In this Season 3 premiere episode with a Post-Show, we review Thea Guanzon's 2025 cozy fantasy romance novel Tusk Love. If you love cozy romance, fantasy romance, or Dungeons & Dragons-inspired stories, this book club discussion is for you!

📚 BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Tusk Love

Author: Thea Guanzon

Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance (Critical Role tie-in)

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Our Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Available: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover

🎧 WHAT WE COVER:

✅ Spoiler-free review of Tusk Love and its Critical Role origins

✅ D&D easter eggs, the goblin clan, and Oscar and Guinevere's chemistry

✅ Spice level talk, final rating, and our book club questions

✅ Post-Show book recommendations and our next book of the month

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK:

Arranged Marriage

Grumpy Sunshine

Opposites Attract

Forced Proximity

Found Family

Acts of Service

Happily Ever After

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS:

In this book review, we both loved Thea Guanzon's Tusk Love, a cozy fantasy romance that surprised us with its sweetness, its D&D easter eggs, and a slow, organic love story with no insta-love in sight. The spice level is moderate with three described scenes, and we think the light worldbuilding fits a romance-first story. We landed on 4.5 stars and would recommend it for your next book club pick.

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS:

The Gargoyle and the Maiden by Sarah Ivy Hill

There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm

Wedding the Werepanther by Krista Luna

Dubby Sponor Link

https://www.dubby.gg/discount/TPLD?ref=omyyxglq

In this season finale episode, we review Sierra Simone's dark romance novel Bitterburn, book three of the Lyonesse trilogy. If you love spicy retellings, found family suspense, or morally gray anti-hero romance stories, this book club discussion is for you

📚 BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Bitterburn (Lyonesse Trilogy, Book 3)

Author: Sierra Simone

Genre: Dark Romance / Erotica / Contemporary Arthurian Retelling

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Our Rating: 2.73/5 Stars

Available: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major podcast platforms

🎧 WHAT WE COVER:

✅ Our honest reactions to the Lyonesse trilogy finale

✅ Mark, Tristan & Isolde's character arcs (and where they fell apart)

✅ The Scales reveal and the Ys's plot hole

✅ That controversial "we've done this before" ending

✅ Our biggest plot holes, corrections, and what we'd change

✅ Individual ratings, book stats, and reader reviews

✅ Whether you should actually read this trilogy

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK:

Forced proximity

Age gap

Anti-hero romance

Found family

Secret organization/society

Arthurian retelling

Multiple POV

Dub-con elements

Power imbalance

BDSM dynamics

Slow burn reveal

Tragic source material reimagined

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS: We went into Bitterburn excited for the conclusion to the Lyonesse trilogy, but came away divided — the spice and the Scales twist landed well, while Mark's characterization and the happily-ever-after ending undercut the tragedy the source material promised. We all agreed the book needed higher stakes (someone should have died!) and that Isolde remained the weakest-written character across all three books.

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS:

A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone

Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone

Honeycutt by Sierra Simone

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Tusk Love

A Bride of Brutal Hearts

The Daedalus Engine by Ash Greer | Book Review & Discussion

In this chaotic, unfiltered episode, we review Ash Greer's self-published sci-fi erotica novel The Daedalus Engine. If you love science fiction, survival romance, or gloriously bad book club discussions, this book club discussion is for you!

📚 BOOK DETAILS: Title: The Daedalus Engine Author: Ash Greer Genre: Sci-Fi Erotica Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Our Rating: 0/5 - 1.5/5 Stars Available: Previously on Kindle Unlimited — currently unavailable

🎧 WHAT WE COVER: ✅ Full spoiler review of The Daedalus Engine ✅ Male gaze vs. female gaze in erotica — and how to spot the difference ✅ Why the Daedalus Engine itself is the biggest plot hole in the book ✅ Craft critique: world-building, pacing, and underdeveloped characters ✅ What this book could have been (and our honest advice for the author) ✅ June Book announcement: Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone

⚡ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Technical Difficulties & Take Two Intro 3:43 - How We Found This Book & Reddit Origins 6:07 - Plot Summary: Crash, Survive, Sex, Repeat 16:30 - Meet the Characters: Victus, Sarah, Evan & Vayne 19:10 - Male Gaze vs. Female Gaze Breakdown 27:00 - Plot Holes & World-Building Failures 35:48 - The Group Dynamic & Where Things Go 42:25 - Ratings & Honest Feedback for the Author 54:55 - New Shows Announced & Season 3 Preview 58:00 - June Book Announcement: Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK: Alien/new world setting Forced proximity Dom/sub dynamics Size difference Reverse harem/polyamorous group Impregnation Enemies to allies to lovers

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS: The Daedalus Engine had the bones of an interesting sci-fi concept buried under underdeveloped characters, rushed pacing, and smut scenes that read more like a script than a novel. The hosts gave credit where it was due — it's a first book, it was finished, and the author had the guts to put it out there — but agreed that spell check, character outlines, and a clearer narrative focus would go a long way. If Ash Greer is out there listening, the door is open and the feedback is genuine.

