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faith99's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, and Pregnancy
belle13's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Amount of spice:🔥🔥🔥
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
❤️Omegaverse
❤️Rejected Mates
❤️Grovelling
❤️Fated Mates
❤️Possessive MMC
❤️Tough & Resilient FMC
❤️Sisterhood
This was my first proper omegaverse book and I don’t really know how I feel about it, I’m leaning towards nope not for me. This still had that same addictive quality that all of Cate’s books seem to have but it didn’t suck me in the same way her small town romances did. I did however LOVE the grovelling and I did have a whole lot of fun which is why I rated it so highly. I also really loved Una so extra points for her!
I would recommend it if you want a medium spicy way to dip your toes into the omegaverse world and if you can’t resist a good bit of grovelling.
Explicitness: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
❤️Omegaverse
❤️Rejected Mates
❤️Grovelling
❤️Fated Mates
❤️Possessive MMC
❤️Tough & Resilient FMC
❤️Sisterhood
This was my first proper omegaverse book and I don’t really know how I feel about it, I’m leaning towards nope not for me. This still had that same addictive quality that all of Cate’s books seem to have but it didn’t suck me in the same way her small town romances did. I did however LOVE the grovelling and I did have a whole lot of fun which is why I rated it so highly. I also really loved Una so extra points for her!
I would recommend it if you want a medium spicy way to dip your toes into the omegaverse world and if you can’t resist a good bit of grovelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism and Injury/Injury detail
nineinchnails's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
this wasn’t what i was expecting but i loved it! i really enjoyed the writing style and the characters i just wish there was more tension and development. i think i’d like it more with a reread and managed expectations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
spicycronereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I read the fourth book in this series first as it was part of a giveaway. I loved that this first one focused on Una and Killian as I had already liked her character. Una is a great MC - strong, smart, brave. Her and Killian’s love story was unexpectedly sweet. I liked this one much better than the fourth one, and it has me rethinking some of the things that I didn’t love about the fourth in light of events and characterizations in this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
starlit_pathways's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Minor: Homophobia and Medical content
noellelovesbooks's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings: Sexual situations, ableism, violence, sexism, misogyny, sexual assault, sexual harassment, child abuse, transphobia, toxic relationships, and domestic violence.
Mention of: rape, death of parents, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, eugenics [in the form of killing anyone considered weak or "damaged", and captivity.
I instantly liked Una and her personality and wanted to punch Killian where it hurts 😤
The pack history was interesting, angering but interesting...and you don't find many shifter books where mated pairs sleep with other people...so that was something I wasn't expecting.
Loved that Una constantly challenged Killian and didn't back down from his BS...which was A LOT. haha Really wish he'd done more groveling tbh 😤
Overall it was a fun read and I'll most likely be checking out the rest of the series 💜
Mention of: rape, death of parents, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, eugenics [in the form of killing anyone considered weak or "damaged", and captivity.
I instantly liked Una and her personality and wanted to punch Killian where it hurts 😤
The pack history was interesting, angering but interesting...and you don't find many shifter books where mated pairs sleep with other people...so that was something I wasn't expecting.
Loved that Una constantly challenged Killian and didn't back down from his BS...which was A LOT. haha Really wish he'd done more groveling tbh 😤
Overall it was a fun read and I'll most likely be checking out the rest of the series 💜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
condls27's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The angst. That sweet, sweet angst. I inhaled this book in one day. I really thought I was going to struggle with this trope- I can’t handle second-hand embarrassment but I was so wrong! The tension, Una’s determination, the groveling made it all so worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, and Kidnapping
mx_virg's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A rejected mate story where the heroine actually has some back bone and the hero grovels? Yes, please and thank you.
🐝 Una Hayes is a great heroine. She's a fighter, a survivor, in a way her pack will never truly appreciate. She has a bad leg and that's all they see, but she doesn't let it stop from taking care of herself and her packmates. She also has that resilience, that quiet determination to keep on moving and living. Her wolf is also a riot.
