Review: Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen

Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen

Series: The Wolves of Ruin #1

Publication date: August 26th, 2025

Pages: 608

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in this spicy, page-turning romantasy where humans and direwolves forge unbreakable bonds and fight for survival at all costs.

Only the worthy survive the Bonding Trials. She'll risk her life--and her heart--to be one of them.

Meryn Cooper has always hated the Bonded, elite warriors who form mental links with the massive, vicious direwolves they ride. While they live in luxury, Meryn struggles to keep her family out of poverty. When her little sister, Saela, is kidnapped--stolen across the border by the immortal monsters her country has spent centuries fighting--Meryn's world falls apart.

Desperate to cross the front and save her sister, Meryn enlists in the army and is thrown into the deadly Bonding Trials, where any mistake will cost her life.

Now Meryn must survive four months of training at the castle. She is bound to a feral direwolf who refuses to communicate. The other trainees would love to spill her common blood. And her cold and beautiful instructor, Stark Therion, is eager to punish any weakness.

Everything is a competition, and everyone is out to get her--everyone except the dangerously handsome crown prince, whose attention adds another target to her back. In the castle, every smile hides a knife... and the halls hide dark secrets.

It's bond or bleed. Duel or die. Failure is ruin.

Dire Bound contains mature content including depictions of graphic violence, and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.

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Story: When asked to describe the story to someone I stated, "It is as if Fourth Wing, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones had a baby and that baby rode big ass wolves." It seems that depicting it that way garnered a lot of favor amongst my bookish friends. I didn't read the synopsis where it stated it was similar to Rebecca Yarro's books, but I definitely got that feel through the whole thing. A heroine that seems weak but has a deeper purpose. That same heroine ends up bonding to the strongest of the strong creatures they were destined to form bonds with. That same wolf has refused to bond with anyone else until she showed up. It all felt very much like the famous dragon rider book series which only made it better for me. I have been in a horrible slump since Onyx Storm and this was just the book I needed. It was laid out perfectly and I was riveted. 

 Characters: I was rooting for Stark from the beginning. There was something about Killian that made my teeth itch but I had no idea why. I don't think it was anything he actually did but just a feeling to the character that the author instilled in him. There was a reason behind it but it was driving me absolutely mad wondering why I was whining in my own mind wishing Maryn would give Stark a chance already. Maryn was as scrappy as her Alley Cat nickname denoted. There were several times I thought she was going to roll over and cry, deciding to finally give up. But she always made the attempt to get back up and fight for her life and the lives of those she loves. My heart broke for her in several instances but I think she was one of the best and most well-rounded female protagonists I have read in since Violet Sorrengail.

Writing: The author had a simplistic yet refined way of composing her book. There was a lot of intrigue and she structured it well so that there was never any chance for a reader to catch up with what could possibly be happening. That left us all on the edge of our seats and a hunger to know what happens next. Sable Sorensen is by far one of the most skilled new authors I have seen come out recently and if you didn't know better one wouldn't have a inkling of an idea that it was two friends coming together to write the book. Their writing melded together seamlessly and left me desperate to read more by them.

Overall:  When you have a book that is compared to Fourth Wing you have a pretty heavy standard to live up to. The readers and obsessed fans of that series will chew you up and spit you out like the direwolves that were featured in this book if they don't like what you produce. You have to walk the line between being too similar to the work that is being compared without going to far into their territory that it comes off as a poor man's replica. The author definitely did well in straddling that line. It had a lot more smut than the Fourth Wing series but it was well placed within the story to go along with what the heroine was experiencing. The story was riddled with mystery, romance, heat, danger, violence, and espionage to the point where I couldn't help but fall in love with it and the characters. I am a tough critic when it comes to books but this one was by far one of my favorites and one I will be recommending to anyone I can.

