Overall it was a good time. This was my first time reading a Minotaur romance. I received this book for free as an advanced reader copy and HIGHLY recommend it!

Special thanks to the publisher for an opportunity to read this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

It has come to my attention that if Ruby’s name is on the project I’ll be locked in. This was written in typical Ruby fashion. I slew of world building and detail that is important to the story while also keeping it the reader absolutely engaged.

The FMC Aspeth is witty and knows the importance of a magical artifact. She knows that what her family has lost could very well be the end for them. This book was a perfect start to a series. I am not usually into the power dynamic of the student/teacher romance but this was done well as Hawk was a powerhouse so even with their age gap it was a lovely exchange of power.

This had more of a happy for now vibe which leads me to believe this won’t be a standalone. Which is very exciting because there was a lot of heat between some of our side characters. I can’t wait for the next installments ! Ruby always, always delivers.

What do you get when you cross archaeology adventure with romantic fantasy, toss in a marriage of convenience, and sprinkle it with regency drama? If your dowsing rod is pointing you in the direction of Ruby Dixon, then you're already on your way to discovering the treasure that is Bull Moon Rising.

There was so much to love about this book, starting with the friendship between Aspeth and Gwenna. They were such a great duo, both very much playing against society's expectations, and it's their loyalty to one another that makes the whole story possible. Their training as adventurers is fraught with challenges, undermined by sexism, and overshadowed by practical matters, but that's what makes it so satisfying to finally see them descend into the tunnels. Only Hawk, frustrated guild trainer and grumpy minotaur about to go into a rut, could possibly make something of them, but he is as swoon-worthy a mentor as he is a lover.

You'd expect a book like this to be, well, dirty - physically and sensually - but it's actually very sweet. Aspeth and Hawk have a lovely relationship arc, and as much as there are differences in size and experience, they work as a couple because their personalities fit so well. Even when they're voyeuristically watching orgies in the streets, talking about knotting (while dealing with cat hair), or dealing with the sexual madness of seasonal rutting, they're still fun and fabulous. There's compassion and consent at every step, and the feelings that develop are genuine.

I'd hoped we'd get into the tunnels sooner, and was kind of saddened by the way Magpie was portrayed, but that's more a failure of my wish-fulfillment than the story itself. The tension in the final part of the book is thick, full of danger and double-crossing, and I loved how seamlessly Dixon made the transition from creature-infested tomb to dark-and-dusty love nest. It sounds like there will be more stories in the Royal Artifactual Guild, and I'm up to be a repeater!

In Bull Moon Rising, Ruby Dixon blends romance, adventure, and magic in a steamy romantasy. The story follows Aspeth Honori, the daughter of a Holder who finds herself in a bind after her father gambles away all their magical artifacts. Determined to save her family, she devises a plan to join the Royal Artifactual Guild to retrieve arcane items from ancient ruins. However, the guild won't allow her to train because she’s a woman. To overcome this, Aspeth marries a gruff minotaur guild member who has his own set of problems, creating an arrangement that quickly becomes more complicated than either expected.

While the concept of a high-stakes magical adventure is intriguing, the execution sometimes falls short. As with many romantasy novels, Bull Moon Rising places heavy emphasis on the romance between Aspeth and her monstrous yet alluring partner. While the romance is well-written, steamy, and fun, it sometimes overshadows the broader plot. I would have liked to see more focus on the world-building and the magical artifacts that drive the story.

One of the book's strengths is its exploration of sexism. Aspeth's struggle to navigate a male-dominated guild and her use of her wit to bypass societal restrictions add depth to the story. It was refreshing to see these elements woven into the fantasy world, even if the plot could have done more with them.

On the downside, the "twist" near the end of the book felt out of place and didn’t fit smoothly with the rest of the narrative. It seemed like an attempt to raise the stakes but felt somewhat disconnected from the story's core themes.

Despite these flaws, the monster romance element delivers, and Dixon does a great job of making her minotaur hero both intimidating and endearing. The chemistry between Aspeth and her surly partner shines, and the intimate scenes are crafted with care.

