[personal profile] miloviolet
Hello there! I’ve decided to start one of these journals. I apologize if my profile doesn’t look the best. This site is pretty overwhelming for me to figure out, and I’m also blind which complicates things.
Anyways my name is Milo. I don’t know what I will talk about on here. My life isn’t too interesting at the moment. I have pretty much been living in isolation for years at this point. Though I do live with family. And I have some people I talk to online occasionally. But I mainly spend my days reading/listening to books, listening to music, writing in my personal journal, watch videos, and trying to study. So perhaps I will discuss some of that stuff.
I could also just talk about my thoughts and stuff. Unfortunately I don’t think they will be very “brailliant”. I was just wanting to make a braille pun. I do really like braille. Fun fact, my icon is actually the braille letter M.
Well I guess that will be it for now. Hopefully I can manage to stick with writing here. Hope everyone is doing well.
Oh and maybe if anyone has any tips for using Dreamwidth, feel free to share them with me.

[ SECRET POST #6962 ]

Jan. 27th, 2026 06:50 pm
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[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6962 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.



More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 24 secrets from Secret Submission Post #994.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
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Posted by thebloggess

I wasn’t going to write anything today because I’m in a depression and that makes my head into mush, but then I looked at a comment on my last post that was utterly infuriating and I started to highlight it and scream about how terrible people can be and then I stopped and took aContinue reading "Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s worth it."

Tennis, YA Romance, & More

Jan. 27th, 2026 04:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

A Gentleman’s Gentleman

A Gentleman’s Gentleman by TJ Alexander is $1.99! This was featured on Cover Awe. I also recommended this one a couple times during the latest round of quarterly recommendations for After Dark members.

From the acclaimed author of Chef’s Kiss, a groundbreaking trans Regency romance that’s both delightfully witty and refreshingly iconoclastic.

The notoriously eccentric Lord Christopher Eden is a “man of unusual make” and even more unusual habits: he prefers to live as far from the prying eyes and ears of the ton as possible, and would rather have the comfortable company of his childhood cook and his aged butler, Plinkton, than the swarm of servants and hangers-on befitting a man of his station.

But Christopher’s pleasant, if occasionally lonely life is upended when he receives word from his lawyers that, according to his late father’s will, he must find a wife by the end of the Season if he intends to keep his family’s fortune and the Eden’s End estate. Christopher cannot imagine a worse fate: as he isn’t attracted to women, his chances of making a wife happy are slim. Furthermore, if his quest to marry has any hope of succeeding, he must move to London posthaste and acquire some more suitable staff.

Enter James Harding, Christopher’s new, distractingly handsome—if rigidly traditional—valet. After a rocky start, the two strike up a fragile friendship amid the throes of the London Season . . . a friendship that threatens to shatter under the looming shadow of Christopher’s impending nuptials—and the secrets both men are keeping.

With its heady combination of dry wit, slow-burn romance, and a nuanced, complex portrait of trans identity and relationships that’s as relevant now as it was during the Regency era, A Gentleman’s Gentleman stands to transform the historical romance genre as we know it.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Game Point

Game Point by Meg Jones is $1.99! This is a friends to lovers sports romance. It’s also second in the series. Book three is forthcoming in April and I thought it was okay. I will say that the books are interconnected and past main characters make appearances and previous events referenced. It was initially very hard to follow.

A sweet and spicy friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of the Australian Open, from the author of Clean Point.

In the aftermath of Dylan Bailey’s tenth Grand Slam loss, she decides to put her racket away for good. Until a tempting bet from fellow pro Oliver Anderson convinces her to give it one last shot.

If she sticks it out, and still loses the next tournament, she takes home his US Open Trophy, and is free to walk away from the sport forever. To sweeten the deal, Oliver proposes a twist—he’ll swap his racket for a whistle and coach Dylan in the months leading up to the Australian Open.

After all, with the solid friendship they’ve built, surely working together could score a game point.

They just need to keep their eyes on the ball and ignore their sizzling tension.

As Oliver and Dylan navigate the unpredictable court, they rediscover their love for the sport, but the feelings they share could complicate things. With the world watching their every move, they must ensure their partnership stays on-court.

