Review: Kiss Your Scars by Avril Ashton

Kiss Your Scars (Loose Ends, #3) by Avril Ashton
Amazon
Novel: 368pgs

5+++++++ Pants Off

Blurb: Being the king of Atlanta’s underworld used to have its perks, but lately all undercover agent Renzo Vega has seen is the downside. Someone is auctioning off women in his city, and he’s damn sure not about to let that offense stand. Just as he’s set to make a move, Renzo’s club is ambushed and he’s shot. Unsure of who to trust, he turns to the one man he definitely knows wants him dead. 

Yanked from his bed, blindfolded and spirited away in the middle of the night, Lowell Scott is shocked to find the darkly gorgeous Renzo bleeding and in need of his help. The very last thing he wants is to come to the aid of the man responsible for his cousin’s death, but the knife at his throat doesn’t give Low much options. 

Close proximity doesn’t temper the hatred Low harbors for Renzo, it only brings up new problems. Like the vicious attraction Low struggles to control, and bullets that won’t stop flying. It’s a tough sell to believe there’s anything good in a man as unapologetically dangerous as Renzo. And even if Low could forgive the unforgivable, Renzo is still shadowed in secrets. When they’re exposed, those secrets will bring far-reaching consequences that could sever not just their shaky bond, but Low’s family ties as well.

This is book three in the Loose Ends series, but can be read as a standalone

Warning: Contains references to subjects that may be triggering. Please read with caution

Review

KISS YOUR RENZOOOOO

I don’t know if I can write a review for this. I love it so freaking much!! My favourite in the series no freaking challengers.  

All I wanna do is run through the streets screaming Renzooooooooo. Like I don’t acquire much book boyfriends but for the few I have, Renzo is in the top 10. This man had me swooning and floundering around on my bed like some teenage girl. 

Renzooooooooooo 

So through most of Ms Avril Ashton books we have been hearing the name Renzo Vega, and now we finally get his story. And what a sad story it was, having suffer great abuse from the hands of a monster and taken away from his family. But Renzo turned out to be a survivor and now he’s one of Atlanta’s most feared criminals. He’s still haunted by his past and it affects him greatly, but even though he moves in the dark he still manages to bring light to some caught suffering through abuse. He bad, but he also good. 

“But the fact was, the waiting had come to an end. He was about to fuck up Low’s life.” 

When he gets a whiff of Lowell Scott he knows that the man is his, too bad Low hates his guts and can’t stand sigh of him. But hate can’t stop overflowing chemistry and Low gets damn putty in his hands. Low hates him for one reason only; and blames him for the death of his cousin who was also his best friend. Too freaking bad for all that, Renzo is out to get his man. 

“Because you and I, Lowell Scott? We’re about to burn each other to the ground, and I will speak your fucking name when I’m covered in the ashes of us”.  

Low moves in his own shadows keeping the secret of his sexuality from his Caribbean family who have very wrong misconceptions about gay men and homosexuality. While he hides who he is, he also hides how he is feels for one Renzo Vega. The man isn’t someone he should want but his treacherous body isn’t taking the cue. Low has fought for a long time to resist Renzo and its taking care of the man's broken body that leads him to a realization that he can’t not be with Renzo, and for that man he’s willing to lose the love of his family. While Renzo might be used to the shadows Low refuses to keep him there.   

“You-You’re a criminal.” He was the only person who required that reminder. 

“That’s Right.” Renzo murmured at his ear. “And I’ll fuck you like one, too”. 

I don’t even know what happened in this book my mind was just strictly all Renzo. Again Ms Ashton is good with the words, like sex is all good ad shit but the things my Renzo be spitting had me damn near weak for the entire book. Like plot pops up and all that but in all its entirety it could have just been Renzo saying shit and I’d still be uber happy. 

“Will you call me Daddy, Low?” 

The books goes to some serious topics, such as child sexual abuse and growing up in a Caribbean family while also being gay. I’m just gonna touch on the Caribbean stuff, being Jamaican myself and growing up hearing the harsh things said about gay men. The bible and god always come into play when discussing sexuality and the labeling of them deviants akin to those of pedophiles. So, reading about it in Kiss Your Scars was like my little old self listening in on adult conversations as a kid. Not quite understanding but knowing that without a doubt it was something they hated. So, Low’s struggle is not just fiction it’s real life things that gay men of a Caribbean background have to navigate.  

I just had a real connection with this one, with the food, with the family values and just the overall tone. Another culturally diverse book with two MC of colour and I am on the win. Always gonna give props to the author for her books, love or hate her work she’s one of few giving you black heroes, giving you Latino heroes and then writing them as couples. Then giving you both sides of what it’s like to be a person of colour from many backgrounds.  

Also Renzo!!  

There’s a scene in the book that caused the complete disintegration of panties, and that was the elevator scene. If you know about Caribbean people then you know how we dance and Low putting it on Renzo like that. Deceased!! 

