Book Review : Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case by A.J. Sherwood

What would things be like if psychics solved crimes? This is not an uncommon trope in novels, but Jon's Mysteries series takes it an entirely new way. In this series' alternate universe, one small change in the past has made it so modern psychics are licensed and regulated and often work hand-in-hand with the police.

Jon works for a company with other psychics who often act as consultants to the police and even FBI and CIA. He is a very powerful psychic who reads meridian lines of energy and can see a lot about other people. Everything from whether someone is lying to where they grew up is laid bare to his eyes. But in return for his abilities he can't handle any electronics and even being close to them can fry them. To even be in a car it needs to have EMP shielding. On top of that, he reveals the truth about people, often putting them in jail or just seeing what they want to hide. This means a lot of nasty people want him gone.

Normally Jon would have a partner to back him up and help him deal with the repercussions of being a psychic. But his talent is so powerful that most people get tired of having their electronics destroyed and dealing with his issues. He needs an anchor to keep him from getting lost in the minds of others, but it seems impossible for the preppy-cute and dry-witted guy to find someone he can be with.

Then Donovan shows up. A huge, hulky man most people find terrifying, Donovan is used to being feared. When he was in the military police it wasn't so bad, he was supposed to be scary, but now that he's trying to reintegrate into civilian life he's having a hard time. Even applying for a job at Jon's company is not going well until Jon spots him. And Jon sees the sweet marshmallow inside, not just the scarred exterior. Jon sees a patient, protective man who should be hired right that minute. So Jon's boss hires Donovan to be Jon's partner.

Two hurt men, each scared to believe someone will want them, put together solving crimes and just generally being adorable.

It's too cute. Really, some people might find it too cute. Jon and Donovan both are squishy sweet and need hugs. All the hugs. I adore them, but some people might find them cloying. There's just something about neglected, afraid of taking another chance people finding their perfect match that I love more than anything. Something about at last finding that perfect pairing, that person who sees who someone really is and likes that person. It's hugs all around since reading the sweetness is like that perfect, warm and tight hug that just makes you feel safe and comforted.

And there's murder! Crimes and serial killers, sneaky and crazy criminals, they all are threatened by Jon's psychic sight and Donovan's very big muscles.

At the front of the book:

Trigger Warnings: Your average cop show violence and criminals

Tags: Companionable snark, Flirting, Kissing, Jon needs a hug, Donovan gives the best hugs, Getting together, Self-esteem issues, Explicit content, Anal Sex, Romantic Sex, Random shooting, Which Donovan isn’t happy about, Donovan is a gentleman, Sort of, Jon just makes it REALLY REALLY HARD Okay?, Bisexual character, Public displays of affection, Muscles, Communication, Healthy relationships, The fluff might fucking kill you, Supernatural elements, Modern with Magic, Feels, All the Feels, Mostly accurate medical stuff, Multiple electronics died in the creation of this story, blame Jon

So many levels of humor in this series. Snark and wit and silliness and all-around feel-good fun.

Can you tell I love this series? It's perfection. And you know I'm picky and harsh. I don't give five stars for anything. But this series gets all the stars. Even the connected series about Donovan's brother gets some good stars too. If Jon was Goldilocks, Donovan would be Papa Bear and just right.

So, this is sort of a romantic paranormal mystery. Each book in the series features a different case that Jon and Don have to solve, along with all sorts of stuff on the sides. In Jon's Downright Ridiculous Shooting Case, out of nowhere a crazy young woman suddenly shoots a young college exchange student and accuses him of sending her blackmail letters but never showing up for the drop. Downright ridiculous, right? It gets weirder. And then even weirder.

In book 2 the group has to help a not-friendly police force and solve Jon's Crazy Head-Boppin' Mystery after some strange psychopath goes around sneaking up on random women, hitting them and running away. Donovan has to carry Jon like a damsel in distress and watch over him as Jon ends up recuperating for days after pushing himself too far.

Book 3, Jon's Spooky Corpse Conundrum, a body goes missing in a haunted mansion and among the police who are trying to solve the murder and find the corpse, Jon discovers someone he didn't think he would ever see again. And we find out what seemingly fearless Donovan is afraid of.

Jon's Mysteries series is followed by another series, this one featuring Donovan's brother who becomes an anchor for a medium after accidentally giving Jon a ghost for Christmas. Yep, ghosts are real and Brandon and Mack are soon solving their own cases.

