering rapidly from serious injuries for a variety of only-possible-in-fantasy reasons. Even his lost eye (i.e., lost depth perception) doesn't hinder his shooting prowess or fast motorbike-riding.
6) Last but not least, in terms of disrupting my immersion, there's the poor proofreading. I marked nearly thirty errors. There were many missing small words, some random misspellings (incl. "burgular" and "in becase" — why didn't SpellCheck catch those, at least?), two misuses of who vs. whom (one in each direction), and twice "if you need rescued", (clearly the wrong verb-form; what's going on?). I also don't know what RJB has against using "that" to connect clauses, but there were several sentences which would have read more clearly had it been added.
Despite all those quibbles, I do plan to read later installments at some point. As for the sex-demon experience, I'll just do what I did as a kid reading past the mating flights in McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern: not think about it! (I somehow didn't even consider the M/M aspect there til years later; that wasn't the point (and still isn't — I read M/M sometimes now), given that I found/find the whole not-in-control, not-even-choosing-for-yourself premise so icky. 😕)
TL;DR: If you're less error-noticing than I am, don't take sex so seriously, and are just looking for a light, funny, sexy-but-fade-to-black urban fantasy read with some original elements, I can fully recommend these fun books. Otherwise, YMMV.
I enjoyed this story and its characters, as I did with the previous Magical Rom-Com w/a Body Count.
However, although it contains:
• some very funny stuff, major and minor,
• interesting history and creature creations (like who secretly lives below the reeking "abyss", and their mounts/allies — spoilers!) and non-standard shifter species' — though only one makes a major animal-form "onscreen" appearance (not counting the transformation spell, which isn't the same),
• a hero who, as the son of a werewolf and his werewolf-to-be mate-for-life, is the opposite of a man whore (He starts the book matter-of-fact about being a virgin!),
• and some exciting action scenes that involve both modern weapons and arcane abilities, ...
I once again just couldn't get fully into it.
The points that together made me knock off a couple stars:
1) The family dynamics and other interactions tend toward the over-the-top/cartoonish, e.g., the whole thing with Shane repeatedly kneecapping his friendly-enemy vampire(s), and being thanked for it.
2) Though I'll agree that Ernesto and his vamp clan, and the succubi & incubi who work for them, are miles better than the sex traffickers who got Shane (and company) on their tails by trying to kill him, I just can't be as blasé as everybody here is about sex-under-the-irresistible-influence-of-a-sex-demon. Not every person they feed from directly is a volunteer (even in the cases where they're treated well afterward, and despite the fact that "of course, they enjoy it"), and there's a radius of chaotic, libidinous influence the demons are gleeful about.
3) I also find it a bit jarring to have such a light tone throughout a book where the crime in question is so serious. I gather the heroine had to let herself be used sexually while undercover, and I'm not clear how often an incubus would have even been involved. It's certainly not something RJB dwells on, or explores in psychological depth, other than Marian's saying that the FBI makes sure agents get counseling. We don't actually meet any helpless, innocent victims of the sex-slavery ring, at all.
Oh, and the light touch persists through a sub-issue of anti-werewolf prejudice in the city where Shane was a cop, mainly relegated to low-status traffic duty. This led to his getting the least possible insurance payout and consideration after he lost his eye in an act of heroism. Still, he only shows bitterness a couple times, which makes him likable, but is somewhat implausible.
4) It's a bit long for such a "lightweight" book, and there is at least one slow patch where I was surprised by how much was still left on my progress bar — though I didn't *really* mind, since the characters kept me amused.
5) In a common ~flaw~ among action books and movies, Shane "takes a licking and keeps on kicking," recovering rapidly from serious injuries for a variety of only-possible-in-fantasy reasons. Even his lost eye (i.e., lost depth perception) doesn't hinder his shooting prowess or fast motorbike-riding.
