REVIEW: All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens

All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens: Monika has a bit a secret, from the moment she saw the forty-eight alien superheroes crash-landed on Earth, she has had a bit of a crush on the electric, golden and painfully gorgeous Taranis. Sure his reputation has dimmed a little lately but that is nothing a well-timed photo op can’t fix. And Monika is just the girl to help the lightning welding hero get back into the public good graces. Plus it gives her the perfect excuse to get closer to him and she is definitely not going to complain if s few sparks begin to fly…But things take a turn when an accidental recording hints that Taranis might not be the flawless superhero that she seems to think he is. Behind all that shine there is a darker edge…her golden boy might be more storm than sunlight. Suddenly Monika finds herself playing spy and tiptoeing through secrets instead of swooning through a swoony love story like she had planned. The question is can Monika actually trust Taranis to be the hero that she hopes he is or is he about to zap her heart into two?

Going into All Superheroes Need Photo Ops, I was not to sure what to expect, but for the most part I do have to say this was a pretty good read. Stephens delivers a fast-paced, chaotic addictive mix of superhero drama and romance that had me on my toes trying to figure out if we should love Taranis or not.

I found myself liking Monika, she was the kind of leading lady who feels instantly real, she was confident in her craft, quietly resilient and driven by a mix of curiosity and heart. The thing about her character that really stood out for me was her honesty and the fact that she did not hide behind a mask, she was authentically herself and she embraced all of her own quirks. With Taranis on the other hand we get a man that is one contradiction after another. He was powerful and intimidating, wrapped in attitude and lightning but underneath all that swagger is someone fractured, wary and painfully isolated. I loved getting to follow Taranis as he figured out which path he wanted to follow and getting to see him allowing Monika into his inner circle.

I loved the build up between Taranis and Monika, there was such a delicious push and pull between these two as they tried to navigate their feelings and the people around them. These two are not soft or easy together, they were sharp, messy and sometimes downright explosive, but it just somehow worked their chemistry came from the fact that they were equals in intensity. Monika brings out Taranis’s humanity and Taranis brings out Monika’s bravery and somewhere between the danger, the banter and the vulnerability they find a balance that feels chaotic but unexpectedly right.

Overall All Superheroes Need Photo Ops was the kind of story that sweeps you up with its chaos and hooks you with its characters. It was bold, messy and full of heart in its own unconventional way and while the edges can get dark, the emotional payoff is absolutely worth it. Definitely a must read if you are looking for a superhero love story.

Book Info:

Publication: November 25, 2025 | Montlake | Supers in the City #2

From the moment forty-eight alien superheroes crash-landed on Earth, photographer Monika Neumann had a favorite. She’s been crushing on the literally electrifying Taranis ever since she saw the cutie crawling out of his pod. Unfortunately, his popularity isn’t exactly crackling these days. He could use an image boost.

Monika is in. One right photo op and she’ll put her ridiculously hot lightning-bolt-wielding hero back in the public’s favor. The best part is, the mission will bring her closer to Taranis. She’s already looking forward to the sparks. Monika never imagined there’d be a worst an accidental recording that reveals Taranis could be more villain than hero. In fact, her pretty golden boy can get kind of ugly.

Going all 007 and spying on Taranis isn’t the adventure in romance and derring-do she expected. Can she trust him? Doubtful. Can she resist him? No way. Is she ready to risk everything on a shimmering Champion with the power to zap her heart in two? Well, yeah.