 

Book Blitz with Excerpt + Giveaway: The Bistro La Boheme Complete Series Box Set by Alix Nichols @XpressoTours

The Bistro La Boheme Complete Series Box Set: 7 Parisian Romantic Comedies by Alix Nichols

Publication date: February 25th, 2026

Synopsis:

Love rom-coms packed with banter, warm fuzzies, and spice?

This complete series box set has you covered.

7 full-length romances. One Paris cafe. Pure binge reading.

1. Falling for Emma -- a redemption romance

Rising star of French soft rock Cyril is blind, talented, and broken. Graphic artist Emma lives in her sister's shadow, hiding her love for Cyril... until the day she decides to give fate a helping hand.

2. What If It's Love -- a second-chance romance, Dante Rossetti First Place Winner

When the hottest man in Paris, Rob Dumont, shows interest in geeky, introverted heiress Lena, she suspects something fishy. And she's right to.

3. Winter's Gift -- a modern Cinderella romance

When tech mogul Anton and elite call girl Anna cross paths over the holidays, neither can deny that what they share is special. But it threatens the principles they've lived by for years: love is poison, and don't trust anyone.

4. Under My Skin -- a love triangle romance

After three years of no contact, up-and-coming politician Mat Gerard believes he's over his crush on sassy barmaid Jeanne Bonnet... Or is he?

5. Amanda's Guide to Love -- an opposites-attract romance, Kindle Scout Winner

One uptight career woman down on her luck. One free-spirited blackjack player. One wild, no-strings night that changes everything...

6. An Autumn in Paris -- a single-parent romance

For single mom Dana, passion is a thing of the past. When she meets handsome vet Thomas, will she dare to love again?

7. The Devil's Own Chloe -- a friends-to-lovers romance

Patient and strong, contractor Hugo prides himself on fixing anything. But can he save his high school crush Chloe from herself?

"Ooh-la-la! Fun and entertaining." (USA Today Bestselling Author Ann Omasta)

"The twist and turns will keep you hanging off the edge of your seat, and the magical setting will reel you in." (Romantic Times)

Follow a close-knit group of friends as they fall in love--one swoony Parisian romance at a time.

Available at:

From "Amanda's Guide to Love"

The plan was simple, as all genius ideas were: exploit her beginner's luck.

Amanda was a gambling virgin, so new she still had her price tags. She'd never set foot in a casino or tried a slot machine. She'd never even played cards with friends.

Seeing as she had no friends.

She shook her head, brushing that thought away.

I do have friends. A whole bunch of them--because four counted as a bunch, right?

She donned her strappy gown and refreshed her makeup. Then she grabbed her Chanel purse with her ID, cash, and the cocktail voucher the concierge had given her and headed to the famed Deauville Casino that adjoined her hotel.

Ten minutes into the game, Amanda began to suspect that her two-hour crash course on the train might have been insufficient. But it didn't matter because her beginner's luck should kick in any moment now.

She surveyed the players at her table to divert her mind from worrying.

What a motley crew!

Across from her sat an elderly Spanish couple. They wore matching T-shirt and smiled simultaneously, flashing their dentures. Next to them, two forty-something British women spoke to each other in an incomprehensible English dialect: A middle-aged Frenchman with greasy hair and darting eyes sat beside them. Amanda's neighbor to the let was a surgically enhanced bimbo of unknown provenance doused with a nauseating perfume and clad in a dress that was three sizes too small.

But the most remarkable person at the table was Amanda's neighbor to the right, whom she'd nicknamed Obsidian Eyes. In his late twenties, tall, swarthy, well built, and well dressed, the man was easy on the eyes. He wore a faux casual linen suit and played with the easy confidence of someone who knew what he was doing.

His complexion and features held a touch of something exotic, faintly alien--something that kept her stealing glances at him whenever he turned his attention to his cards. Was it his wavy, jet-black hair, mesmerizing eyes, or chiseled jawline? Or maybe his exquisite eyebrows that make her think of a raven's wings? Whatever that je ne sais quoi was, it made him look more than ordinary. And hot.

