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The Gargoyles of Arrington #1
Ailes de pierre: La malédiction des gargouilles, T1
Sa malédiction ne pourra être levée que par son amour véritable. Mais est-ce que le véritable amour peut naître d’un faux rencard ?
Être l’assistant personnel d’un trio de frères gargouilles maudits qui dorment cent ans puis sont réveillés les vingt-cinq suivants ne faisait pas partie des propositions d’orientation au lycée, mais c’est un boulot qui convient parfaitement à Josh.
Cependant, même si les frères sont de très bons patrons, Josh est surpris quand Drew lui propose de se faire passer pour son rencard à l’occasion d’une réunion d’anciens élèves. Et il est encore plus déstabilisé quand un soi-disant faux baiser se révèle aussi réel qu’un vrai baiser puisse l’être.
Drew et ses frères sont redevables envers Josh et sa famille pour avoir pris soin d’eux à chaque fois qu’ils se sont transformés en pierre pendant un siècle, et pour les avoir aidés à réintégrer le monde à leur réveil. Jouer son petit ami le temps d’une soirée est vraiment la moindre des choses. Et certes, le véritable amour pourrait briser sa malédiction, mais il sait qu’il ne le trouvera pas avec Josh.
Après tout, rien de réel ne peut découler d’un mensonge. N’est-ce pas ?
#MM #Paranormal #Romance #Gargouille #Assistant #Fake-relationship
Être l’assistant personnel d’un trio de frères gargouilles maudits qui dorment cent ans puis sont réveillés les vingt-cinq suivants ne faisait pas partie des propositions d’orientation au lycée, mais c’est un boulot qui convient parfaitement à Josh.
Cependant, même si les frères sont de très bons patrons, Josh est surpris quand Drew lui propose de se faire passer pour son rencard à l’occasion d’une réunion d’anciens élèves. Et il est encore plus déstabilisé quand un soi-disant faux baiser se révèle aussi réel qu’un vrai baiser puisse l’être.
Drew et ses frères sont redevables envers Josh et sa famille pour avoir pris soin d’eux à chaque fois qu’ils se sont transformés en pierre pendant un siècle, et pour les avoir aidés à réintégrer le monde à leur réveil. Jouer son petit ami le temps d’une soirée est vraiment la moindre des choses. Et certes, le véritable amour pourrait briser sa malédiction, mais il sait qu’il ne le trouvera pas avec Josh.
Après tout, rien de réel ne peut découler d’un mensonge. N’est-ce pas ?
#MM #Paranormal #Romance #Gargouille #Assistant #Fake-relationship
300 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2022
208 people are currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
Jenn Burke
30 books527 followersJenn Burke has loved out-of-this-world romance since she was a preteen reading about heroes and heroines kicking butt and falling in love. Now that she’s an author, she couldn’t be happier to bring adventure, romance, and sexy times to her readers.
Jenn is the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the critically acclaimed Chaos Station science fiction romance series (authored with Kelly Jensen) and her newest series, Ashes & Dust, a spin-off of her fan-favorite Not Dead Yet series.
She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters…because her geekiness knows no bounds.
Jenn is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.
Jenn is the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the critically acclaimed Chaos Station science fiction romance series (authored with Kelly Jensen) and her newest series, Ashes & Dust, a spin-off of her fan-favorite Not Dead Yet series.
She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters…because her geekiness knows no bounds.
Jenn is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
August 21, 2022
I heard gargoyles, wings on the cover and fake dating I signed up so fast!
This story was more of a contemporary romance plot focused with a subplot of urban fantasy — gargoyles wars and witches.
It started off immediately with the fake dating trope where Drew asked Josh to be his date to a reunion and the story goes on how their relationship develops. I didn’t like how there were no solid reasons behind the fake dating and how it was awkward and not convincing. Their love/lust was not at all subtle despite it being fake boyfriends which did not fit so much to my liking. The fake dating was also expressed just briefly as the story starts to unfold.
I would say their relationship was just okay, not that I care a lot about them. They were cute more towards the end and I was still happy they finally got what they wanted.
I did love the concept of gargoyle creatures and the mechanics behind it. The magic was quite interesting to read and I liked the fantasy storyline with the werewolves and witches history.
Overall, a lot of parts of the story weren’t what I expected, but the concept behind it was creative fast and an easy read. I do want the other brothers to have their HEA too, poor boys :(
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
This story was more of a contemporary romance plot focused with a subplot of urban fantasy — gargoyles wars and witches.
It started off immediately with the fake dating trope where Drew asked Josh to be his date to a reunion and the story goes on how their relationship develops. I didn’t like how there were no solid reasons behind the fake dating and how it was awkward and not convincing. Their love/lust was not at all subtle despite it being fake boyfriends which did not fit so much to my liking. The fake dating was also expressed just briefly as the story starts to unfold.
I would say their relationship was just okay, not that I care a lot about them. They were cute more towards the end and I was still happy they finally got what they wanted.
I did love the concept of gargoyle creatures and the mechanics behind it. The magic was quite interesting to read and I liked the fantasy storyline with the werewolves and witches history.
Overall, a lot of parts of the story weren’t what I expected, but the concept behind it was creative fast and an easy read. I do want the other brothers to have their HEA too, poor boys :(
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
August 23, 2022
Holy Amazeballs! I started this book today and finished it within hours. If the rest of the series was already done, I would have inhaled those as well.
I got to be honest, I have never read anything by this writer before, mainly because of the lack of KU titles, and so when this story showed up on gay romance reviews, I jumped at the chance to read it. And I am so glad that I did.
Spoilers ahead
In here we have Josh, who comes from a family that has been taking care of the gargoyles forever. These gargoyles sleep for 100 years and then are awake for 25 as they were cursed back in the 1500's or something like that. These poor guys have suffered a lot. There used to be 5 brothers, but one found his love, became human, and died and one was killed by a wolf pack that was supposed to protect them.
Drew has known Josh since he woke up, back when Josh was 5. 20 years later, they go on a fake date that changes everything. These fellas thought that they would instantly know who was their "love" like the one brother did, but that was so wrong.
Back when they were cursed, they had no idea why it happened but lo and behold, that woman is still around and still wants what was supposed to be hers.
The ending chapter was of one of the other brothers, I am assuming he is going to be in the next book, trying to find help with the curse.
I loved this. I will read the other books when they are released.
And I gotta say, I think that the alpha of the wolves is going to be the elder brother's love. I am typing it out here so that I don't forget before we get to his story.
I got to be honest, I have never read anything by this writer before, mainly because of the lack of KU titles, and so when this story showed up on gay romance reviews, I jumped at the chance to read it. And I am so glad that I did.
Spoilers ahead
In here we have Josh, who comes from a family that has been taking care of the gargoyles forever. These gargoyles sleep for 100 years and then are awake for 25 as they were cursed back in the 1500's or something like that. These poor guys have suffered a lot. There used to be 5 brothers, but one found his love, became human, and died and one was killed by a wolf pack that was supposed to protect them.
Drew has known Josh since he woke up, back when Josh was 5. 20 years later, they go on a fake date that changes everything. These fellas thought that they would instantly know who was their "love" like the one brother did, but that was so wrong.
Back when they were cursed, they had no idea why it happened but lo and behold, that woman is still around and still wants what was supposed to be hers.
The ending chapter was of one of the other brothers, I am assuming he is going to be in the next book, trying to find help with the curse.
I loved this. I will read the other books when they are released.
And I gotta say, I think that the alpha of the wolves is going to be the elder brother's love. I am typing it out here so that I don't forget before we get to his story.
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December 28, 2022
MM Romance
Gargoyle Friends To Lovers
2.5 Stars ⭐️
A To Z Book Title Challenge: S
Umm 🤔 I can’t say I’ve ever read gargoyle romance before but here we are. I really liked the idea of this book but it just didn’t quite deliver. Also, this needs an editor because there are a lot of typos like ‘then instead of when’, ‘breath instead of breathe’ etc and it took me out of the story.
So, gargoyles exist and have guardians that take care of them. The gargoyles are cursed brothers who sleep for 100 years then wake up for 25 and the only thing that can break the curse is true love. The brothers have 2 years left to either fall in love or go back to sleep this time. Josh and his family have been taking care of the brothers this time around and Josh needs a date to his high school reunion. Drew agrees to take him, pretends to be his boyfriend blah blah and they see each other in a completely new way. (Cue fireworks 💥) However, a whole lot of shit goes down that threatens their future.
