Review: Tentacles & Triathlons by Ashley Bennett

Tentacles & Triathlons by Ashley Bennett
Series: Leviathan Fitness, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Male/Male Erotic Monster Romance 

ISBN: 9780593956991
Release Date: June 9, 2026
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

There is only one thing holding back Briar Glenn Parks Department supervisor Reece Rollins from success in his upcoming triathlon—his subpar swimming skills. At the urging of his sister’s wolven mate, Reece joins Leviathan Fitness to train in the gym’s Olympic-size pool. There he meets Cyrus, a charming kraken with unparalleled skill in the pool, and many, many tentacles that both intimidate and intrigue Reece. When Cyrus offers to coach Reece for his race, he happily accepts the help.

For the past few months, Cyrus has been floating through life without his usual spark. He’s even hit a creative block with his painting and hasn’t been able to produce a new piece of artwork in a while. But the opportunity to train this handsome human grump gives Cyrus something real to smile about.

New and unexpected feelings begin to arise from the depths as Reece and Cyrus start to spend time together in and out of the water. But can both men let down their guards enough to be swept away by love?

Tentacles & Triathlons is a super sweet and sexy monster romance. Ashley Bennett’s second Leviathan Fitness novel is a fated mates love story between a kraken and a human.

Cyrus is centuries old and has lost his spark. He hasn’t been inspired to paint, he has friends but feels a bit lonely, and he’s watched his best friend fall in love while worrying he’ll never find that for himself. Then he meets Reece, his best friend’s soon-to-be brother-in-law and all three of Cyrus’s hearts awaken. Cyrus is a sweetheart with a naughty side. He’s easy to like and he’ll do anything for those he loves.

Reece has never been comfortable around monsters and Cyrus is unique even among the unusual, which makes for an awkward first encounter. Reece has issues he’s trying to work through and he’s making a real effort to not be so standoffish. He’s training for a triathlon and needs help with the swimming portion so he accepts Cyrus’s offer to train him. Cyrus is everything Reece has ever needed and never knew he wanted. I liked that Reece had to work at lowering his guards. His attraction to Cyrus helped with that and I enjoyed seeing them fall in love. Cyrus is patient and giving and Reece learns to open up and enjoys showing care for Cyrus in return. The two of them fit one another and their love story was low on drama, which worked for this tale.

Tentacles & Triathlons is a super sweet story that thankfully Bennett kept from becoming saccharine. There’s a lot of tentacle play for monster lovers to enjoy and the spice balances well with the sweetness. It’s a fluffy story with one perfect hero and one work in progress hero who’s really trying. Muscles & Monsters, the first Leviathan Fitness book, wasn’t for me, but Cyrus and Reece’s romance was a lot more entertaining and made me curious to explore the series further.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows

No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows
Series: Oaks Sisters, Book 2
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780063416208
Release Date: March 10, 2026
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Fable Oaks never planned to return to Fern River. But after a string of failures, here she is, living in her parents’ backyard, watching her beloved late grandfather’s A-frame crumble around her. She can't seem to find her direction, and to make matters worse, Theo Nikolaou, her ex-best friend, has also resurfaced, distracting dimples and charming grin in tow.

Theo knew it was only a matter of time before he came back. The demons of his past once drove him to leave, but Fern River always seemed meant to be. So, when Theo’s boss, Arthur, announces he is selling his veterinary practice, it feels like the perfect opportunity. He just needs to show Arthur he’s sticking around for good. And when Fable—Fable, with her smart mouth and sexy curls—quite literally falls into Theo's lap, an idea forms.

If they can convince the town that they're madly in love, it could solve all their problems. Theo can prove to Arthur he's settling down, and Fable can get some much-needed help fixing up the A-frame, a task she is determined to see through.

The only problem is, the more time they spend together, the blurrier the line gets between fake dating and falling hard.

She’s lost her way. He’s finding his path. Together, they might discover there's no place like home.

No Place Like You is sweet, funny, and heartwarming. Jillian Meadows’s second Oaks Sisters book features Fable and Theo and I was utterly charmed by both of them.