The man was a blazing wildfire on legs.

As if his looks weren't enough, Obsidian Eyes played exceptionally well. Forty minutes into the game, his stacks of colorful chips had doubled while everyone else's--including Amanda's--had melted away.

That thought snapped her back into reality. Panicked, Amanda raised her eyes to the high ceiling of the casino.

Please, I can't lose.

She was gambling with her meager savings--half of it, to be exact. If the Supreme Being above intended to activate her beginner's luck, now was the time.

"Newbie?" Obsidian Eyes asked, his gaze never shifting from the deck in the dealer's hands.

He spoke French like a native. A slight Midi accent, maybe? A bit like Jeanne's, but less pronounced.

Amanda looked around, unsure whom he was talking to.

Obsidian Eyes finally lifted his gaze from the cards and gave her a panty-dropping smile.

She arched an eyebrow. "Does it show?"

"Mhmm," Obsidian Eyes said.

Ooh, that smile again!

The dealer held up a card for her, and she started reaching for it when she noticed Obsidian Eyes give a quick shake of his head. She pulled back.

And won the hand.

"Thank you," she mouthed to her unexpected mentor.

He gave her a small nod.

She followed his discreet instructions for two more hands and won both. The evening was beginning to look up.

The dealer bowed and ceded his place to a good-looking young woman with sleek auburn hair smoothed back into the world's tightest bun.

She greeted the players and began to shuffle the cards.

Obsidian Eyes turned to Amanda. "Why blackjack? Beginners usually prefer the slots or roulette."

"I don't know... Too passive for me, I guess."

He nodded. "I avoid them, too."

"So you know what I mean."

"Yes. But that's not my only reason."

She cocked her head. "No?"

"The slots are twice as costly to players than the table games, and with roulette, too much depends on chance."

Amanda smirked. "Isn't that the case with all the games?"

"Not blackjack, if played right."

"Let me guess--you play it right."

He glanced at the dealer, who was engrossed in shuffling cards. "I know a trick or two."

One of the Brits stage-whispered to the other, "I hope he'll show me some of his tricks tonight." She paused before adding even louder, "In my room."

Both women burst out laughing.

Obsidian Eyes shifted uncomfortably and looked down at his hands, pretending he hadn't heard the saucy remark.

The man with greasy hair whispered something to the plastic bimbo.

She didn't acknowledge him. The woman was too busy multitasking. With her chest heaving, she stared at Obsidian Eyes and stroked her neck. Every five seconds she licked her lips and then pouted.

But the black-eyed hunk was oblivious to her onslaught. He turned to Amanda again. "I'm taking a break to stretch my legs."

"Er . . . OK."

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I have a bad feeling about this dealer."

"Oh." She pushed her chips closer together like he had done and stood. "I'll do the same, then."

"What brings you to Deauville Casino tonight?" he asked as they strolled between the tables and observed the goings-on.

After a second's hesitation, she said, "I'm writing a book about gamblers."

"Participant observation, huh?"

Her eyebrows rose. "What do you know about participant observation?"

"Yeah, well, I need something to help me sleep when I get to my room at three in the morning." He shrugged. "Reading a few pages of Tristes Tropiques works better than any sleeping pill I've tried."

She giggled. "I'm passionate about cultural anthropology, but I could never finish that book."

"I like psychology books better," he said. "They're fun to read, and the info in them is useful in my trade."

"Oh?"

He nodded. "Especially books like Cialdini's Influence and the ones on how to read body language."

"I see."

"Hey, how about a glass of champagne on the terrace after I've won my target amount?" He gave her an innocent smile. A little too innocent.

"I have a cocktail voucher," she blurted before she could stop herself.

Did I just accept his invitation?

Oh, well. What harm could a drink do?

His face contorted in exaggerated disgust. "Trust me, you don't want their free cocktail unless you're a gustative masochist."