6) Last but not least, in terms of disrupting my immersion, there's the poor proofreading. I marked nearly thirty errors. There were many missing small words, some random misspellings (incl. "burgular" and "in becase" — why didn't SpellCheck catch those, at least?), two misuses of who vs. whom (one in each direction), and twice "if you need rescued", (clearly the wrong verb-form; what's going on?). I also don't know what RJB has against using "that" to connect clauses, but there were several sentences which would have read more clearly had it been added.
Despite all those quibbles, I do plan to read later installments at some point. As for the sex-demon experience, I'll just do what I did as a kid reading past the mating flights in McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern: not think about it! (I somehow didn't even consider the M/M aspect there til years later; that wasn't the point (and still isn't — I read M/M sometimes now), given that I found/find the whole not-in-control, not-even-choosing-for-yourself premise so icky. 😕)
TL;DR: If you're less error-noticing than I am, don't take sex so seriously, and are just looking for a light, funny, sexy-but-fade-to-black urban fantasy read with some original elements, I can fully recommend these fun books. Otherwise, YMMV.
December 21, 2023
I enjoyed the beginning, but things became weirder than usual with the Babylonians!
November 14, 2020
2.5
No idea how to rate this. On the one hand, I really like the world.
On the other, though, it's all over the place. The first book had that moment near the end where the two main characters retell everything that happened in the book as if we weren't there with them. This one has it too. In both cases, their listener wanted to hear the whole story, but there was no need for us to hear it again.
Still, Hoofin' It is a bit better than the first.
August 6, 2019
Hoofin' It is book 2 of the Magic romantic comedies (with a body count) series but other than sharing a world is unrelated to the other books so order doesn't matter.
It opens in Time Square where our hero is wandering while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. He's a Chicago cop who lost an eye rescuing a family from a severe car crash and knows his days on the force are numbered. But not as numbered as the falling body that crashes into the car he is walking past, or the two guys in the car which are killed by the impact. The alpaca with her legs duct taped together in the back seat is alive, scared, and spitting mad – literally. When she spits on one of the responding officers and he pulls out a gun, our hero steps in and starts a long series of events leading to him taking the alpaca to his parents' home. And then it gets even more complicated… and funny. Some random bits of funny: the hero trying to figure out why there are pancakes stuck to the kitchen ceiling, trying to clean up glitter after he was pranked with a glitter bomb, and punching out shaving his werewolf father's 7 foot hybrid form for rushing out and scaring his alpaca into fainting [his mother loved the new fiber and starts eyeing the process as a money making proposition]. And, of course, there's action, lots and lots of action. The hero is shot, the alpaca is kidnapped, a balcony he is sitting on is blown out from under him and he gets water slide from hell trip down to the underworld of Chicago – all while trying to rescue his alpaca.
This story mixes vampires [both good and bad], incubi, succubi, werewolves, shifters, kirin, the FBI, and cops [also both good and bad]. I found it a very enjoyable read.
It opens in Time Square where our hero is wandering while trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. He's a Chicago cop who lost an eye rescuing a family from a severe car crash and knows his days on the force are numbered. But not as numbered as the falling body that crashes into the car he is walking past, or the two guys in the car which are killed by the impact. The alpaca with her legs duct taped together in the back seat is alive, scared, and spitting mad – literally. When she spits on one of the responding officers and he pulls out a gun, our hero steps in and starts a long series of events leading to him taking the alpaca to his parents' home. And then it gets even more complicated… and funny. Some random bits of funny: the hero trying to figure out why there are pancakes stuck to the kitchen ceiling, trying to clean up glitter after he was pranked with a glitter bomb, and punching out shaving his werewolf father's 7 foot hybrid form for rushing out and scaring his alpaca into fainting [his mother loved the new fiber and starts eyeing the process as a money making proposition]. And, of course, there's action, lots and lots of action. The hero is shot, the alpaca is kidnapped, a balcony he is sitting on is blown out from under him and he gets water slide from hell trip down to the underworld of Chicago – all while trying to rescue his alpaca.