All of the books are cute and funny, affirming and fun. Who knew love language included slamming prisoners down on tables and opening electronic doors?

Jon is preppy looking with his sweater-vests and tidy style. Blond, a little slim and not tall, he tends to be dismissed by those who don't know him or how powerful he is. He's very social and friendly, but rarely does anything with other people because he doesn't want to bother anyone. He radiates cheerfulness when he's happy.

Donovan is mostly Hawaiian and Tongan, so he's super big with lots of muscles and yummy warm skin. His size has always scared people, then acid was thrown on him, so now his scars scare people even more. He's really a gentle giant, a teddy bear, but people only see how intimidating he is. A big, darker-skinned man, even being the sweetest guy ever he still gets hassled.

It's too cute as these two both look at the other one with hearts in their eyes. And the rest of the characters think it's cute too. You can almost feel the subtle humor as the secondary characters silently laugh at how obviously these two like each other. Then again, both have spent their lives feeling uncomfortable and ashamed of their specialness.

Watching these two come together and learn to trust is one of my favorite parts of the series. They need each other so much, it feels so good when they develop and become who they are.

“You listen to me. If you see another serial killer or whatever while you’re out, and I’m not with you, do not follow him. You call me, I will drop everything and come running.”

I didn’t really mean to smile at him, it just sort of happened, a safety release for happiness overflow. “Okay.”

“I mean it, Bane.”

“I believe you,” I assured him, grin broadening. He made me think of that one line from  Sense and Sensibility: he’s the best and kindest of men. “Can I hug you?”

He wrapped both arms around me in response, hugging me tight enough to threaten the seams of my shirt. I didn’t care, hugging him back just as tightly. Such a warm, snuggling teddy bear, if a teddy bear could have these rippling muscles. He smelled really nice, too, like citrus. Not sure if I should say it, because I knew very well he was crushing on someone else, I hesitated. But I’d also gathered that people didn’t normally say stuff like this to him, so I said it anyway: “I’m really glad you’re with me.”

The writing style makes it very easy to picture even the body language of the characters. Sweet smiles, slight blushes, heart eyes, it all comes through even when not noted on the page.

There's a good mix of introspection and action in these books. Lots of police procedure and psychic elements too. They are very engaging. They get even better after reading more than once too as there are nuances and little bits that you might miss on first readings because they are just that layered. Nothing cardboard here, the world and characters and backgrounds are deep and rich.

The backgrounds are so rich and there are so many nuances that I'd absolutely love it if the writer came out with an anthology containing scenes from their lives. We have Jon seeing Donovan for the first time and being astounded by his inner goodness, what was it like for Donovan when the cute, little blond popped in and pulled his boss out for a secret conversation? What happened to lead Jon's old partner to leaving him on the side of the road with a knife in him? What about when Jon and Detective Borrowman first met? When Jon got hired? Defusing a bomb. Meeting his sister's husband. Seeing Skylar as a newborn. Donovan and Jonathan at the grocery store. Going to the movies. Helping the kids Donovan volunteers with. I want to read it all.

I prefer books with alternating POVs, which later books have, but the first book in the series is all from Jon's point of view and it leaves me wondering how Donovan internally felt when the little ray of snarky sunshine fell into his life.

All the books in the series are good about tying up loose ends. There also aren't a ton of errors, just a few minor ones. The depth of the world and even history of using psychics in police work is so well thought out that it impressive. That's one of my favorite parts about reading books by the this writer. She plots out everything better than most writers out there.

The books are pretty understandable. Not hard to follow. Though some aspects are a bit difficult.

They are in Nashville, Tennessee and I'm not familiar with the city. Glancing at a map or city skyline before starting the books might be a little helpful. Not needed, but it's hard to picture a city one hasn't been to.

Another bit unfamiliar is the food. Donovan's mother shows her love by feeding people, mostly traditional foods from Hawaii. If you are one of those people who want a full experience, order in some of the foods listed or just pick up a good Hawaiian or Pacific Rim cookbook. It definitely sounds like good food.

Sometimes I read mysteries to solve them. That isn't going to happen with these books. The crimes and people are just so weird there's no way to guess what happened ahead of time. It makes them even more interesting. No one could solve these crimes.

One of my favorite parts about the books is the stereotype demolishing, especially in their interactions. Big guy and smaller guy, we know who the bottom is, right? Nope, these guys are vers and their first time together Jon takes Donovan's curvy ass. It's really hot too. And later they play with handcuffs and blindfolds. Jon has a thing for being done up against the wall. Really good stuff, but not so much it takes away from the story or is more important than their relationship.

