Book Lover Mystery Box – February 2017 Review

The Book Lover Mystery Box is an Australian subscription box that provides you with a minimum of 2 romance novels (occasionally up to 4) – depending on the number of books in the box, bookish extras such as candles, bookmarks, jewelry, etc. may also be included.

Book Lover Mystery Box
Cost: $44.99 AUD (discounts available on longer subscriptions)
Shipping Costs: Free within Australia (varies to other countries).
Payment Method: Credit Card or Paypal.
Mailed Out: the first week of the month

Fyi, BLMB is currently having a great sale – you can buy a 3-month subscription for $79.98 or 6 months for $199.95!

CONTENTS

Cookies from Sweet.Bookie.Cookie

Here was the heart-shaped love-themed cookie for Valentine’s Day. Mine had a couple tiny cracks in it, but that was appropriate considering the tattered state of my own heart. *sighs forlornly*

Mini Hershey’s cookies ‘n creme chocolates, omg! I LOVE cookies & cream everything, especially in Hershey’s, this was perfect! I actually got two in my box, but I chomped on one straight away and this one shortly after which is why they don’t both feature in any other photos, lol.

A couple of bath & body items came tucked in this cute little bag – I like to pack these away, they come in handy when I’m gifting tiny trinkets to people. 😀

We received two items from Islands Scents Soy Melts this month.

First up is a lip balm – I had one from another box, but my lips are always dry and at the risk of cracking because of the medication I’m on, so I like to make sure I have one in my bag, at home and at work. This is definitely well-suited to me!

We also received this adorable and fabulous rose-scented bath bombs! I’ve started to enjoy using my tub since receiving bath bombs in my book boxes, lol, I never used it in the three years I’ve lived in my current house, and now I like to lounge in there and bask in these delicious fragrances.

This bookmark reveals the book by this month’s featured author, J L Perry.

It came signed by the author!

Here’s some of the bookish paraphernalia that came in the box in case anyone would like to check out these sites…

…and a Golden Ticket which I didn’t win, but some lucky person out there did!

I love this gorgeous bookmark from Kristy’s Kreative Nook. It’s funny, I probably should be reminded of Bambi, but instead I immediately thought of Snape’s doe Patronus as a symbol of his love for Lily. Always. ;___;

Finally the book reveal!

Not a big surprise after the matching bookmark, haha! I received Hooker by JL Perry: ($17.30) It has really good reviews on Goodreads, so that’s cool! This book was also signed on the inside cover, which you can see on my instagram.

A heartbreakingly beautiful love story. One night of passion with a sinfully hot stranger will change everything …

Jade

Jade’s young life was tough. After her mother died during childbirth and her father could no longer look after her, she was placed in foster care where she stayed for the next ten years. She grew up feeling unloved and unwanted as she was passed around from one screwed up home to the next.

Things began to look up for her when she was adopted by a wealthy socialite at the age of eleven. Sometimes though, things aren’t always what they seem. Jade didn’t know it at the time, but her new adoptive mother had big plans for her, and spent the next seven years grooming Jade for that role.

Jade learnt early in life that she couldn’t rely on anyone but herself. Instead of letting her circumstances beat her, she took all the negatives she’d been dealt, and used them to her advantage. She grew up to be a strong, successful, determined and independent woman. She was a loner by choice.

The only thing lacking in her life was companionship and love. She’d never experienced it, so she didn’t know what she was missing, until she had a one-night-stand with a handsome stranger. One night, that would change everything.

Brock

Brock grew up privileged. He had everything going for him. Money, looks, charm, success and an endless array of beautiful women. He wasn’t interested in commitment. To him women were easy. They practically threw themselves at his feet. All they wanted was to do something nobody had ever managed before. Snare the hot, rich bachelor.

Then he met Jade. She was like a breath of fresh air. A challenge. Nothing like the women he was used too. Their one night together ignited something within him. A burning desire to own her, possess her, but Jade had other plans. Nobody says no to Brock Weston, nobody.

He’s left wondering about a woman he knows he can never have. But, when fate brings them together again, will he get what he wants? Will he be able to claim the unattainable? Or will her secrets crush him, and destroy any chance they have of being together?

This month we were treated to three additional ebooks for bonus reading goodness! All three are by the same author, but all the plots sound different, with the only common theme being that they feature gay couples! I adore LGBT+ stories, so I’m in heaven right now!

Trouble & The Wallflower: ($9.05)

Raised in near seclusion by an agoraphobic mother, Davy Cooper’s social skills are almost nonexistent. Now that his mother has died, he needs to make friends for the first time in his life. He catches Gavin Walker’s eye, but the sexy, confident, bad boy hipster intimidates shy Davy so much that he throws away Gavin’s number every time he offers it.

When Gavin defends Davy from a rude guy, Davy begins to warm to him. However, with his limited experience, he thinks he and Gavin are too different, and anything more than a casual acquaintance will end in complete disaster.

Exes ($3.99)

Bryce and Wesley have been best friends for years and they’ve shared a lot. From dorms to the same women—and men. Bryce sees all the change happening around him, knows Wesley is getting fed up. They’ve been doing their dance of casually hooking up with one another and others since their college days.

Now they’ve transitioned from care-free early twenties, to their late twenties and life is settling down, Wesley wants more. If he can’t, he doesn’t know if he can stay. But Bryce has the responsibility of a family business that fell on his shoulders after a tragedy, and doesn’t want to hold Wesley back in his small hometown, especially if he doesn’t know if he can commit for the right reasons.

Others come and go but Wesley and Bryce have been each other’s constant. Now that emotions run deeper, they have a huge decision to make. Do they go their separate ways, continue being best friends that eventually become exes, or do they take the next big step as a unit?

Keep Swimming ($3.99)

After his partner dumped him with a pregnant surrogate four years ago, Cary Whitmore was forced to play single parent while starting up a new business. With the dog bakery now semi-successful and his son healthy, Cary thinks he may be ready to date again.

Heath Cummings is trying his damnedest to get his charter boat service off the ground and dreams of one day soon being able to quit his job as an offshore driller. Paying off his dream requires making it through a couple more years, which means being open about his sexuality isn’t in the cards just yet.

When the two take their flirting to the next level, Cary wonders if he can handle another guy who might take off, while Heath has to decide if he can risk his dream of a laid back life—and giving up his long-held and much enjoyed bachelor status while taking on a child when being a father was never on his to-do list. Will they sink, or will they keep swimming?

The first one is my favorite trope, I love a shy character being faced with someone loud and bold and coming to terms with the idea that they ARE good enough to merit their attention! ❤

The second is about an on-and-off relationship – that will be interesting to read in this context because there aren’t many straight romances that feature the main couple casually hooking up with each other and third parties, so it’ll be a new dynamic!

And for something different, one of the guys in the last ebook isn’t even out, so all interesting and varied characters and types of relationships featured across these three stories!

VERDICT

Quality of Curation: I’m so impressed with this month – I find that romances get a bit same-same after a while because I end up reading similar books, and I love how BLMB sends a wide variety within the genre. And the focus on gay romances was always going to be a huge win for me! The accompanying goodies were also very welcome, I’m enjoying the mixture of edible treats and items to pamper yourself with!

Worth It? I’m not sure how BLMB packs such value into every box and maintains a high standard – the books in this month’s box came to $34.33, and that’s before you even consider the extras like the bookmarks, bath bombs, lip balm and chocolates!

Find Out More: You can find BLMB on Facebook and Instagram.

PR sample. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received.