This story mixes vampires [both good and bad], incubi, succubi, werewolves, shifters, kirin, the FBI, and cops [also both good and bad]. I found it a very enjoyable read.
May 27, 2020
Woo Hoo! Another Magical Romantic Comedy!
With a body count, of course!
Shane Gibson just wanted to be a good cop. Not an easy thing to do in a deeply prejudiced Chicago, where a lycanthrope (even one who can can't shift) is considered the bottom of the barrel, no matter how good you are. And when a horrific call takes his eye, it is the perfect excuse to kick him to the curb.
Fast forward to a vacation in New York, a mobster falling to his death on a car windshield, a peeved policeman with an itchy trigger, and an angry, spitting alpaca, and Shane finds himself on his way back home to Nebraska with said angry, spitting alpaca in tow. Well, mom IS a knitter. right?
An alpaca kidnapping, a Seriously Unhappy set of lycanthrope cop parents (did we mention that dear old dad is a hybrid with a rather strong hate-on for anyone who would Dare hurt his pup?), and a strip bar (yep. A strip bar) and the tale is off with a rollicking Bang!
Hint. A shaved werewolf with only a 'bikini' of unshaved fur is hysterical. Especially when knitter mom gets a bee in her 'knitter bonnet'.
This series of books has it all. A huge dose of humor, GREAT characters, and yes... a body count-through not in the splashy-gory of so many books. These are like candy. I preorder all of them, and gobble them up immediately. Then, iI go back and reread them all when I want a good giggle or am feeling down and need a lift for my spirit. They really are that good!
You Have to read the books! You won't regret it, and the author will be encouraged to keep writing them! PLEASE??? You really will love them!
With a body count, of course!
Shane Gibson just wanted to be a good cop. Not an easy thing to do in a deeply prejudiced Chicago, where a lycanthrope (even one who can can't shift) is considered the bottom of the barrel, no matter how good you are. And when a horrific call takes his eye, it is the perfect excuse to kick him to the curb.
Fast forward to a vacation in New York, a mobster falling to his death on a car windshield, a peeved policeman with an itchy trigger, and an angry, spitting alpaca, and Shane finds himself on his way back home to Nebraska with said angry, spitting alpaca in tow. Well, mom IS a knitter. right?
An alpaca kidnapping, a Seriously Unhappy set of lycanthrope cop parents (did we mention that dear old dad is a hybrid with a rather strong hate-on for anyone who would Dare hurt his pup?), and a strip bar (yep. A strip bar) and the tale is off with a rollicking Bang!
Hint. A shaved werewolf with only a 'bikini' of unshaved fur is hysterical. Especially when knitter mom gets a bee in her 'knitter bonnet'.
This series of books has it all. A huge dose of humor, GREAT characters, and yes... a body count-through not in the splashy-gory of so many books. These are like candy. I preorder all of them, and gobble them up immediately. Then, iI go back and reread them all when I want a good giggle or am feeling down and need a lift for my spirit. They really are that good!
You Have to read the books! You won't regret it, and the author will be encouraged to keep writing them! PLEASE??? You really will love them!
August 2, 2018
9/10: Fantastic, left me wanting more.
I missed being able to properly perform a dramatic roll of my eyes. Rolling one just didn’t cut it.
OMG, I loved this! The alpaca on the cover and in the BookBub blurb had me, I just had to one click that puppy...um, alpaca. And, boy, am I so pleased I did.
Funny, fast-paced, and edge-of-your-seat mystery, romance, and fantasy all rolled up into one.
I loved the world created. Vampires, werewolves, magic, creatures from the deep, you name it the book had it, and prejudiced humans too. Wonderful world building.
But it was Shane’s parents who stole the show for me.
I loved the sound of silence. It meant my mother had short-circuited and her brain was in process of rebooting.
And...