Hands down my fave in the entire series. I love Renzo he’s a beautiful man and I am planning on how to steal his ass from Low 😈. Kiss Your Scars was a good finale to a series that I really enjoyed and while I’m sad to see it end. I’m looking hella forward to what’s to come, because my man Renzo got friends and his friends need to fall in love.  

SideNote- I do have a little problem with something in the book. So Renzo has suffered great abuse, I’m talking things no child should face, but he made it to adulthood without extensive therapy. I find that way too disbelieving. He was a god damn mess and needed help and it just irks me when things like that don’t get addressed. Renzo get your ass some help please!!!!

Review: Book 0.5 All These Hidden Scars

Review: Book #1 Scars and Secrets

Review: Book #2 Scars and Ruin

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Songs
Feel It by Jacquees 
Drip by Cardi B, Migos
DayDream by J-Hope 
Don't by Bryson Tiller 

Review: Call The Coroner by Avril Ashton

Call The Coroner by Avril Ashton
Self-Published
Novel: 351pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb: A clash of wills between predators…

He’s been living underground for a long time, but the only thing guaranteed to bring Daniel Nieto back to the surface is the identity of his wife’s killer. With the whisper of one name, he puts it all on the line for vengeance. He’s got plans for Stavros Konstantinou.

The title of monster fits too well for Stavros to want to be anything other than what he is. Time spent in Daniel Nieto’s dungeon, chained and tortured, will never change that. Starved of food, sunlight and freedom, he waits for an opening to turn the tables on the only man who’s ever come close enough to scare him.

Somewhere between the slide of knife against skin, and the drip of blood on cold concrete, things change. Grief and hatred collide with lust and obsession, and this time Daniel and Stavros are on the same side. This time, they’re fighting a losing battle against a connection forged by much more than a love of violence and bloodshed.

In a war this bloodied, what do you do when the bodies start hitting the floor?

**Warning: Gun play, knife play, blood play, breath play. Non Con, Dub Con. Water sports. Triggers**

Review

CALL THE CARDIOLOGIST

This book, this fucking book man. 

I worship at your feet, cus you deserve some praises. 

Something happened when they got in the same room. When their eyes met. When they breathed the same air. A dangerously potent something. 

The names Daniel Nieto and Stavros Konstantinou comes up a lot during the Loose Ends series and you don’t really get a feel for their characters apart from they are dudes that are both dangerous and feared. Well these two unlikely heroes with a sordid history decided that they were going to break convention and rock the boat. Is there a title more fitting than Call the Coroner (cus dead)? Maybe a Call the Cardiologist could be a close second. 

Daniel Nieto has got revenge on his mind, and he’s been hiding in the shadows for his one opportunity to bring Stavros to his knees. The mercenary took something very precious from him and Daniel is going to make him pay. Kidnapping Stavros is easy work and thus begins Daniels revenge of breaking the man responsible for breaking his heart and world.  

What he never anticipated was trying to break Stavros would involve also breaking him. Stavros bleeds so prettily, his body covered in bruises and scars put their by his own hands is a work of art, because he can bend him but the Greek won’t break. Holding this man captive should make Daniel feel lighter but why does he feel like he’s the one being held hostage. 

“You like it when I bleed.” Even to his ears, his words were shakier than normal. Faint.  

“You do it so well.” Daniel’s sounded weirdly proud, like he approved of the rivulets soaking Stavros’ hip and the tiny puddle congealing next to them. “Also it brings me such pleasure, watching you suffer.” Stavros was fading, but he brought his bloodied fingers to his mouth, licking the red away one by one—was it all his, or maybe some of Daniel’s blood was mixed up in there, too?—as he held Daniel’s gaze. “It brings me pleasure…” His voice got softer and softer, slurring, vision narrowing down to the man next to him who wore Stavros’ death mark tattooed around his neck. The man with impenetrable eyes and that beautifully cruel mouth. “Watching you try.” 

This was meant to be easy, his rage was meant to drive him to kill, to maim but life has a way of fucking with you and Daniel was never expecting to need the person who left him wanting in the first place. Big bad Daniel Nieto is used to bringing men to their knees but for Stavros he would gladly get on his. He’s starting to realize for Stavros, there really isn’t anything he wouldn’t do. 

Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer, heh keep this enemy close enough to fuck at least. 

This is such an enemies to lovers story it’s crazy. The initial reaction how can these two men get past the pain they have caused each other and get to somewhere even close to “like”. What you never forget is how ruthless these men are, they will stop at nothing to take what they feel is rightly theirs. They will harm/kill anyone that has wronged them in some way, and most of all they will burn everything ground trying to keep them apart.  

