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Out of Options

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Not all alphas are good men.
Charlie learned that lesson the hard way. After losing her daughter's father in a senseless act of violence she hasn't figured out how to move on. She's trapped in a cycle of guilt and misery. It makes her the perfect target for a man who only wants to control her and exploit her impulses.

A chance introduction at a neighbor's barbecue changes everything .
The three owners of The Omega Exchange's Colorado location are as enamored by Charlie's daughter as they are the sad-eyed omega. Determined to help her escape, they offer her the opportunity to be whisked away to safety. Charlie doesn't hesitate, but danger follows.

It appears the past isn't letting go without a fight.

This is a character driven plot with no choosing and full content info listed in the Author's Note. Out of Options is a standalone.

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2023

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About the author

Jillian West

40 books1,906 followers

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5 stars
2,280 (47%)
4 stars
1,440 (29%)
3 stars
880 (18%)
2 stars
163 (3%)
1 star
44 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
Profile Image for Mimi.Reads.Smut.
606 reviews63 followers
April 17, 2023
This book hits the feelings hard but it has a good balance between the heavier emotions and the healing process. Charlie is an unbonded omega who has been through some sh!t. She has a young daughter who is her reason for living. She’s found herself in a bad situation and her friendly neighbor offers her a way out. The neighbor’s brother is an alpha in a pack with two others. They run a resort in another state that primarily helps omegas escape from trouble. The alphas are kind and compassionate and offer to come and get Charlie and her daughter and personally escort them to the resort.

This book touches on the tragedy that upended Charlie’s life (takes place before the beginning of the book) as it pertains to Charlie’s mental and physical health. Kolt, Roarke, and Gray do their best to provide security and support but they’re also drawn to Charlie. I loved how respectful and careful the alphas are of her situation. The connections develop organically and at a pace that makes sense. The overall plot focuses on Charlie’s healing process and I appreciate the emphasis put on her need for therapy.

I would say that this is a medium-burn and the spicy scenes are 🥵🥵🥵 This has all of the hallmarks of a great omegaverse story, including scents, nests, heats, and knots. This is a standalone but has some crossover references to both the Ruined Records and The Exchange series.
Profile Image for Cloudstanloves2read.
236 reviews
April 15, 2023
Hot Hot Alphas 🥵

5 Stars ⭐
5 out 5 Spice 🌶️

Out of Options was hands down my favorite read from Jillian West. This book had it all, the heartbreak, strong loving Alphas, hurt omega, lots of healing and a little girl that stole the story. As with any Jillian West book this one comes with a HEA. I have absolutely no complaints with Charlie's book it hit all the right notes for me. And as usual Jillian West is the queen of Epilogues. These were my favorite of any series I've read and wish maybe someday she'll write a novella and all the Omega Exchange couples.

If you're looking for a quick omegaverse read this one is for you. No MM, No cheating, just all the love focused on three alphas helping to heal their omega.
Profile Image for Angel.
1,188 reviews14 followers
June 3, 2023
Aww, I really really liked this one.
It called to all my needs.
Smut, of course.
Correct usage of cum vs come.
Barely any grammar errors.
Characters that I was able to relate and connect with.
A plausibly believable storyline.
A damsel in distress, being taken care of.
And kids!
I loved this one.
Profile Image for Colette.
141 reviews
May 28, 2023
Charlie is our main character. She lost her alpha when he was murdered and she's preyed on by an alpha who wants her for himself. She's trapped with Brent financially and he's isolated her completely at the beginning of the book. She gets a helping hand to escape and that's when her story really starts.

Charlie is in a bad place at the beginning of the book. It's very angsty and emotional. You can tell Charlie is grieving and we experienced that with her. I didnt think it was over the top like some review said. It was real and it made her happy ending all the more satisfying because she has grieved and hurt. But the men in this are everything! So on board with Charlie and Shaeley and it's so sweet.

