Daniel Hart is a graduate student at the University of Arcane Studies, who works in a museum and mostly enjoys his calm, routine life. Everything changes when he meets Rhys Daveth, a visiting businessman with mysterious connections who pursues him with a passion that Daniel has never experienced before. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but things take a turn for the worse when Daniel is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, one that he suspects his new lover had a hand in. Once the truth comes out, Daniel will have to choose between the future he had planned and something deeper, more exciting and far more dangerous than he could have imagined.
Cari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.
As per the blurb, graduate student Daniel lives a quiet life of archiving artifacts at the museum, and he’s very content. One day, a mysterious gent shows up and is quite interested in Daniel, and it’s a whirlwind few days of wooing. Surely, it’s almost too good to be true right?
Imbued with magic and mystery, romance and crime, I liked what this first installment brought to the table. Ms. Z features a shifter we as readers rarely see, and she sets up nicely whether a normal bloke like Daniel can make it with the dashing enigmatic Rhys.
I’m definitely interested to see what other adventures are in store for these two! It doesn’t hurt that the entire series is on KU either!
All these books that you get for free unfortunately have one thing in common, there is a reason why they are available for free. In most cases, they are simply not very good. This one has a lot of potential and it got better in the second half and I'm actually interested to see where it goes from here. Nevertheless, the first half was a bit flat and not well written. What's missing: proper world-building – the magic and shape-shifters shown are really interesting, but a little more background wouldn't hurt. The characterization is also extremely sparse, the attraction between Daniel and Rhys is incomprehensible, and it's a mystery to me how they get along so well right away and end up in bed. I mean, it's only about 60 pages and it's clear that everything has to move quickly, but as a reader, I want to feel something and understand what's going on with the characters.
My latent confusion caught up to the rest of me. “Wait, why do you want to take me to dinner? We just met.” “Don’t know anyone else in this bloody swamp of yours, and at least you’re pretty and can talk art. I’ll wait out front.” He smiled at me, turned and walked casually out of the hall, leaving me gaping. 😒😒😒
Later on, everything makes more sense and you get a feel for the story and the characters. But the beginning really should have been better written to make it plausible. I'm all for insta, but there are different kinds, and it just doesn't work here. Nevertheless, I'm hooked, and as I said, I find the concept extremely intriguing. On top of that, the sex scenes... yummy.
“Dangerous to mess with a shifter. More dangerous to run. Could snap you, break you in two.” His fingers found my prostate and pressed. I moaned helplessly. “I’ll break you, Danny.” His hand vanished, and he quickly put on a condom. Then he thrust into me fast and my conscious mind fled from the passion and the sharp, stinging pleasure I felt. 😳😳😳
This is the first part of a trilogy and it is a fast paced read which I really enjoyed.
The main characters Rhys and Danny strike sparks off each other from the moment they meet. Danny a grad student with undeveloped seer powers and Rhys a rather mysterious shifter, come together in a way that is initially casual but becomes hotter and hotter in a very short time. Alas before they can mutually combust Danny discovers there is far more to Rhys than he realises.
Rhys is mysterious, suave, wealthy, knowledgeable and intriguing, and Danny who is enticed and captivated by Rhys, revels in this sensual and unpredictable relationship. Danny in turn is charming, intelligent and attractive, and with latent powers of his own that are yet to be explored. Danny is like a delectable and exquisite morsel and of course mysterious Rhys is too greedy and far too fascinated with Danny to resist.
What you get is a story that starts off nice and unassuming but just like a roller coaster it suddenly twists and turns, and surprises the reader as Danny suddenly finds himself at the center of a mystery and crime, and realises that there is more to Rhys, and much more to himself than he realised.
A great short read, fast moving, and thoroughly enjoyable and lots more to learn about both men as individuals and as a couple.
I was very excited for this book, paranormal crime caper right up my alley, and the book was cute, but not enough that I will continue with the series. The crime committed just rubbed me the wrong way.
Omfg...!?!?! Ladies and gentlemen, it goes into the shelf "I need to bleach my brain" for sure.... If you go to the lowest of lows and find douchbag of millennium, he would be Mr. Perfect to our MC Rhys there. Can you hate character from page one? Yes, you can! If he is Rhys! I was metaphorically vomiting to his brilliant ability of dialogue and highlighting like mad. There is some examples:
“How you feeling, pet?” “I feel like I’m going to melt,” I whispered. “I’d rather make you explode, Danny-boy,” he said..... (Danny-boy?? Is this cheap porn or boy fantasy?)
He fell onto me, pinning me down. “It’s the handsome face, the fantastic body, the money and my devastating sense of humor. And the accent. You Americans can’t get enough of that.” (Narcissistic doesn't describe you man... at all...)
I was spared having to answer by the sudden ringing of the hotel phone. Reese pulled out of me and rolled over to answer it. I listened with half an ear, mostly trying to get myself back under control. “Yeah? Ah, right. Right…sure. Yeah, I’ll work on that.” He hung up the phone and grinned at me. “Neighbors are complaining, pet. You’re quite the screamer. Manager wants me to please break you in quietly next time.” “Sounds like a plan.” (Break you in??? Omg... 🤮🤮🤮 you peace of shit Rhys)
“Pet, this suit cost ten times what that tux did. No one looking at me will kick me out for not dressing nicely enough, trust me.” He brushed back his long dark hair, leaving it loose and shining. “Let’s head out, then.”