But as the lines between coach and player blur, especially in a sport where every detail is scrutinized, keeping their feelings in check may be their toughest match yet.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Jane Doe

RECOMMENDEDJane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone is available for $2.499 at Amazon! Elyse and Sarah jointly reviewed the book  and gave it a B+. They thought it was an empowering book, but felt the ending was a bit rushed. Please be warned that this book deals with all forms of abuse and abuse against a child. I’ve also heard other readers recommend the audiobook.

A double life with a single purpose: revenge.

Jane’s days at a Midwest insurance company are perfectly ordinary. She blends in well, unremarkably pretty in her floral-print dresses and extra efficient at her low-level job. She’s just the kind of woman middle manager Steven Hepsworth likes—meek, insecure, and willing to defer to a man. No one has any idea who Jane really is. Least of all Steven.

But plain Jane is hiding something. And Steven’s bringing out the worst in her.

Nothing can distract Jane from going straight for his heart: allowing herself to be seduced into Steven’s bed, to insinuate herself into his career and his family, and to expose all his dirty secrets. It’s time for Jane to dig out everything that matters to Steven. So she can take it all away.

Just as he did to her.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Dating and Dragons

Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce is $1.99! This  is book two in the Gaming and Romance series, which skews YA. I also adore these covers. They’re so colorful and fun!

Quinn Norton is starting over at a new high school and hopes that joining a D&D game will be the trick to making friends. The plan sounds even better when she’s invited into a group that includes Logan Weber, the cute and charming guy she met on her first day of class. But this isn’t your average D&D campaign— this group livestreams their games and enforces strict rules: no phones allowed, and no dating other group members.

Quinn is willing to accept the rules, even if it makes Logan off-limits. And she quickly learns that doing so won’t be a problem, since Logan goes from charismatic to insufferable as soon as she agrees to join. As their bickering—and bantering—intensifies inside and outside the game, Quinn can’t help wondering: Is Logan’s infuriating behavior a smokescreen for hidden feelings? Quinn is risking it all, and the twenty-sided dice are rolling!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

A Minor Oversight

Jan. 27th, 2026 02:00 pm
[syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

Here's one that's been languishing in my drafts folder for nearly a year, and it still makes me snort-giggle - but I can guarantee there is NO WAY you all will find it as amusing as I do. You just won't. Trust me. You'll think it's cute and adorable and I'm a terrible person for laughing.

Or you'll laugh, too, and then we can nod knowingly at each other from across crowded rooms, as if to say, "Yeah, I'm a terrible person, too. S'all good."

 

 

A Minor Oversight:

Sadly, God neglected to add air holes.

 

Thanks to Anony M., the first newly inducted member of the Terrible Person Club.

*****

If that made you snort-laugh, then I have the perfect baby shower gift for all your friends:

How to Traumatize Your Children: 7 Proven Methods to Help You Screw Up Your Kids Deliberately and with Skill

This book has over 2,000 5-star reviews and looks absolutely hysterical, definitely bookmark it for the next time you need a shower gift.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

HaBO: Abusive Stepmother

Jan. 27th, 2026 03:00 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

This HaBO request is from Shauna. Trigger warning for description below:

Historical Romance; the heroine is being physically abused by her (step?) mother. I think these happened in the same book but I’m not totally sure.

1. She is with her girlfriends trying on a wedding dress at a shop and they see her back is covered in scars. I feel like she didn’t know they were there and everyone just looks at each other?

2. Mom lures her from her wedding to lock her up and beat her. May be delusional? Has male helper, possibly a servant?

3. Brother shows up at the end like oh I had no idea she was this bad. I think the heroine was so used to it she didn’t really tell anyone.

I have no idea how much of this is right but the first scene is what sticks with me the most. Please help so I can sleep at night!

Let’s HaBO!

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Happy Tuesday!

We’re closing out January with these new releases. There’s a new book by Nalini Singh, fantasy romance, and a slow burn romance.

Which new books are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

Dom-Com

Dom-Com by Adriana Anders

Author: Adriana Anders
Released: January 27, 2026 by Forever
Genre: , ,

An experienced Dom and a baby sub must keep their kink-lives a secret after discovering they’ve just become office mates and professional rivals in this super-steamy contemporary romcom, perfect for fans of Lana Ferguson and Tessa Bailey.