No MM
No cheating
No OW drama - there's an employee who likes one of the men but they have no past relationship
It's a standalone with multiple epilogues

TW for grief, verbal abuse (by her ex abuser), and attempt kidnapping
Profile Image for aliyah.
353 reviews
February 13, 2025
OV books have really had me in a chokehold these past couple of months. The only reason I am not rating this book higher than three stars was because I felt that Charlie was comparing her new men to her previous alpha that she was with and that's what made me feel not as emotionally invested. I know she was still healing and had a lot of things to work through, but I guess this trope is not really my cup of tea - but Kolt, Roarke, and Gray were there for her and helped build her back up.
29 reviews
May 5, 2023
DNF

Could not finish book. Ugggggg. I realize she lost her love but come on. She had already moved on and lived with another guy and now it’s 3 years later and she’s oh so sad and heartbroken. And grieving so hard she can’t be with the MMC? Too whiny. These guys were trying so hard to help her and she was emotionally stunted. Ewwww. Did not like the FMC at all.
Profile Image for ~Daja~.
194 reviews
April 18, 2023
I've read this author a couple times some books better than others but they always manage to get me with the emotional connections.
I continued to cheer for the mfc while wishing her ex dead.
The only thing in questioning is wtf Lori? Why isn't she gone!?!
Profile Image for Holly.
211 reviews6 followers
April 16, 2023
Incredible emotional depth

This book was exactly what I’ve come to expect from Jillian and more. Charlie is devastated and heartbroken in so many ways when Roarke, Kolton, and Grayson ride in to be her realistic white knights. I think one of my favorite things about this book is how realistic each character is. They don’t meet and fall in love and live happily ever after. There are accurate representations of trauma, medical complications, therapy (for more than just our FMC), abuse (mostly mental and emotional), loss, and true grief. This pack is the very definition of “in sickness and in health” as well as “if he wanted to he would” I loved this book so much and can’t wait to have a physical copy on my shelf
Profile Image for Dani.
33 reviews13 followers
May 24, 2023
Dnf after trying super hard to finish. I got so sick and tired of hearing about Shane. I swear the FMC thought his name more than any of the actual MMC’s it was crazy, everytime I felt like we were getting somewhere it was right back to him. I understand the first couple chapters to give us background and such but it was so repetitive. This FMC didn’t need a pack, she needed a good therapist and a reliable daycare.
Profile Image for ListenWithNic.
325 reviews2 followers
January 2, 2025
This was just okay, I liked the others way more. Feel like everything moved a bit too fast almost like a Novella 🤷🏻‍♀️ I liked all the characters but for a hot minute couldn’t really tell them apart 😂
Profile Image for Britney ☆.
428 reviews43 followers
June 21, 2024
I loved it. It started off really fast paced and I was hooked pretty much instantly. It did just start to drag about 75% of the way through but that ending 🥹
Profile Image for Laura (lady_h_reads).
826 reviews359 followers
December 23, 2023
Overall Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“You know I’ve got you, right? I’m always going to be at your side from here on out.”

📚 Book Review 📚
There is something very comforting about cracking into a Jillian West Omegaverse. Her alphas are always the sweet and protective types that you want to add to your collection of book boyfriends. Her omegas are a little damaged but not completely broken, and together, they secure a beautiful HEA (those extended epilogues are a huge bonus). This one was a little darker than previous releases, as the omega, Charlie, had a difficult past - losing her alpha, bearing his child, and then escaping an abusive partner before she finds a soft place to land. Overall, Out of Options is a sweet omegaverse, and I enjoyed every moment.

I absolutely loved watching Charlie’s transformation from a hollow shell, going through the motions for her daughter and not really living. She learned how to trust, how to ask for help, and how to live again, all while being supported by the alphas who turned out to be her scent-compatible matches.

I know this is a why choose, but we all know we have our favorites… This time it was hard to pick a pack favorite. I love all three alphas for what they brought in support of Charlie. Kolton might have an edge with his dog, Motley. But then there is the giant Roarke with his Irish accent, and don’t forget Dom Grayson (he can control me any day)!

Even though Charlie and the Alphas are scent matches, this is not an insta-lust romance. The alphas give Charlie the room to figure out what she wants and continuously check in with her – whether her responses are driven by the pheromone fog or if she consciously wants the intimacy. I LOVED that. It starts slower burn, but the heat does ratchet up as Charlie experiences several heat spikes before she hits her true heat. We are gifted with the wonderful OV goodness – nesting, scenting, slick, knotting, claiming bites, ruts, and group scenes. All pairings are MF or MFM+ (no MM).

I highly recommend this OV (and all of Jillian’s stories).

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
An already sweet romance made even sweeter by two amazing narrators. I really enjoyed the way they brought Charlie’s story to life. They nailed Roarke’s Irish accent!

