Synopsis: There are too many secrets in the Paris Opera House and Christine Daaé knows them all, for her lover, Erik, the infamous Phantom of the Opera, is at their center. To protect Erik from the cruel world above, Christine must deceive her childhood friend and first love, Raoul, a man committed to destroying Erik. But will the lies and darkness claim Christine’s soul before she can save anyone?
Faced with the ghosts of the past and the demons of doubt, Erik and Christine must navigate a world intent on tearing them apart. Will their love be enough to overcome their pain? Will those seeking revenge against Erik rip the lovers asunder? Who will live and who will die when all the consequences come crashing down?
The third installment in The Phantom Saga brings this classic tale to a heartbreaking conclusion that turns the story beloved by generations on its head. Filled with lush romance, shocking twists, and haunting prose, Angel’s Fall gives the iconic story of The Phantom of the Opera a new ending that is both satisfying and shattering.
Review: Unconditional Love meets horrible tragedy in this novel. Raoul has fallen under a despicable spell, and one can only hope that he will snap out of it before all is lost. There were some serious moments of worry that there was no happy ending, and that being forced to live a façade was the only future that Christine could look forward to. This trilogy was gripping, striking, and I found it difficult to put down.
Synopsis: The timeless tale of The Phantom of the Opera brought to life as never before…
Christine Daaé arrives penniless and hopeless at the steps of the great Paris Opera House, in search of an angel. What finds her instead is a man in a mask named Erik, a tortured soul masquerading as a ghost. Fascinated by Christine, Erik dons a new mask to be close to her: that of the Angel of Music. This strange patron awakens Christine’s voice and soul…as well as desires she cannot understand. Their adoration growing, Erik and Christine remain separated by deception and darkness, tangled in a web of lust and lies. How far will Erik go to be close to his eager student? And will Christine be able to forgive her angel when she finally sees past his mask to the monster beneath?
The first novel in The Phantom Saga takes readers on a lush, erotic journey from the depths of Paris’s catacombs to the glittering, ruthless world of the Opera’s stage. Full of diverse characters, rich detail, and intoxicating romance, Angel’s Mask reinvents the legend of the Phantom and Christine with passion and twists that will leave readers breathless.
For content/trigger warnings, please visit the author’s website.
Review: “Singing is breathing. And breathing is life, the conscious act of living. Somewhere deep within when you choose to breath, you choose to live. Some un-surrendering part of you chooses to continue.” (Page 73)
Firstly, this book gives more depth to the characters in Phantom of the Opera than I’ve seen in any other retelling. There were always some questions in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of why someone who had only ever trained vocally was a ballet dancer (especially on pointe!). I loved that Mason’s Christine’s only dream was to sing on the stage of the opera, and that she knew she would have to work her way up to having any sort of job at all since she had missed the opportunity to audition for the chorus. I was truly enamoured with the depth of understanding and knowledge imbued in the vocal training, and was graced enough to hear from Jessica Mason herself that she has a degree in opera. This knowledge can be seen in such easy descriptions as, “Christine’s voice sparkled, pure and dark at the same time, like moonlight on a mountain stream, sweeping away any remaining doubt that she was an artist of the highest caliber.” (Page 184) For a real life reference to someone who has a pure and dark vocal tone at the same time, you can listen to Floor Jansen singing Élan.
Something I quite enjoyed about Mason’s version was the rich descriptions of the behind the scenes of the opera–the twists and turns, the tunnels, the roof. Everything was so well thought out and given intricate details so that the rooms can be thoroughly rendered in the mind, without the overwriting that leads to lack of interest/mind wandering. Other locations were also explained so well that it made layouts and wealth/lack thereof easy to see in the mind’s eye, such as Adele’s apartment, making this read a visual treat.
The romance within these books is so unbelievably well written that I cannot recommend this trilogy enough. There are definitely some trigger warnings, but overall, this book is a masterpiece and I am so glad I found out about it on Jessica Mason’s TikTok, and would highly recommend it to all who love Phantom of the Opera, and specifically Erik.