An irresistible collision of dominance, deadlines, and an extremely inconvenient desire.

All Rae Jensen has to do is walk through the door. Inside the club is everything she’s wanted but was afraid to ask a ridiculously hot, brooding Dom with a sharp jawline, sexy forearms, and a low voice that sends goosebumps along her skin when he says “People here call me the General.” For one night, she can forget the stress and her endless responsibilities . . . and just be a saucy little sub, no questions asked.

It’s been a while since Grant Bowman met someone like Rae. Although he’s an experienced Dom, he doesn’t do newbies, especially ones who are such a sweet distraction. But one night couldn’t possibly hurt—until the General discovers they’ll be working together IRL at his new consulting job. Now what started as control is turning into the kind of chaos that destroys careers. But there’s no safe word for falling in love…

Amanda: Anders’s books always get added to my TBR.

Lara: I enjoyed this book a lot. The sex was hot but not as hot as the tremendous emotional development for both characters.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Enchanting the Fae Queen

Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis

Author: Stephanie Burgis
Released: January 27, 2026 by Bramble
Genre: , ,
Series: Queens of Villainy #2

Stephanie Burgis delivers another irreverent, sparkling, and sexy installment in the Queens of Villainy series, where a seductive fae queen meets her unexpected match in the enemy empire’s valiant general.

Queen Lorelei is a notorious fae seductress, with a trail of broken hearts in her wake. But behind her glamorous lifestyle and sparkling mask lurks a dangerously intelligent woman who’d do anything to keep her people safe, including kidnap the empire’s most famous hero.

The virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul represents all that is moral and true. He has to, after his parents were executed for treason. The last thing he needs is the Queen of Balravia, who showers glitter and rainbow-colored sparkles everywhere she goes without the slightest regard for good taste, decorum, or royal dignity.

They’re opposites in every way, but when they’re swept up together in a grand–and deadly–fae tournament, they discover all of each other’s most hidden truths–and how perfectly they might be suited for each other after all.

Book two in the Queens of Villainy series.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Re-Do List

The Re-Do List by Denise Williams

Author: Denise Williams
Released: January 27, 2026 by Berkley
Genre: ,

What would you do with a second chance at your first time? Following a bad breakup, Willow Lewis tackles a re-do list with the help of her brother’s best friend in this sweet and sexy new romance from USA Today bestselling author Denise Williams.

Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.”

Deacon promised his best friend two things when Cruz left for a that he’d look out for Willow, and that he’d keep his hands off Cruz’s baby sister. “Operation Re-Do” is innocent enough at Deacon likes Willow and he’s willing to help her out any way he can. But when the list of firsts turns from a first dance to first kisses and more, Deacon can’t deny the connection he feels to Willow.

As Deacon’s and Willow’s firsts turn to seconds, thirds, and fourths, this pair can’t get enough of each other—and they support each other through new challenges. But they are both aware there’s an end date to Willow’s time in town… and even if she were to stay, Deacon doesn’t know how to choose between his loyalty to his closest friend and the woman he’s fallen in love with. With no more romantic moments on her list for them to re-do, can these two still find a way to stay together?

A slow burn, friends to lovers contemporary.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Silver & Blood

Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik

Author: Jessie Mihalik
Released: January 27, 2026 by Avon
Genre: , ,
Series: Silver & Blood #1

On a deadly mission to kill the mythical beast that has been haunting her woods, a desperate mage finds her fate intertwined with the handsome, powerful man who saves her in this dark and sexy romantasy—perfect for readers of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Callie Hart, and Holly Black.

There’s something in the woods…

When a vicious beast begins attacking her fellow villagers, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forbidden forest and kill the monster as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought.

Untrained and barely armed, Riela is quickly overwhelmed when one beast turns into two. She fears her death is at hand until the unexpected arrival of a scarred, strikingly handsome man with gleaming moonlit magic changes her fate—and provides a rare opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.

After being rescued and healed from the beast’s poison, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. She soon learns Garrick is both more powerful and far deadlier than a mere mortal mage—but thanks to a century-long curse, his powers are weakening.

Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets and lies connecting Riela’s past to Garrick’s, the tenuous threads of trust between them start to fray.

Because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.

Amanda: Mihalik is an autobuy for me!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead

Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by KJ Parker

Author: KJ Parker
Released: January 27, 2026 by Orbit
Genre:
Series: The Loyal Opposition #1

From World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker comes a devilishly clever tale of murder, intrigue, and existential crisis.

​Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible – and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both first-rate practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently).

To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening of the greatest spiritual minds the world has to offer. But when they arrive, they find instead a den of villainy that would make the most hardened criminal blush.

To complicate matters further, it appears that some people who were definitely grim reapered might be not quite dead after all. What began as a little assassination is about to escalate into a theological debate with terrifying consequences for everyone.

Amanda: I haven’t read anything by Parker before, but this one sounds interesting.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Such a Perfect Family

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh

Author: Nalini Singh
Released: January 27, 2026 by Berkley
Genre:

A man with a deadly past marries into the perfect, most respectable family in this riveting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh. . . .

A woman buried.
A woman broken.
A woman crashed.
A woman burned.
And the man who knew them all.

Love at first sight, a whirlwind Vegas wedding, a fairy-tale romance.

For forty-three days, Tavish Advani has been the happiest man in the world—until his new life turns to ash, his wealthy in-laws’ house going up in a fiery explosion. His badly injured wife lies in a coma, her family all but annihilated.

Tavish thought he’d left the sins of his Los Angeles life behind, but it’s not so easy to leave behind an investigation into the deaths of several high-profile women—all of whom he’d professed to love. Tragedy and death follow him no matter where he goes . . . but this time, he knows he’s truly innocent.

Desperately trying to clear his name as the authorities zero in, Tavish begins his own investigation into the fire—and learns that his wife’s picture-perfect family may have been nothing but a meticulously constructed mirage. The truth is much darker than anything Tavish could’ve imagined.

Nalini Singh has a new thriller out!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Trailbreaker

Trailbreaker by Ruthie Knox

Author: Ruthie Knox
Released: January 27, 2026 by Amazon Publishing
Genre: ,
Series: Prairie Nightingale #2

Suspicions that a serial killer is terrorizing a pristine tourist spot draw a single mom and budding private investigator into a twisting and deepening mystery of secrets and murder.
Single mom and newly minted private investigator Prairie Nightingale has opened the doors of her Green Bay, Wisconsin, agency and is ready for work. She and her crew aren’t quite prepared for their first client, though: Bernie Dubicki, a notorious online journalist and not—altogether—reliable provocateur, who claims the idyllic vacation destination of nearby Door County is home to a serial killer.

She’s pinpointed four seemingly unrelated deaths that haven’t raised suspicions for anyone else. But when a college student vanishes, Bernie’s sizable retainer convinces Prairie to help connect the dots. And trusted, flirty FBI agent Foster Rosemare thinks Bernie might be onto something. Prairie never expected her first investigation to be so big—like Dateline big—but she does have an inquiring mind and a knack for seeing things no one else can.

In this case she’ll have to look deep—not only into the secrets of strangers, but into Door County’s woods—to solve a mystery decades in the making.

Sarah: The sequel to Homemaker, which I really enjoyed! This one has potential flirtation with the FBI agent from book one, and a possible serial killer in Door County.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

[personal profile] mific posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan, Anne Teldy, Carson Beckett, Radek Zelenka, Jennifer Keller
Rating: Explicit
Length: 18,013
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence. Jeannie, Rodney's sister, has died long before the story starts. Academic ethics are somewhat compromised!
Creator Links: Telesilla on AO3, helens78 on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Crack treated seriously, First time, Friends to lovers, Animal transformation, Werecreatures, Complete AU, Interspecies pairing, Research, Worldbuilding (I had difficulty finding actual tags to reflect some of these because while there's a minor character werewolf in this, most of the Weres aren't wolves.)