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS: Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone Not Enough (previously reviewed) The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty The Story of O Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Tusk Love (Critical Role) Butcher and Blackbird

In this chaotic episode of Pretty Little Death, we review Lexi C. Foss's dark monster romance novel Dark Obsessions (Monsters of Darkness Series). If you love monster romance, dark fantasy, paranormal romance, or spicy book reviews, this book club discussion is for you! Pretty Little Death is a dark romance and paranormal romance book club podcast where we read so you don't have to.

📚 BOOK DETAILS: Title: Dark Obsessions (Monsters of Darkness) Author: Lexi C. Foss Genre: Dark Monster Romance / Paranormal Romance Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Our Rating: 1/5 Stars Available: Kindle Unlimited (KU)

🎧 WHAT WE COVER: ✅ Whether the Strigoi lore actually delivers on its promise ✅ The wildly questionable consent arc and safe word reveal ✅ Why the trials are basically participation trophies ✅ A thousand-year-old virgin king and why that's a problem ✅ The infamous dinner scene and the tail situation ✅ Plot holes, mind reading before the blood bridge, and a British accent in Transylvania

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK: Fated Mates Monster Romance Dark Romance Virgin Hero Captive/Forced Proximity Tail Play Immortal x Human Dual POV First Person Safe Word / Consent Negotiation Insta-Love

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS: Dark Obsessions had a genuinely promising premise — a folklore researcher stumbling into the realm of the Strigoi King — but the execution fell completely flat. The book leans heavily on explicit content at the expense of world building, character development, and any meaningful plot, and the titular "dark" elements never really materialize. Between the consent issues, the recycled tropes, and a thousand-year-old virgin king who somehow can't pick a lane on whether he wants a mate, this one earns a hard one star and a recommendation to read literally anything else.

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS:

Dark Obsessions by Lexi C. Foss (Monsters of Darkness Series)

Brutal Prince (referenced as previous episode's read)

The Bride of Brutal Hearts by Kate Stevens (current giveaway)

Salt Kiss (referenced for fated mate trope comparison)

Lioness Trilogy — Book 3 (June Book of the Month)

The Daedalus Engine by Ash Greer (May Book of the Month)

Omegaverse genre (briefly referenced) Not Enough (referenced, title not confirmed)

💀 If you made it this far, drop your most hated book trope in the comments. We read the trash so you don't have to — but if you did read this one, you already know. Like and subscribe so you never miss a Pretty Little Death episode, and join our Discord community for book of the month picks, giveaways, and all the chaos in between.

In this chaotic, laugh-until-you-cry episode, we review Sophie Lark's 2022 mafia romance novel Brutal Prince. If you love enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, or forced proximity stories, this book club discussion is for you!

📚 BOOK DETAILS: Title: Brutal Prince Author: Sophie Lark Genre: Mafia Romance / Enemies to Lovers Spice Level: 🌶️ Our Rating: 1/5 Stars Available: Amazon, Kindle, Audible, Apple Books

🎧 WHAT WE COVER: ✅ Whether this actually qualifies as a mafia romance — and why all three of us think the answer is a hard no ✅ Ada and Callum's rushed enemies to lovers arc, the pacing problems, and a shower scene that had us questioning everything ✅ Major plot holes, dropped characters, and what we would have done differently to make this story actually work

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK: Enemies to lovers Arranged marriage Forced proximity Forced marriage Mafia families Class difference Obsessive ex

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS: Brutal Prince had all the ingredients for a compelling mafia romance — rival Irish and Italian families, a forced marriage between two people who despise each other, and an enemies to lovers slow burn that should have had us hooked. Instead, the mafia elements feel like window dressing on what is essentially a poorly paced love story, Ada's entire personality is sass with nothing underneath it, and Callum reads like a teenage boy's fantasy rather than a seasoned playboy. The hosts collectively gave it a 0.83 average rating, and the only reason it scraped above zero is because Nigel was in a good mood.