Good chemistry goes a long way. I love their relationship. It doesn't happen instantaneously, but rather a slow build up then a (literal) leap into a relationship. Donovan is decisive and Jon is good at reading people once he gets past his issues. They move quickly once they realize they each have a crush on the other. But their relationship goes in jumps and pauses as Jon's issues make him too afraid to go to the next step. It takes getting to book three before they finally really settle together.

I'd love to see more books with these guys. I like Mack and Brandon's but Jon and Donovan are my favorites. I'd love to see them get married and what the wedding would be like. Maybe looking for someone to perform the ceremony and finding a priest committing crimes between baptisms and weddings? They already have a florist.

It loses a bit of power seeing it through a screen, but to get a good feel for an important part of Tongan culture you should definitely watch this video as a Tonga team performs fierce Sipi tau.

Now imagine that fierceness keeping bad guys away. Tingles, right? Read the books and picture Donovan and enjoy.

Review : Falling for the Omega by C.W. Gray

Falling for the Omega is a fluffy mm mpreg romance novel about a single dad and a military veteran falling in love.

Carter Benson has just moved to a small town in rural Maine after leaving the army. Scarred, with a damaged voice and an amputated leg, he is now a plumber living next to an apple orchard. He may be a bit lonely, but with his scars he feels like an oddity that scares children more than an alpha looking for love.

Then a cute little girl shows up with a gap between her teeth, a welcome basket, dog, and her hedgehog, and Carter is stunned to find a kid that isn't afraid of him. He's even more stunned when chasing her down is her very adorable father, Elijah Wilson, who doesn't seem to even notice his scars.

Elijah and Olive live in an old farmhouse in the apple orchard next door, where the single omega makes apple bread and other apple goodies for his family farm, as well as teaches online and manages investments. But because he is a single omega he's a bit looked down upon.

Carter doesn't look down upon Elijah, instead he's captivated by him and soon falls under the spell of almost the entire gap-toothed and kooky Wilson family. Almost the entire family, as while all the cousins and aunt and uncles and grandparents are fun (if a little crazy), Elijah's parents are not so great, and Carter has to save his sweet omega from their machinations.

Falling for the Omega by C.W. Gray is one of my favorite books and the start to one of my favorite series. I appreciate a lot of things about the series. They tend to be chaotic and fun, with lots of pets and people. Each has an interesting story that isn't overwhelmed by sex scenes. And the setting is really well created, as it's easy to picture widely spaced houses in a rural area surrounding a farm store near a small town in interior Maine.

Unlike some mpreg series where the gender issues overwhelm every story, Hobson Hills' world just happens to be a world where omega men can have kids and get accidentally pregnant. In fact, in the series, no subject becomes an overly stern and dramatized subject. Bad things happen, but the optimistic and sunny bunch keep going and making things better. As a pessimist, ordinarily the optimism of thinking the power of love and family and pets can make everything better would be obnoxious, but in this fluffy series it just works -- no matter how drama-filled the lives of the Wilsons seem to be and no matter how nice and needed it is to have lawyers in the family.

Each book has humor, love, lots of pets, and lots and lots of Wilson family. Most of books feature a Wilson as a MC, but some are about honorary Wilsons. They all seem like busy little bees, making things for the farm store, running businesses, or both, but everyone is ready and willing to lend a hand when someone needs help. It's really hard not to like the family.

Most of the characters aren't too complex, but aren't too simplified either. Elijah is really sweet and adorkable (and Star Wars-wedding geeky), but is still deeply hurt from his parent's disregard. Carter is recovering from military-induced injuries and still suffers from PTSD, plus feels unloved by his own family. Olive is precious but not obnoxious about it, just cute. They each find each other amazing and can't believe how lucky they are to find someone so great. Each of the characters actually have appealing personalities, like people you might want to know and wish a happily ever after.

Elijah danced to the music on his phone’s portable stereo as he pulled the pot roast out of the oven. He was running a little behind due to grading, but things were on track. His apple dumplings were in the second oven, ten more minutes to go, and the homemade yeast rolls were ready to bake. He popped them in the oven, shaking his butt. 

“Daddy, Carter’s here now, so stop being weird.” 