Overall, Bull Moon Rising is an enjoyable read for fans of fantasy romance who don’t mind a story that prioritizes the romantic arc over intricate world-building. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel, as there are plenty of elements in the world and characters that could be expanded upon in future installments.

Despite its intriguing premise, Blue Moon Rising ultimately fell short of my expectations. From the outset, the world-building showed promise, but as the story progressed, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and, consequently, the unfolding plot. The protagonists lacked depth, and their motivations often felt either unclear or underdeveloped, making it difficult to invest emotionally in their journey.

While some readers may find the pacing and structure engaging, I found the narrative flow to be disjointed, which detracted from the overall immersion.

⭐️: 3.5/5

I don’t normally read this kind of fantasy romance, so my review should probably be taken with a grain of salt for this reason, but I thought this one was just ok. The Victorian Era type vibes of this one were a little strange to me, and the plot moved pretty slow. This was kind of a long book, and I feel like it could have been half the length. There wasn’t much plot for large pieces of it, and honestly, I was more interested in the archaeological finds and the way the Guild operated than the 🌶️ scenes, but we didn’t get enough of the adventure aspect of the story in my opinion.

Although it presents as a longer book, it was a quicker read than I initially felt it would be, maybe because I quickly read a lot of the background chapters where it didn’t seem like anything was happening except for the FMC’s inner monologue. The overall story flow was structured well, but still, it just had too much fluff and not enough story. I don’t love spoiled and clueless FMCs either, so this was a bit of a miss for me in that regard as well. I don’t think I was the target reader audience for this one, but also, now I know, so I don’t regret reading this one to find that out 🤪

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for this eARC in exchange for my review!!

I just cannot get into this book and I've tried multiple times. I should not have requested this book. I'm sure it's a great read for some people but not me. I apologize.

This was an interesting novel. I feel like Dixon was trying to accomplish a lot and didn't nail any of it perfectly. In terms of a fantasy, this fell short -- the world building was confusing and not fleshed out. In terms of a romance, Aspeth and Hawk didn't have time to cultivate their relationship. The spent most of the book fighting, or disagreeing, or hiding things from each other. I found it unbelievable when Hawk said he loved Aspeth and she returned her affections. It felt like their romance wasn't given time to properly grow and mature. The ending too felt rushed; everything was magically solved in a way that felt extremely disingenuous. I wasn't a fan of this book, but I image other people would be less critical of it since it is a romantasy.

I seriously loved this book. I, like many other readers, know Ruby Dixon very well through Ice Planet Barbarians, so I was expecting definitely something with a similar tone and feel. But, that's not what Bull Moon Rising is at all. This book reads more like high fantasy mixed with monster romance, but of course with Ruby's fun and at times comedic writing. While the language used can come off as a bit more modern, it's clear that this is a world completely separate from our own. And any of the modern language that was used just made it fun and easy to get into.

I was mostly blown away with the world building in Bull Moon Rising. I've never read a fantasy world like this (though admittedly, I've never claimed to be a huge fantasy reader). The artifactual guild is a such a cool concept, and really opens the door to so many different possibilities on what different artifacts could be found or even what other kinds of characters future stories could be about. The world is unique and intricate, but I had no trouble jumping right into the book. I also really loved hearing about where Ruby got her influences for this story from in the author's note. I'm so glad she shared that because it really shows the reader just how one of a kind this world is.

Though I don't really consider myself to be a fantasy reader, I DO consider myself to be a monster romance reader. And Ruby knocked it out the park with Hawk. He is a perfectly serious and slightly grumpy huuuge minotaur - or taurian, in this case. The spice is exactly what you'd want from a minotaur romance, especially one that leads to particular frenzy by the climax of the book. Aspeth was also very cute and nerdy, and the perfect companion to Hawk.

I can't wait to see what comes next!

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC!! All thoughts are my own :)

In a world where magic is outlawed but magical artifacts aren't, the lords who hoarde all of the artifacts have total control. Then there's the guild responsible for robbing graves to find more artifacts. Not to mention the king who rules over them all. That doesn't leave much room in society for those without artifacts, like servants, or women, or the other sentient species in this world. Like Taurians: minotaurs who are predictably skilled at navigating the tunnels of the artifacts mines but aren't allowed to hold positions of power in the guild.

