Blackthorn by. J.T. Geissinger | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Blackthorn

Author: J.T. Geissinger

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Bramble

Categories: Dark Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Gothic Romance, Monster Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Bramble for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

ou never forget your first love. Especially when he’s also your worst nightmare.

Twelve years ago, Maven Blackthorn fled her small hometown, leaving behind the wreckage of her mother’s suspicious death. But now, drawn back for her grandmother’s funeral, Maven steps onto Blackthorn soil once more, only to find herself thrust into a fresh nightmare: her grandmother’s body has vanished.

The Blackthorns immediately suspect the Crofts—the ruthless titans of Croft Pharmaceuticals, whose bitter blood feud with the Blackthorns has spanned generations. But when Maven comes face-to-face with Ronan Croft, the son of her mother’s suspected killer and the only man she ever loved, she discovers the forbidden passion they once shared is as alive—and dangerous—as ever.

As long-buried family secrets claw their way to the surface, betrayal lurks behind every whisper, and old vendettas ignite anew. The deeper Maven digs for answers, the more treacherous the game becomes. And the one man she can never seem to escape is hiding a truth that could burn their whole world down.

In a town where the dead won’t stay buried, is love salvation…or the deadliest game of all?

Blackthorn is a page-turning gothic romance with darker themes and scenes that may not be suitable for everyone. Please see the author’s content note at the beginning of the book.

Content Warning: violence, death, occult

+ I felt like this started good – it definitely gave dark, mysterious vibes. Maven is back home in Solstice with her two aunts, it was giving me Practical Magic vibes at first. The wealthy family in town are the Crofts and Ronan Crofts knows Maven is back and he wants her again.

+~ The back and forth romance between Ronan and Maven is tense, and at first purely sexual until we find out more about their past. Clearly he is obsessed with her and stalks her but she can’t stop her feelings for him either. It’s a forbidden romance, because Ronan’s father has told him to stay away from her – he doesn’t know why. And it’s spicy with even a monster spice scene. But there was something about the romance for a moment that made me feel uncomfortable even though it’s resolved later.

+~ There is a mystery going on in this story in that Maven is back in town for her grandmother’s funeral but her body goes missing at the funeral home. Maven sets out to do an investigation and finds out things about some of her mom (who’s passed) and about the Croft family. I don’t know why but I wasn’t immersed into the mystery as much as I was into the romance.

~ I felt like the ending was rushed and the reveals of the mystery was just dropped upon me from nowhere. I was surprised. Is there a part two? I felt like there was no build-up to that ending.

Final Thoughts:

I think this started off well, and I was invested in the romance, but I needed more of the mystery and especially needed more of a build-up to that ending. I was confused about the way it ended, it felt rushed.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Frost Bound by. Frost Kay | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Frost Bound (Entangled with Trickery Book, #1)

Author: Frost Kay

Format: ebook(KU)

Pages: 364

Publication Date: 2/13/25

Categories: Monster Romance, Fantasy, Series, Enemies to Lovers, Romantasy

Dahlia Skysinger has managed to survive the underworld of Astera her whole life through clever deals, selling her voice, and never staying in one place too long. When her little brother is caught stealing from the crown, Lia is forced to make a cruel bargain with the royals.

Her life for his.

To regain her freedom, Lia must impersonate the princess, marry the monstrous frost giant king, then spy on and . . . kill him.

Taking a human bride is King Neve’s last chance to secure peace for his people. Promised a frail mortal princess he could lock away and forget about, the last thing he expects is a woman with a sharp tongue and a reckless amount of courage. Lia might be the key to avoiding war, but he doesn’t trust a single word that falls from her pretty lips.

And so the wicked game of trickery and survival begins.

But what happens when an assassin starts to have feelings for her target, and a king’s icy heart begins to melt for his little human bride?

Book One of The Entangled in Trickery Series

Perfect for romantasy readers who enjoy fiery enemies to lovers romance, arranged marriage, learning to love yourself, epic fantasy adventure, sexy monster villains, slow burn with ALL the tension and angst, and mythical sidekicks.

Content Warning: violence

I haven’t read a Frost Kay book in awhile but I was attracted to this on Kindle Unlimited because of the book cover. I thought the premise was interesting also and wanted to see how this arranged marriage, enemies to lovers romance would play out.

The thing I found really interesting is the world-building because Dahlia, or Lia, is about to marry a frost giant, Neve. The frost giants have blue skin, full black eyes, and the men have horns on their shoulders. I found them fascinating.

It’s definitely a slow burn (super slow), monster romance, with just a little bit of spice that happens near the ending of the book. There are a lot of tropes I enjoy in this book like the arranged marriage, and enemies to lovers. Neve really hates humans and the fact he’s bound to this marriage grates on his nerves but he finally starts to feel something for Lia when the cliffhanger ending happens! I thought Lia was an even-tempered but strong character as she takes on this task of impersonating the princess.

The story itself isn’t that original but I still found it enjoyable because of the monster romance aspect of it.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a quick, binge-able read and if you like books with the tropes I mentioned above then you will like this monster romance. You might want to wait for the second book to come out because of the cliffhanger ending though.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Mini Reviews } The Tainted | The Exiled | Dominion of Ash Series by. Frost Kay ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Fallout | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Hunt (The Twisted Kingdoms, Book #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Under Loch and Key by. Lana Ferguson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Under Loch and Key

Author: Lana Ferguson

Format: eBook (Libby)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 12/3/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Paranormal

A woman discovers that not all monsters are her enemy—the opposite, in fact—in this new paranormal romance by Lana Ferguson, author of The Fake Mate.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

I already know a Lana Ferguson book is going to be spicy and this did not disappoint. Can I say, monster love?

This was a fun book and surprising light-hearted! Keyanna goes to Scotland because her dad’s wishes was to have his ashes scattered there in the hometown he fled. She finally meets her estranged grandparents but her grandmother is a tough cookie and doesn’t give her a warm welcome at all. I thought that part was sad, but I guess realistic in the sense that families are always complicated.

Key does meet a handsome local named Lachlan and they rub each other the wrong way at first meeting. He’s a charming, rascal kind of guy and is always getting under Key’s skin. But she’s also doing the same to him. But there is a twist in this story which has to do with the Loch Ness monster and I thought it was different. I liked it! There was some mystery in the story and even a little suspense (a bit predictable) at the end.

Also the spice is spicy, especially when some surprises happen in the bedroom between Key and Lachlan!

Final Thoughts:

I found this a fun read and something different since I haven’t read a romance involving the loch ness monster. I loved Lachlan and Keyanna’s interactions. It’s spicy, but light-hearted and overall I was entertained.