Dirty Angel

by Nora Phoenix

When bubbly wedding cake baker Charles (not Charlie…never Charlie) accidentally overhears a mob boss plotting a murder, he contacts the cops. Detective Eamon O’Rourke offers to protect him…by posing as his boyfriend.

Soon, they’re cooped up in Charles’s cozy little house in the cute, small town of Charming, NY. Sparks fly, and it doesn’t take long before they give in to the attraction simmering between them.

But Eamon isn’t a cop at all.
He’s an angel.
Charles’s guardian angel.
And he’s anything but angelic, especially in what he wants to do with Charles…

Eamon has his hands full with Charles in more ways than one. Especially when Charles discovers Eamon’s been hiding the truth from him because if there’s one thing Charles is allergic to, it’s liars.

Is a happily ever after possible for the wedding baker and his Dirty Angel?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Forced Proximity, M M Romance, LGBT, Audiobook, Fantasy

344 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2026

About the author

Would you like the long or the short version of my bio?

The short? You got it.

I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.

How was that?

A little more detail? Gotcha.

I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.

My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.

Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.

Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...

Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/

You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

***no rating***
dropped @25%


I was really into the premise. The plot tho? Not so much.
That Dirty Angel had me totally intrigued but he was just too annoying and the plot not captivating enough for me to keep going.

[Cinthya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another 50/50 read.

I’ll start off by saying that I looooved the character Charles. He was adorable and had the perfect cozy baker, absolute sweetheart vibe. Just the cutest.

The character I struggled to like, at least in the beginning, was the angel, Eamon. He started off being… very unserious. He was supposed to be Charles’ protector and guardian angel, but it honestly felt like he could not care less about that role and was far more interested in making sexual advances and teasing Charles about how they could eventually hook up. I was hoping he would be protective and caring, with maybe some moments where his attraction toward Charles would be palpable and we could feel the sexual tension. Instead, he was too much. Too sexual. Too unserious. I was constantly rolling my eyes at him for the first half of the book. I get that he’s supposed to be a “dirty angel,” but for me personally, it was a bit much.

I did start liking him more as the story progressed, though. Once he realizes he’s developing real feelings for Charles, he finally steps up, stops turning everything into a sexual joke, and begins taking the situation seriously. From that point on, I looooooved him.

The second half of the book was sooo cute, and the character development for both of them was great!!! Charles’ friends were great too. Everything about the bakery could not have been more adorable. I loved the vibes and actually thought they were the perfect couple 🥹

That’s why it’s so hard for me to rate this book. The second half was a 10 out of 10, but I really struggled with Eamon in the first half... and if you don't cheer for the couple, the story kinda falls apart😪 I'm glad I kept reading though, because I ended up absolutely loving them and was cheering for them and their relationship 🩷

[ML · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beta read. Will do a review closer to release.

[Trio · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I've read a Nora Phoenix romance - I think I read their entire backlist when I started reading MM ages ago, but it has been a long time. Phoenix's style hasn't changed, but I did apprecaite the sweet, softness of the relationship between the two main characters.

The audio version of Dirty Angel is performed by Michael Dean.

[Yuli Atta]

I'm sad to DNF this, however the angel character is written like a creep in the beginning so I can't deal with him and his personality

[Mandy Beyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ingredients:
🎂One wedding cake baker
🧁Mafia boss calling a hit
🎂Guardian angel posing as undercover cop

Directions:
🧁Add Charles and Eamon together after Charles hears Carlos' plan and reports it. Mix to a consistency of "fake dating", then heat to "forced proximity" and "only one cabin" with a "forbidden love" frosting on top. Your result will be a delicious romantic suspense with paranormal fun.

The settings of Charles' small town with his wedding row friends and the snowed in cabin in the Adirondacks add to the entertainment. And, if you hear accents in your head while you read, Eamon's jumping in and out of his Irish roots is delicious, too. I adored the way Charles loves with food and how his town stuck up for him in his past. Eamon's reminiscing about his childhood and sharing himself as much as he could while they fell in love helped me pull for him, even when they weren't supposed to be together. A fun romance and great read after several heavy books in a row.