We spend so much time in plot lines that have nothing to do with Drew & Josh that at times I forgot this was a romance. There were so many characters introduced that I found it hard to keep track. They needed more couple time because I never felt their connection and wanted so much more. I would have loved more smut because we only get a few scenes and they are pretty lackluster for gargoyle sex although the way their ‘living stone skin’ was described sounded a bit painful. 😬
I dont know, this just had so much potential and it fell flat but saying that there’s an ongoing storyline and I am really curious about the other brother’s stories and want to read their books so I really hope this series improves.
Gargoyle Friends To Lovers
2.5 Stars ⭐️
A To Z Book Title Challenge: S
Umm 🤔 I can’t say I’ve ever read gargoyle romance before but here we are. I really liked the idea of this book but it just didn’t quite deliver. Also, this needs an editor because there are a lot of typos like ‘then instead of when’, ‘breath instead of breathe’ etc and it took me out of the story.
So, gargoyles exist and have guardians that take care of them. The gargoyles are cursed brothers who sleep for 100 years then wake up for 25 and the only thing that can break the curse is true love. The brothers have 2 years left to either fall in love or go back to sleep this time. Josh and his family have been taking care of the brothers this time around and Josh needs a date to his high school reunion. Drew agrees to take him, pretends to be his boyfriend blah blah and they see each other in a completely new way. (Cue fireworks 💥) However, a whole lot of shit goes down that threatens their future.
We spend so much time in plot lines that have nothing to do with Drew & Josh that at times I forgot this was a romance. There were so many characters introduced that I found it hard to keep track. They needed more couple time because I never felt their connection and wanted so much more. I would have loved more smut because we only get a few scenes and they are pretty lackluster for gargoyle sex although the way their ‘living stone skin’ was described sounded a bit painful. 😬
I dont know, this just had so much potential and it fell flat but saying that there’s an ongoing storyline and I am really curious about the other brother’s stories and want to read their books so I really hope this series improves.
October 2, 2022
I've given this a C+ at AAR, 3.5 stars
Stone Wings is the first book in Jenn Burke’s new series of paranormal romances, The Gargoyles of Arrington , and introduces readers to the three O’Reilly brothers – Teague, Drew and Rian – who, thanks to a centuries-old witch’s curse – are condemned to live ‘in flesh’ for only twenty-five years at a time, after which they return to stone for a hundred years, until they re-awaken and go through the cycle all over again. There is only one way to break the curse, which is – in the best romantic tradition – to find true love; their eldest brother Finnian managed to break his curse at the end of their last lifetime (in 1899), but with only two years to go until their next sleep, the remaining three brothers are not too sanguine about their chances.
I really liked the premise of this story, which also features a suspense plot that begins when a new pride of mountain lion shifters arrives in the area and immediately lays claim to the O’Reilly’s territory, and while there’s an HEA for the book’s central couple, that plotline is clearly going to continue throughout the series. That, together with Rian’s search for a way to break the curse is the most compelling part of the story, because the romance is, sadly, a bit lacklustre, and the two leads are a bit bland.
After the O’Reillys saved Josh Pallesen’s great-great-great-ad-infinutum grandparents from a sinking ship, members of the Pallesen family have acted as the gargoyles’ caretakers and guardians, watching over them while they’re in their stone form and on hand to help them when they’re awake. Josh took over that job from his father and acts as a kind of personal assitant and general factorum to them all, looking after their home and helping with their businesses. In this ‘lifetime’, Teague is a cop, Rian is a tattoo artist, and Drew is a mechanic, running a successful business restoring and servicing classic cars. When the story begins, Josh has just received an invitation to his ten-year high school reunion, and is debating whether or not he wants to go. High school wasn’t a great time for him, and was made even worse when his long-term boyfriend Brandon dumped him on Prom night after telling Josh he wasn’t ambitious enough. So part of him wants to opt out and part of him wants to show that he’s doing well and stick it to all the assholes he’d grown up with. When he tells Drew about the invite and his reservations, Drew offers to be his date for the evening.
On the night itself, things are going fairly well when Josh’s prick of an ex- turns up – with a husband in tow. The husband – Arie – turns out to be lovely, the prick… well, he’s still a prick, just an even bigger one. Drew and Josh’s one fake date turns into two when Arie invites them to dinner with him and Brandon – who gets very drunk and comes on to Josh. Needless to say, Drew is not amused. When Josh’s mother finds out Josh and Drew are ‘dating’, to Josh’s surprise, she encourages their relationship. He’d expected a lecture about not letting himself get hurt; instead she says that even if Josh isn’t The One for Drew (neither of them believes he is), and as it’s going to hurt, regardless of their relationship status when the time comes for Drew to return to stone, perhaps they should simply enjoy spending time together while they can. Josh and Drew are quick to see the wisdom of those words.
Fake dating turns immediately to friends-with-benefits, but too little time is spent on developing the romance or the characters; Josh and Drew are pretty colourless and there’s little romantic or sexual chemistry between them. In the Plus column, the overall concept behind the series is inventive and the plot involving the witch and the shifter gang is intriguing – it’s this aspect of the story that I found most compelling and is likely to encourage me to continue with the series.
Stone Wings is an easy, fast read and I enjoyed it, even though the romance was disappointing. I liked enough about the plot and storytelling to continue with the series – the final chapter of this book sets up Rian’s story and I have my suspicious as to whom Teague is going to end up with – but on the basis of this one, I’ll be lowering my expectations for those romances a bit and focusing on the plot.
Stone Wings is the first book in Jenn Burke’s new series of paranormal romances, The Gargoyles of Arrington , and introduces readers to the three O’Reilly brothers – Teague, Drew and Rian – who, thanks to a centuries-old witch’s curse – are condemned to live ‘in flesh’ for only twenty-five years at a time, after which they return to stone for a hundred years, until they re-awaken and go through the cycle all over again. There is only one way to break the curse, which is – in the best romantic tradition – to find true love; their eldest brother Finnian managed to break his curse at the end of their last lifetime (in 1899), but with only two years to go until their next sleep, the remaining three brothers are not too sanguine about their chances.
I really liked the premise of this story, which also features a suspense plot that begins when a new pride of mountain lion shifters arrives in the area and immediately lays claim to the O’Reilly’s territory, and while there’s an HEA for the book’s central couple, that plotline is clearly going to continue throughout the series. That, together with Rian’s search for a way to break the curse is the most compelling part of the story, because the romance is, sadly, a bit lacklustre, and the two leads are a bit bland.
After the O’Reillys saved Josh Pallesen’s great-great-great-ad-infinutum grandparents from a sinking ship, members of the Pallesen family have acted as the gargoyles’ caretakers and guardians, watching over them while they’re in their stone form and on hand to help them when they’re awake. Josh took over that job from his father and acts as a kind of personal assitant and general factorum to them all, looking after their home and helping with their businesses. In this ‘lifetime’, Teague is a cop, Rian is a tattoo artist, and Drew is a mechanic, running a successful business restoring and servicing classic cars. When the story begins, Josh has just received an invitation to his ten-year high school reunion, and is debating whether or not he wants to go. High school wasn’t a great time for him, and was made even worse when his long-term boyfriend Brandon dumped him on Prom night after telling Josh he wasn’t ambitious enough. So part of him wants to opt out and part of him wants to show that he’s doing well and stick it to all the assholes he’d grown up with. When he tells Drew about the invite and his reservations, Drew offers to be his date for the evening.
On the night itself, things are going fairly well when Josh’s prick of an ex- turns up – with a husband in tow. The husband – Arie – turns out to be lovely, the prick… well, he’s still a prick, just an even bigger one. Drew and Josh’s one fake date turns into two when Arie invites them to dinner with him and Brandon – who gets very drunk and comes on to Josh. Needless to say, Drew is not amused. When Josh’s mother finds out Josh and Drew are ‘dating’, to Josh’s surprise, she encourages their relationship. He’d expected a lecture about not letting himself get hurt; instead she says that even if Josh isn’t The One for Drew (neither of them believes he is), and as it’s going to hurt, regardless of their relationship status when the time comes for Drew to return to stone, perhaps they should simply enjoy spending time together while they can. Josh and Drew are quick to see the wisdom of those words.
Fake dating turns immediately to friends-with-benefits, but too little time is spent on developing the romance or the characters; Josh and Drew are pretty colourless and there’s little romantic or sexual chemistry between them. In the Plus column, the overall concept behind the series is inventive and the plot involving the witch and the shifter gang is intriguing – it’s this aspect of the story that I found most compelling and is likely to encourage me to continue with the series.