Summary: John Sheppard has had over twenty years to come to grips with the fact that every four or five weeks, he turns into a mountain lion. Like most Were, he accepts that that's just the way it is, and so he's not particularly interested when he learns that researchers at the local university are trying to to develop drugs that will help Were control their cycles. Then he meets Dr. Rodney McKay, a brilliant but irascible biochemist with reasons of his own for spearheading the university's Were research and John suddenly finds himself struggling with more than just his attraction to McKay.

Reccer's Notes: Werewolves, or in this case, Werecreatures in general, are a popular crack fantasy trope. This story's excellent as it turns the fantasy trope into a real minority of individuals having Were genes, forced to change cyclically to an animal form. In this story's interesting worldbuilding, Were are discriminated against and find it hard to get jobs and live as full members of society. John is a werecougar and he meets Rodney who's a scientist running a research trial to test a new drug intended to suppress mandatory cycling. The story is crack "taken seriously" as there's no fantasy element. This is a genetically-driven thing, with Were a slightly different species to humans. Their cycles vary according to gene expression, and aren't moon-driven. Plus, in this world, Telesilla shows the politics of discrimination against Were, with John initially resisting the research as he's angry that they're yet again being viewed as humans with a sickness that needs treatment. The story has lots of plot and drama, a great developing relationship with Rodney, and a satisfying conclusion. Very much recommended!

Fanwork Links: Where the Brave Dare Not Go, it's locked to AO3 so here's a Wayback link
Excellent podfic by helens78 here

[ SECRET POST #6961 ]

Jan. 26th, 2026 05:46 pm
case: (Default)
[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6961 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.



More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 31 secrets from Secret Submission Post #994.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Contemporary Romance, a Mystery, & More

Jan. 26th, 2026 04:30 pm
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

The Bookshop Below

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers is $2.99! This released in November and was mentioned on Hide Your Wallet.

Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they’re slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story—in this spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the author of The City of Stardust. 

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.

For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s the bookshop must always have an owner.

But she’s not the only one interested. There’s Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can’t seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron’s murderer, who is still on the loose.

As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely…

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Force of Nature

Force of Nature by Jane Harper is $2.99! It’s the second book in the Aaron Falk series, though it works fine as a self-contained story.

Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along a muddy track.

Only four come out on the other side.

The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and encourage teamwork and resilience. At least, that’s what the corporate retreat website advertises.

Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker, Alice Russell. Because Alice knew secrets, about the company she worked for and the people she worked with.

The four returning women tell Falk a tale of fear, violence and fractured trust during their days in the remote Australian bushland. And as Falk delves into the disappearance of Alice, he begins to suspect some dangers ran far deeper than anyone knew.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden is $1.99! This feels like it’d be a good fit for lovers of Heather Webber and Sarah Addison Allen with its mix of women’s fiction, magical realism, and food.

An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose. . . . from the bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees.

Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost.

As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift–three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

Slow Burn Summer

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is $1.99! This released over the summer and Lara was really excited about the premise. Have you read this one?

A talent agent hires an actress to play the part of “novelist” on a book tour for his agency’s publicity-shy client

She’s playing the part of romance author, but has she found her own real life love story?

Talent agent Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication. The book is a surefire hit, if only his agency can find someone to “play” author on its summer book tour.

Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.

When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script?

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

You can find ordering info for this book here.

 

 

 

You Don't Know Jack

Jan. 26th, 2026 02:00 pm
[syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Sharyn

Once Upon A Time...

...there was a boy named Jack:

 ...who used a lot of sunblock.

 

Jack lived with his mother in "The Hovel by the Phallic Fountain."

The hovel needed a new roof, but Jack and his mother had no money.

 

So they decided to sell their only cow, Boxy.

(Look, I don't know what it is, either, but this story is going to move along a lot better if we can all just agree it's a cow, OK? Moo.)

 

On the way to the market, though, Jack met:

...the Way Stuffed Cellulite Man.

 

Mr. Way Stuffed convinced Jack to trade him the "cow" for a tray of tragic spleens.

(Sure, they look happy now, but that's only because they don't recognize my masterful use of foreshadowing.)

 

Jack's mother was livid when he can home with the spleens, and made Jack give them a proper burial.

(See? Tragic.)

After a miserable night with no supper, Jack woke up to see a flowing vine where he'd buried the spleens:

Flows like a river.