If you don’t already know this, well you gon learn today. I love crazy, I love ruthless, I love bad boy criminal types who never try for any type of redemption. This is what I love about Avril's books. These guys are dangerous, they remain dangerous and I freaking love it. 

Again I will bring up the diversity that can be found in all of this author books. It’s freaking important and you can tell the author knows her stuff. I will give it all the stars ⭐️ for that reason alone. 

Call the Coroner was amazing and I freaking love it. I never get tired of sex scenes in a Ashton book. I’m a skimmer of sex scenes in mostly all the books I read, for me it’s all about words and this book had words. Like some sexy shit gets said and I swear its spoiling me (if you ain’t talking dirty I don’t wanna talk).  

Overall, I LOVE IT. THAT IS ALL…

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Songs

Baby Don't Stop by NCT U 

Danger by BTS 

Review: Scars and Ruin by Avril Ashton

Scars and Ruin (Loose Ends #2) by Avril Ashton
Self-Published
Novel: 228pgs

4 Pants Off

Blurb: The man known as Dutch is fine with being hated and feared. He keeps his mask on and his secrets close. There’s only one person who reaches past all that to who he used to be before the job hit too close to home. Sacrifices must be made, and Dutch steps up do just that. He’ll gladly pay the price to make sure Varun Patel is safe.

Loyalty to family expects it. His heart demands it.

And Patel rejects it.

Half of Varun Patel’s life resides in broken shadows he’d rather not remember. The other half is taken up by a man whose words push him away while his actions hold Patel close. Patel can’t forget the one night he spent in Dane Hutchins’ arms. The night promises were made. The night promises were broken.

If it were up to Dutch, Patel won’t ever know the bargains struck in his name. He won’t ever know the memory of them keeps Dutch fighting in his bleakest moments. But Dutch should’ve known that in the lonely hours, Patel would come for him.

And when that time arrives, there’s no saying no. There’s only the inevitable.

Love amid the ruins.

Warning: Contains references to sexual abuse/rape.

Review

PASS THE DUTCHY!

Book 2, in this spine tingling, giving you girl boner series. While it didn’t kill me dead like the first book it did have some intense sexy moments and as you already know bad boys are my aesthetic. And these boys are the right type of bad... 

Dutch aka Dane aka Hunter is a hard man. He doesn’t play by the rules and will do anything necessary to achieve his goal, so along the way he’s made a lot of enemies. What he does the best, is protecting those he loves and there is nothing that he won’t do to cement their safety. What he’s willing to do to protect Varun Patel is a sky is the limit thing. Varun makes him weak, Varun makes him vulnerable but he needs him close. Years ago, they could have made a future together but reality has a way of slapping you in the face and calling you it’s bitch and Dutch is a bitch to realism. He deals in death and secrets so there is no room for love. Love is for other people, guilt and yearning was made for him. 

Varun Patel wants Dutch something fierce but the man keeps pushing him away. He wants all that he is, the bad and good because Dutch is the man who is his everything. The job they do puts them in so much danger and can leave a man to turn to stone but Dutch…Dutch brings him to life. So, the fighting is done and its damn time they find happiness, he’s done running away because now the only running he’ll be doing is into Dutch’s arms. 

Let me tell you something, I really hated Dutch in the previous books. He was a low down mofo without morals air ethics. Alas, there’s a rhyme to his reasons and while he isn’t always making money moves his heart was sometimes in the right place (well kinda in the right place but a little crooked to the left). 

The biggest obstacle these two had were secrets. So much secrets its like they wrote the book on it. Is there anything more frustrating than tough guys hiding all their manly feelings? Just man paining all over the place. It’s both a frustration and a beautiful thing 😩 

Look at this man pain…. 

"Can we not do this?" Patel snapped. "You threatened Stoyan, and I want to know why."   "People in Hell want ice water." Dutch allowed a sneer to his lips. "They’ll have their wish granted before you get yours, I bet." 

Again we have the oldies but goodies with the characters we’ve all come to love. I’m just waiting for an avenger type assemble because these dudes be crossing paths and hating on each other which really at this point it’s nothing but brotherly love. They be so hating!!  

Scars and Ruin is another amazingly entertaining read from this author. What you need to remember with these books is that all this shit is not out for a realistic feeling but a good time feeling. Throw in the diversity that we’ve come to love and respect and I am just here for it all.  

I love this shit!! 

Jokes aside, I really appreciate all the characters in these books. There’s a real sense of family, acceptance, and true cultural references. As someone with a Caribbean background everything is always on point. I salute you Ms Avril Ashton for writing real diversity and not sticking to “what will sell”. We are here, we are real, we fall in love, we are attractive, and we deserve stories. 

Review: Book 0.5 All These Hidden Scars

Review: Book #1 Scars and Secrets

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Review Writing Songs

All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar, SZA

Sky Walker by Miguel, Travis Scott

Unforgettable by French Montana, Swae Lee