Elijah froze, turning around slowly. Sure enough Olive stood in the kitchen door with Carter. His man was wet from the autumn rain, but he looked so damn good. He wore his gorgeous half smile and his eyes were gleaming with laughter, even if he held it in. 

“I’m gonna show him my room, ‘kay?” Olive grabbed Carter’s hand and pulled him up the stairs. “Come on so Daddy can dance some more. He does it all the time, but we gotta still love him. He’s family.”

Good word stories are written into the story throughout, really making it easy to picture scenes. And the phrasing is sometimes so spot-on that I have to repeat the words in a tone like I would expect the person to use. The covers of the books throw me off a little, as they just don't look like what I was expecting the characters to look like. For example I pictured Elijah a little more like a cute hobbit, maybe like a darker pigmented Pippin who is always smiling or with an eager expression on his face.

Carter suddenly couldn’t catch his breath. The man in front of him was simply adorable. He was short and well formed, a little chubby. His black hair fell in curls around his face and his wide hazel eyes contrasted beautifully with his caramel skin. The same freckles that decorated his daughter’s nose, fell across his own. Where it looked cute on the kid, on her father… bad thoughts, Carter! Bad thoughts!

The fall leaves on the cover capture the seasonal aspect of the book, as does the title. Most of the books seem to match up with a season, so it's easy to figure out how much time passes between books which can sometimes be a problem with other book series. This book is for Autumn, the next for Christmas. This book is so filled with apple treats and fall goodness you may want to get some apple cider and maybe make a loaf of apple bread or some apple dumplings to go alongside it.

Even though they are a series, each book feels complete. No loose ends left to be tied up. It is best to read them in order (including the short stories) as there are new characters added all the time and so much happens in each story. Most of the short stories have been compiled in an anthology, so it's easy to grab them all together. Getting all the books and looking at the covers before starting might be helpful too in case your idea of each character varies from the picture. I wish I had done so as my mental images tend to be far from the pictured characters.

Some books in the series lack a bit when it comes to the editing. Things like meet-cute being written meet-cue. It takes away from the story, but it's not as bad as some books I've read and many it's easy to miss if you get caught up in the story. Later books get better about it.

I'm okay with not having a lot of realism in my romance novels as I feel it's a romance novel, written about something that doesn't exist much or at all. This book misses on the timing on a few things such as recovering from amputation and getting used to a prosthetic (but I'd rather it be a little wrong than have them not write about someone having one). And the timing of Elijah and Carter's instalove seems really fast even for instalove. Some of that is that a month passes but isn't really written in detail, but even just the first day has the pair thinking of forever. Sometimes people are like that though, they see that one and that's it, they know. So, I'm willing to give it a little artistic license, though some may not.

There is a lot of little details that are pure gold in the story. While I tend to not reread books often, the Hobson Hills series and the similar but scifi Blue Solace series, also by C.W. Gray are some of my favorites and ones I read over and over again. Things I didn't notice in the first reading I notice later and it really enhances the story. Some details are left out that don't further the story, such as the name of Olive's father. Personally, I'd rather not have to learn another name, especially when he doesn't even appear in the story.

Really, something about the Hobson Hills Omegas series just feels right. Drama and thrills, without angst, fluff without saccharin, good characters and stories while being varied and each dealing with different things. A perfect setting where some people are nice and some are bigoted jerks, but the town is thought out and populated well. In Goldilocks terms, the Hobson Hills Omegas are just right.



So, it can be a little confusing at first keeping track of all the Wilson (plus the pets!). There's Grammy and Gramps, and they have four kids who all got married and had kids. Stephan had two, Elijah and Noah. Barry had three, Zoe, Ernie, and Abel. Anna had four, Evan and Janelle, Milly, and Allison. And Marco had Harper, Shawn, and Hannah. Then Elijah had Olive, the first great-grandchild. It's not too hard to keep track and each one has a very unique voice and character, but making it a point to try and remember names will be helpful. Later books have family trees to help and here is one for this point in the series:

The Wilson Family (as of this book)

Grammy & Gramps - Laurel and Gerard Wilson

      Stephan Wilson m. Rachael
            Elijah
                   Olive
            Noah

      Barry m. Jamie Lawson
            Zoe
            Ernie
            Abel

      Anna m. Matthew Giddens
            Evan (twin)
            Janelle (twin)
            Millicent (Milly)
            Allison

      Marco Wilson m. Bennett
            Harper
            Shawn
            Hannah

Since nearly every Wilson has an adorable grin, one of the later book characters says this about a group of Wilsons at the bakery:

The kids sat at their booth surrounded by people with gap-toothed smiles. Did Lauren Hutton spawn a cult or something, Sawyer wondered.

