The Orc and the Manny Monsters Hollow Book#1
Cozy Mystery, Monster Romance, LGBTQ Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy
Independent
Sept 22, 2023
Kindle
330
Amazon
Welcome to Monsters Hollow, where love knows no bounds—even in a town full of monsters!
Targan Wildethorne
A confirmed bachelor, and a historian by training, I haven’t the faintest clue how to care for twin orclings when I unexpectedly become their guardian. I’d love to retreat into the comforting sanctuary of my study, surrounded by my books and papers, but first I need to hire someone to help me with the children. Someone who can teach me the ropes of this new role.
Thank the Light for the All-Species Specialized Employment Services! In my most dire hour of need, they find the perfect nanny—ahem, manny—to help me look after my young wards. Now I can finally get back to writing my history of orc folklore for a few hours a day.
Or so I thought.
Instead I find the captivating new man in my home far too distracting. Max is so much more than I had expected. I’ve never fallen for a human before, but I can’t get him out of my mind. Could he ever feel the same about an orc? Humans are usually too intimidated by our large size and outer appearance. Can Max look past my green skin and tusks to see a man with a heart that yearns for him? And if he does, when he learns the truth about the children will the danger on the horizon send him running?
Max MacLeod
Working with kids is totally my jam and I’m damn good at what I do. Just call me Maxy Frickin’ Poppins! When a new job prospect comes my way, I’m intrigued. A chance to move to Mystic Hollow (aka Monsters Hollow) to be a well-paid manny for two adorable orclings? Talk about a dream position. Sold! But when I lock eyes with the seriously sexy orc who’s their guardian—and my new de facto boss—for the first time, I’m a goner. Big, muscular, and green all over–he’s giving me full-on Hulk meets stern professor vibes—and I like it.
As I get to know him, over meals with the kids during the day and soft-spoken conversations about history at night, I soon realize there’s so much more to Targan than the gorgeous orc who keeps starring in all my naughtiest dreams. He’s quite possibly the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever met. And he accepts and appreciates every part of me and my flamboyant, full-figured fabulousness. I just want to feed and take care of him—and find out if he’s so deliciously big everywhere. Before I know it, I’m dreaming of being part of a forever family with him and his adorable twins. But an unexpected threat looms in the shadows that could threaten the safety of us all…
The Orc and the Manny is a (94k words) cozy small town M/M monster romance featuring a Hulkalicious silver fox orc professor who's better with books than kids, a flamboyant human manny with ALL the skills (think Nathan Lane in The Birdcage meets Mary Poppins), an age gap, a size difference, a three-headed hellhound and a feisty rescue Chihuahua, two adorable orcling twins, and copious amounts of orc…joy!
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
Targan Wildethorn is a retired professor who has taken to writing. His life was exactly how he wanted it, alone, quiet and writing and then his life became a carousel, round and round and up and down. His very close friend Sharna was murdered by her abusive ex-husband leaving behind her eight-year-old twins, Yara and Harn. When her will was read he discovered she had made him the guardian of her children, now he finds himself dealing with two children and their pet hellhound. So far, he hasn’t been lucky finding a nanny who will stay so he is hoping the manny coming today will work out.
Max MacLead comes in like a lightning bolt dressed in an outfit that can be seen a mile away holding his little chihuahua, Princess Peach. Max and Princess Peach both had difficult pasts, Max’s mother died when he was five from an overdose and Princess was a victim of a puppy mill and when she could no longer be useful, she was left on the side of the road. Then luck brought the two of them together.
He loves caring for children and as soon as he entered the house, he took charge of getting the children to quiet down and making sure that the hellhound, Waffles behaved.Max won everyone over with his cooking and baking, the children were put on a schedule and the hellhound is enamored with Princess Peach and follows her around. Max and Targan are also enamored with each other, but Max won’t pursue anything since Targan is his boss. When Max discovers that Vash, a gargoyle, is the executor of the children’s estate and his boss all bets are off and Targan is on the menu.
The kid’s father is still on the loose but living in Mystic Hollow aka Monster Hollow everyone is safe, Mystic Hollow is a Sanctuary Haven only the good can enter. Vash DarkWing is the only person Targan called a friend but on the other hand Max has made friends with half the town and they love him. The kids are happy, and Max and Targon finally decide to date. When Max’s BFF Ryder, a successful writer of otherkind romances, Max convinces him to stay through the summer. Ryder has a stalker and being in Mystic Hollow ensures he is safe till his next book signing.
Things are going great until they aren’t. Trouble comes knocking and lives are in danger. Ryder is frightened of his stalker, and everyone else fears the children’s father reappearing. Ryder is also very anxious to write a romance involving a gargoyle and he knows that Vash is one so hopefully he will answer his questions. The first question Ryder asks is so out in left field that everyone is speechless, so the first meeting didn’t go as well as expected.
This story started on a happy note but before long it would go from happy to scary, but I won’t reveal the ending, it is something you must read for yourself. All the characters were amazing, and I would be hard put to pick a favorite. A mystery, a magic town, an orc and two orclings and a Manny you can’t help but love.
Vash and Ryder have some unfinished business and their story is next, can’t wait.