Stone Wings is an easy, fast read and I enjoyed it, even though the romance was disappointing. I liked enough about the plot and storytelling to continue with the series – the final chapter of this book sets up Rian’s story and I have my suspicious as to whom Teague is going to end up with – but on the basis of this one, I’ll be lowering my expectations for those romances a bit and focusing on the plot.
December 25, 2022
3.5 Stars
December 27, 2022
This was cute! It's different from Jenn Burke's other paranormal series, Not Dead Yet. It's way less plotty, more light-hearted and more focused on the romance. I've never read gargoyles before and I liked the mechanics behind the paranormal stuff. I mean, they're basically cursed until they find true love! Fun.
I'm honestly a little tired of the "fake dating because of an High School reunion" trope (who cares about High School reunions). The whole thing is over and done in the first 20% of the book though, but I'm not sure if I'm relieved about it or a little annoyed? I'm glad we quickly moved on to the paranormal enemies storyline, as that was fun, but at the same time I think the fake dating felt a little gimmicky. They really admitted their attraction to each other pretty quickly, they never really pretended to act... Well, anyways. That's maybe more of a trope preference thing.
I'm curious about the other brothers and their HEA and will be continuing this series.
I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
I'm honestly a little tired of the "fake dating because of an High School reunion" trope (who cares about High School reunions). The whole thing is over and done in the first 20% of the book though, but I'm not sure if I'm relieved about it or a little annoyed? I'm glad we quickly moved on to the paranormal enemies storyline, as that was fun, but at the same time I think the fake dating felt a little gimmicky. They really admitted their attraction to each other pretty quickly, they never really pretended to act... Well, anyways. That's maybe more of a trope preference thing.
I'm curious about the other brothers and their HEA and will be continuing this series.
I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 8, 2024
This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! I think this is the first gargoyle book I’ve read and it was really neat seeing their shifting abilities! This was also a fake dating story and I always love those!
Josh was super cute and I loved how faithful his family is to the gargoyles. It was a really cute romance and I was happy it wasn’t love at first sight with them! Drew was an awesome character and his gargoyle really intrigued me. I’m really interested to see how Drew is in the next stories!
At times I did feel I was missing a bit of information. I’m not sure if there were other books I should have read first or not but overall it didn’t detract from the story.
Also, this is another series where there is overarching plot from book to book that I wasn’t aware of. This time I didn’t mind as much as I already planned on reading the other books and the plot wasn’t really a mystery. We know who the bad guys are, it’s just about them being dealt with. So that definitely helped.
If you enjoy shifter and fake dating romances then I absolutely recommend this story! I look forward to reading the next one in the series!
Josh was super cute and I loved how faithful his family is to the gargoyles. It was a really cute romance and I was happy it wasn’t love at first sight with them! Drew was an awesome character and his gargoyle really intrigued me. I’m really interested to see how Drew is in the next stories!
At times I did feel I was missing a bit of information. I’m not sure if there were other books I should have read first or not but overall it didn’t detract from the story.
Also, this is another series where there is overarching plot from book to book that I wasn’t aware of. This time I didn’t mind as much as I already planned on reading the other books and the plot wasn’t really a mystery. We know who the bad guys are, it’s just about them being dealt with. So that definitely helped.
If you enjoy shifter and fake dating romances then I absolutely recommend this story! I look forward to reading the next one in the series!
September 15, 2023
“You don’t always have to be dissapointed by what it bring, right ? ”
Bueno, la empecé por curiosidad. No me disgustó y me hizo pasar un buen rato. Me gustó el trasfondo, sobre todo. Sin embargo, siento que le falta bastante profundidad tanto en los personajes como la historia. Además, no soporté al protagonista humano, no podía con su forma de ser. En fin. Una pena, pero directa al siguiente.
Bueno, la empecé por curiosidad. No me disgustó y me hizo pasar un buen rato. Me gustó el trasfondo, sobre todo. Sin embargo, siento que le falta bastante profundidad tanto en los personajes como la historia. Además, no soporté al protagonista humano, no podía con su forma de ser. En fin. Una pena, pero directa al siguiente.
August 26, 2022
I received a free copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.
I really like Jenn Burke's books and excitedly jumped into this one, unfortunately this one didn't hook me as much as some of her other books. The start of this one felt a bit slow to me and it started off with a high school reunion as well as the fake dating trope that aren't really things I like to read about usually. After that the pace picked up and there were other elements added to the plot. I liked seeing things play out but wasn't as invested as I would've liked.
The story is told from dual point of views by Josh and Drew. Drew is the gargoyle and Josh is the personal assistant for Drew and Drew's brothers who are all gargoyles. Josh's family knows about the gargoyles and helps them out. Drew and Josh start fake dating when Josh needs a date for his high school reunion, but they find out it turns into more. There is mutual attraction and their romance has that phase where they go for hot and fun before realizing there is more to it. Due to that there wasn't as much time to really see them together, which was a shame.
I didn't really feel the romance in this book. I liked Josh and Drew. It was clear they were close, but I just didn't really feel that connection. The fake dating trope isn't one that often works for me and here it didn't really work for me. Then there was the whole let's have some fun together, but we know it won't last, which also isn't a trope that doesn't really work for me. There are some sweet scenes between them, but I just didn't really feel their romance which made it hard to really feel invested.
Besides the romance there is a plot line with some shifters causing trouble as well, which wasn't as interesting to me either. I did like a reveal later in the book and the way we learn more about the gargoyle curse. There's a set up for the other two brothers getting their own romance and I liked we got to know them a bit and see how close the brothers are.
I haven't read a lot of books with gargoyles, so that was interesting, although in this case there are humans who are cursed to be gargoyles and have a stone skin form as well as a human skin that they can switch between when awake. Due to the curse they turn to gargoyles statues for a hundred years and then are awake for 25 years. If they find their true love they can break the curse and return to human form. I thought this was an interesting take on gargoyles. As it's a curse there isn't as much lore or things we learn about the gargoyles as a species which I had hoped for, it's pretty straightforward with them being stronger in their stone skin form and having wings, horns etc depending on the brother. There are other supernaturals, but there isn't a lot of information about those.
To summarize: This is the first book in a new series by Jenn Burke. Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me. I liked the concept with the gargoyles and there were parts I liked, but it failed to fully grip me. The romance had some tropes that I am not a fan of and I didn't really feel the romance and connection between the two guys. I liked seeing a bit of the other two brothers as well and the set up for the next brother's romance. I thought it was interesting to read about gargoyles and the curse, but there wasn't as much lore or info about them as a species as it's caused by a curse.
I really like Jenn Burke's books and excitedly jumped into this one, unfortunately this one didn't hook me as much as some of her other books. The start of this one felt a bit slow to me and it started off with a high school reunion as well as the fake dating trope that aren't really things I like to read about usually. After that the pace picked up and there were other elements added to the plot. I liked seeing things play out but wasn't as invested as I would've liked.
The story is told from dual point of views by Josh and Drew. Drew is the gargoyle and Josh is the personal assistant for Drew and Drew's brothers who are all gargoyles. Josh's family knows about the gargoyles and helps them out. Drew and Josh start fake dating when Josh needs a date for his high school reunion, but they find out it turns into more. There is mutual attraction and their romance has that phase where they go for hot and fun before realizing there is more to it. Due to that there wasn't as much time to really see them together, which was a shame.
I didn't really feel the romance in this book. I liked Josh and Drew. It was clear they were close, but I just didn't really feel that connection. The fake dating trope isn't one that often works for me and here it didn't really work for me. Then there was the whole let's have some fun together, but we know it won't last, which also isn't a trope that doesn't really work for me. There are some sweet scenes between them, but I just didn't really feel their romance which made it hard to really feel invested.
Besides the romance there is a plot line with some shifters causing trouble as well, which wasn't as interesting to me either. I did like a reveal later in the book and the way we learn more about the gargoyle curse. There's a set up for the other two brothers getting their own romance and I liked we got to know them a bit and see how close the brothers are.
I haven't read a lot of books with gargoyles, so that was interesting, although in this case there are humans who are cursed to be gargoyles and have a stone skin form as well as a human skin that they can switch between when awake. Due to the curse they turn to gargoyles statues for a hundred years and then are awake for 25 years. If they find their true love they can break the curse and return to human form. I thought this was an interesting take on gargoyles. As it's a curse there isn't as much lore or things we learn about the gargoyles as a species which I had hoped for, it's pretty straightforward with them being stronger in their stone skin form and having wings, horns etc depending on the brother. There are other supernaturals, but there isn't a lot of information about those.