 

The Tragic Spleenstalk reached all the way to the clouds. As Jack stood gaping, suddenly the Faceless Fairy appeared!

"Jack, climb the spleenstalk to find a magic chicken who lays golden eggs!" she projected telepathically.

(She doesn't have a mouth. Try to keep up.)

"But beware the ogre who guards the chicken!"

 

So Jack climbed the spleenstalk, and there was the chicken:

In a festive knit straitjacket.

 

Jack had just grabbed the bird when he heard a roar!

It was the ogre, Oh'Duh!

"Take the bird not you will!" Oh'Duh screeched.

 

Jack quickly fled down the spleenstalk, where his mother was waiting with a dump truck and a huge load:

...of dirt.

Before the ogre could follow, they knocked over the spleenstalk and buried it, trapping Oh'Duh in his cloud city.

With the money they made from the golden eggs, Jack and his mother were able to build a brand new home by the Phallic Fountain, complete with matching turrets.

(Those two really know how to use their heads.)

 

And they all lived happily ever after.

Well, OK, maybe not ALL of them.

 

Thanks to Amy, Giopi, Sarah J., Graham K., Sara E., moxie, Jenni Q., Shannon C., Becky C., Flowe L., Dani S., and Daniel C. for the fairy fail ending.

*****

I always like twisted fairy tails told from the villain's perspective, and this version - as told by the giant! - has rave reviews:

Trust Me, Jack's Beanstalk Stinks!
The Story of Jack and the Beanstalk as Told by the Giant

Only $7, too, if you'd like to add it to your kids' library.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

Dom-Com by Adriana Anders

Jan. 26th, 2026 11:00 am
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Lara

B

Dom-Com

by Adriana Anders
January 27, 2026 · Forever
Literary Fiction

I picked this book up for a ridiculous reason: a misreading of the title. I read Dom-Con – a convention of doms and I found that idea hilarious. That notion was quickly dispelled when I read the cover again followed shortly by the blurb. I’m thankful for that silly mistake of mine because I had a lot of fun.

Rae is a total newbie to the BDSM world when she rocks up to a BDSM club looking for a dom. She’s given the name of Sunny by the staff member who welcomes her. There she meets the General, an experienced dom who can’t tear his eyes away from Sunny. They play out a pretty mild scene but it rocks their world. Sunny freaks out a bit and runs away from the club. The General is frustrated that he can’t provide aftercare.

Come Monday morning, who is the new consultant at the matchmaking app that Rae works at? None other than Grant, aka the General. Yup! If you’re thinking that office supplies are about to be used creatively, you’d be right!

Grant’s whole thing is that he doesn’t do long term anything. Doesn’t live in a house for long, doesn’t do long term relationships, doesn’t even have a pet. None of it. He makes a deal with Sunny that he’ll be her dom for the three weeks he’s contracted to be a consultant.

You can have a great deal of kinky sex in three weeks. And there is a lot of sex in this book. What I appreciated, though, was that each sex scene pushed the characters closer together. More intimacy, more emotional development, more orgasms. Yes, orgasms and emotional development are directly proportional. So for me the sex scenes were exciting primarily because of how much those scenes led the characters to reveal more and more of themselves emotionally. Such vulnerability!

One of the ways in which Rae grows is learning to say no to people. This is something that Grant is adamant about as her dom. There is also some great fat rep: Rae is described as ‘plump’ but in the sex scenes, Grant will kiss her ‘soft belly’ and her curvy ‘dimpled’ bum. It was clear in each sex scene that this was sex with a fat woman and I loved it.

There is more plot than just two people growing closer through sex. Grant is actually employed as a security consultant because the CEO’s dirtbag of a son-in-law claims there’s been a data leak and that he should take over from his incompetent mother in law. So there’s that. There’s one particular plot thread that doesn’t make sense in all this. It’s not huge and maybe the fault is mine for reading too late at night, but suffice to say the plot of the attempted overthrow doesn’t make 100% sense.

The staff at the matchmaking app are deeply unconventional as is the CEO. This is not a profit-over-people workplace. I really enjoyed this part of the story because a functional happy workplace in which staff are happy and fulfilled and the work they do is good is very fun to read about.