Thank you to the author for the gifted eARC.

[Kim Merkenhof · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, this couple, this love story.

Charles is such cutie, but also so strong.
I loved him from the first page.

Eamon really gives protector vibes and takes his role as gardian angel very serious. I love that he has so much trouble keeping his secrets from Charles, because he just wants to be himself.

[The Secret Librarian]

Dropped at 40%
I usually love Nora Phoenix's books, so I'm a bit torn up over this one not being my kind of story.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you ever read a book and think... where the heck did that title come from? 🤔

Even though, and yes, I am going to say it... the sex scenes were numerous, but overall I loved the way Eamon (still have NO clue how to pronounce that) and Charles (never Charlie) just clicked from the beginning. Real life is hard, but having someone who is 100% there for you makes all the difference!!!

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my favourite from Nora Phoenix…

The premise? 10/10.
The execution? Mmm not quite there.

This felt very insta-lovey, Hallmark-esque — and not necessarily in a good way. I know with books that have fantasy aspects, authors are going to take liberties and write what they want (it’s their world and we’re just living in it) but I like my fantasies to at least feel rooted in reality and like it could be real, but this FELT fake. If that makes sense?

[Shana_Bobana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nora Phoenix has been a hit or miss author for me but this is by far the most disappointing book by them I’ve tried to read. I only made it 20% in before I had to DNF.

Eamon is an unbearable character. He constantly is thinking about how he’s 300 years old so he knows so much, and then will immediately do something so ridiculous. He spends more time thinking about the fact that he wants to have sex with Charles than he thinks about protecting him. I know he’s supposed to be a “dirty” angel but he is so over the top. It feels like Nora Phoenix made a list of things angels are supposed to be/do and then made Eamon do the exact opposite every single time. Like he could have been a dirty angel but still had some actually redeeming qualities.

Charles was okay but not great. At first he’s suspicious of all the dumb things Eamon does. Then they kiss one time and Charles seems to be dumber because of it. Like he just immediately seems to ignore every weird thing Eamon does. He also seems to just agree with the terrible logic Eamon uses.


Here is a paraphrasing of a conversation they have. (I am not making this up or exaggerating, the conversation is really this bad. I just paraphrased to make it shorter)

Eamon- Can I see your room?
Charles- No it’s private
Eamon- Oh do you have sex toys in there?
Charles- That’s inappropriate of you to ask as a cop and someone who is supposed to be protecting me.
Eamon- You should really stop being so uptight because if you can’t tell me about your sex toys without blushing how are you gonna be able to pretend I’m your boyfriend when we are in public?
Charles- *internal thoughts* Wow, he makes such a good point. I have thought about this from every angle and there is no reason why it doesn’t make sense for me to tell him about my sexual preferences. He definitely needs all that information to pretend to date me in public.
Charles spoken dialog- Yes, I do have sex toys, an entire drawer.
Eamon- What’s your favorite?
Charles- My seven inch dildo.

It is truly one of the dumbest conversations I have ever read. I understand we have to suspend some disbelief when reading, but making your character who is supposed to be smart and observant so dumb was too much. Then immediately after that Eamon tells Charles to make him lunch while he goes and sets up surveillance equipment. It very much came across as “I’m going to do the hard work, so you need to get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich.” Charles’s internal dialogue was like “that’s not cool that be told me to make him food like that….. well I guess he is protecting me so I guess I should just serve him like he wants.”

The 20% of this book was so bad I will not be reading another book by Nora Phoenix.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of this was great but the execution was terrible. It was also predictable. I figured out what was going to happen a few chapters in.

The Angel was really rudely crass, too. The author for-warns that the angels may not act like angels but I wouldn’t like that behavior in any character. He was inappropriate for the situation and his flirtation wasn’t cute, it was gross. I couldn’t stand him at first.

And he was completely unbelievable. There’s no way Charles would trust this guy. He’d ask for someone else. He would maybe even suspect Eamon was an undercover plant from the guy he was running from. Him keeping Eomon was incredibly implausible. There was a point at which Charles was shouting for him for five minutes and Eamon said he’d been lost in thought. Completely unacceptable in someone trying to protect you. You’d be dead. Charles was an idiot.