Lady Aspeth has come to join the guild under false pretenses (for obvious reason, the nobility aren't allowed to become artificers). The guild doesn't want to let her in, or mostly the parts of her that are inside her corset. Somehow that leads to her getting a sponsor in the form of a Taurian husband amed Hawk who needs her to help him through his every-five-years honeymoon period. You know, tie the knot, as it were. The reasoning is flimsy but the sexual tension is real. Add in that Hawk is now her guild instructor, he hates royalty, and he doesn't know who she really is or that she might be trying to steal some artifacts to save her family, and it almost makes sense why they don't just hook up instantly.

For a book that involves so much lying and sneaking, the relationship between Aspeth and Hawk is refreshingly open. They talk through their issues and their feelings. They're considerate of each other's emotions. Look, there <i>can</i> be tension without endless miscommunication. And it's really steamy between them, even if it takes weeks for them to do anything about it. The 200 pages of UST and foreplay is so spicy, but the end game is a bit disappointing. Not bad, but I've read better Pon Farr/Omega heat sex scenes. There's a better scene where they're in an alley watching a Taurian orgy. There is sex in this book.

Complaints: the dialog moves awkwardly from Old Fantasy talk of artifacts and guilds to more modern things like 'make sure to tickle his balls.' Our OTP really should have resolves their relationship doubts in the first half, leaving the second half of the book for the plot and for extra sex. There's also a lot of inner monolog repetition in the early chapters, most of which could have been cut out in favor of more world building.

The fantasy world of Bull Moon Rising is very fun, with a great cast of secondary characters, and could easily be expanded upon. I want to know more about Old Prell. I want to know more about the other non-human races in this world. I want to know about Aspeth's friend/ex-maid who might be ancient Prellian royalty or at least some kind of wizard I want to see the Taurian ring ceremony, dammit. If there's another installment, count me in.

Look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I wanted to read this book for any deeper reason that the premise and the cover. We all know I am an Ice Planet Barbarians girlie, and I enjoy a good monster-loving romance with the best of them. What I will say, though, is that Ruby Dixon’s Bull Moon Rising genuinely surprised me.

It’s not that I don’t think Dixon can craft a logical fantasy world - you’re talking to the person who DEVOURED the Aspect & Anchor series - but I really didn’t know how much the actual plot was going to outweigh the smuttier parts of it. Turns out, quite a bit actually.

The story follows Aspeth, the daughter of a nobleman who’s estate has fallen on hard times. In a bid to inject some much needed cash into their coffers without marrying a wealthy man she doesn’t like, and to fulfil a lifelong dream, she runs away to the city to join the Royal Artifactual Guild. Since they frown on women joining the guild without a chaperone, she agrees to marry Hawk, a Taurian (think a Minotaur) who needs a wife for reasons of his own (sexy reasons).

Aspeth joins the guild, in a class made up of the rest of the misfits, and from there the book is mostly an architectural school adventure, with bits of monsterfuckery thrown in. Hawk is the classic Dixon hero, just a gigantic cinammon roll, who likes his lady awkward. I am very much the type who enjoys plot with her porn, so I wasn’t mad about it. I’d also go so far as to say I would definitely read more set in this universe.

Bull Moon Rising hits shelves on October 15, 2024. Special thank you to Berkley for the advance copy for review purposes.

I. Loved. This. Book. Ruby Dixon just does it for me every time. And with such a unique fantasy concept + a minatour hero + a tall, fat FMC with glasses, I devoured this.

I don’t have to have intricate worldbuilding to enjoy a book. If anything, intricacy without purpose hurts my head. But Ruby managed to deliver a unique, interesting fantasy world with gods and ruined cities and power struggles for magical objects AND a feudal political system (which I don’t see enough of!). Digging for magical artifacts in tunnels made my breath hitch a few times because being deep inside the earth horrifies me, but the idea of a guild dedicated to diving for these coveted magical artifacts was so COOL. And I love that we get the realization from our FMC that they’re uh…robbing graves and what all that entails.