She put her hands on her hips. "I was given a free voucher, and I intend to use it."

"OK, OK. But don't say I didn't warn you."

She tilted her head to the side. "You said 'my target amount' earlier. Are you that good?"

"In all modesty . . . yes. But my target amount is also reasonable. And I have a spending threshold, too. When I reach it before I've won my target amount, I always stop."

"How very rational for a gambler!"

"I'm full of surprises, in case you haven't noticed." He gave her an appreciative look. "And I suspect that so are you, ma belle."

"When did I become your belle?"

"Oh, it's just a placeholder until you tell me your name."

Should I? she wondered.

"So, what's your name, ma belle?"

"Am . . . elie. And yours?"

"Kes."

"What kind of name is Kes?"

"A Gypsy name."

"Like, a real Traveler Gypsy?"

"As authentic as they come."

"Ah." She raised her chin. "That explains it."

"Explains what, Amelie?"

"That you make me think of Tarzan."

"Really?"

"Not that you aren't dashing in your suit," she began, "but you look like someone who was born to ride horses bare-chested."

"Wow. You're the bluntest belle I've ever met."

"And you're the most gorgeous Gypsy I've ever met," she blurted.

Where did that come from? Must be the vodka.

The corners of his mouth twitched. "So refreshingly honest! Why, I'm flattered."

She looked away.

Honest, my foot.

He wasn't just the most handsome Gypsy she'd ever seen--he was the most spectacular man, all ethnicities included.

Now, that was honest.

She turned to him and cleared her throat. "Shall we go back? Target amounts and all."

"Sure."

The sleek-haired dealer was leaving when they returned to their seats. Both giggling Brits and Greasy Hair were gone. The elderly couple and he bimbo still played, but judging by their dismal faces and the measly number of chips in front of them, they weren't doing well.

Kes had been right about the dealer.

"What does your gut tell you about this one?" Amanda eyed the middle-aged man who had taken over for his colleague.

"He's the best."

Her face fell.

Kes grinned. "Not for the house, ma belle, for us. Move closer so I can see your cards without twisting my neck."

She moved as close to him as their chairs allowed.

"Now relax and do exactly as I say."

Amanda glanced at Kes, but he had already turned his full attention to the cards.

ALIX NICHOLS is a caffeine addict, a longtime fan of Mr. Darcy. She pens sexy romantic comedies and romantasy. At the age of six, she released his first book. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper.

Decades later, she lives in France and still writes. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), she has become a Kindle Scout winner, USA Today bestseller, Book Riot's Top 100 Must-Read International Romance author, and Amazon All-Star.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB

The Bistro La Bohème Blitz

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Review: What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

Series: Wrath and Fury #1

Publication date: September 23rd, 2025

Pages: 368

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

#1 New York Times-bestselling author Tricia Levenseller makes her adult debut in What Fury Brings, a sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.

There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra, Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

Available at:

Story: The premise of the story was immediately intriguing when first I read the synopsis. A society run by women that depicted them as the superior sex over men? Women who treated men the way so many men had treated them women in the medieval days? Sign me up. It was something unique that I have never read before which is rare these days. I jumped into the book worried that maybe it would push the feminists viewpoints a little to far and make the book a little intolerable, but the Tricia Levenseller managed to straddle that line really well. It was empowering without being overbearing. The setting and the feel of a fantasy world with sprigs of magic incorporated but that seemed to lack a lot of the technology of today's time. 

 Characters: I loved the characters of this book (save Glen). Olerra was meant to have the personification of a warrior and with that came a healthy dose of masculinity. But there were points where she would show how uncertain and easily swayed by emotion she was that is a distinctly feminine attitude. Normally I like women in my books to be a little more submissive and willing to bend to the will of the men (the curse of dark romance) but this was completely different from that. She was the dominant one and forced Sanos into the more subservient position. But he wasn't the type to fall into submission so easily. I loved that he pushed back and he was stoic and argumentative. The two's banter was equal parts comical and delightful to read. I loved watching them overcome both of their viewpoints in a bid for equality.