But the biggest issue was how clueless Eamon was. Unbelievably clueless. The author made him ridiculous, like a caricatur. He was so not in touch with reality. He was three hundred years old and had been protecting people that whole time and was this naive? No.

The whole Charles going to NYC to get a regular detective to look at his case made no sense. I know it was to get a detective in a small town while skipping their police force (which did exist) but it was ridiculous. I also found it annoying that it was an Irishman posing as a New York cop, a huge stereotype.

At the end Eamon knew things about what Gabriel would do without being told but it was something that had never been done before to his knowledge so he’d have no idea.

Last thing: Why did author give the bad guy and the good guy the same name? Carlo and Charles are different language versions of the same name. But even if that didn’t occur the author, they sound too similar.

I really wanted to like this. There were places I started to and then Eamon would do something dumb again or Charles ignore weird behavior. As it is, I don’t think I’ll read anything else by this author.

The narrator is another one of those who drive me crazy for the same reason: he can do incredible accents but can’t give the characters different voices. It makes it hard to know who’s talking without seeing the punctuation. The voice was too deep for Charles, too. The worst part was that it sounded like a 1960’s radio announcer. The Irish accent was fantastic though. He ended sentences with an up tone like a question a little too often—the Irish accent doesn’t do that quite so regularly—but it sounded amazing to me.

[Katriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the blurb for this I immediately knew I had to read it! One of my favorite professions to read about are bakers, and considering Charles is a baker who owns his own bakery, I immediately was interested in his character. Not just because he's a baker, but also because he's an absolute sweetheart! Even after having his trust betrayed, and his heart broken, he's not letting those things turn him cold. He's still kind, generous, patient, and he cares deeply about others.

Now him and Eamon couldn't be more different. While Eamon does care about protecting humans and ensuring their safety, he doesn't have the deep compassion for them like how Charles does. It makes sense that these two work so well together, they compliment each other's differences, while also being able to teach each other things that neither knew before meeting the other one.

Even though these two were in a life or death situation, their relationship felt natural, these two had such a unique ease with each other, their relationship and bond just felt natural, which I liked. I was worried that things would feel forced or rushed but it didn't.

I thought the flow of this story was great, their relationship had a lot of depth and you could feel the chemistry they had together, and the side characters were excellent as well. In addition, the whole mob plot I thought was done well, I liked how Nora wrote about that component and how she incorporated that into the storyline. Also, the Guardian Angels as a whole was unique and creative, it's a concept I really liked and I'm hoping to see more set in this world at some point.

If you like forced proximity, Angel/Human, Age Gap, and opposites attract, this book is for you!

~~I received an early copy of this book and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.~~

[Yasmin M · Rating 5 out of 5]

In exchange with an honest Review i got to read a copy of Dirty Angel. Charlie is a bubbly wedding cake baker and when one day he accidentally overhears the groom of one of the weddings he has made a cake for planning a murder. When he contacts the cops, he gets in contact with Detective Eamon O`Rourke that offers to post as Charlies fake Boyfriend and protect him. But what Charlie does not know are that Eamon are hiding a big secret, that can destroy the growing relationship between them. Charlie can seem like a happy person on the outside but on the inside, he carries a sorrow and past trauma because of relationship that left him economically and emotionally destroyed something that makes him more careful when it comes to trusting new people.

This book did it take me a few extra days to read as this genre are one I don’t often read, I do like fluffy stories but sometimes a book need to grow on me for me to like it and Dirty Angel were one of those kinds of books. As a fan of Noras works I were really happy when I got the chance to read this book and it have grown on me that this book is pretty good and also different from what I usually end up reading from Nora something that I think is a bit of a fresh air as she have many series but many of them are quite similar so a new story with a completely new plot felt good to read.
This story got a bit of a slow burn in the start and it works with the plot where the reader have to wait a little before the heath gets turned up and that wait is definitely worth it, because it gives the story time to find its legs to stand on and build a plot that goes well with the characters. As the reader get to feel the angst and the build up of a relationship that’s outside of the norm of what a normal relationship, and toward the end of the book also some action that can put one on the edge of the seat knowing that it can end both ways. But since I don’t want to spoil the plot, I will keep this review as such, so if you like Nora`s stories then this is worth a read. A story filled with HEA, Fake boyfriend, Forced Proximity and Secret identity all packed into an epic story about growing love with an action-packed twist.