To summarize: This is the first book in a new series by Jenn Burke. Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me. I liked the concept with the gargoyles and there were parts I liked, but it failed to fully grip me. The romance had some tropes that I am not a fan of and I didn't really feel the romance and connection between the two guys. I liked seeing a bit of the other two brothers as well and the set up for the next brother's romance. I thought it was interesting to read about gargoyles and the curse, but there wasn't as much lore or info about them as a species as it's caused by a curse.
September 3, 2022
3.5
i love the concept and tropes — fake boyfriend and gargoyles + supernaturals :))
but i'm sad and disappointed that the "fake boyfriend" was just a moment. i was expecting for more on this. their super abilities wasn't shown much, just once (if i'm not wrong). i wanted more badass, i expected more badass. :")
++ no outer conflict was solved here.. we are left on a cliffhanger.
i am excited to read Rian's story, everything in the last chapter was intriguing. and i want all three brothers to live together ><
i love the concept and tropes — fake boyfriend and gargoyles + supernaturals :))
but i'm sad and disappointed that the "fake boyfriend" was just a moment. i was expecting for more on this. their super abilities wasn't shown much, just once (if i'm not wrong). i wanted more badass, i expected more badass. :")
++ no outer conflict was solved here.. we are left on a cliffhanger.
i am excited to read Rian's story, everything in the last chapter was intriguing. and i want all three brothers to live together ><
August 20, 2022
absolutely my new fave by this author! GAH
Edited to add:
Listen. This is my new favorite by Jenn Burke which is saying a lot considering I have a cat named Flick.
Gargoyles. Fake Boyfriends. A centuries old curse that can only be broken by true love.
WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED?
Book two. We need book two.
Edited to add:
Listen. This is my new favorite by Jenn Burke which is saying a lot considering I have a cat named Flick.
Gargoyles. Fake Boyfriends. A centuries old curse that can only be broken by true love.
WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED?
Book two. We need book two.
October 1, 2022
Stone Wings is the start of a new series by Jenn Burke. As I thoroughly enjoyed their Not Dead Yet series and the spin offs, I was excited to begin this new adventure. The book revolves around a trio of brothers who are cursed to become gargoyles who sleep every 100 years, followed by waking for 25. As you can probably guess, every time they awaken the world as they know it has drastically changed and all the people they knew before are long dead. Their only constant is each other, and even that isn't guaranteed since the trio of brothers started out as a quintet. The only way to break the curse is finding one's true love.
Josh's family has spent generations as caretakers to the gargoyle brothers. They are family to him, but his feelings for Drew are anything but familial. What starts as a fake relationship quickly evolves into more. The majority of the drama in the book comes from outside sources, however there is one major element holding Drew back from admitting what he knows is true: His brothers. If Josh is his true love, then that means HIS curse will be broken, while Teague and Rian's will remain. Basically Drew goes from being cursed as a gargoyle to being cursed to a life without his brothers.
This series opener was new and interesting and I'm excited that Rian's book is next. It looks like his love is going to be the professor type and I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I have a feeling I know who Teague's mate is based on a tiny scene in this book, however as his book is the 3rd in the series it will be a bit before I can find out if I'm right.
Josh's family has spent generations as caretakers to the gargoyle brothers. They are family to him, but his feelings for Drew are anything but familial. What starts as a fake relationship quickly evolves into more. The majority of the drama in the book comes from outside sources, however there is one major element holding Drew back from admitting what he knows is true: His brothers. If Josh is his true love, then that means HIS curse will be broken, while Teague and Rian's will remain. Basically Drew goes from being cursed as a gargoyle to being cursed to a life without his brothers.
This series opener was new and interesting and I'm excited that Rian's book is next. It looks like his love is going to be the professor type and I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I have a feeling I know who Teague's mate is based on a tiny scene in this book, however as his book is the 3rd in the series it will be a bit before I can find out if I'm right.
March 1, 2023
Gargoyles. I have such a soft (haha) spot for them. Add to that the success I had with one of the author’s other series, Not Dead Yet, and I was definitely eager to give this book a go.
I wish I had liked it more.
This was an interesting concept. These guys that are cursed with turning to stone for 100 years and “alive” for 25 years . Only able to be released from the curse with true love. It’s like a ‘tale as old as time’ and one of my most favorite kinds. Bummer that it just didn’t work for me.
I’ll start with the romance. It’s a fake boyfriend setup but I just didn’t get it or even buy it when it became more. It seems that Josh had a sort of crush on Drew but we are just told that, we never really see it. Drew never really seems to return that favor, so focused on breaking the curse and knowing that Josh isn’t the one to do that, that he never really even looks at Josh as more, he just seems to want to be touched. So, if I was meant to believe that Josh wouldn’t break the curse, the author did their job. But, that isn’t what I was supposed to believe. I expected something along the line of fated mates and this just missed the mark. It seemed more convenient than anything. I didn’t feel any passion or need or mine, mine, mine. I dunno.
The curse. I just don’t understand. Why did their parents promise something like that? What sort of parent would ever do that? It’s super sad what these guys have been enduring for centuries. I just didn’t get it and at times felt like I was walking into a story I should have known more about. Which leads to everything else. Cats and wolves and witches. Besties and a high school reunion that made no sense.
I just don’t know if the book wanted to be a paranormal romance or more an urban fantasy sort of story. Not enough time was spent on either. I’m hoping this is more of a first book issue, trying to get the setup going and throwing a lot at the reader. I will say I’m a slightly curious about the next book and the one after that, maybe. The teaser with the wolf coming to after the screeching bitch witch intrigued me and Rian’s chapter at the end seemed somewhat interesting, I just don’t know if either were enough for me to continue. I’m going to check out some reviews before I move on.
Good concept, it just sort of fell flat for me.
**This book was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.**
I wish I had liked it more.
This was an interesting concept. These guys that are cursed with turning to stone for 100 years and “alive” for 25 years . Only able to be released from the curse with true love. It’s like a ‘tale as old as time’ and one of my most favorite kinds. Bummer that it just didn’t work for me.
I’ll start with the romance. It’s a fake boyfriend setup but I just didn’t get it or even buy it when it became more. It seems that Josh had a sort of crush on Drew but we are just told that, we never really see it. Drew never really seems to return that favor, so focused on breaking the curse and knowing that Josh isn’t the one to do that, that he never really even looks at Josh as more, he just seems to want to be touched. So, if I was meant to believe that Josh wouldn’t break the curse, the author did their job. But, that isn’t what I was supposed to believe. I expected something along the line of fated mates and this just missed the mark. It seemed more convenient than anything. I didn’t feel any passion or need or mine, mine, mine. I dunno.
The curse. I just don’t understand. Why did their parents promise something like that? What sort of parent would ever do that? It’s super sad what these guys have been enduring for centuries. I just didn’t get it and at times felt like I was walking into a story I should have known more about. Which leads to everything else. Cats and wolves and witches. Besties and a high school reunion that made no sense.
I just don’t know if the book wanted to be a paranormal romance or more an urban fantasy sort of story. Not enough time was spent on either. I’m hoping this is more of a first book issue, trying to get the setup going and throwing a lot at the reader. I will say I’m a slightly curious about the next book and the one after that, maybe. The teaser with the wolf coming to after the screeching bitch witch intrigued me and Rian’s chapter at the end seemed somewhat interesting, I just don’t know if either were enough for me to continue. I’m going to check out some reviews before I move on.
Good concept, it just sort of fell flat for me.
**This book was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review.**
July 28, 2023
⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️
Very fluffy and sweet, but not particularly memorable.
The romance is cute and the plot predictable.
Overall, a quick and easy read.
Tropes:
- paranormal
- gargoyle vs human
- fated mates/true love curse
- intercrural sex
POV: 1st person, dual
Very fluffy and sweet, but not particularly memorable.
The romance is cute and the plot predictable.
Overall, a quick and easy read.
Tropes:
- paranormal
- gargoyle vs human
- fated mates/true love curse
- intercrural sex
POV: 1st person, dual
October 5, 2024
Canada, Errington.
Depuis 1523, trois frères sont sous le coup d'une mystérieuse malédiction qui les fait se transformer en gargouilles pendant 100 ans puis revenir à la vie durant 25 années, période où ils doivent à chaque fois apprendre l'époque, les progrès de la civilisation, s'adapter, s'intégrer... et se retransformer à nouveau pour 100 ans.
Sauf s'ils rencontrent leur véritable amour... comme leur frère aîné, Finnian, à eu la chance de le faire, brisant ainsi sa malédiction pour redevenir mortel.