Hobson Hills Omegas Book 2 - Snow Kisses for my Omega
Harper & Grey
Through their conversations online, demisexual carpenter Harper Wilson falls for secretly very pregnant Greyson, and decides to go down to Florida to get his omega.



Hobson Hills Omega Novella 2.5 - Hobson Hills Shorts 1 - The Beta's Love Song
David & Sawyer
Sassy and stylish beta David Bartley left his straight and married best friend to come to Hobson Hills. Now not-so-straight Sawyer is divorced and bringing his kids and pets along as he tracks down his makeup-loving man.



Hobson Hills Omegas Book 3 - Romancing the Omega
Caden & Yeo
Cue the cutest wooing ever when romance novel writer and alpha Caden Benson awkwardly tries to romance bookstore owner and single dad Yeo.



Hobson Hills Omega Book 3.5 - Hobson Hills Shorts 2 - Bennett's Dream
Marco & Bennett
Marco and Bennett Wilson have been together for years and most of their kids are grown, but when Bennet finds out about a transgender child in need of parents best alpha ever Marco makes sure nothing stands in his omega's way of welcoming more into his family.



Hobson Hills Omega Book 4 - Healing the Omega
Ray & Dean
Dean is older, scarred from his abusive and now dead husband, but looking at him Ray only sees a strong man who survived a harsh life. In love and raising Dean's kids together, the pair still haven't admitted to each other that they want more, one from fear of being old and scarred, the other from feeling like betas shouldn't be with omegas.



Hobson Hills Omegas Novella 4.5 - Hobson Hills Shorts 3 - Justin's Journey
Tanner & Justin
Everything happens at once when Justin finds out he's pregnant with Tanner's baby on the same day his mom dies. But to be together these two can't let grief and fear come between them.



Hobson Hills Omegas Book 5 - A Pint for the Omega
Mateo & Abel
One night together with alpha Mateo during Abel Wilson's vacation isn't enough for this pair, but Mateo never calls and Abel goes back to Maine and his brewery thinking he's going to have to raise their baby on his own. Luckily, the bar is in need of a bartender and the cook calls up his friend Mateo who shows up with his son, his little sister, and their dog to claim his omega.



Hobson Hills Omegas Book 6 - Unraveling the Omega
Reuben & Ernie
Debilitating social anxiety keeps Reuben from staying in the one place for very long or even coming out of the kitchen, but one knit-loving Wilson omega is there to help him through, even if his crazy family may be the scariest thing ever to the shy cook.



Hobson Hills Omegas Novella 6.5 - Hobson Hills Shorts 04 - Grey's Gift
Check in with all the Wilson couples as they dress up in costumes to try and convince Grey to publish his children's books.



Hobson Hills Omegas Book 7 - The Alpha's Christmas Wish
Jackson & Juan
Omega Jackson is scared to give in to his feelings for alpha Juan because of too many years of having to watch his alpha dad abuse his omega dad. Finally the pair get together just in time to find out Juan's father is dying, and they need to go to Juan's parents before his father dies. Hopefully finding out that another alpha is horrible isn't enough to set the pair back.



Hobson Hills Omegas Novella 7.5 - Hobson Hills Shorts 5 - Zoe's Happily Ever After
Zoe & Gib
Gib's mother still hasn't come around to accepting that her son fell for a Wilson, but Zoe Wilson is going to convince her to talk to her son again before the wedding, no matter what it takes. (story is mf, not mm)
Get Zoe's Story on Prolific Works


Hobson Hills Omegas Book 8 - Convincing the Alpha

Noah & Zed

Noah is finally feeling settled in Hobson Hills. Thanks to his injury in the army, he may not be able to hear, but the horses he rescues and trains don't care. Now if only his family would stop trying to get him to find an omega. Zed is finally out of the marines so he can watch over his family, including his newly discovered half-brother, Justin. If only his brothers would stop trying telling him he needs an omega to take care of. Can this pair of former-military alphas make a go of things together, or are alphas supposed to be with omegas only?

Hobson Hills Shorts Vol. 1
Contains The Beta's Love Song, Bennett's Dream, Justin's Journey, and Grey's Gift