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS: Bride of Brutal Hearts — Sophie Lark Salt Kiss Series — Sophie Lark Most Forgettable Girl Not Enough Sugar Rush

The Doctor by E.L. Todd | Book Review & Discussion

In this special extended episode, we review E.L. Todd's forbidden romance novel The Doctor, the first book in her four-book series — and we've included our full Post-Show as a bonus for our listeners! If you love slow burn romance, forbidden romance books, or grumpy sunshine stories with unexpected depth, this book club discussion is for you!

📚 BOOK DETAILS:

Title: The Doctor

Author: E.L. Todd

Genre: Forbidden Romance, Contemporary Romance

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

Our Rating: 3.5/5 - 4/5 Stars

Available: Kindle, Audible, Kindle Unlimited (Books 2-4)

🎧 WHAT WE COVER:

✅ Full spoiler book review of The Doctor

✅ Forbidden romance tropes: brother's ex-wife, slow burn, grumpy sunshine

✅ Why flat characters can still be completely compelling

✅ The toxic love interest red flags Pepper keeps ignoring

✅ Audiobook narrator discussion (valley girl vocal fry warning)

✅ The biggest plot hole nobody talks about

✅ Romance vs Smut vs Erotica classification

✅ March Book of the Month announcement: Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark

🔥 ROMANCE TROPES IN THIS BOOK:

Brother's ex-wife forbidden romance

Slow burn romance

Grumpy sunshine dynamic

Friends to lovers (adjacent)

Military hero romance

No strings attached gone wrong

Divorce recovery & self discovery

💬 OUR HONEST THOUGHTS:

We discuss why this unexpected Stuff Your Kindle Day find became one of our best reads of 2026, why flat characters can still carry a series, and how a knockoff Fifty Shades cover almost stopped us from reading one of our new favorite series. This episode is longer than usual as we have included the full Post-Show as a bonus!

📖 MENTIONED BOOKS & AUTHORS:

Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark

Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

A Fate Inked in Blood

Saved by the Caladrius by Mary E. Jung

Fifty Shades of Grey

Salt Kiss Series

I read over 300 books in 2025 and I'm sharing my most memorable reads—both amazing and awful! Join me for The Pretty Little Death's first-ever reading wrap-up as I discuss 12 noteworthy titles from my year of reading nearly a book a day.

📚 BOOKS DISCUSSED:

BEST READS:

• Bride of Brutal Hearts - fae vampire romance with representation
• A Most Forgettable Girl - plus size FMC, matchmaking romance
• His Orc Lady - female monster romance, fated mates
• War Maiden - orc warrior romance, enemies to lovers
• Dark Fae trilogy (combo volume) - vampire fae, MMF romance
• A Vow of Blood and Tears - deaf/mute FMC, Beauty and the Beast retelling

WORST READS:

• Between Two Kings - disappointing sequel
• Traitor - dark motorcycle club romance gone wrong
• A Wife for Silas - disturbing dark romance
• Valhalla is Full of Hunks - ridiculous premise, no plot
• Bought - bait and switch murder mystery
• Entwined - biggest disappointment of the year

KEY TOPICS: ✨ AI-generated books flooding the market ✨ Problems with Kindle Unlimited quality ✨ Importance of professional editors vs. ARC readers ✨ Monster romance recommendations ✨ Dark romance vs. truly dark content ✨ Romance industry trends 2025

Honeycutt by Sierra Simone Book Review | Salt Kiss Sequel Disappointment

Is Honeycutt by Sierra Simone worth reading? We're reviewing the spicy romance sequel that left us FRUSTRATED. After loving Salt Kiss, book 2 in the Lyonesse series was a major letdown. Here's our honest romance book review!

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro & What We're Reading 5:00 - Honeycutt Plot Summary 15:00 - Why We're Disappointed 25:00 - Plot Holes & Character Issues 35:00 - The Smut Scenes (Our Rating) 45:00 - Would We Recommend This Book? 50:00 - February Book Pick Reveal

📖 IN THIS REVIEW: ✅ Honeycutt vs Salt Kiss comparison ✅ Tristan and Isolde retelling analysis ✅ BDSM romance book review ✅ Spicy romance recommendations ✅ Book series review: Lyonesse trilogy ✅ Sierra Simone author discussion ✅ Romance book plot holes explained ✅ Best spicy books 2025

⭐ OUR RATING: 2/5 Stars

🔥 BOOKS MENTIONED:

• Honeycutt by Sierra Simone (2025 release)
• Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone
• Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone
• The Doctor by E.L. Todd

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