Synopsis: Turns out the gorgeous stranger I had a one-night stand with is not only my sister’s best friend but also my new employee.
Worse? I shared a whole lot more with Avery than one mind-blowing night.
I told her my deepest, darkest secret.
Despite my constant worry that she’ll let the truth slip to my family, I can’t stay away from her. And when we’re tossed together for an out of town trip and forced to share a room with only one bed, the chemistry between us finally explodes…again.
I have no problem making her see stars—or breaking the bed. The trouble is, the longer our secret relationship goes on, the more I want to keep her.
But she’s eight years my junior, the sunshine to my grump, and I know her free spirit wants more than the small town of Starlight Cove can offer.
I have no doubt no one will ever give her more pleasure than I will, but I refuse to hold her back.
Even if that means letting her go when her three month contract is up.
Review: This book is amazing and gripping from the very first page. Both main characters have excellent back stories with reasons for how they are how they are. Aiden is incredibly considerate and as Avery would say “the best book boyfriend”. The relationship developed well and there was never a point where I skimmed or just wanted to be done with part of the book. I absolutely loved how open and outgoing and out there Avery is (can relate!). I also quite enjoyed how detailed but not overly minutely so experiences were explained, specifically about a trip Addison pushes. One of the best parts of this book is the reoccurring suggestion that you should accept people as they are and while you may want something more, know that people do not often change their nature. “Begrudging her for what she wasn’t took so much more energy than just loving her for what she was.” (Page 225, Chapter 22)
Let’s talk spice. Holy. Crap. I considered adding a spice meter when I have been rating/reviewing romance/smut before and let me tell you- this book is the best to start that scale with a resounding 5/5. Well written, detailed but not too detailed, so perfectly steamy. I immediately signed up to Walsh’s mailing list in order to get those sweet sweet four additional bonus chapters and I was not disappointed!
Do you like best friend’s brother romances, opposites attract romances, hot and incredibly steamy scenes, and book loving MCs? This book is definitely made for you!
Synopsis: Villains don’t get happily ever afters, do they?
I have a glorious past full of achievement and renown. I mean, I feel like I must, right? The problem is, I can’t remember it. I can’t even remember my own name. I was found in a river, body mangled and face scarred, with nothing to identify me besides a single embroidered letter.
My memory is a murky blur, but I have a quest, one that will give me back everything I’ve lost. The voice in the water told me so. But the voice seemed to miss a few important highlights—namely the woman who challenges me at every twist and turn of my journey. The woman who tells me I’m a villain. The woman who becomes every fervent whisper of my heart, and every last thought in my head.
If I can complete my quest and recover what I’ve lost, she’ll see we’re meant to be. But villains don’t get happily ever afters, do they?
Lily’s Note: Sometimes falling from a great height can lead to a whole new life. This is a full-length standalone fantasy romance. Let your imagination run wild about who G is and just how wide his evil streak can be (hint: massive.)
Review: Holy. Crap. I knew I liked morally grey, and enemies to lovers can be amazing, but this Beauty and the Beast retelling is one I never expected to find, and a “villain” I never thought I’d love and resonate with. While I did know who G was from the start, I absolutely fell headfirst into this story and was held captive. I didn’t want to put it down! The writing is concise, the world building on point. The spice was incredible and a 5/5 on that alone. There was never a point where I thought I had the ending figured out, and there were still surprises up to the very epilogue. In taking away G’s past, we’re left seeing why he might think of things the way he did: nature vs. nurture, as well as a general lack of education beyond being a manly man. I absolutely love that while he did grow as a person his quirks and flaws remained the same and became understood and almost endearing. The banter and tension in this book is absolutely perfect. All that being said, this book was amazing and I quite loved it, and strongly recommend it if you like: morally grey, enemies to lovers, Beauty and the Beast retellings, and a whole lot of spice.
Amy S. Brown 