I will read anything Ruby writes, but this one wasn’t really checking all of my boxes! I appreciate how intricate the world building was and how much detail we got with all of the characters, but that was at the expense of the main characters and their relationship.

I will definitely read the next book but I wasn’t expecting this to be so Indiana Jones-y and not as romance-y.

I've read a bunch of Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians books, but nothing else that she's written, so I was intrigued by this release. I haven't read many monster romances, but this was definitely one of the best of the few I have read. Aspeth is the daughter of an aristocrat who is secretly poor, and she decides to strike out on her own (with her maid/best friend Gwenna) and goes into the city to try to join the Royal Artifactual Guild. What she doesn't realize is that, despite her extensive scholarly experience with Old Prell (the society whose artifacts the guild collects), no one in the guild takes women seriously, and Aspeth and Gwenna are basically laughed out of the guild hall when they try to register as students. She learns that women can technically join if they have chaperones, so she boldly brokers a marriage of convenience with Hawk, a Taurian (minotaur) who works for the guild. He needs a partner for the upcoming Conquest Moon, a time during which Taurians basically go into heat/rut and can't do anything except mate, so he agrees. Hawk works with guild legend Magpie, who is unfortunately an alcoholic and can no longer do her actual duties as a guild teacher, so Hawk covers for her and teaches Aspeth's group, which is comprised of four women and a slitherskin (which kind of sounds like a mix between a lizard and a turtle?). They struggle not only to be taken seriously, but with the training, the guild politics, and their disappointment in Magpie, but they do get some opportunities to get into the underground area and start searching for artifacts. I really liked the world-building here and was a fan of Hawk and Aspeth's romance (though, tbh, I felt like the actual Conquest Moon stuff was a bit more repetitive and boring that I was expecting). It's pretty steamy with some fun treasure-hunting and archaeological adventure element. I hope there will be more in this series - there's a lot I still want to know about Prellian artifacts!

It took me a little bit to get into this one but once I did I was pretty hooked. The Royal Artifactual Guild was a super cool and the story was pretty heavy on the fantasy aspect. Aspeth is a royal woman, set out to fix her family's debt before anyone finds out. She is quite determined and a bit spunky. I enjoyed her character but enjoyed Hawk's so much more. I wish we got more of his POV. I mean who doesn't love a minotaur daddy (sorry, Taurian).

This book was not what I was expecting (in a good way). I loved that the fantasy was at the forefront of the book. This is definitely a plot over smut book, which I 100% appreciate.

I found the FMC and MMC to be refreshing and fleshed out. I'm a sucker for a marriage of convenience. However, they were terrible to each other. I feel like that rollercoaster ride didn't really end until the HEA was established, but she was quite the manipulating liar and he was controlling and overbearing (granted he was basically in the minotaur version of heat, so not exactly in his right mind). I felt like they had the potential to have marital problems down the road, but were both in a good place of growth by the end and had the potential to have a long lasting and happy relationship as well.

I LOVED her adorably fluffy and overly shedding cat Squeaker. Her maid was a fantastic companion turned close friend, and I loved how their friendship developed.

There are elements that remind me of other sci-fi/fantasy team building books that I liked. I loved watching them become a true team and grow into a formidable crew of misfits.

Content: minotaur x human explicit s*x, language, deception, women suppressed by societal norms of the time (and the women trying to stick it to the man and go about things their own way in spite of setbacks), forced watching of public *rgy of s*x workers and minotaurs, s*xual activities wielded like weapon, alcoholic person in position of (albeit limited) power, scheme to unalive an entire team of people, prejudice against females and other species

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

Bull Moon Rising ended up being an entertaining read with enough mystery to keep the story going. I was especially drawn to the characters who I thought were a likely bunch and I wish them all the best in their future endeavours. It would be interesting to see more in this world - the Guild and it's politics ended up being something I was interested in knowing more about - especially with how this story concluded. If you're looking for something that's character driven with an interesting world backdrop this is definitely something I'd recommend. Even though it's a departure from Dixon's well-known works it ended up being well executed and entertaining throughout.

4/5 ⭐️
Spiciness: 5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first couple Ice Planet Barbarian books, and was so excited to have an opportunity to read this one! In general, this is the story of Aspeth, a spoiled heiress, fighting for her family and learning who she truly is. I really enjoyed a lot of this story. It has good world building, solid character development, and a unique magical system.

General tropes/themes:
- Dual first person point of view
- Fantasy romance
- Minotaur romance
- Found family

This book touches on prejudice, misogyny, and inequalities in the workplace. You get to see such depth in characters. There is humor and romance. I honestly really enjoyed the progression of the story. I like Aspeth and I like Hawk. I became attached to numerous other characters and was transported to this other world. It was magical.