Few had no fear of my father’s disturbing strength, tendency to drool, and inclination for howling inappropriately in public.
I have about twenty quotes highlighted on my Kindle. The only regret I have is this author’s books aren’t in Kindle Unlimited. I’m going to have to sneak a purchase in every now and then when no one’s looking.
A great fantasy romp filled with humour, characters that enchant, and the sharpness of scary fangs and claws.
I loved this book. And I didn’t even read the first in the series beforehand, I jumped right in with the alpaca.
Now I might just have to raid the swear jar for book one...and three and four and...
I missed being able to properly perform a dramatic roll of my eyes. Rolling one just didn’t cut it.
OMG, I loved this! The alpaca on the cover and in the BookBub blurb had me, I just had to one click that puppy...um, alpaca. And, boy, am I so pleased I did.
Funny, fast-paced, and edge-of-your-seat mystery, romance, and fantasy all rolled up into one.
I loved the world created. Vampires, werewolves, magic, creatures from the deep, you name it the book had it, and prejudiced humans too. Wonderful world building.
But it was Shane’s parents who stole the show for me.
I loved the sound of silence. It meant my mother had short-circuited and her brain was in process of rebooting.
And...
Few had no fear of my father’s disturbing strength, tendency to drool, and inclination for howling inappropriately in public.
I have about twenty quotes highlighted on my Kindle. The only regret I have is this author’s books aren’t in Kindle Unlimited. I’m going to have to sneak a purchase in every now and then when no one’s looking.
A great fantasy romp filled with humour, characters that enchant, and the sharpness of scary fangs and claws.
I loved this book. And I didn’t even read the first in the series beforehand, I jumped right in with the alpaca.
Now I might just have to raid the swear jar for book one...and three and four and...
December 10, 2022
I do love these
These books, while a series, are stand alone - and bloody hilarious. The wit is show stopping and the intricate genetics at play, while confusing, is fascinating - as well as fantastical. My only complaint is not so much a complaint, as an observation. You know those authors you just love, but you can only read one or two of their books before you need to break to something else? Apparently, this is one of those authors for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adore her, but the narrative does get a bit repetitive. I mean, how can every speaking person in a world share the same snarky humor? Tip, they don’t.
Pros:
- Funny. Seriously funny.
- complex and fairly convoluted
- Breadth of content and length, it’s hefty.
- Alpaca.... an alpaca!!!! Enough said.
- World building: its wonderful, but I still don’t understand a bloody thing about it.
Cons:
- Dubbed a romcom, but it’s more a comedy where a couple decide they work out. This is not a romance, at least not in the traditional sense. Definitely PG for sexy times.... though R for violence, so there’s that.
- Not everyone you meet is funny. Take note: in real life, very few people are funny. Here, pretty much everyone is.
These books, while a series, are stand alone - and bloody hilarious. The wit is show stopping and the intricate genetics at play, while confusing, is fascinating - as well as fantastical. My only complaint is not so much a complaint, as an observation. You know those authors you just love, but you can only read one or two of their books before you need to break to something else? Apparently, this is one of those authors for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adore her, but the narrative does get a bit repetitive. I mean, how can every speaking person in a world share the same snarky humor? Tip, they don’t.
Pros:
- Funny. Seriously funny.
- complex and fairly convoluted
- Breadth of content and length, it’s hefty.
- Alpaca.... an alpaca!!!! Enough said.
- World building: its wonderful, but I still don’t understand a bloody thing about it.
Cons:
- Dubbed a romcom, but it’s more a comedy where a couple decide they work out. This is not a romance, at least not in the traditional sense. Definitely PG for sexy times.... though R for violence, so there’s that.
- Not everyone you meet is funny. Take note: in real life, very few people are funny. Here, pretty much everyone is.
January 17, 2019
There are so many laugh out loud moments in this book!