[Ana Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this was gonna be another Nora banger! As soon as I saw the blurb, I knew I was gonna love this story. I love anything supernatural, especially if it involves angels.

When Eamon was assigned to be Charles’s guardian angel, he had no idea what he was getting into. Charles wasn’t your typical baker. He was smart, observant and always had questions.

So when Charles’s life was in danger after accidentally over hearing a delicate conversation, Eamon is the one tasked to keep him safe.

Pretending to be a detective, Eamon’s brilliant plan is for them to be pretend boyfriends. As such, Charles would be protected 24/7.

But being so close to Charles only made Eamon want him more. From the moment he laid eyes on him, Eamon couldn’t get him out of his head.

For his part, Charles was completely taken by the beautiful angel. He was exactly his type, so it was only a matter of time before lines were crossed.

Charles could tell Eamon wasn’t who he said he was but that didn’t stop him from falling for him. The times the real Eamon showed up, Charles could see what a caring, kind man he really was.

When things get extremely bad, Eamon is forced to make a decision that can change everything between them. But Charles’s safety is Eamon’s top priority and he’d do whatever it takes to keep him safe.

I loved this story so much. Especially when we find out how Eamon came to be a guardian angel. El is exactly how I feel God would think about the human race. Love is love and it shouldn’t be something to be judged for or be ashamed of.

And oh, can we please have Michael Dean do more Irish accent narrations? I swear it made the story even better! So freaking sexy🥵

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 4 out of 5]

TBR, who? ARCS, what? Here's "Dirty Angel" by Nora Phoenix.

["When bubbly wedding cake baker Charles (not Charlie…never Charlie) accidentally overhears a mob boss plotting a murder, he contacts the cops. Detective Eamon O’Rourke offers to protect him…by posing as his boyfriend.

Soon, they’re cooped up in Charles’s cozy little house in the cute, small town of Charming, NY. Sparks fly, and it doesn’t take long before they give in to the attraction simmering between them.

But Eamon isn’t a cop at all.
He’s an angel.
Charles’s guardian angel.
And he’s anything but angelic, especially in what he wants to do with Charles…

Eamon has his hands full with Charles in more ways than one. Especially when Charles discovers Eamon’s been hiding the truth from him because if there’s one thing Charles is allergic to, it’s liars.

Is a happily ever after possible for the wedding baker and his Dirty Angel?"]

The pining! The angst!! It was addictive and beautiful, just as it was painful and anxiety-inducing.

As was the pureness of them falling in love. It wasn't easy, being on the run from a dangerous mobster and all of the secrets Eamon was keeping.

I had so many feelings about this book, and yet, after having finally finished it, I can't put them into words. This book was glorious and adorable and relatively angst-less.

Trigger Warnings: mild danger, one shootout, description of someone's death, grief over losing a parent, and more.

#dirtyangel #nroaphoenix #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Amanda Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dirty Angel totally surprised me, in the best way. The concept alone had me hooked: a guardian angel falling for the person he’s meant to protect? With a bit of a historical twist? Colour me intrigued!

The insta-attraction actually worked really well here (which can be hit or miss for me), and I loved Eamon’s protective streak, plus the fact that he’s kind of a mess emotionally made him even more endearing. The quiet domestic moments between him and Charles were my favourite: cooking together, sitting and reading, just existing in the same space. It gave their relationship such a soft, real feeling.

I was not expecting to get emotional, but Eamon’s backstory and the longing he carries genuinely got to me. When Gabriel showed up and things started shifting, I absolutely teared up. It added so much heart to what already felt like a sweet, swoony story.

Charles is such a cutie...on the surface he’s this bubbly baker, but underneath he’s carrying past hurt that makes him cautious with his heart. Watching him slowly trust Eamon, even with the tension of Eamon’s secret hanging over everything, was really well done. The fake boyfriend / protector setup? Delicious.