My biggest critique of the story keeping it from being a true 5/5 read was that it felt longer than it needed to be, and part of this may be that some of the spicy scenes felt unnecessary with the plot being as good as it was. It felt like spice was being used as a filler, and this is coming from someone who loves reading smut. I was so interested in the story that the spice just felt forced and disjointed with the flow of the story at times. Cutting a few of the scenes could have really elevated this book in my opinion. The only other thing I would say is that the ending did not pack the punch that Aspeth and Hawk deserved.

Overall, I would recommend this story to fans of spicy romantasy. It was a fun read, and I look forward to reading other books in this series!

Starters

I absolutely LOVE that the FMC is older like hello tall Curvy & nerdy 30 year old !
I'm here and living for that

This was overall a really enjoyable read! Romance, magic adventure. Fantasy worlds.

The FMC and MC are great, the side characters are awesome

It did take me a little to get into but when it hit it hit hard and *chefs kiss* it was a wonderful ride I would love to hop on again, and again !

Ruby Dixon is an auto YES every time I see her name. They're so fun and easy reads. This one was finished in a sitting and it was the perfect summer day read. Recommended for the beach.

Georgie, we’re not in Not-Hoth anymore.

This was truly one of the more unique books I’ve ever read. I have read a Minotaur romance before, so that wasn’t much of a shock for me. The world however, was so different and not what I was expecting. It was fantasy, but also felt very much like earth just a different time period and with creatures… one of which is called a slitherskin who wears a house and I’m still really confused by that one. 🤔

Is he a lizard, a frog, or a turtle because he gets compared to all 3 at multiple points in the book. He also licks his eyeball. Which kinda makes me wanna gag. There were many points in this book that frankly grossed me out lol. Onion breath, a city smelling like the back of an ear. (wtf?!)

Anyway, I loved the side characters. They all had so much personality. And the world, the holders, the artifacts, the guild, the underground city. I’m fascinated by it all. There’s so much potential for a continuation of this into a series. Would absolutely read more. Even if it makes me nauseous.

The whole concept of the conquest moon was great. I was counting down the days until it hit but when it finally did, it was slightly lackluster. I just wanted a bit more from their time together. The other spicy scenes were more attractive to me than the “rut” I had been waiting all book for.

I did really love Hawk’s character. He was such a grump. Every time he got mad at the slitherskin for “wearing his house” I could not stop laughing.

My overall feelings are really positive. I had a lot of fun with this read, and am looking forward to where it takes us (hopefully many more books.)

Aspeth Honori knew she had to find powerful magical artifacts quickly and quietly if her family had any chance of being saved. The Royal Artifactual Guild, those who explore and find those artifacts, laughingly rejected her for being a woman, but she loopholed her way in with a fake marriage to Hawk, a Taurian guild member about to go into heat. The setting put this over the top for me. I adored the Royal Artifactual Guild and how they explored the ancient underground ruins in order to find lost magical treasures! I'm still thinking about the setting a month later. The first part of this story was a bit rough, but once we got into the ancient ruins, I was absolutely thriving.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced reader copy.

I wasn't sure what to expect since I had only read Ice Planet Barbarians. This was very different but enjoyable- think romantasy instead of romancifi, The worldbuilding was good and the politics and details around the Royal Artifactual Society were interesting. I liked the play on the Royal Geographical Society (see the author's notes at the end). I liked both of the main characters and the dual POV worked well for this story. there were some good side characters, too, plus a fat orange cat. This gives Legends and Lattes vibes with added spice. I think it will be especially popular in ebook/eaudio at my library.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy!

This book was completely different than I was expecting in the best possible way!!

I honestly hadn’t read the description of the book and based on the cover thought it would be a contemporary pnr, but it was actually pnr set at a magic artifact guild!

This book was very centered on world building and I would say that it was plot heavy. But the romance woven throughout it was soooooo good, and when the big event that has been promised the whole book happens it is so so so worth it. The tension is perfect and I loved the balance between characters/plot/spice.

I loved the dual pov and I fell in love with both Aspeth and Hawk. There’s a wonderful cast of supporting characters as well, and they were all so easy to like!

Also I did not expect the plot twist at all (maybe I was blind idk) but I absolutely ate it up!!

I honestly have only ever read Ruby Dixon’s IPB series (as I’m sure is the same for many other people) but her writing in this absolutely blew me away!! Like once I got into it I really could not put it down.

If you like PNR, marriage of convenience, magic school, secret identities, and a bunch of other fun tropes this is definitely a fantastic read!

Thank you to Berkeley, Ruby Dixon, and Net Galley for the arc <33

It took me a little bit to get into this one but once I did I was pretty hooked. The Royal Artifactual Guild was a super cool and the story was pretty heavy on the fantasy aspect. Aspeth is a royal woman, set out to fix her family's debt before anyone finds out. She is quite determined and a bit spunky. I enjoyed her character but enjoyed Hawk's so much more. I wish we got more of his POV. I mean who doesn't love a minotaur daddy (sorry, Taurian). The side characters are quite fun as well, I'm hoping to see more of Gwenna in the future, Kipp too! The spice was spicin' and Aspeth sure loves spending time with Hawk *cough cough*. It is more of a "happy for now" kind of ending. What you can expect from Bull Moon Rising: low angst, rutting, size difference, 30 year old virgin royalty FMC, teacher/student (assistant/chaperone, but power balance), a little bit of breeding kink, slow start but strong finish.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book. The thoughts expressed in the review below are my honest opinion.