Writing: The one thing I love most in books is when the author chooses to have the characters form their own words for things. In this case, Levenseller decided to give sexualities different, more fantastical, names. I had to flip back a few times to see which Olerra was referring to at times but it was very interesting. It was something that set Amarra apart from the other countries and further intensified their distinction that they were a female ruled empire. I liked the distinction between each of the countries and how each of them may have different sets of beliefs and customs that would make future books even more interesting to read. I think the author set herself up perfectly for future writing projects. And, of course, the grammar and structure of the story was beautifully done. I have no complaints where the operations of the book are concerned.

Overall:  I have a hard time finding anything in this book that I didn't like. It was an interesting use of acceptance and distinction between the gender roles of our society today and twisting it on its head. The author mentioned she wrote this book in fits and bursts whenever she felt like her gender was cause for her life's struggles and I love that she channeled all of her own female fury into this book. I think method writing is a skill that a lot of authors should implement. I think Tricia Levenseller is on her way to being a household name and I look forward to reading more books in this universe as I was saddened to have to leave it with the finish of the last page.

 

Release Blitz with Teaser: Snowed in with the Bikers by Nikki Landis @landisnikkiauth @EJBookPromos

Snowed in with the Bikers by Nikki Landis

Series: Feral Rebels MC #3

Publication date: February 27th, 2026

Synopsis:

Who would have thought one snowstorm could ignite such a heated, life-altering night?

I've always been a biker princess. Forbidden. Off-limits. Protected by a ruthless bunch of outlaws because I'm related to more than one of the members. My father died defending the freedom to ride and live on his own terms, but it's my stepbrother who ensures my safety.

Until a wild party where stolen kisses and drunken confessions suddenly expose long-hidden truths. There's a reason I'm guarded so closely, and it's more shocking than the three bikers willing to risk their president's wrath as they unravel dark promises from the past.

Diesel, a tower of strength with his menacing gaze and brute strength, but it's his talented tongue that makes me blush. He's loyal, sinfully irresistible, and teases me with wicked words and carnal promises.

Revenant, a Marine veteran who prides himself on remaining cool, controlled, and focused. His gray eyes hold me hostage, but his calloused fingers show gentleness and passion I never expected.

But it's my stepbrother Void who's heated looks and threats against anyone who tries to touch me prove his thoughts aren't innocent, and his intentions just might scorch us both. He's an expert hacker and the only one willing to dive deep enough to uncover my real identity.

Suddenly thrust into a dark world I didn't know existed, I don't know what to do. I avoid the clubhouse for weeks, refusing to answer Revenant, Void, and Diesel's calls.

But when a snowstorm hits, and I'm stranded, the three bikers brave the ice and freezing temperatures to rescue me. They notice right away that someone tampered with my car, and danger has found me despite the tight circle of protection. Now I have to figure out how I'm surviving and if it's Diesel, Void, and Revenant who wants me... or if it's all three of them.

SNOWED IN WITH THE BIKERS is a motorcycle club romance where the girl gets all the bad boys and doesn't have to choose between them to get her happy ever after. It's book 3 in the FERAL REBELS MC that consists of standalone romances with ongoing plotlines and interconnecting characters. There's violence, biker slang, forced proximity, and a small town romance with one wicked stepbrother, and possessive, protective alpha men who fall first.

Available at:

NIKKI LANDIS is a romance enthusiast, tea addict, and book hoarder. She's the USA Today Bestselling Author of over fifty novels, including her widely popular Tonopah, NV RBMC series. She writes wickedly fierce, spicy romances featuring dirty talkin' bikers, deadly, possessive reapers, wild bad boys, and the feisty, independent women they love. She's a mom to six sons, two of them Marines. Books are her favorite escape. Nikki also writes steamy alien and monster romance under the pen name Synna Star.

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