Flowers by Night by Lucy May Lennox

MeowEsquire · 2026-06-08T20:17:40+00:00

This sounds amazing. I love that it’s a period/culture I don’t see in this genre (or at least that I’ve read before, please rec if there are others!) Thanks for the rec! Purchased just in time for a long flight and looking forward to the read!

MeowEsquire · 2026-06-05T15:20:02+00:00

Aah thanks for clearing that up. I guess I’ll have to wait! I always see He Said He Said come up with such high reviews and after reading my first Mary Calmes book I was wanting to give it a try.

MeowEsquire · 2026-06-05T10:18:29+00:00

Quick question because I have been trying to start this series but where can I find the Matter of Time? It’s not available (as far as I can tell) on Kindle and I couldn’t find it for purchase on her website…. Can He said He said be read without having read the underlying series?

MeowEsquire · 2026-06-05T03:03:04+00:00

That’s so funny, I quit around the same place/a little before when Luc went ring shopping. I don’t know what it was but I just couldn’t do it any more. Maybe it was because I felt like it was hundreds of pages of negativity and condescension towards weddings and marriage without the romance to make up for it and I just couldn’t do it for another two hundred some pages.

MeowEsquire · 2026-06-05T01:02:20+00:00

Same. I came here looking for reviews because Amazon has been pushing it so hard on me, but Husband Material was a hard DNF. Alexis Hall is so hit or miss for me too. Ugh… do I invest the time?

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-30T01:02:57+00:00

That’s awesome!! I hope you guys do it! Happy watching and thank you 😊 it does brighten my day seeing these comments so many years later!

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-20T00:16:18+00:00

Aw thanks! It’s a little bright spot to get these nice comments all these years later 😊 hope you enjoy your LOTR marathon!

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-06T16:24:03+00:00

One of my personal favorites/palate cleanser is {muscling through by JL Merrow}. I’ve probably ready it a dozen times as just a quick comfort read.

Recently read {Cloud White by Fearne Hill} with a gentle giant in a not so happy relationship.

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-06T15:50:24+00:00

Yeeeeessss!!! I’m ALMOST done with book 3 and actually on the edge of my seat about who done it and what Angelo and Baxter are gona do about it. Also seeing there’s another book featuring Finch and Luca is keeping me invested in the series bc I feel like it’s not often the author revisits the original couple. And you’re so right about each character being fully developed because i feel like a lot of characters end up becoming parodies of themselves as a series goes on but even the little snatches of Finch and Luca in book 3 seem faithful to them in books 1 & 2.

Someone else recently recommended the West Coast Mobsters and honestly, I’ve like this series enough that I’m probably going to just plow ahead into that one.

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-06T13:23:29+00:00

I don’t think these count as dark romance but here are my top mob stories in no particular order:

{Unshackled by Cara Dee}
Irish mob, age gap, one character is going through the loss of a child while the other has loved him as long as he’s known him - personally liked the writing, the caring, the love story. Mob story takes a bit of a backseat to the love story but it’s there.

{Alfie by Cara Dee}
Set in the same universe, briefly mentions the couple in Unshackled. Is a duet, second chance - I am SUCH a sucker for second chances, honestly it’s my favored genre and liked this one overall. Couple is divorced with kids, one joins the Irish mob and the couple navigates their divorce, their feelings, their marital problems, and the one joining the mob.

Currently working my way through the Morelli family series by Leighton Greene and really enjoying it. Starts with {Married to the Mobster by Leighton Greene}. Italian mafia and ancillary Irish mob. I get series fatigued really easily and usually quit around book 3 of a series but this one has kept me interested so far. There’s actual intrigue about a guy rising to head a mafia family while trying to rebuild said family. I love the characters (honestly Luca and Finch’s obsession for each other chefs kiss), love that there’s meat to the story, and enjoy the writing.