All up, this was romantic, tender, a little angsty in the best way, and completely pulled me in. Sweet guardian angel, soft domestic moments, yearning, danger, and a well-earned HEA—loved it.

[Mikaela (risqué.romance) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dirty Angel - Nora Phoenix
4.25/5✨🌟

* SPOILERS *

I just knew I had to read this because Nora wrote it after my obsession with omegaverse series. If you like a book with a slow burn, this book is definitely for you because it does have that vibe, but it works for the concept of the story.

I really loved the dry humor in this book. The end of the prologue when Eamon made the comment of Charles Angels had me giggling too. I really loved the forced proximity of this book because these two either had me swooning over the two of them or just laughing at their nonsense.

And Gabriel. He did get on my nerves a lot in the book but towards the end, I did like him for what he did to Eamon and Charles.

I loved a lot of the cute moments from the snow angels to the hot chocolate and to Eamon telling Charles about his past. I will say I really loved how Charles found out about Eamon’s secret and it was all because of his protection of Charles.

I also loved the found family in this book. I really loved how Charles’ parents welcomed Eamon with open arms.

This book was so cute and all I waned was more from these two. It had the perfect balance of slow burn to a little bit of angst to all the cute and spicy moments.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Kata · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a light, easy read, this is your book.

Charles (not Charlie — never Charlie) and Eamon, the pastry chef and his guardian angel.

Even the core concept is captivating on its own. Who would think of a guardian angel falling in love with the person he’s meant to protect?
Definitely not me.
But these two guys… they were written so well, the characters were beautifully built, and the story itself? 🥹 Chef’s kiss.

If there’s any couple that screams endgame, it’s Charles and Eamon.

The fact that Eamon’s true identity was hanging over their heads for most of the book added just the right amount of tension, but Charles was so adorable and reacted so perfectly when he finally found out 🥹

And Gabriel… I had very mixed feelings about him for most of the book, but I have to say — hats off.
He’s the kind of character I never expected to completely fall for 🫣
Can’t someone find him a nice little love story too? That would be great 😉

To sum it up once more: I absolutely loved this book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone who enjoys this kind of story 🥰

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️4.5/5 stars ⭐️

I am such a sucker for paranormal romances, and this seriously hit the spot. Eamon and Charles were just adorable (and sooooooo funny). I loved every aspect!


I loved this fresh take on a guardian angel. With Eamon sent to guard Charles after Charles overhears a murder plot, he goes undercover as an NYPD officer to act as Charles’ boyfriend in an attempt to provide 24/7 protection. Eamon’s lies aren’t the most clever or the most convincing, but it’s adorable how much he tries. Despite Eamon being a supposedly 300+ year old angel, his computer skills leave much to be desired. I feel like it really added depth to his character and gave such a unique interpretation of guardian angels.

Charles was such a great character too. He wasn’t gullible, and even started to see the cracks in Eamon’s cover. I would’ve liked to see him confront Eamon a bit more about his deception, but he was also under a considerable amount of stress, so I’ll take it!

I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention what might be my favorite line in any book I ever read, and why I immediately wanted to give this book 5 stars:

“personally, I felt New Jersey drivers were the worst in the US…” As a born-and-raised Pennsylvania driver, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and I LOVED IT. It made me laugh so hard and deserved an immediate 5 stars.

Thank you to Nora Phoenix and her ARC team for giving me the opportunity to provide my honest review before the release! Now everyone, go read!

[Magne Einar · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMFG, I love this book.The concept alone is chef’s kiss. I mean— a guardian angel falling in love with the person he’s meant to protect? With a historical twist on top of that? Yeah. That’s it. That’s my weakness. Sign me up immediately.

I devoured this book. The characters are incredibly well written, and the story completely pulled me in. I couldn’t put it down.

Charles and Eamon are genuinely endgame. The way they interact is so damn cute, even with the constant tension of Eamon’s true identity looming over everything. That underlying “this could all fall apart” feeling just makes it better.

Charles is such a cutie—completely pulled into something far bigger and more dangerous than he ever signed up for, something that could cost him his life. Enter Eamon: protector, guardian, pretending to be a detective for Charles and a boyfriend for everyone else. And the way their story slowly builds? The tension? The yearning? Perfection.