The son of a lycanthrope with little magical power leaves Lincoln, Nebraska to become a cop in Chicago. However, unlike Lincoln, there's a great deal of prejudice against werewolves in Chicago. Even though he doesn't have the virus, he's given the worst jobs. Then, he loses an eye while saving a family from a burning car and the department tries to force him out.
On medical leave, he goes to New York only to be witness to a body falling off a building, hitting and killing 2 men in a car. They were transporting an alpaca which the cop on scene wants to shoot for spitting and the adventure begins.
Shape shifters, an Irish hit man, the NY mafia, a vampire crime Lord a sex trafficking operation and the FBI are only a few of the players in this 368 page book.
Great adventure, lots of laughs and even romance
The son of a lycanthrope with little magical power leaves Lincoln, Nebraska to become a cop in Chicago. However, unlike Lincoln, there's a great deal of prejudice against werewolves in Chicago. Even though he doesn't have the virus, he's given the worst jobs. Then, he loses an eye while saving a family from a burning car and the department tries to force him out.
On medical leave, he goes to New York only to be witness to a body falling off a building, hitting and killing 2 men in a car. They were transporting an alpaca which the cop on scene wants to shoot for spitting and the adventure begins.
Shape shifters, an Irish hit man, the NY mafia, a vampire crime Lord a sex trafficking operation and the FBI are only a few of the players in this 368 page book.
Great adventure, lots of laughs and even romance
December 30, 2017
I adored the first in this series, so I came into this book predisposed to love it. And I did, up until the end. The end was rough - it needed another couple rounds with a tough editor. The story is about a former cop who's super good-natured. He rescues a llama that's in a car that was hit by a body that fell off a skyscraper. Really. He takes the llama to his parent's farm in Nebraska. They are werewolves. Funny werewolves. Eventually, someone steals his llama, and he goes to get her back. Guess what? She's not really a llama. After the rescue, they go to Chicago and a whole bunch of weird stuff happens. They make some interesting friends, too. The end should have been half as long - way too long of a set-up.
May 19, 2023
Spoilers********** avoid me
Ok. I’ve been rereading all of this series of novels. I thought I’d found the best, but as I hit this novel again, I discovered something profound.
Over and over again, this novel discusses the hidden in plain view/hidden in illusion all people have as a facade.
I haven’t wished for many sequels in this series as I feel the majority of them a fully fleshed stories. This one tugged at my heartstrings. Strangely. Oddly. I so want to know more about Shane and his family. Ernesto and his brood deserve a whole damn series!!! And let’s not even get into the Babylonians. There is beyond a series there!!!!!!
So now that you’ve spawned amazingly detailed and convoluted characters;demand some additional stories out of you dear Author.
Ok. I’ve been rereading all of this series of novels. I thought I’d found the best, but as I hit this novel again, I discovered something profound.
Over and over again, this novel discusses the hidden in plain view/hidden in illusion all people have as a facade.
I haven’t wished for many sequels in this series as I feel the majority of them a fully fleshed stories. This one tugged at my heartstrings. Strangely. Oddly. I so want to know more about Shane and his family. Ernesto and his brood deserve a whole damn series!!! And let’s not even get into the Babylonians. There is beyond a series there!!!!!!
So now that you’ve spawned amazingly detailed and convoluted characters;demand some additional stories out of you dear Author.
March 9, 2020
Let the kneecapping commence.
Second read
4.5 stars. Second read through. Dark themes but entertaining and the family antics are sweet. Still prefer Ernesto and his brood. Enjoyed it more than the first time.
First read
I didn’t have a clue what was going on in the beginning. Gibby faces retirement after losing his eye playing hero. Stumbling across a kidnapped alpaca, his luck starts to change. So much persecution going on and no mentions of bacon. Favourite character was Ernesto. Least favourite character was Michelle. The parents were brutal. Gibby’s form was adorable. Fast paced once the story gets going, funny and wacky.
Second read
4.5 stars. Second read through. Dark themes but entertaining and the family antics are sweet. Still prefer Ernesto and his brood. Enjoyed it more than the first time.