Here’s to you, Danny. A pretty face, a brilliant mind, and a fabulous bloody shag.” (Daniel, what are you doing with this asshole?)
“Business never sleeps, pet. Besides, I want to go to her all mussed and smelling like you, so the bitch knows exactly what she’s interrupting. Make her so fucking pissed.” (You're talking about your boss right??)
And the epilogue, behold:
“Just the night.” Well, fuck. “Oh.” Reese stared at me for a moment, then snorted. “No ‘oh’ in that tone of voice, Danny, like I’ve just kicked your bloody puppy. I didn’t come to this eternally-moist city just for a booty call. I’m here to make sure you’re coming with.” (For the holidays)
In the nutshell this book is about pour babyfaced Daniel, who believes in everyone. He is so naive that you will feel embarrassed by him quite early in the book. And narcissistic asshole Rhys who seduces naive Daniel to steal from Daniels place of work (museum). You can quess everything from beginning. Well maybe not everything, because what kind of shifter is Rhys I was not sure. But behold dear friends, he is doppelganger and he can steal your appearance and even dna by sucking you off and swallowing 😳😳😄😄 not kiding.
There is somewhere romance there.... ????? Didn't find it....🤔🤔🤔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This started off pretty well. Spelling and grammar was good. ! Spoilers ahead !The MC is sweet and seems passionate about his job in the museum, which is cute.
Then the ML comes in. I do not like him. He’s supposed to be suave and maybe a bit of a bad boy but to me he comes across as a presumptuous jerk. Ordering for the MC without asking, forcing him to drive, he’s freaking mean one time when he gets mad and doesn’t say sorry, just the way he talks feels like he’s talking down to the MC. Even more annoying, as far as I can tell this isn’t a planned insta love or fated mates but after 1 whole night the MC throws away all morals and ideals that were set up as like, cornerstones of his personality for this guy at the drop of a hat. Yes, he was angry but he kept the freaking stolen amulet and was still sort of dating this dude even after HE FRAMED HIM. I could have accepted this better if there had been foreshadowing that the MC was unhappy with his current life and really wanted maybe his own small collection of items or something but there was none of that. I might have even been less angry if MC kicked ML out and ML really had to work for a while to get back in his good graces versus basically tossing a stolen item at him, wiggling his eyebrows and saying “you should be open to new experiences.” Fuck right off. And even after that the ML is just like, welp, can’t stay, I’ll see you at some point. My fucking face reading the last 40% of the book.
Also I was screaming for this kid to get a lawyer. He didn’t even get one after they said they saw his face on video. What. I know everyone is saying you’re too trusting but no one could be that stupid. I know there’s more books but I won’t get them. Not even for free.
Okay I have several problems with this. 1.) I just did not like the main characters. Rhys was an arrogant user who carelessly put Danny’s career in jeopardy. 2.) Danny was an idiot and hypocrite who blindly goes along with a complete stranger. He said several times how against theft he is and then decides to be in a relationship with a guy that literally had intercouse with you to complete a theft. 3.) All that being said, the issues may have been overcome if some redeeming qualities had been shown somewhere. However this story was extremely short and honestly probably would not have gotten to redeeming anyone because every page just made the bad characteristics more crystal clear.
Good paranormal m/m romance about a grad student in magic who works at a museum and is surprised to be wooed by a mysterious shifter he runs into at the museum.
The story worked as a whirlwind hook-up, great sexy scenes, until Daniel covers for the man who used and betrayed him. At one point, he said he punched someone who tried to use a glamor on him, but forgives someone who plays him, risks his freedom and career?
biggest peeve....This pushed the 'Brit' language waaaaay too far. The supposed Brit added 'mate' or 'pet' to most sentences. As a Brit, this was very annoying, so unrealistic, and a little worrying that others think we all talk like this. At one point, I thought the 'mates' were so frequent they were due to a fated mates trope, maybe he was into pet play from the 'pets'. The word choice doesn't fit the 'sophisticated' person the book describes. The only acceptable explanation is that he's putting on the accent to hide his identity. We'll see. PS. Rhys is the Welsh form of the name. So for a while, he had a broad welsh accent...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Daniel Hart has very little magic but enough to get him into the University of Arcane Studies. He loves his studies and his job at the museum. The calm, routine life works for him. And then he meets Rhys Daveth, a shifter who is fascinated by Danny and relentlessly pursues him with a passion. Rhys is intriguing, brilliant, and exciting – and many other things, but not “calm”.
When Daniel is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, he will have to choose between the future he had sought for himself or one that will take him out of his comfort zone – to tolerate behavior that would have appalled him in his “normal” life. But he and Rhys are drawn together and neither wants to give up on the other. What will this mean for Rhys and Daniel’s future?