Bull Moon Rising is the first in a new series by Ruby Dixon. It reminded me of Mortal Engines and Castle in the Sky (the movies). The worldbuilding was interesting and engaging but mostly I was here for all the Ruby Dixon hallmarks. A sweet, somewhat naïve heroine with a big dream meets a protective alpha male with a marshmallow heart. I really enjoyed both Aspeth and Hawk and the way their relationship naturally developed throughout the book. Although, this one is not quite as insta-love as Ice Planet Barbarians (which I genuinely appreciate). We also have the found family trope which is one of my faves! I so enjoyed getting to know all the characters. Overall, this is a sweet, fast read. I’m looking forward to more in this series.

1/5 -Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the free ebook ARC.

This book was, unfortunately, not for me. And it wasn't any one particular thing that put me off. It was just the overall writing/execution of the story. Though I liked the premise, I found a lot of issues with the basics, like development and pacing. A lot of things seemed abrupt, like there was no preamble. The character interactions and decisions made by the characters didn't seem natural or intelligent. There were times when the same line or piece of info would be repeated over and over again in the space of a couple pages. I didn't feel real chemistry between the MC's, so the relationship didn't work for me. The spice wasn't spicing. I didn't find any of the characters to be particularly memorable. Anyone who wasn't part of the immediate group of characters shared one personality of snooty, stick my nose up at you. The antagonists were more so annoying and unlikable as opposed to posing any real threat. I'm not going to go on and on about it, especially as I know Ruby Dixon to be a very good and capable writer. I do enjoy the overwhelming majority of her work!! This one just missed the mark for me, unfortunately.

Another fun speculative romance from Queen Ruby that delivered what I want from her - low angst, high camp, high fun. I wasn't expecting this to be in a full on fantasy world (I thought it would be more paranormal or monster romance set in a version of our world), but I am intrigued by the setting and politics established in this book & hope we get more stories here. I liked our MCs and their relationship progression, except that I am not sure I bought that they were full on in love by the end. Seemed more like a HFN rather than a HEA, but I'll take it either way :). Can't wait for my snazzy edition to arrive when this releases!

This a delightful romantasy about a ragtag group of guild apprentices trying to change their circumstances. There's a lovely found family element, fascinating politics and court intrigue, and a horny (in both senses of the word) minotaur love interest. It's pretty spicy, but if you didn't think you needed minotaur smut in your life, I promise you do.

Aspeth has always been intrigued by artifacts and has spent her life reading about the history and discovery of them. When her father gambles away the last of their most valuable artifacts, she decides that it's up to her to save their hold. Along with her best friend and maid, Gwenna, she travels to the guild to become a fledgling, hoping to grab a few artifacts for herself.

What she didn't count on was the immediate dismissal from the members of the guild. It was definitely a men's club and I loved how Aspeth didn't take any of their crap. She was there and she wasn't leaving without the chance to prove herself able. Booksmart and courageous, she was easy to root for.

My favorite character was Hawk, for many reasons. He was someone who lived with the guild without really being a part of it. His race was used and abused and discriminated against and still Hawk acted with honor and respect and devotion. He was such a wonderful male and I lived for his irritable attitude and movements, his self-reflections, and his growing feelings for Aspeth.

I thought this story would be absolutely filthy, but it wasn't. It had its moments, but this was a story about discovery—of self and of wonders.

Summary:
In order to save her families home and to obtain her dream job, Aspeth goes on an epic adventure to join the Royal Artifactual Guild. The only problem is that they typically do not accept women, especially without a mentor or chaperone. When Aspeth see an opportunity to marry to solve both problems, she makes a deal with a minotaur - he teaches and chaperones her, and she takes care of his needs during the Conquest Moon, which just so happens to be a mating ritual.

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
Marriage of Convenience
Forced Proximity
He Falls First
Virgin FMC (but it works)

Triggers:
Broken engagement
Misogyny
Alcoholism

My Thoughts:
This book is just so much fun. Aspeth, the FMC may seem like a spoiled noble girl upon first glance, but she is a take no shit, take charge woman who is trying to save her family. She leaves her life of luxury to take a job to dig artifacts out of caves, and marries to be able to join the team. I love her views on sex, her loyalty to her team, and her loyalty to her marriage of convenience. Yes, you will think the minotaur in this book is sexy. Ruby Dixon already convinced us to love blue aliens, so why not this?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! I love a good monster romance, and I did not want to put this one down! I loved the strong female main character and the cinnamon roll “I hate everyone but you” main male character! I also really enjoyed the friendships/found family between the characters. I can’t wait to hand sell this book at my store!