First read
I didn’t have a clue what was going on in the beginning. Gibby faces retirement after losing his eye playing hero. Stumbling across a kidnapped alpaca, his luck starts to change. So much persecution going on and no mentions of bacon. Favourite character was Ernesto. Least favourite character was Michelle. The parents were brutal. Gibby’s form was adorable. Fast paced once the story gets going, funny and wacky.
December 15, 2017
I Absolutely Loved This.
'A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count)' aptly describes this wonderful story. It's vastly humorous, complicated and a joy to read. I loved it better than "Playing with Fire" and that's saying a lot.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy snarky humour, romantic maniacs and magical antics. It involves werewolves, shifters, vampires, corrupt police, ancient beings, a virgin ex-cop, a spitting alpaca and more.
'A Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count)' aptly describes this wonderful story. It's vastly humorous, complicated and a joy to read. I loved it better than "Playing with Fire" and that's saying a lot.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy snarky humour, romantic maniacs and magical antics. It involves werewolves, shifters, vampires, corrupt police, ancient beings, a virgin ex-cop, a spitting alpaca and more.
August 15, 2019
Have no idea why I bothered it was so poorly written I wanted a refund cause it was a waste of money.
October 9, 2019
I think that one of the things that I like about this book is that all of my expectations about what's going to happen are usually nowhere near what happens.
Shane was a police officer that was injured in the line of duty, and because of a police force that's prejudice against shifters and those related to them, he won't be able to work as an officer again. During a trip to New York, he witnesses a grisly accident that results in an alpaca without an owner. So he ends up taking care of it to prevent it from being put down. But there's more to the accident and alpaca than it seems, and Shane is drawn into a giant conspiracy that hopefully he and all he loves will make it through alive.
The plot and characters of this book are interesting. I like Shane, and he's an interesting boyfriend as his werewolf genes and family mean that once he's committed, he's loyal until he dies. I won't say who he's in the relationship with because I'm not a massive fan of spoilers.
I think that the plot is the reason that it doesn't match up with the first book. While I appreciate that the book throws all of my expectations in the bin, it feels like each part of the book were based on different books. Like the author couldn't decide on what plot they wanted to do so they did all of them. It goes from a cutesy book about a retired police officer adopting a difficult alpaca, to a major police case investigating a giant criminal ring, from corrupt police officers, to an unknown supernatural underworld. It's such a mismatch that I feel could have been blended together better, maybe had one less aspect in the plot so that it wasn't so busy especially when set in Chicago.
Shane was a police officer that was injured in the line of duty, and because of a police force that's prejudice against shifters and those related to them, he won't be able to work as an officer again. During a trip to New York, he witnesses a grisly accident that results in an alpaca without an owner. So he ends up taking care of it to prevent it from being put down. But there's more to the accident and alpaca than it seems, and Shane is drawn into a giant conspiracy that hopefully he and all he loves will make it through alive.
The plot and characters of this book are interesting. I like Shane, and he's an interesting boyfriend as his werewolf genes and family mean that once he's committed, he's loyal until he dies. I won't say who he's in the relationship with because I'm not a massive fan of spoilers.
I think that the plot is the reason that it doesn't match up with the first book. While I appreciate that the book throws all of my expectations in the bin, it feels like each part of the book were based on different books. Like the author couldn't decide on what plot they wanted to do so they did all of them. It goes from a cutesy book about a retired police officer adopting a difficult alpaca, to a major police case investigating a giant criminal ring, from corrupt police officers, to an unknown supernatural underworld. It's such a mismatch that I feel could have been blended together better, maybe had one less aspect in the plot so that it wasn't so busy especially when set in Chicago.
May 19, 2020
The first book in the series made me pause for a second. It was not a typical book, more of a trilogy under one cover. It was funny, lots of dead bodies, and charming. I really enjoyed it but not enough to write a review. I'm not a review writer. It's just not my thing. I fairly rate the books, might give a terse "good show" or something as a review, but never paragraphs.