Heureusement que la famille Pallensen veille sur eux, en paiement d'une dette de vie vieille de plusieurs siècles.
Josh Pallensen, ayant pris la suite de son père, est donc l'actuel assistant de Teague, de Rian et de Drew, éveillés depuis 23 ans lors de ce cycle.
L'arrivée d'une invitation à une soirée d'anciens élèves du lycée de Josh va chambouler cette gentille organisation : le jeune homme ne veut pas y aller, pas envie de revoir son ex qui l'a plaqué le soir du bal de promo et ses camarades qui ont passé leur temps à se moquer de lui.
Mais Drew propose de l'accompagner en se faisant passer pour son petit-ami.
Et pendant ce temps là, un clan de métamorphes pumas arrive à Errington, visiblement décidés à en découdre avec les 3 frères.
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'univers créé par l'auteur, cette malédiction, les gargouilles, le cycle 100 ans/25 ans et tout ce que ça implique pour les frères de devoir à chaque fois se refaire une vie en sachant qu'elle sera limitée et qu'ils perdront tout ceux à qui ils pourraient s'attacher... C'est plutôt original et la plume est fluide et assez légère, on rentre très facilement dans l'histoire, les étapes de transformation partielle des frères sont bien pensées.
Ce premier tome de la trilogie, les deux suivants étant consacrés à Rian et à Teague (les trois frères étant gays), pose la base de l'histoire et nous permet de découvrir les raisons de cette mystérieuse malédiction et ce à quoi vont devoir faire face les frères.
Christopher MacGrath et sa meute ne servent dans ce tome pas à grand chose, j'imagine qu'il se révèleront plus utile par la suite (parce que là, vraiment...).
Josh et Drew sont assez mignons, bien que la romance entre les deux semble démarrer sans qu'on sache trop d'où elle sorte, je n'ai pas eu le temps de ressentir un quelconque intérêt entre les deux, mais ça peut s'expliquer par le contexte, après tout, il ne leur reste que 2 ans avant que les frères ne redeviennent gargouilles... ou pas, puisque la malédiction semble se gripper un peu, si l'on en croit le fait que Teague se soit réveillé avant ses frères et ce qui se passe pour Rian à la fin de ce tome, ouvrant ainsi directement sur la suite que je lirais avec grand plaisir.
Bref, un moment très agréable avec ces gargouilles et leur gardien, je remercie NetGalley et MxM Bookmark pour ce service presse.
Depuis 1523, trois frères sont sous le coup d'une mystérieuse malédiction qui les fait se transformer en gargouilles pendant 100 ans puis revenir à la vie durant 25 années, période où ils doivent à chaque fois apprendre l'époque, les progrès de la civilisation, s'adapter, s'intégrer... et se retransformer à nouveau pour 100 ans.
Sauf s'ils rencontrent leur véritable amour... comme leur frère aîné, Finnian, à eu la chance de le faire, brisant ainsi sa malédiction pour redevenir mortel.
Heureusement que la famille Pallensen veille sur eux, en paiement d'une dette de vie vieille de plusieurs siècles.
Josh Pallensen, ayant pris la suite de son père, est donc l'actuel assistant de Teague, de Rian et de Drew, éveillés depuis 23 ans lors de ce cycle.
L'arrivée d'une invitation à une soirée d'anciens élèves du lycée de Josh va chambouler cette gentille organisation : le jeune homme ne veut pas y aller, pas envie de revoir son ex qui l'a plaqué le soir du bal de promo et ses camarades qui ont passé leur temps à se moquer de lui.
Mais Drew propose de l'accompagner en se faisant passer pour son petit-ami.
Et pendant ce temps là, un clan de métamorphes pumas arrive à Errington, visiblement décidés à en découdre avec les 3 frères.
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'univers créé par l'auteur, cette malédiction, les gargouilles, le cycle 100 ans/25 ans et tout ce que ça implique pour les frères de devoir à chaque fois se refaire une vie en sachant qu'elle sera limitée et qu'ils perdront tout ceux à qui ils pourraient s'attacher... C'est plutôt original et la plume est fluide et assez légère, on rentre très facilement dans l'histoire, les étapes de transformation partielle des frères sont bien pensées.
Ce premier tome de la trilogie, les deux suivants étant consacrés à Rian et à Teague (les trois frères étant gays), pose la base de l'histoire et nous permet de découvrir les raisons de cette mystérieuse malédiction et ce à quoi vont devoir faire face les frères.
Christopher MacGrath et sa meute ne servent dans ce tome pas à grand chose, j'imagine qu'il se révèleront plus utile par la suite (parce que là, vraiment...).
Josh et Drew sont assez mignons, bien que la romance entre les deux semble démarrer sans qu'on sache trop d'où elle sorte, je n'ai pas eu le temps de ressentir un quelconque intérêt entre les deux, mais ça peut s'expliquer par le contexte, après tout, il ne leur reste que 2 ans avant que les frères ne redeviennent gargouilles... ou pas, puisque la malédiction semble se gripper un peu, si l'on en croit le fait que Teague se soit réveillé avant ses frères et ce qui se passe pour Rian à la fin de ce tome, ouvrant ainsi directement sur la suite que je lirais avec grand plaisir.
Bref, un moment très agréable avec ces gargouilles et leur gardien, je remercie NetGalley et MxM Bookmark pour ce service presse.
August 31, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Stone Wings is the first book in Jenn Burke’s new Gargoyles of Arrington series. I was excited as soon as the author did a stop on the blog to reveal the cover, as I love Burke’s work and the premise sounded right up my alley. And I think she does a great job here both developing the relationship between Josh and Drew, as well as setting up the larger world for the series.
This story mixes a lot of my favorite tropes, starting with the fake relationship. Josh is worried about his reunion, since he is notorious among his class for having been publicly dumped on prom night. Drew offers to come with Josh for moral support and to help show that he has moved on from the past. It gives the men a chance to break out of their boss/employee dynamic, though in reality, Josh is very much a member of the family. So this was a nice way to give the guys a jump start to romance as they start to see one another in a new light.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Stone Wings is the first book in Jenn Burke’s new Gargoyles of Arrington series. I was excited as soon as the author did a stop on the blog to reveal the cover, as I love Burke’s work and the premise sounded right up my alley. And I think she does a great job here both developing the relationship between Josh and Drew, as well as setting up the larger world for the series.
This story mixes a lot of my favorite tropes, starting with the fake relationship. Josh is worried about his reunion, since he is notorious among his class for having been publicly dumped on prom night. Drew offers to come with Josh for moral support and to help show that he has moved on from the past. It gives the men a chance to break out of their boss/employee dynamic, though in reality, Josh is very much a member of the family. So this was a nice way to give the guys a jump start to romance as they start to see one another in a new light.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 30, 2022
This was so good! So many fun things, a fake relationship, GARGOYLES, some really interesting folklore and world building. I just really enjoyed everything about it. Drew and Josh were kind of adorable and they just worked together for me. The romance was wonderful and the overarching series plot was set up so well, I cannot wait for the next book!
March 31, 2023
That was fun and a little bit different
I'm not sure if I've read a gargoyle shifter romance before but I liked this one.
It's not an overly complicated plot, there's a bit of a slow burn fated mates angle, which I thought was a neat way of exploring that trope rather than the zap of instalove.
Both Josh and Drew are sweethearts, both protective in their own ways and both determined their fake relationship will be just that.
The one place I'd have liked a bit more exploration with, which may occur as the series goes on through each brother's story, is the curse and the folklore itself.
Interesting, Jenn hasn't gone with the Tuatha as the big bad, but with their ancient enemy, the Fomori instead.
I'm looking forward to seeing how she resolves this conflict!
I'm not sure if I've read a gargoyle shifter romance before but I liked this one.
It's not an overly complicated plot, there's a bit of a slow burn fated mates angle, which I thought was a neat way of exploring that trope rather than the zap of instalove.
Both Josh and Drew are sweethearts, both protective in their own ways and both determined their fake relationship will be just that.
The one place I'd have liked a bit more exploration with, which may occur as the series goes on through each brother's story, is the curse and the folklore itself.
Interesting, Jenn hasn't gone with the Tuatha as the big bad, but with their ancient enemy, the Fomori instead.
I'm looking forward to seeing how she resolves this conflict!
September 30, 2022
Jenn really has such a talent for new spins on favorite urban fantasy tropes, and in Stone Wings, she’s got me in love with gargoyles. Jenn’s characters are always so well drawn, and here the gargoyle brothers completely stole my heart, as did pure cinnamon roll Josh.