Genre: Contemporary Omegaverse
Tropes/Features: Single mother omega, three protective alphas, scent-compatible mates, adorable toddler, hurt/comfort, found family, loss and learning to live/love again, OV goodness (heats, knotting, slick, mating bites, etc.)
Narrator: Multiple 1st Person POV
Narration Type: Dual-style narration
Narrator(s):
Relationship Type: Why Choose MFMM, Insta-attraction, Medium Burn, High Heat
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
TW/CW: Listed in author’s note (includes mention of past verbal and emotional abuse by ex; death of daughter’s father, her previous alpha; mourning)
Profile Image for Sarah D.
1,150 reviews6 followers
May 7, 2023
This wasn’t my favorite Omegaverse book. The writing was fine and all the guys had personalities and all that, but I didn’t care for Charlie as a main character. She was too much of a doormat. It felt like it was on purpose, like the author decided to write a FMC whose primary personality trait is “doormat.”

Charlie ages out of foster care and then a few weeks later moves in with some guy who comes to her workplace because he insists. When he dies, she lets his family walk all over her. Then she starts having a relationship with a cop even though she doesn’t really like him. She moves in with said cop and lets him abuse her. Then her neighbor insists she leave, so she does… with a pack of alphas who immediately start courting her and she moves in with them three days later. She likes Grayson as a micromanaging dom because she hates making decisions for herself. So it all fits, but geez… she is not my cup of tea as an FMC.

I didn’t think Brent the Cop’s character made a ton of sense. If he wanted to claim and trap Charlie, then why didn’t he? She clearly wasn’t going to stop him. He had her in a relationship and could easily have made it happen by biting her. I think Brent’s whole character would have been better as a beta.

And I just have to say, I was not a fan of poor dead Shane. Here we have a 28 year old guy who meets a vulnerable 18 year old, gets her to move in with him, immediately knocks her up, but doesn’t claim her because he’s “old fashioned” and wants to wait so their future pack can do it together. He then does nothing to protect her financially or legally. He doesn’t sound that great. And don’t even get me started on the circle of forgiveness regarding his mother. Barf.
Profile Image for Mel Bell.
Author 0 books78 followers
June 1, 2023
I have a problem. I can't NOT give fluffy single-mom Omegaverse RH contemporary romances 5 stars. I don't know why.

I love Jillian West's single-mom collection because the HEA wrapup she does is just 'chef's kiss'. We're talking 'I'm gonna turn your iceberg of a heart into a secluded oasis of a hot spring' HEA - you are going to be happy dammit!

I loved all of these characters, and even the side characters. Nothing felt convenient or forced, and all of the interactions blended the real world contemporary romance with the Omegaverse characteristics perfectly.

Also, I'm just a sloot for adorable Alphas, and we get 3 here, so yay.
Profile Image for Katja.
442 reviews15 followers
April 22, 2023
Out of Options is the third book in the Omega Exchange series by Jillian West and can be read as a standalone. It is set in omegaverse and it is a why-choose single mom romance. While this book was entertaining to read, there were just many moments when I felt like everything was a bit rushed.

While this book can be read as a standalone, I do recommend that you read these books in order because we get glimpses from characters from previous books. I read the second book first and trust me it just hits differently when you know the side characters' backstory better.

I liked how the characters were older and I always loved the single mom trope. However, there were some instances where everything felt a bit messy and overexaggerated, but that is just because of my preferences.

Overall, this book was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who is just starting to get into the omegaverse. It is easy to understand and doesn't have a lot of triggers.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
430 reviews6 followers
September 3, 2023
I really did love this, but I’m a bit confused (and concerned) about the negative reviews saying that Charlie was too whiny and annoying and while I understand not being able to connect with a character bc of their personality, Charlie has very specific circumstances. She is grieving and in an abusive situation that she gets out of at the start of the book and for a good chunk of the first act she’s focusing on healing with the help of our 3 alphas and their family. So yes there are instances where Charlie is struggling, but this isn’t a character flaw and she’s not being “whiny” bc it’s clear she’s recovering.

That aside this was a really sweet book (and yes lots of spice) and I really loved all the characters.