Aspeth is the kind of FMC I love. She’s got great intentions but no real clue how to accomplish her goals except to just do it. She’s probably going to struggle (and does with the guild school training) but damned if she doesn’t try her best. Which means marrying Hawk. Which means a complicated relationship with her new husband/teacher. Which means navigating an inconvenient attraction to her convenient husband. Win some, lose some.

But Hawk and Aspeth are so FUN together. Horny, as only Ruby can give us, and emotionally complicated, which I feel is a Ruby specialty. It’s absolutely opposites attract because Aspeth flies by the seat of her pants and hopes for the best and it drives her very careful husband up the WALL. I lived.

Hawk may not be my favorite Ruby MMC because I’m used to a bit more feral dedication from her fellas. But Aspeth and her menagerie of equally oddball friends and schoolmates and the fascinating artifact hunting made up for his suspicious nature. And…y’know a feral moon struck rut can never be wrong in my book.

Thanks to Berkeley for an ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I've been on a Ruby Dixon binge lately (IPB, anyone?) and was utterly thrilled to be approved for her next book! BULL MOON RISING was delightful from start to finish. Aspeth, the main character, was so fun to read. She was equal parts bossy, determined, and naive, which was a fun combination that made her easy to root for. Because of her privileged upbringing, she didn't have a lot of "real world" experience when it came to...pretty much anything. Other characters thought she was spoiled and bratty, but after spending a few pages in her head, it was easy to see the truth. Despite her life as a rich holder's daughter, she was incredibly lonely and also determined to turn things around for her struggling family and the people relying on them.

Her distinct personality was really fun to read, especially with Hawk, aka minotaur husband of convenience, brought into the picture. Hawk was the grumpy non-human love interest I was waiting for. When Aspeth suggested a marriage of convenience meant to help her achieve her goals and help Hawk through the Conquest Moon (when every minotaur goes through a rut--my fanfiction loving self was screaming) I was HOOKED. Like yes, please marry this dude who literally can't control himself around you. The chemistry between the two of them was there immediately, as much as they both tried to deny it, and I loved watching them tiptoe around each other in some ways (emotional) while totally breaking barriers in others (physically). The romance and the plot blended together seamlessly and I shamelessly stayed up WAY too late to finish because I HAD to know what was going to happen!!

Anyway, Ruby Dixon slayed with this one, as per usual. Highly recommend!!
(Social post about the book to come soon.)

🌙 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 🌙

Title: Bull Moon Rising
Author: @author.ruby.dixon
Release Date: October 15, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

"𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝔀𝓴𝓼 𝓱𝓾𝓷𝓽 𝓼𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓼?" "𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓭𝓮𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓶." 🥴

Thank you, @netgalley, @berkleypub, and @author.ruby.dixon for the eARC copy of Bull Moon Rising! This was my first ever Ruby Dixon read and my first archeology read. I loved every minute of it! It was such a fun read.

Aspeth is such a fun, quirky, nerdy, cute character, and Hawk is such a cinnamon roll. He is just the absolute sweetest and gives off alpha-hole vibes but is so caring and gentle. I blushed and may or may not have kicked my feet while reading about these two. The secondary characters are just the cutest and real. Kipp (slitherskin) is absolutely adorable, and I just love him. The character development was so well done. Let's be real, this whole book was done so incredibly well.

The archeology aspect sucked me right in! It was interesting learning about the old prellian and all the different artifacts. Definite Indiana Jones/Lara Croft Tombraider vibes. There is also a chubby orange cat named squeaker 🥹🐈

This is set back in a time when women weren't seen as equals and were heavily discriminated against. However, that didn't stop Aspeth and her friends and our sweet slitherskin, Kipp, from joining the Artifactual Guild. I could go on and on about how much I loved this book.