Add in a British Columbia setting, a pack of shifters up to no good, and a mystery, all delivered with Jenn’s signature heart and humor, and it’s no wonder I was hooked from page one. Highly recommend this and everything Jenn’s written!
Add in a British Columbia setting, a pack of shifters up to no good, and a mystery, all delivered with Jenn’s signature heart and humor, and it’s no wonder I was hooked from page one. Highly recommend this and everything Jenn’s written!
August 22, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Stone Wings is the first book in The Gargoyles of Arrington by Jenn Burke. A paranormal romance following three brothers cursed to be gargoyles till they find their one true loves.
If he thought the stone skin, glowing blue eyes, sharp teeth and looming wings would intimidate me, he was about to be reeducated.
Josh was a sweetheart and who fell easily and wore his heart on his sleeve. I loved his relationship with the brothers as a whole, with his parents and his best friend. Drew fell a little flat for me, but I still enjoyed him. Together they were cute though, and I loved how protective Drew was of Josh. I was pleasantly surprised by the steam in this one after Jenn Burke's previous series was on the much lower end of the steam scale. The intimacy between them is monster lovin' goodness, with the unique attributes of Drew in his stone form being highlighted. One thing I loved about their intimacy was the way they stressed that sex doesn't have to equal penetration sex. I mean yes they do have penetration sex one time but that didn't take away from the strength of their other intimate scenes.
I'd never felt as consumed as this - as though a kiss would use me up, wring me out- but there was no way I'd protest. It felt too damn good.
Unfortunately I do I wish their powers had come more into play. Drew can literally manipulate metal, and he only does it once to crumble up a blade. If they were going to each have unique abilities attached to their curse, then highlight them. Otherwise they seem like an afterthought. It just seemed like a missed opportunity and I hope the other brothers actually use their powers more than Drew did.
Overall, Stone Wings by Jenn Burke was a solid start to a new paranormal series. I'm already attached to the other brothers and I am excited about the next book. I already have an idea of whom the final brother will be paired with and if I'm right it will be a great pairing. A set of quality main characters and lovable side characters set in a world with curses, magic , shifters, and witches. Drew and Josh's romance has the fake relationship trope, with a friends to lovers undertone, delicious steam, plenty of cuddles, and embracing their emotions.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Stone Wings is the first book in The Gargoyles of Arrington by Jenn Burke. A paranormal romance following three brothers cursed to be gargoyles till they find their one true loves.
If he thought the stone skin, glowing blue eyes, sharp teeth and looming wings would intimidate me, he was about to be reeducated.
Josh was a sweetheart and who fell easily and wore his heart on his sleeve. I loved his relationship with the brothers as a whole, with his parents and his best friend. Drew fell a little flat for me, but I still enjoyed him. Together they were cute though, and I loved how protective Drew was of Josh. I was pleasantly surprised by the steam in this one after Jenn Burke's previous series was on the much lower end of the steam scale. The intimacy between them is monster lovin' goodness, with the unique attributes of Drew in his stone form being highlighted. One thing I loved about their intimacy was the way they stressed that sex doesn't have to equal penetration sex. I mean yes they do have penetration sex one time but that didn't take away from the strength of their other intimate scenes.
I'd never felt as consumed as this - as though a kiss would use me up, wring me out- but there was no way I'd protest. It felt too damn good.
Unfortunately I do I wish their powers had come more into play. Drew can literally manipulate metal, and he only does it once to crumble up a blade. If they were going to each have unique abilities attached to their curse, then highlight them. Otherwise they seem like an afterthought. It just seemed like a missed opportunity and I hope the other brothers actually use their powers more than Drew did.
Overall, Stone Wings by Jenn Burke was a solid start to a new paranormal series. I'm already attached to the other brothers and I am excited about the next book. I already have an idea of whom the final brother will be paired with and if I'm right it will be a great pairing. A set of quality main characters and lovable side characters set in a world with curses, magic , shifters, and witches. Drew and Josh's romance has the fake relationship trope, with a friends to lovers undertone, delicious steam, plenty of cuddles, and embracing their emotions.
August 31, 2022
4.5 Stars!
The fact this is set in beautiful British Columbia adds a star on its own, lol.
I enjoyed this story! There’s some danger, some funny moments, and some tender moments. Drew was slightly clueless about Josh’s feelings but it was nice seeing them connect. I really felt for the gargoyles’ plight and was rooting for them to break their curse. Josh’s ex was a real piece of work as were the mountain lions. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series!!
The fact this is set in beautiful British Columbia adds a star on its own, lol.
I enjoyed this story! There’s some danger, some funny moments, and some tender moments. Drew was slightly clueless about Josh’s feelings but it was nice seeing them connect. I really felt for the gargoyles’ plight and was rooting for them to break their curse. Josh’s ex was a real piece of work as were the mountain lions. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series!!
October 23, 2022
Not quite in the same league as the Chaos Station and Not Yet Dead series.
Good writing as always by this author, but I simply wasn’t as invested, neither by the characters nor the scenario and plot.
Not sure I will return for the following books.
Good writing as always by this author, but I simply wasn’t as invested, neither by the characters nor the scenario and plot.
Not sure I will return for the following books.
August 30, 2022
What an amazing start to a new series!
Although I have a few of Jenn Burke's novels in my TBR, this is the first book that I've read. All I can say is that it was a great introduction!
I've always been fascinated by gargoyles in a historical context, but the number of fiction stories that have them as main characters are relatively few, and those that do it well... those numbers are in the very low double digits (and that's being generous!).
I can honestly say that I was hooked in the first chapter, and in next to no time, I was 110% invested in the brothers finding their true loves. This story will take you through the full range of emotions, but there is a lot of humour, a good dose of action and mystery, and just general good found family vibes that break up the more emotional moments, so the story is never heavy.
I really clicked with this author's writing style. The book is written from the points of view (POV) of the main characters: Josh and Drew, with seamless transitions between each change of focus. The story also continues to move forward through these transitions. Sometimes, with a change of POV there will be a slight backtrack, and the new character will describe an event that has already happened through their eyes. Not so here; each transition moves the story forward. We may remain in the same scene, with a change of focus, but the story still progresses.
Jenn Burke can undoubtedly write characters you want to see succeed (or fail, as the case may be). Love them or hate them, each character makes you feel something, and that alone brings them to life on the page. The dialogue was sharp, witty, and sometimes snarky, but you could always feel the love between the brothers and their guardian family. One thing I enjoyed was that the brothers sometimes have difficulty with modern terminology and technology. This was natural, and often added a bit of humour to the story.
Stone Wings was a perfect introduction for all the main players, good and bad, in this series. It sets the overall story arc to progress over the following two books and provides a delicious romance for Drew and Josh. Although Drew and Josh's romance is pretty much complete in this story (although I suspect it will also progress in future books), the overall story goes on, and the last chapter sets up the second book, which will be Rian's story. This final chapter from Rian's POV, whet my appetite for the next book; it can't come soon enough for me!
I highly, highly recommend Stone Wings!!
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Although I have a few of Jenn Burke's novels in my TBR, this is the first book that I've read. All I can say is that it was a great introduction!
I've always been fascinated by gargoyles in a historical context, but the number of fiction stories that have them as main characters are relatively few, and those that do it well... those numbers are in the very low double digits (and that's being generous!).
I can honestly say that I was hooked in the first chapter, and in next to no time, I was 110% invested in the brothers finding their true loves. This story will take you through the full range of emotions, but there is a lot of humour, a good dose of action and mystery, and just general good found family vibes that break up the more emotional moments, so the story is never heavy.
I really clicked with this author's writing style. The book is written from the points of view (POV) of the main characters: Josh and Drew, with seamless transitions between each change of focus. The story also continues to move forward through these transitions. Sometimes, with a change of POV there will be a slight backtrack, and the new character will describe an event that has already happened through their eyes. Not so here; each transition moves the story forward. We may remain in the same scene, with a change of focus, but the story still progresses.
Jenn Burke can undoubtedly write characters you want to see succeed (or fail, as the case may be). Love them or hate them, each character makes you feel something, and that alone brings them to life on the page. The dialogue was sharp, witty, and sometimes snarky, but you could always feel the love between the brothers and their guardian family. One thing I enjoyed was that the brothers sometimes have difficulty with modern terminology and technology. This was natural, and often added a bit of humour to the story.