Fable and Theo have been both friends and rivals and they’re about to become so much more. Theo survived an abusive parent and carries a lot of guilt because of that. He doesn’t do relationships, which is of course famous last words. Fable is at loose ends. She judges herself for starting and stopping things, is struggling with the weight of grief from the loss of her grandfather, and doesn’t wholly believe in herself. I loved watching Fable and Theo find their way, to each other and to what they wanted out of life. Their love story is delightful and they have an easy chemistry that no amount of trying to tell themselves they’re only fake dating can mask.

No Place Like You features not just a loveable hero and heroine but a welcoming cast of secondary characters and the protagonists’ family and friends. I adored the town of Fern River and how everyone totally shipped Theo and Fable. Even though this book deals with some heavy themes, it’s a cozy and welcoming tale that is just lovely.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Male/Male Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780063429581
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.

Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.

The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything... right?

Star Shipped is already one of my favorite books of the year. Cat Sebastian’s first foray into contemporary romance shows that her talent shines in any era. I absolutely loved the complicated, messy, slow burn love story between Charlie and Simon.

For seven years Charlie and Simon have been bickering constantly behind the scenes of their sci-fi TV show. But now that Simon wants to move on, both are looking to ensure that their off-screen quarreling isn’t affecting their professional images. An attempt at public friendship leads to them learning that these opposites aren’t so dissimilar after all. Charlie is the human equivalent of a warm hug; he’s got big extrovert energy and welcomes people in. What people don’t see is where that comes from. Charlie had a difficult upbringing that has left scars, anxiety, and a need to belong. He’s so kind it’s easy to love him but what really charmed me was seeing him open up and be vulnerable to Simon.

As for Simon… I don’t think I have the words for how totally and completely I loved him. Simon is our narrator and I found him deeply relatable in ways that aren’t always comfortable, but Sebastian excels at the mental health rep in this book which is part of what makes the story so appealing to me. Simon suffers from migraines and has severe anxiety and OCD. He’s tense and his world is small for even a successful actor because he’s trying to manage his mental health. He can be standoffish and cold which is hiding someone who desperately wants to be loved and taken care of. Simon feels like he never belongs anywhere and I loved seeing him slowly open up and trust those closest to him to see the cracks he tries to hide.

The romance between Simon and Charlie is tender and sweet, with both men cautiously making an effort to open up and reveal the anxieties and wounds they try to hide from the world. I loved how careful they were with each other, how caring and accepting. The vocal acceptance and effort they put into open communication helps each man on their own journey to accept themselves. They aren’t perfect but they’re perfect for each other. I hated having to put Star Shipped down because I was so drawn to Charlie and Simon and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

Star Shipped is quiet, romantic, and features two heroes whose struggles and quirks make them relatable. Cat Sebastian truly grounds the fantasy in reality and I loved every bit of it.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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2026 A to Z Reading Challenge

Originally I had planned on skipping the A to Z reading challenge this year but I realized I've been missing it. This challenge has always lead me to move up some books I may not have prioritized otherwise.

Challenge details:
- Duration: January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2065
- Read 26 books which titles begin with the letters of the alphabet.
- You may ignore articles like A, An and The at the beginning of the title.
- For the letter X, any book title with the letter X in it is acceptable if you can't find one that begins with X.
- Please only list books you have read. You can read them in any order.
- A book only counts once, so you can include a re-read the first time you read it.

My List:
A
Best Man with Benefits by Samanthe Beck – 1/4/25
Chasing Alex by Riley Shane – 1/18/26
D
E
Forbidden by Alessandra Hazard – 1/2/26
Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake – 2/3/26
Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid – 3/6/26
Illicit by Alessandra Hazard – 1/1/26
J
K
Long Game, The by Rachel Reid – 3/12/26
Muscles & Monsters by Ashley Bennett – 2/8/26
No Place Like You by Jillian Meadows – 3/5/26
O
Puzzle for Two by Josh Lanyon – 3/31/26
Q
Role Model by Rachel Reid – 3/11/26
Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb – 2/7/26
Two-Man Advantage by Riley Shane – 1/19/26
Undone by Alessandra Hazard – 1/3/26
Victorian Valentine by Riley Shane – 2/8/26
W
EXpert by Alessandra Hazard – 1/1/26
Y
Z

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