You can probably tell—I adored this book. Absolutely loved it.

[Alecia Only1leesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun, unexpected mix of cozy small-town vibes, paranormal romance, and swoony MM chemistry — with just enough danger and secrets to keep me fully hooked.

Charles is an absolute cinnamon roll. A bubbly wedding cake baker in a cute small town? Instantly lovable. I adored his optimism, his big heart, and the way he brings light into every scene. He’s the kind of character you just want to protect at all costs.

Eamon, on the other hand… 😮‍🔥 talk about morally gray, broody protector energy. The fake boyfriend setup paired with the guardian angel twist was such a clever spin, and I loved how the story played with trust, secrets, and forbidden attraction. Their dynamic had that perfect balance of sweet, steamy, and emotionally layered.

What really stood out for me was how Nora Phoenix blended cozy romance with paranormal elements and light suspense. It never felt too heavy, but it also wasn’t just fluff — there’s real emotional weight around honesty, protection, and what it means to truly show up for someone.

The chemistry between Charles and Eamon? Chef’s kiss. 🧁🔥
The tension? Delicious.
The banter and emotional beats? So well done.

If you love:
✨ MM Paranormal Romance
✨ Guardian Angel x Human
✨ Fake Dating / Forced Proximity
✨ Small Town Romance
✨ Protective MMC
✨ Secrets & Slow-Burn Tension
✨ Cozy with a dark twist

4.3 rating

[Kiki Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was a lot of fun!
In Dirty Angel small town baker Charles is delivering a masterpiece of a wedding cake when he hears the mobbed up groom-to-be not only badmouth his sweet fiancée, but order the murder of an undercover NYPD officer.
Charles is a good citizen and travels from Charming (!) to NYC to help prevent a murder.
What he finds is horny, rule-breaking guardian angel Eamon, who is masquerading as a NYPD detective/undercover protector/fake boyfriend.
These two are adorable together. Eamon is the worst liar, and gives his supervisor and Heavenly HR fits. Charles is a total sweetheart.
And Charming and its inhabitants are a total hoot.
The vibe is a Married to the Mob mix of quirky characters, humor, action, and romance. Plus baked gods. And celestial beings.
A middle of the night flight to a snowed in remote cabin brings all kinds of complications as they hide from the bad guys. Buckle up!
If you’re a fan of a grand romantic gesture, get ready for 300+ year old Irish angel falling in love for the very first time.
****1/2

[Julia Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel! The blurb was very interesting and I knew I needed to read it and it fid not disappoint. I really liked the whole idea of the guardian angel and him protecting Charles. I felt like the insta-attraction was done really well. That is something that either works or it doesn't and it really worked for this story. I loved Eamon's protectiveness and it was also fun to see him be a bit of a mess when it came to his backstory. I loved Charles and Eamon's quiet moments, when they were cooking and talking or just sitting and reading next to each other. The quiet domesticity was something I really enjoyed.
What I was not expecting was to get emotional and actually shed some tears. Eamon's backstory and the longing he felt really touched me. I was so glad when Gabriel appeared and gave him a choice.

A sweet story featuring a guardian angel who needs to guard the sweet baker. Their connection will transcend everything life throws at them and they'll get their beautiful happily ever after.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

A Sweet and Spicy Romantic Ride!
Dirty Angel is a fun, flirty and heartfelt book. The book bends humor, danger, and a whole lot of steam together.
The book follows Charles, the adorable wedding cake baker that accidentally overhears a mob boss plotting a murder. To protect him, NYPD Detective Eamon poses as his boyfriend, leading to a fake relationship that quickly heats up. While they hide out in Charles cozy cabin, the sparks fly. While the feelings grow, Eamon, who is isn't just a cop, has trouble keeping his true identity a secret.
Charles is an adorable guy, so easy to root for, and smart too! Eamon is a perfect mix of rugged charm and protective alpha. The chemistry between these two guys is great and they have a delicious tensions going on.
The plot moves at a good pace, balancing the romance with the suspense of Charles’s predicament. I loved the found-family feel of Wedding Row with all the side characters. I did think some mobster scenes felt a little over the top.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 ✨

This book was fun and a good time but also quite emotional as the story unfolded.