Stone Wings was a perfect introduction for all the main players, good and bad, in this series. It sets the overall story arc to progress over the following two books and provides a delicious romance for Drew and Josh. Although Drew and Josh's romance is pretty much complete in this story (although I suspect it will also progress in future books), the overall story goes on, and the last chapter sets up the second book, which will be Rian's story. This final chapter from Rian's POV, whet my appetite for the next book; it can't come soon enough for me!
I highly, highly recommend Stone Wings!!
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August 22, 2022
Ahhhhhh I need Rian's book nowwww! And I really REALLY hope Teague's love interest is who I think it is. *squee*
*clears throat* Ahem. ANYHOO, this was my first book by Jenn Burke, but you'd better believe I immediately went to check out her backlist and am excited to see there's lots there for me to glut myself on! :)
I LOVE the premise of this series. A family of five brothers is cursed to be gargoyles, encased in stone and sleeping for 100 years then awake for 25 and able to shift (with some difficulty) between their human forms and their living stone gargoyle selves. There are now only three brothers left (I won't spoil what happened to the other two) and the end of their 25 years of wakefulness is closing in.
I have to say, I loved Josh from the first moment. As a fellow details and plans nerd, I think we could be very good friends, haha. I also adore a good fake dating moment, and while this one was at times a bit contrived it still drew me (heh heh, "Drew" me...) right in. I also really liked all three brothers immediately and am already so invested in reading both Rian and Teague's books. (NOWWWWWW please, how long do I have to wait for Rian!?!?!)
It's about a 50/50 split on whether I like paranormal romances, though PNR novels that fall more into the monster ...er, banging... category and/or are queer tend to be more enjoyable for me. And this one is both! *squee* I also have a thing about gargoyles, I don't know what it is, but I saw a whole paranormal romance SERIES about gargoyles and had to wipe away drool.
This is the first book in the Gargoyles of Arrington series and can be read as a stand-alone. The final chapter is from one of the other brothers' POV and is a lead-in to the next book in the series, Stone Skin, releasing in January 2023.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
*clears throat* Ahem. ANYHOO, this was my first book by Jenn Burke, but you'd better believe I immediately went to check out her backlist and am excited to see there's lots there for me to glut myself on! :)
I LOVE the premise of this series. A family of five brothers is cursed to be gargoyles, encased in stone and sleeping for 100 years then awake for 25 and able to shift (with some difficulty) between their human forms and their living stone gargoyle selves. There are now only three brothers left (I won't spoil what happened to the other two) and the end of their 25 years of wakefulness is closing in.
I have to say, I loved Josh from the first moment. As a fellow details and plans nerd, I think we could be very good friends, haha. I also adore a good fake dating moment, and while this one was at times a bit contrived it still drew me (heh heh, "Drew" me...) right in. I also really liked all three brothers immediately and am already so invested in reading both Rian and Teague's books. (NOWWWWWW please, how long do I have to wait for Rian!?!?!)
It's about a 50/50 split on whether I like paranormal romances, though PNR novels that fall more into the monster ...er, banging... category and/or are queer tend to be more enjoyable for me. And this one is both! *squee* I also have a thing about gargoyles, I don't know what it is, but I saw a whole paranormal romance SERIES about gargoyles and had to wipe away drool.
This is the first book in the Gargoyles of Arrington series and can be read as a stand-alone. The final chapter is from one of the other brothers' POV and is a lead-in to the next book in the series, Stone Skin, releasing in January 2023.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.
Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter
January 5, 2023
I found myself never really warm up to Drew and Josh as a couple, but I'm intrigued with the ending that I'm gonna read Rian's story.
September 15, 2024
3,75⭐
❖ Romance MM
❖ Gargouilles x gardien
❖ Malédiction
❖ Clan
C’était vraiment bien .
J’ai lu ce livre en deux soirées tellement j’était investit dans l’histoire.
J’avais l’impression d’être retournée à l’époque du collège à lire wattpad jusqu’à pas d’heure.
J'ai trouvé que le ration plot/développement des personnages était plus ou moins équilibré . Il y a de long paragraphe sur les sentiments des personnages , leurs doutes et leurs résolutions.
L'aspect magique n'est pas très développé . On apprends vite fait quelle espèces de créature magique existe vraiment mais sans plus de développement. On apprends également que les trois frères ont des pouvoirs en tant que gargouille mais ils ne sont pas vraiment présentés ou/et démontrés , et je pense que ça aurait pu ajouter une profondeur au développement des personnages . Peut-être que leurs pouvoir représente une habilité qu'ils avaient en tant qu'humain ? Je sais pas.
Niveau traduction, je trouve que c'est bien fait je ne me suis arrêté qu'une seule fois sur une phrase mais je ne suis pas encore sûre si le problème et la traduction ou si c'est juste une expression que je ne connais pas.
""Arrête de te mettre martel en tête, Andréas"" . Je crois avoir compris le sens de la phrase pendant ma lecture mais out of context aucune idée.
Merci NetGalley et les éditions MxM Bookmark pour cet ARC !
❖ Romance MM
❖ Gargouilles x gardien
❖ Malédiction
❖ Clan
C’était vraiment bien .
J’ai lu ce livre en deux soirées tellement j’était investit dans l’histoire.
J’avais l’impression d’être retournée à l’époque du collège à lire wattpad jusqu’à pas d’heure.
J'ai trouvé que le ration plot/développement des personnages était plus ou moins équilibré . Il y a de long paragraphe sur les sentiments des personnages , leurs doutes et leurs résolutions.
L'aspect magique n'est pas très développé . On apprends vite fait quelle espèces de créature magique existe vraiment mais sans plus de développement. On apprends également que les trois frères ont des pouvoirs en tant que gargouille mais ils ne sont pas vraiment présentés ou/et démontrés , et je pense que ça aurait pu ajouter une profondeur au développement des personnages . Peut-être que leurs pouvoir représente une habilité qu'ils avaient en tant qu'humain ? Je sais pas.
Niveau traduction, je trouve que c'est bien fait je ne me suis arrêté qu'une seule fois sur une phrase mais je ne suis pas encore sûre si le problème et la traduction ou si c'est juste une expression que je ne connais pas.
""Arrête de te mettre martel en tête, Andréas"" . Je crois avoir compris le sens de la phrase pendant ma lecture mais out of context aucune idée.
Merci NetGalley et les éditions MxM Bookmark pour cet ARC !
August 30, 2022
This book was so sweet, low angst, high on emotions. It starts as a sort of fake dating which obviously turns into lovers, but there's something a bit different here; one of them is a human cursed to being a gargoyle with 25 years awake followed by 100 years asleep as stone. How can the curse be broken? By finding true love. Josh was born in a family that has always served the three gargoyle brothers and it has already been 23 years since the last time woke up. Josh is their recent personal assistant and he has a bit of a crush on Drew who has no idea, but still he offers to be Josh's fake boyfriend for a high school reunion. Can Josh break the curse? Or will they have 2 years of a relationship only for them to get separated by the curse?? Not only they're navigating their attractions and the obstacles having a body that turns to stone even when awake, but they also have to deal with shifters coming to threat their territory.
I really enjoyed this story. Even as short as it was, I didn't feel that there was anything missing. And now I can't wait to read the second book of the other brother. We got his POV at the end of this book and I need to know more!
I really enjoyed this story. Even as short as it was, I didn't feel that there was anything missing. And now I can't wait to read the second book of the other brother. We got his POV at the end of this book and I need to know more!
March 2, 2023
Jenn Burke is a new-to-me author, but she won't be now! I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book, a human guarding gargoyles? That was very unique and I just had to read it. I'm so, so glad I did.
Josh is a human who's family has been the guardians of the gargoyles for quite some time. It passes down the generations to watch over the brothers while they are in their 100 year sleep. They sleep that long and are made of stone due to a curse. Josh knows the brothers, he also knows that so far there is only one way to break the curse. The brothers have to find their true love. He's not convinced he'll be that for Drew... But he needs a fake boyfriend for his high school reunion and Drew offered... What could go wrong?
Drew doesn't want to blur the lines with Josh, but when he kisses the man on their 'fake' date, his feelings change. He's not quite sure how he feels, except even more protective over Josh and he doesn't want anyone else to be with him. He knows Josh isn't the one who's going to break the curse. But he wants to enjoy the time he has left before he has to sleep for 100 more years. When a pride of cats encroach on their territory and unfortunate events pop up these two realize they mean more to each other than just a fling...
Josh can't possibly be the one to break the curse... Or can he?