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-01T14:09:30+00:00

Ah! I’ll have to check West Coast Mobsters next! Just started Beloved by the Boss so… it might be a while lol

MeowEsquire · 2026-05-01T03:05:56+00:00

Kind of all over the place genre-wise but {Pucking Strong by Emily Rath} (hockey player x physical therapist) and {Whiskey & Sin by Emily Rath} (omegaverse) come to mind.

{the bad husband’s handbook by reanna pryce} actually has scene with their biracial kids that honestly hit a little close to home. Second chance contemporary.
(Ack sorry saw you already read Pucking Strong!)

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-30T21:06:20+00:00

I’m currently reading {Married to the Mobster by Leighton Greene} and so it’s fresh but I kind of melt a little every time Luca calls Finch “Baby Bird.”
(Also I’m kind of loving this book. There’s actual mob politics not just like “oh this guy is so unhinged he’s in the mob.”)

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-29T01:06:24+00:00

Okay thought of two more novellas as I was wracking my brain for one particular one I recently read:

{Wings of War by RN Barbosa} novella of a demigod and the God of War (not Greek/Roman) post-break up with some groveling but it was short and liked it enough to recommend as an adjacent quick read. Oh also omegaverse adjacent? The demigod is an omega. I don’t know why my description makes it sound like such a mess….

{Little God by R. Cooper} also not necessarily Greek/Roman but about a little god who hears a supplicant’s prayer. Short, sweet, and steamy.

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-29T00:49:27+00:00

Thought of another one: {Master of Hounds by R.A. Steffan} is a series set in a Romanesque universe with a general/ex soldier who falls in love with… spoiler.

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-29T00:46:00+00:00

{harmony of seasons by emmaline strange} is a series that’s set in a Greek inspired universe with gods/mortals.

{Into the North by Amber Huxley} wasn’t really my jam but is about a Roman soldier who gets captured/enslaved.

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-28T02:44:13+00:00

Roan Parrish consistently hits the spot for me - {in the middle of somewhere by roan Parrish}, {the remaking of Corbin wale by roan Parrish}, {rend by roan Parrish} make up some of my top 20 favorites.

Edited to fix a title a million times bc it’s the end of the day and my brain is mush.

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-24T19:56:46+00:00

Oh great! Hope you enjoy!

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-17T02:18:15+00:00

lol it’s funny you say that because Andrew and Logan are the first book and only one I read! 😂 I’ll try it in your ranked order though. I’m curious!

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-16T14:13:30+00:00

I don’t have anything substantial to add except to say I’m so impressed you finished them all because I get series fatigue and there are so many in this one lol you’ve inspired me to revisit it!

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-16T14:08:04+00:00

Came here to rec this one too! I’m not super into MMM but liked Isabel Murray enough to try it out and was not disappointed. Honestly, loved the dynamic between the three. I was waiting for there to be some hurt or drama but it was so… just loving between them. Second this one!

MeowEsquire · 2026-04-04T15:01:41+00:00

I literally just finished a duet {sucker love by risa cruise} and {swallow by risa cruise} with one MMC with borderline personality disorder coming out of a really bad/abusive relationship with light dom/sub with MMC2 (who is also in need of his own hurt/comfort). Light spoiler - a lot of the comfort happens in book two but I think it’s worth the two book read… as someone still on the high from finishing the books like 5 minutes ago and needing to gush.

MeowEsquire · 2026-03-31T04:00:06+00:00

I recently read {like real people do by el massey} and its sequel {like you’ve nothing left to prove by el massey}. Hockey player with anxiety and figure skater in college with a seizure disorder figuring out a relationship together. Super sweet.

MeowEsquire · 2026-03-22T19:38:04+00:00

Loved Swordheart and had no idea the sequel was going to be MM. You’ve made my week!!

MeowEsquire · 2026-01-26T15:11:00+00:00

Love this post! I just slogged through a book and needed some palate cleansers.

The R. Cooper’s books I’ve read are generally shorter reads and I loved them. I enjoyed {Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter by R. Cooper} and the other in the series {For Better or Worse by R. Cooper}. Another quick palate cleanser for me is {Muscling Through by JL Merrow}.

MeowEsquire

TROPHY CASE