This is the first book that I have read by this author. It is definately an insta love story. This is the story of Daniel Hart and Rhys Daveth. Daniel is a graduate student who works in a museum. Rhys is a mysterious businessman who gives off shifter vibes. This is their story. The characters have a lot of spark between them. I did think Daniel's naivety was stretched to the limit by the way he reacted to being arrested and for protecting his one night stand. If you can overlook that part, I enjoyed the book. This is a short book. I will need to read the next book to see how the story develops.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I wanted to like this book but Rhys makes it difficult. His morality is completely opposite to Danny’s. There is no romance between them. Just sex. Danny’s self esteem is so low that Rhys’ words of flattery sway him. And when Danny calls him what he is, a thief, his reply is “I’m doing what I love.” So, everyone’s feelings are superficial. I guess I’m not a romantic but, just once, I’d like to see the better character stand on their principles. Then, the morally bankrupt character could change, thereby showing true love. Love that leads a person to want to be better for the one they love. I will not give up on the series just yet. My OCD will not let me. But it is going to be a slow read with lots of breaks to refortify my resolution to reach the end.
Treasured (Treasured #1) by Cari Z. I loved Daniel Hart, the sincere, innocent character who gets swooped up by irresistible Rhys and entangled in a lot to rob a museum. In this magical alternate reality David is asked to risk his heart on the dangerous player Rhys. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series. I think there is room for lots of great conflict and maybe should searching for Daniel in the long run, since some of his core beliefs about ancient treasures belonging to the public seem to run counter to Rhys work for private collectors. The two together are sweet and hot, so I am looking forward to further developments!
This was an intriguing start to a new series by an author who is new to me. I really enjoyed the characters of Daniel and Rhys, although they weren't quite what I expected going in. Their passion is intense, but when Daniel is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, what does it mean for his future. Enjoyable story with twists, turns, and surprises. Daniel's boring life is about to get a lot more exciting (and dangerous).
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked this book because I like bad boys with charm. I see some of the readers were upset with Danny because he let him get away with something he did in the story. I'm not going to give it away but I would have fallen for Reese also. Danny fell for some mysterious and gorgeous, how many people would turn that down? Reese played a con but did fall for Danny so all is forgiven in my book. They made a cute couple and Danny got what he wanted in the end so I say the end justify the means!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It is instant attraction between Daniel and Rhys that manages to weather what comes next. Daniel is passionate about his work and studies and when it is revealed that Rhys used him to do something against what he believes, he still can't abandon Rhys or reveal what he knows. I liked Daniel's special gift and that what they feel for each other is strong enough to overcome everything.
Two people could not be more different, yet perfect for each other. Danny is a grad student ad a seer with undeveloped powers. He is also irresistible to a certain shifter. Rhys is a man of wealth, mystery and more intense than I expected.
In addition to the character development,the story is fast paced and engaging from start to finish.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review**
I'm used to reading this author in collab with L. A. Witt on a number of excellent books (i.e. the Bad Behavior series). Pleasantly surprised this author can definitely hold their own, and work in quite a bit of fantasy. Excellent world-building coupled with the solidly-constructed characters we've come to expect from this author made for a captivating read. Looking forward to the next book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story just isn’t long enough to make his [SPOILER] reaction to betrayal believable. He’s a 100% upright kind of guy, and the relationship just wasn’t sold to me enough that he wouldn’t give a one night stand up to the cops when it threatens his social life and career. It just isn’t believable. Revise it and build up the relationship and call me back. Not bothering to read the sequel.
The story was good, the world building was interesting and Danny was a great MC. I just wished it was longer, I felt like the book really could've been longer, particularly with all the goings on with Rhys. Speaking of, he really should've had to grovel more, and even towards the end I still couldn't completely trust him. Danny definitely deserved better. A good urban fantasy MM read, could've been longer and fleshed out more.
This book was well written as always but the storyline is one that I really dislike! The author spent the entire first half of the book writing on how committed and ethical the character was then the second half having the character go against all he stood for! Totally disappointing! The only good thing was I read it on kindle unlimited so at least I didn’t waste my money on the book!
This was a completely different story line that I was expecting! Rhys and Danny were a unique couple, one that I was expecting not to like, but did anyway. The story kept me on my toes and the action was intense. I’m really looking forward to reading more in this series! Highly recommended
This book is a really fun read. It’s a lovely novella that combines magic, a heist caper and a romance all in another earth where all those things exist and are out in the open. I have just found this series and look forward to reading the rest of the books.
This sure was… a thing that I read. The concept? Solid. The execution? Absolutely not. The characters were flatter than week-old soda—no arcs, no growth, no real purpose other than existing on the page. It read like erotica that desperately wanted to be something more, but didn’t know how to stick the landing. Great idea, wasted potential.
Short with potential, I liked the whirlwind romance but couldn’t believe Danny forgave the betrayal. While they are together in the end I don’t see how this will work out well.
What an introduction to Danny and Rhys! Whew! This was a fast-paced, exciting book to read. I can't wait to read more about their relationship and read more steamy scenes. Definitely worth checking out!