If I had to be nitpicky I wish Lori would have been held accountable for her treatment of Charlie aside from an apology, bc if I were Charlie I would have no qualms about throwing hands lmao
Profile Image for ❀ Crystal ✿ -  PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS .
2,532 reviews308 followers
July 10, 2023
I was expecting so much more drama in this book and so by the end I was a little taken aback by how little there is. In fact the crux of the story is overloaded with sweet Alpha's trying to win over their single mom omega. They save her from a dangerous domestic situation and immediately know they want her. Over time (not much) the group bonds as the heroine's heat suppressants are running out. The guys are more than willing to help during her heat and it's even better that they offer a shoulder to cry on as she is still grieving for her lost mate and daughters father. Again the book is super sweet, almost too much but still a good standalone omega verse read.
Profile Image for Diana.
35 reviews
May 2, 2023
This one isn't as light and carefree as some of this authors other recent books.

I really loved this. It was more reminded me of the ruined records books with a lot of hurt and healing to be done. Very sweet omegaverse at its best!
Profile Image for Jane.
Author 1 book20 followers
March 24, 2024
Pretty good. Took me a bit to get through. Felt like Gray got robbed with his lack of one on one spice scenes with Charlie. Other than that, very sweet read.
Profile Image for Danielle Jensen.
179 reviews4 followers
April 18, 2023
Read this if you're looking for a sweet, more lighthearted, single mom, omegaverse RH read. Charlie is working through the grief of the loss of her alpha, who died while she was pregnant & before they bonded. Kolton, Roarke, and Grayson are a part of the Omega Exchange, and meet Charlie & her daughter Shay when they help them escape from her abusive boyfriend.
It was interesting to see the characters following a lot of their omega & alpha instincts, and you don't seem to see that written about that often. As the guys help Charlie heal, you can see her falling more & more into following her omega instincts. She has been touch starved, and you can see just how much she wants and needs alphas to protect, comfort, and take care of her. And the guys very much want those alphas to be them. They are very protective of her, and love to care & spoil her, as much as she allows. And I found it quite amusing to see them all develop a breeding (fill her with our babies) kink, as it gets closer to Charlie's heat.
This was a fun, mostly lighthearted read. And I adored the epilogue, it was wonderful and funny glimpse into their HEA. Like all of Jillian West's works, I highly recommended you pick this up & get to reading it!
Profile Image for MrsKristin.
462 reviews2 followers
April 15, 2023
Out of Options...a story about Charlie and her adorable baby girl Shayley finding their forever family after her Alpha Shawn is killed in a robbery gone wrong. I love that Charlie finds the power to keep moving on even though her grief is strong. She accepts help from a neighbor which sends her on a road trip from Florida to Colorado with Kolt, Roarke and Grey.

This book gives all the feels. I know what grief can do to a person and sometimes just living for your child is what gets you through till you are able to overcome those feelings. I love that Jillian writes such different characters. Each one is special in his or her own way. And the spice...it's always just enough to add to the storyline.

Plus, those epilogues! I love getting to see the future laid out so perfectly!!
71 reviews
April 20, 2023
Out of Options is everything I expected from Jillian. She has quickly become a comfort read author for me! Charlie's story is full of heartbreak and so many emotions. I loved absolutely everything about her story, getting to see how much her alphas care for her and are so understanding of her grief, how they want to support her during her healing had me all in my feels. Her daughter Shayley and her interactions with the alphas were truly precious, she is adorable. The spice was also truly amazing!

10/10 for me! Would definitely recommend and can't wait to see for what is next.
993 reviews7 followers
April 12, 2023
Out Of Options by Jillian West is a sweet, loving Omegaverse story. We meet Charlie, an Omega, who has had a rough life and is currently living with a not so nice Alpha. She meets someone who runs The Exchange, a place for Omegas to go to for help. She finally decides to accept the help and moves to Colorado. She meets Roarke, Gray, and Kolt who just want to help her in any way they can. I loved watching Charlie figure herself out and love herself. Plus find love in some amazing Alphas. Ms. West always does amazing epilogues and this one doesn't disappoint. I loved seeing Charlie and her pack in the future. Great sweet read. HEA.
Profile Image for Kasumatata.
1,140 reviews23 followers
April 18, 2023
Loved it

5 stars it is. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. The different characters were amazing and likeable. Despite it being fiction, I could relate to all of them. The plot was great, mostly focused on the romance between the main characters, but delivered in a way that made it an effortless, low angst read for me.
6 reviews
April 23, 2023
I wish Charles had some backbone outside of handling her ex but I loved all of the men and Shae and Motley! the ending was cute
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews

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