This one.. Oh!!! I loved this one. The first book in the series set me up to see how this author thought about the characters and their world. It was not just a simple snapshot of their lives giving way to book #25 about what happened that week to the heroine. It was a story to share by a fire over the course of several years with someone reading aloud. It was a story because the author likes to write and likes their characters.
Again, it was a long book....but it was never tiresome. The story was concise with just a little straying to add flavor. The characters were fun to get to know. And I believe with this second book under my belt these are not typical 'series' books, but one of's but with the same charismatic, magical feel to them. And for that I am sorry, because Sally and Shane would be an awesome second, third or even fourth book to read.
I can't remember who suggested this series to me. I would give them a thank you in wine and chocolate. Lately I've been a bit bored of the magical/paranormal/urban fantasy books as a whole. I had started reading straight up contemporary romance and thrillers to sort of cleanse the reading palate. However this grouping of books has charmed me back into the contemporary paranormal books. For that alone, R.J. Blain, I thank you.
This one.. Oh!!! I loved this one. The first book in the series set me up to see how this author thought about the characters and their world. It was not just a simple snapshot of their lives giving way to book #25 about what happened that week to the heroine. It was a story to share by a fire over the course of several years with someone reading aloud. It was a story because the author likes to write and likes their characters.
Again, it was a long book....but it was never tiresome. The story was concise with just a little straying to add flavor. The characters were fun to get to know. And I believe with this second book under my belt these are not typical 'series' books, but one of's but with the same charismatic, magical feel to them. And for that I am sorry, because Sally and Shane would be an awesome second, third or even fourth book to read.
I can't remember who suggested this series to me. I would give them a thank you in wine and chocolate. Lately I've been a bit bored of the magical/paranormal/urban fantasy books as a whole. I had started reading straight up contemporary romance and thrillers to sort of cleanse the reading palate. However this grouping of books has charmed me back into the contemporary paranormal books. For that alone, R.J. Blain, I thank you.
June 15, 2025
Shane was a cop working in Chicago when he became injured and was forced into early retirement. Running away to New York City, everything changes for him when a body falls off a building in front of him and he discovers a miniature llama (alpaca) tied up in the back of a car. When he offers to take the alpaca home and has to go back to his parents farm in Nebraska, he is prepared to figure things out. But when he ends up shot and the alpaca is kidnapped, Shane finds himself in the middle of something much bigger than he ever thought. Facing off and dealing with ancient creatures and FBI agent to his parents, Shane will have to unravel the mystery of what's going on if he has any hope of his life getting somewhat back to normal.
Much like the first book, there's a lot of great banter and hilarity on the page. I absolutely adored his parents and love how they became pretty much main characters here. I have to say, the way that this book flowed was interesting because it almost felt like two separate books connected by a single common thread and that's because the tone and the pacing completely changes after the first third of the book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. I found the romance to be full of wit, the characters (both main and side) are all well done. I literally cracked up at specific moments and was overall entertained. I love the vampires and all the friendships that Shane makes along the way and friends we are meeting. This can 100% be read as a standalone as it is not connected to book one with the exception of it takes place in the same world, but so far I'm really liking these books and I can't wait to read the next one.
Much like the first book, there's a lot of great banter and hilarity on the page. I absolutely adored his parents and love how they became pretty much main characters here. I have to say, the way that this book flowed was interesting because it almost felt like two separate books connected by a single common thread and that's because the tone and the pacing completely changes after the first third of the book. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. I found the romance to be full of wit, the characters (both main and side) are all well done. I literally cracked up at specific moments and was overall entertained. I love the vampires and all the friendships that Shane makes along the way and friends we are meeting. This can 100% be read as a standalone as it is not connected to book one with the exception of it takes place in the same world, but so far I'm really liking these books and I can't wait to read the next one.
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