I love, love, loved this story! I think this has been my favorite read so far in 2023. The characters were stunning and the writing?? Oh it was so good! The details and the descriptions were so realistic and so well written. It felt like I was actually in the book and I could picture everything that was going on. I felt a connection to all of these characters. The relationship Josh and his parents had with the brothers was definitely familial. They had a level of trust with them that no one else had. And the siblings relationships with each other was so great to read about. They were honest with each other but still taunted and teased one another. They also let the other ones know when they should get their heads out of their backsides.
There was also quite a bit of action in this book along with suspense and a mystery. Why is Fomori trying so hard to hurt the brothers? And will the other brothers find a way to break the curse before it's too late? I'm so excited to read more and find out!!
I really hope both Teague and Rian get their own stories. I'm fairly certain that Rian is going to be who the next book is centered around and maybe his true mate will be whomever this Professor Logan Davis is? I'm looking forward to what else this author has in store for these characters!
*I received an early copy of this book through GRR and this is my honest review.*
Josh is a human who's family has been the guardians of the gargoyles for quite some time. It passes down the generations to watch over the brothers while they are in their 100 year sleep. They sleep that long and are made of stone due to a curse. Josh knows the brothers, he also knows that so far there is only one way to break the curse. The brothers have to find their true love. He's not convinced he'll be that for Drew... But he needs a fake boyfriend for his high school reunion and Drew offered... What could go wrong?
Drew doesn't want to blur the lines with Josh, but when he kisses the man on their 'fake' date, his feelings change. He's not quite sure how he feels, except even more protective over Josh and he doesn't want anyone else to be with him. He knows Josh isn't the one who's going to break the curse. But he wants to enjoy the time he has left before he has to sleep for 100 more years. When a pride of cats encroach on their territory and unfortunate events pop up these two realize they mean more to each other than just a fling...
Josh can't possibly be the one to break the curse... Or can he?
I love, love, loved this story! I think this has been my favorite read so far in 2023. The characters were stunning and the writing?? Oh it was so good! The details and the descriptions were so realistic and so well written. It felt like I was actually in the book and I could picture everything that was going on. I felt a connection to all of these characters. The relationship Josh and his parents had with the brothers was definitely familial. They had a level of trust with them that no one else had. And the siblings relationships with each other was so great to read about. They were honest with each other but still taunted and teased one another. They also let the other ones know when they should get their heads out of their backsides.
There was also quite a bit of action in this book along with suspense and a mystery. Why is Fomori trying so hard to hurt the brothers? And will the other brothers find a way to break the curse before it's too late? I'm so excited to read more and find out!!
I really hope both Teague and Rian get their own stories. I'm fairly certain that Rian is going to be who the next book is centered around and maybe his true mate will be whomever this Professor Logan Davis is? I'm looking forward to what else this author has in store for these characters!
*I received an early copy of this book through GRR and this is my honest review.*
August 31, 2022
This review (with further information) first appeared on The Queer Bookish.
Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
I was hooked as soon as I saw Jenn Burke using the fake dating trope in Stone Wings.
Okay, that’s a lie. I was hooked as soon as I saw her new series announcement. How could I not, considering how much I loved the Not Dead Yet series and its spin-off Ashes & Dust?
This time though, we’re entering into a story with completely new characters – I think. I have to reread both other series to make sure there is no hidden mention of gargoyles or care keepers. And I have to admit, Chaos Station is still on my tbr. But either way, I’m lowkey hoping for a certain God of Second Chances and his husband to cross paths.
But let’s get back to Josh and Drew’s story, shall we? Like I said, I’m a sucker for this trope, and I hugely enjoyed not only their interactions but all the brothers and especially Josh’s BFF Em. What is it with this author and making me fall in love with the MC’s best friends?
Lately, I’ve been reading some heavier and/or not really enjoyable books, so the lightness and banter in Stone Wings were absolutely what I needed. Knowing Jenn though, I was prepared to be hit in the feels as well – rightly so.
So why did I “only” rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars? There are actually two reasons. One, even though I really enjoy Josh and Drew as a couple, their entering into a real relationship felt a little bit too quickly to actually feel it for myself. And two – and this is just a very personal pet peeve of mine – the maiden, mother, crone (although here it’s called grandmother) moon aspect in a ceremony. It immediately brings my mind to certain Wicca beliefs that have been spread through magical communities, which boil down to fertility and defining people with a uterus on their childbearing ability. To keep it really, really, short, because Stone Wings is so not about this. And therefore I won’t go into this issue of mine.
Especially since it simply annoyed me for a second and that was that.
Much more important is the wordbuilding and how the author brings Gargoyle lore to life. This was so interesting that I’m hoping there will be more in-depth information about this lore in book 2.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy though Jenn Burke’s Epic Arc Team in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
I was hooked as soon as I saw Jenn Burke using the fake dating trope in Stone Wings.
Okay, that’s a lie. I was hooked as soon as I saw her new series announcement. How could I not, considering how much I loved the Not Dead Yet series and its spin-off Ashes & Dust?
This time though, we’re entering into a story with completely new characters – I think. I have to reread both other series to make sure there is no hidden mention of gargoyles or care keepers. And I have to admit, Chaos Station is still on my tbr. But either way, I’m lowkey hoping for a certain God of Second Chances and his husband to cross paths.
But let’s get back to Josh and Drew’s story, shall we? Like I said, I’m a sucker for this trope, and I hugely enjoyed not only their interactions but all the brothers and especially Josh’s BFF Em. What is it with this author and making me fall in love with the MC’s best friends?
Lately, I’ve been reading some heavier and/or not really enjoyable books, so the lightness and banter in Stone Wings were absolutely what I needed. Knowing Jenn though, I was prepared to be hit in the feels as well – rightly so.
So why did I “only” rate this book 4.5 out of 5 stars? There are actually two reasons. One, even though I really enjoy Josh and Drew as a couple, their entering into a real relationship felt a little bit too quickly to actually feel it for myself. And two – and this is just a very personal pet peeve of mine – the maiden, mother, crone (although here it’s called grandmother) moon aspect in a ceremony. It immediately brings my mind to certain Wicca beliefs that have been spread through magical communities, which boil down to fertility and defining people with a uterus on their childbearing ability. To keep it really, really, short, because Stone Wings is so not about this. And therefore I won’t go into this issue of mine.
Especially since it simply annoyed me for a second and that was that.
Much more important is the wordbuilding and how the author brings Gargoyle lore to life. This was so interesting that I’m hoping there will be more in-depth information about this lore in book 2.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy though Jenn Burke’s Epic Arc Team in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
August 31, 2022
Stone Wings is a really good new series about three brothers cursed to be gargoyles. I enjoyed the basis of the plot in that they've been cursed to be asleep as stone gargoyles for one hundred years, awake for twenty five, and repeat. The only thing that can break that is finding their true love.
Josh has been their assistant for the past several years since taking over from his father who was their caretaker before him. It was never thought he'd be on of their trues loves as surely they'd know by now but slow burn is a much loved romance trope, as is fake relationships and they both work well here. Drew protects Josh from the big bads at his highschool reunion and in exchange, it leads to them spending more time together, getting closer but also fearing that, knowing they're not fated to be together.
I liked how things progressed and developed between these two. There are events that happen that probably show, especially drew, their feelings towards the other. More than they were expecting going into things, only thinking it could only be fun with a time limit on Drew's time out of his solid stone form. Along with the possible relationship developments, the family have to defend against a new pride that has come to their town and is aggressive towards them from the start. Looking to protect themselves and the town, they fight back but find out something that completely blindsides the brothers.
There's a good book and series plot here and I'm interested to see how things progress with that and we are left with a tease from Rian's perspective as to something about the next book. Drew and Josh's relationship is a heartwarming one as they grow closer and share more of themselves with each other.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Josh has been their assistant for the past several years since taking over from his father who was their caretaker before him. It was never thought he'd be on of their trues loves as surely they'd know by now but slow burn is a much loved romance trope, as is fake relationships and they both work well here. Drew protects Josh from the big bads at his highschool reunion and in exchange, it leads to them spending more time together, getting closer but also fearing that, knowing they're not fated to be together.
I liked how things progressed and developed between these two. There are events that happen that probably show, especially drew, their feelings towards the other. More than they were expecting going into things, only thinking it could only be fun with a time limit on Drew's time out of his solid stone form. Along with the possible relationship developments, the family have to defend against a new pride that has come to their town and is aggressive towards them from the start. Looking to protect themselves and the town, they fight back but find out something that completely blindsides the brothers.
There's a good book and series plot here and I'm interested to see how things progress with that and we are left with a tease from Rian's perspective as to something about the next book. Drew and Josh's relationship is a heartwarming one as they grow closer and share more of themselves with each other.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
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