🐺 I ended up actually really liking Killian and empathize with the path he's taken. It's easy to just focus on the bad and how at times he should have known better. But when you read about how the pack worked before he became alpha, the amount of work and energy he had to put into the pack to get them out of the caves, protect the weak, earn enough money so everybody's taken care of... That required a single-minded focus and determination that unfortunately made him oblivious to other things. Seriously, he can be really dense, especially in the first half of the book. But his hard work also paved the way for Una's ability to take care of her packmates.
💞 They make a really great pair. While he was busy with the big issues in the pack, she made sure the weaker and forgotten wolves were taken care off instead of just left alone. They both grew into strong, resourceful people who complement each other very well. I'll probably read other books in the series just to see how well the pack is now doing thanks to their partnership.
💗 I really like the rejected mate trope here. In many books, this trope is used to have a bully romance where the hero treats the heroine like trash but she's still coming back to him because "the bond makes me do it". It's gross. You have a bit of that here, there were some moments where I didn't understand the dynamics or the choices made (the biology/magic behind the fated mates bond is wonky, no one really knows much about it it seems, plus the wolves have a mind of their own), but overall Una doesn't just give in, and Killian doesn't just demand. It helps that Killian is never an absolute asshole, or is being mean just for the sake of being mean. He hasn't done anything that I see as unforgivable, and he tries to make amends for the harm he's done.
🗒️ I also quite liked the writing. Not overly descriptive, direct and to the point. There are some cringey moments (especially from Killian's POV in the first half), but I really enjoyed the writing overall.
↘️ My main complaint is how little is known/explained around fated mates and their bonds. Between the baffling relationship we see between already existing fated pairs, the ramblings of the crone and her magic... It feels like the author has been purposely vague so she could do with it what she wanted when she wanted it. It was confusing and not very satisfying.
🐝 Una Hayes is a great heroine. She's a fighter, a survivor, in a way her pack will never truly appreciate. She has a bad leg and that's all they see, but she doesn't let it stop from taking care of herself and her packmates. She also has that resilience, that quiet determination to keep on moving and living. Her wolf is also a riot.
🐺 I ended up actually really liking Killian and empathize with the path he's taken. It's easy to just focus on the bad and how at times he should have known better. But when you read about how the pack worked before he became alpha, the amount of work and energy he had to put into the pack to get them out of the caves, protect the weak, earn enough money so everybody's taken care of... That required a single-minded focus and determination that unfortunately made him oblivious to other things. Seriously, he can be really dense, especially in the first half of the book. But his hard work also paved the way for Una's ability to take care of her packmates.
💞 They make a really great pair. While he was busy with the big issues in the pack, she made sure the weaker and forgotten wolves were taken care off instead of just left alone. They both grew into strong, resourceful people who complement each other very well. I'll probably read other books in the series just to see how well the pack is now doing thanks to their partnership.
💗 I really like the rejected mate trope here. In many books, this trope is used to have a bully romance where the hero treats the heroine like trash but she's still coming back to him because "the bond makes me do it". It's gross. You have a bit of that here, there were some moments where I didn't understand the dynamics or the choices made (the biology/magic behind the fated mates bond is wonky, no one really knows much about it it seems, plus the wolves have a mind of their own), but overall Una doesn't just give in, and Killian doesn't just demand. It helps that Killian is never an absolute asshole, or is being mean just for the sake of being mean. He hasn't done anything that I see as unforgivable, and he tries to make amends for the harm he's done.
🗒️ I also quite liked the writing. Not overly descriptive, direct and to the point. There are some cringey moments (especially from Killian's POV in the first half), but I really enjoyed the writing overall.
↘️ My main complaint is how little is known/explained around fated mates and their bonds. Between the baffling relationship we see between already existing fated pairs, the ramblings of the crone and her magic... It feels like the author has been purposely vague so she could do with it what she wanted when she wanted it. It was confusing and not very satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Pregnancy
threeundertwopnw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've read a lot of shifter romances, and this one is my new favorite. Complex emotions, high stakes, great world building.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Blood, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
elfsteel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Bullying
Moderate: Transphobia