Is there a third act break up?

Show Spoiler

Yes, and it’s fuelled by cowardice. Frustrating I know.

So while I was frustrated by the third act and by the plot line that didn’t make sense, I was delighted by everything else. I really enjoyed reading Dom-Com and am very happy to recommend it to the Bitchery!

[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Welcome back to Cover Snark!

Moment of Truth by Maggie Price. A photography cover with a sepia filter. A woman with dark hair and a long black dress with a white floral pattern is reaching into the front pocket of a man. He has on dark slacks and a dark sweater and he kind of looks pissed.

Sarah: I think we’ve snarked this before but this cover is so funny

Is his hand down his waistband while her hand is in his pocket? Gosh I love this cover

Amanda: A fine vintage of Snark.

Sarah: Such vintage. The more I look at it, the funnier it is. She looks very suspicious. He looks pouty. Is the moment of truth when she pulls whatever it is out of his pocket?

WHAT IS IN HIS POCKET. A mystery that will taunt me for ages.

Sneezy: Smeagol wanted to know too…

Falling for Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton. A watercolor cover of a small white home on a seaside cliff with a blue sky. But the font is in script and Polkerran looks like Pokemon.

Sarah: I swear I thought this said “Pokemon Point.”

Amanda: Weirdly, I don’t think this is the first “Pokemon” loopy font snafu we’ve had.

Sarah: The members of my family who enjoy Pokemon Go would be very happy to shiny hunt in that location. I’d be fine staying inside.

Sneezy: You saw that now, Sarah, that hut could be a Pokemon gym.

It probably says more about me than the font, but my second thought wasn’t that it said something other than Pokemon, but that somehow they spelled Pokemon wrong.

Till Dawn Tames the Night by Meagan McKinney. The cover is just a photograph of a white, sprawling house surrounded by palm trees and tropical plants.

From Karen: This cover is so far from matching the description, that it boggles my mind:

A woman’s cherished legacy becomes a pirate’s obsessive quest in this spellbinding historical romance from an award-winning author.

“Beautiful, masterful, rich, powerful and seductive… has all the allure and darkness of Wuthering Heights and the warmth of Judith McNaught’s Once and Always.” —Romantic Times

This picture belongs on zillow.com or some photo book from Architectural Digest or something. I suspect someone who blindly picks up this book based on the cover is going to be very surprised. Can we make this stop?

Sarah: Pirates live in luxury compounds with palm trees and manicured gardens now I guess?

LOLOL the cover copy:

The London docks in 1818 are no place for a woman. But Aurora Dayne is about to embark on a new life. With her modest belongings and a unique bejeweled locket—her sole legacy from her dead father—she boards a ship bound for Jamaica.

All hell breaks loose when pirates storm the gangplank, and the sheltered orphan becomes the prisoner of a ruthless privateer named Vashon. The towering, black-caped stranger arouses Aurora’s fear . . . and her irresistible desire.

Haunted by his past, Vashon lives outside the law and is driven by one purpose: to retrieve the Star of Aran, a fabled gem cursed by its own dark history. Beautiful Aurora is the key to Vashon’s quest. But when obsession flames into passion, he will risk everything to protect her—for there are others who would kill to possess the star.

Lara: I have no words. Wow.

Sarah: I think my favorite part is that Not One Thing on this cover matches “the allure and darkness of Wuthering Heights and the warmth of Judith McNaught’s Once and Always.”

Nothing says Wuthering Heights like a south Florida AirBnB.

Kiki: Wuthering Heights but it’s in Florida definitely sounds like an off-off-off-off broadway concept. Or a theatre major’s senior thesis!

Sneezy: This cover gives me serial killer or true crime vibes. Which technically counts as dark?

Sincerely Not Yours by Brittney Joy. A man and woman are standing before large windows looking out onto a city. He is in a suits with a red tie. She is in a long white sweat dress, leaning against a giant candy cane, and holding a clearly photoshopped orange kitten.

From Pam G: I’m sending this along, because it almost makes me wish for a faceless couple. There’s his elbow, her weird teeth and that taxidermied kitten. (No one would wear a white sweater dress to hold a live kitten.) And finally, that candy cane. The jokes just write themselves.

