Title: Temperance
Author: Lark Taylor
Series: Damned Connections, book three
Release Date: May 16, 2024
Cover Designer: BreathlessLit
Photographer: Cadwallader photography
A fire mage who believes he’s broken. A vampire who believes he can fix him. A contract that’s going to change everything.
Blaise
I’ve never been good at doing the right thing.
A series of bad choices have left my life in tatters. Everyone is telling me to move on, but how can I? What I did was unforgivable, even if some believe otherwise. My whole world imploded the night I left a human dying on a classroom floor.
I don’t deserve anything good in my life, I know that. But I’m desperate for peace. Just a few moments where I can escape from everything I’ve done.
When Toby offers me a solution that promises just that, I jump at it. I never imagined having a Dom, but with Toby in that role?
Nothing has ever felt so right.
Problem is, this isn’t a relationship, it’s a contract. A temporary one.
Which means I need to guard my heart and stop myself from falling for this enigmatic vampire.
Like I said, I’ve never been good at doing the right thing.
Toby
I never learn.
Every time I see a needy sub, I can’t stop myself from offering my help. Every time, I forget that it’s a contract and fall too hard and too fast.
I’m the one who fixes them, never the one they choose to spend eternity with. That’s the way it always goes.
When Blaise bursts into my life, I already know how it’s going to end. I can’t stop myself from wanting to help him, but this man has the capacity to break me in entirely new ways. Maybe if I keep the boundaries strict between us, I can walk away at the end without another scar on my heart.
Like I said, I never learn.
Temperance is the third book in the Damned Connections series. Featuring a needy sub and a Dom who’s trying to avoid heartbreak, this spicy MM PNR romance will pull at your heartstrings. Although this series can be read as a standalone, it’s better enjoyed in order. Each book follows a different couple and has a guaranteed HEA.
Trigger Warnings: Suicidal ideation, Depression, PTSD, anxiety attacks – all shown on page. Violence, death, illness, stalking, battle are also shown on page.
One Click: https://geni.us/tlkevents
Temperance by Lark Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Temperance…moderation or self-restraint
Blaise/Fire Mage…his past decisions eating him alive. Hoping Toby can finally give him a measure of peace if not actually helping him forgive himself. He tells himself that falling for Toby won’t be a good idea, not realizing it’s already to late.
Toby/Vampire/Blaise’s Master…he knows by making a contract with Blaise that he is opening himself up to future pain but he needs to help Blaise so badly. He also knows that he probably has already fallen for the wounded man but since Blaise must come first he will just have to deal with the aftermath of his feelings.
I liked BDSM approach for Blaise and Toby’s story. I’m not sure how they would have progressed without Blaise ceding control to Toby. Both men’s stubbornness added depth to the story. I really enjoyed their give and take and the lessons they learned along the way.
As with the other books in the series there was quite a bit of action with problems seemingly solved easily enough. Although that’s not to say that there wasn’t a lot of pain along the way for numerous characters.
I enjoyed the continuation of the series. I do think it needs to be read in order. All the personalities are so large that their backgrounds are helpful in understanding the overarching story. So many new, interesting people to enjoy. The author really does create intriguing characters.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
MEET THE AUTHOR: Lark lives with her family in southern England. An obsessive romance fan, she loves nothing more than a Happily Ever After – especially if there’s a good plot and a hefty amount of spice along the way. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found hiding from adult life in escape rooms, travel and the MCU. As a Bi woman with OCD, Lark is a fervent supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community and an advocate for mental health awareness and support.
Author Link: linktr.ee/larktaylor
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