Today, I’m reviewing author Brooklyn Ray’s latest release Full Moon in Leo, a m/m contemporary romance. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.
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Title: Full Moon in Leo
Series: N/A
Author: Brooklyn Ray
Publication Date: October 1, 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Small-town magic, two heavy hearts—one unforgettable winter solstice
Cole Morrison left Jewel’s snow-covered fir trees ten years ago. But after a disastrous family Thanksgiving, Jewel seems like the only place left to go. When a run-in with a gorgeous stranger leaves him with debt to pay, Cole’s escape from his past turns out to be much more than a lonely Christmas vacation.
Jesse Carroway, the local Jewel witch, has been running his family’s successful, small-town Apothecary ever since his grandmother passed away. When Cole stumbles into his shop and accidentally wrecks a good portion of his inventory, Jesse does the only thing he can possibly think of—offers Cole a job and himself some help for the upcoming holiday rush.
Cole’s clumsy with candles and doesn’t trust easily, but soon Jesse gets a peek at the guy behind his bad-boy reputation. As the nights lengthen toward Yule, Jesse wonders if magic is to blame or if Cole might’ve fallen into his life for a reason…
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First off, I liked how different the two characters were from each other. Cole is an ex-con who’s finally made his way back to Jewel (his hometown). Jesse is a witch who has his own shop and is doing quite well successfully.
I enjoyed the meet-cute and the forced proximity trope when Cole winds up doing some accidental damage to Jesse’s shop, and works there to pay for what he’s broken. Great idea.
The author also delved deep into Jesse’s lifestyle and culture as a witch. This was very interesting to read, and a part of the novel I really enjoyed. I also liked how the author started off each chapter with something from the character’s beliefs.
The characters arcs of Cole and Jesse were wonderfully done and very believable.
As in all small-town romances, there is a legion of friends wanting the two heroes together. Although this is a nice peek into Jewel, I can’t say I was a big fan of the time spent with the friends because I’m a sucker for the romance between the two characters. This is just a personal preference, though. Others will probably enjoy the different characters popping in.
There was nice chemistry between the two heroes. I can’t say it popped off the page for me. But it was present, nevertheless.
The author is a great writer with vivid descriptions, witty dialogue, and deeply drawn characters, however, I wasn’t as drawn in as I wished to be. Still, I highly recommend this book because I believe others will find this story something special to immerse themselves in over the holidays.
The author has talent, and I look forward to seeing what she has in store next.
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Brooklyn Ray (they/them) is an award-winning author of Queer Paranormal Romance and Erotica. They’re a fan of fresh brewed tea, long walks through the woods, and evenings spent reading sexy books. They write about witches, necromancers, and other magical creatures, and moonlight as a tarot and palm reader in the Pacific Northwest. Find them on Instagram @brooklynrayauthor
Find Brooklyn: Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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Maggie Blackbird 
It sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
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Great review, Maggie! This sounds like a really interesting and well written read! Glad you liked it!
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