After Charlie overhears a mob boss’ murder plan he’s in need of some 24/7 protection. Who’s better at protecting someone than a guardian angel? For over 300 Eamon has been in charge of protecting the innocent. He’s also learned how to enjoy his immortality along the way. When Eamon meets Charlie something in him recognizes that this man is different.
Charlie thinks that Eamon is a NYPD officer in charge of being his protector as the police department try to gather enough information to pin the mob boss and arrest him to get Charlie out of harms way. There’s no denying that Eamon is extremely good looking and the way he’s blatantly flirting has him blushing and overthinking.
After things get a bit more real and desires are explored, Eamon is presented with a very unique ultimatum. He never expected that love could change everything he’d known for the last three centuries. The only thing left to do is choose.

This book started off with Eamon rubbing me the wrong way. He was cocky and arrogant and sort of bad at his job. But as time goes on you learn who the man is on the inside and he’s actually such a good guy with a whole lot of love to give.
Charlie is a pretty simple guy who’s just looking to live life and bake amazing things. But his heart has a hollow spot that’s waiting to be filled but the last time he tried he got royally screwed over so he’s sort of given up.

The spice was good and nothing too crazy 3/5 🌶️

Overall this book is a good time! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Thank you to the author and her team for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Dirty Angel by Nora Phoenix

I fell in love with Nora Phoenix's style of writing several years ago. I couldn't get enough of her stories once I started. When I saw this book, I had to review it. I loved the story between Charles & Eamon (the hot detective, yummmm). I loved the flow of their story building. The way Eamon wants to protect Charles from the mob boss. See, Charles overheard the mob boss setting up a murder. So he is on the run to stay safe. The way Nora Phoenix wrote these two guys' story was fantastic. I escaped into their story at a time I needed to escape into something good. When I read Nora's first book several years ago, I fell in love with the worlds that she wrote. Once I finished one, I had to see what was next by her. If you haven't tried Nora Phoenix books, you need to go and find one and try it, you won't be sorry. I know I wasn't.

Nicole Harvey

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles creates cakes in his hometown of Charming. Hired to create a wedding cake for a high profile couple, he goes to the venue to drop it off. When there he hears a conversation, realizing that two gentlemen were talking about murder. Scared, he calls the police and meets Eamon. Eamon is actually a guardian angel tasked to protect him. Posing as his fake boyfriend, he comes to stay with Charles. Charles realizes there are inconsistencies with Eamon’s “cop” persona but lets it go. The story starts from there with them having to leaving Charles’s home to go to a safe house. I loved how they both felt the chemistry but couldn’t do anything about it right away. Loved the way the baddie was taken care of and how Gabriel, Eamon’s boss offered a suggestion with how they can stay together. Wonder if there would will be more in this world.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

Dirty Angel is a cute, contemporary paranormal with two appealing characters. I particularly liked Charles, who is all sunshine and happiness, but also quite sharp and feisty when he needs to be. He doesn’t hesitate to step in and go to the cops (or who he thinks are the cops) when he overhears the murder plan, without any thought to himself.

This one is light in tone (lighter than I anticipated based on the blurb), and has a playful vibe. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and liked them together. The story ties up nicely and I think this could be a good choice if you enjoy forced proximity or are in the mood for a light and easy paranormal story.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t read anything by this author in a bit, so I was looking forward jumping back into her writing. This was a good one to dive back in with.

Charlie over hears a mob boss planning to commit murder, so he goes to the cops to report it. The “cop” agrees to offer him protection, but it turns out he is actually a guardian angel, Eamon. The conversation in the police station where they agreed to this was kinda weird to me. Like, an actual cop, which he’s pretending to be, would not be treating the conversation that way.

I love a protective mmc, so I liked that aspect of Eamon’s character. Charlie was also just so sweet, so they made a really good match with each other. There was a good progression of their relationship and I was satisfied with how the story played out.

Overall this was a cute and enjoyable read!

Thanks to the author for an eArc of this book.