I will also add that this was my first Minotaur/Human read, and the spice was absolutely hot 🥵

𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
🌙 Human / Minotaur (Taurian)
⛏️ Marriage of convenience
🌙Jealous/Possessive/Grumpy MMC
⛏️ Hidden Identity / Royalty
🌙 Size difference
⛏️ Knotting
🌙 Voyeurism
⛏️ Strong/Curvy/Virgin FMC
🌙 Teacher/Student *both are adults* no power imbalance
⛏️ High Stakes
🌙 Found Family

There is a slow start to the plot, but once Aspeth meets the guild the plot moves along nicely. Here the cast of characters expands as well. Not to say that Aspeth and Gwenna are dull, but Hawk and the fledglings balance out the cast of characters. Readers may be concerned or uncomfortable with a minotaur male main character, but let me reassure them that once invested in the story (and you will be) it doesn't matter. Eagerly awaiting the next in the series, and wondering will these be standalones or follow Aspeth and Hawk.

This books is cozy with mystery and intrigue. Those looking forward to a spice filled book will not be disappointed, but should keep in mind this is a slower burn than Dixon's past novels.

Recommend to readers who enjoy Dixon, but also books like The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer (just forewarn them about the spice). If someone wanted to be Evie from The Mummy, be an archivist, work in a museum, or enjoyed mining in Stardew Valley this book is for you.

I wasn't sure what was to be expected from a minitour romance (ok, yes I really did) but I honestly loved every second of this book!

What do you get when you add a group of misfits no one is rooting for, a fancy holders daughter in hiding, a marriage of convenience, and very large minitour about to go into the rutting season?! A whole lot of fun. Come for the story, stay for the knotting. I swear Ruby Dixon is a champ at making me fall hard for things I didn't think I needed in life.

Holy Moly! I was a little nervous because the first bit of the book had a lot of, like, world-building, and I was worried that this would not be a good book for me, but all of a sudden, it was 20% in, and I was HOOKED. This was so fun!!!! Aspeth is SO unprepared for the reality of the situation, but I love that she was always like, well, okay, let's figure out a plan! And I feel like we all need a friend like Gwenna. She was one of my favorite characters. I really loved all the 5. It felt like this rag-tag team of misfits, but they all had each other's back, and I grew to really love them. Hawk... Ooo, I loved how grumpy he was. I loved how he was always so exasperated with Aspeth, and he loved her. They were really cute together. This was such a fun adventure. I ended up really loving the world and the whole adventure; I was really hooked and could not put this down!

I shockingly loved this book! I had never read a minotaur romance before, and honestly forgot this was one until Hawk would flick his tail or stomp a hoof. I loved the marriage of convenience between Aspeth and Hawk. Their relationship was cute as it slowly started to develop. Outside of the relationship, this book had a great cast of characters. There was tons of adventure with the guild, which kept me entertained.

Ruby Dixon has once again proven why she’s my go-to comfort read author with Bull Moon Rising. Having devoured her Ice Planet Barbarians series, I was excited to dive into this brand-new book, and it did not disappoint!

In Bull Moon Rising, we meet Aspeth a noblewoman whose father’s reckless gambling has put their family in jeopardy. To save her family and their magical artifacts, Aspeth decides to join the Royal Artifactual Guild, despite the guild’s restrictive policies against women. Hawk is everything you’d want in a romance hero: rough around the edges but incredibly sweet beneath his tough facade. His chemistry with Aspeth is electric, and I adored watching her evolve as she stands up for what she believes in and fights to achieve her dreams. Their relationship, rooted in a marriage of convenience, blossoms into something much deeper, filled with tenderness and genuine connection.

The camaraderie among the misfit group of adventurers in the story adds another layer of charm to the book. The dynamic of the team working together to retrieve magical artifacts is both engaging, inspiring and entertaining. Dixon’s attention to consent and communication within the romance is also noteworthy, adding a layer of authenticity and depth to the relationship.

Bull Moon Rising is a sweet, engaging read that combines adventure, romance, and a touch of magical intrigue. The blend of rough-hewn romance and a marriage of convenience trope made for a captivating read that I could easily re-read again and again!

What a fun ride! This was my second Ruby Dixon, and I really think I'll give more of hers a shot. I'm a big mythology fan, so this was a pretty great one for me to read. Also, THAT COVER!!!!