Sarah: None of these elements were originally together, right? There’s no way.

Elyse: Is that cat missing half its body?

Sarah: Maybe she has cavernous space in her underboob? I mean, if my underboob had a boot I’d be carrying all kinds of snacks and supplies.

Also, his suit fits weird. I’d love for The Menswear Guy to take a look at that one.

Kiki: What a lovely Kohl’s Christmas ad!

Sneezy: There’s several uncanny valley things about this, and the bright chirpiness makes it so much worse.

 

🪦😁📺

Jan. 25th, 2026 07:12 pm
bluedreaming: white-sheeted ghost in a field with a lantern (*kat_lair - field ghost)
[personal profile] bluedreaming
It's maybe a little odd to phrase it this way, but only after like 4+ years of on and off watching BL dramas (and getting into GL dramas) am I getting to stage of actually being okay with/open to "bad" endings again because it's not about the gay, it's about the plot. You now have my trust that you're not “killing off the gays” because they're gay, so I'm okay with killing off main characters if the plot makes sense that way.

[spoiler about a 2025 GL series]I really loved Runaway.
And I probably would not have been ready to like it 4 years ago.

Right now I'm making personal bets about characters dying in
[vague not-really spoiler about a currently airing BL series]Goddess bless you from death
and having a lovely time.

(Okay I’m still not going to watch heavy political/etc. type dramas but that’s just a general preference.)

[ SECRET POST #6960 ]

Jan. 25th, 2026 03:19 pm
case: (Default)
[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6960 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.


More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 23 secrets from Secret Submission Post #994.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Sunday Sweets: Watercolor Cakes

Jan. 25th, 2026 02:00 pm
[syndicated profile] cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Lindsey

Apparently watercolors date back as far as the cave paintings of Paleolithic Europe. (Thanks Wikipedia!) It was done on things like stone, leather, papyrus, and now ...

(By AK Cake Design)

You guessed it! Cake!

 

Heck, maybe it was always done on cake, but everyone ate the evidence back in those days.

(By Nevie-Pie Cakes)

I mean, given the choice between a slice of beautifully watercolored cake such as this one, or a hunk of buffalo carcass, I'd go for the cake.

I probably wouldn't have survived very long back then.

 

But enough talk of carcasses. (Carcassi?) Back to the pretty cakes!

(By Hey There, Cupcake!, Photography by Siegel Thurston Photography)

And this pretty cake is particularly stunning. Look at all those bright beautiful colors!

 

I love the transparency here, almost like the cake was wrapped in tissue paper:

(By A's Exquisite Cakes & Chocolates; Photo by Jessica Schmitt Photography)

(Dear wreckorators: PLEASE do not go and actually wrap a cake in tissue paper. Please. No, really. Put. The paper. DOWN.)

 

Did your art teacher in school ever show you that trick of sprinkling salt over your watercolors? It gives it this super-nifty texture, kind of like... this!

(By neli)

It's like an ocean wave of the night sky, with pretty flowers for stars. Love it.

 

Of course, my watercolors all tended to be a drippy mess - but thanks to this next one, I know drips can be deeeeeLIGHTful:

(By The Art of Cake; Photo by Erik Hornung Photography)

Like rain down a window, or tears down a cheek, or something equally poetical and artsy.

 

Or how about a modern Jackson Pollack approach, with random splatters and splashes?

(By I Dream of Cake)

Bonsai!!

 

Edible paints are sweet, of course, but good ol' buttercream can also give you that soft watercolory look:

(By Miso Bakes)

It's like springtime on a plate! I love those dreamy pastel roses.

 

And how's this for a painting come to life?

(By CakeCentral member Panel7124)

Once again I'm not sure I could bear to let anyone actually CUT this cake. I just want to put it on a shelf and stare at it forever and always.

 

And finally, check out this frothy, watercolory wonderfulness:

(By Lucia Simeone Cake Design)

I dub thee... rhapsody in blue!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

******

P.S. If you've ever wanted to dabble in the arts, this is for you:

GenCrafts Portable Watercolor Kit

Comes with a pad of watercolor paper, 2 re-fillable brush pens, and a handy travel case.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

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