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A Tale of Ribbons & Claws #1
Stale-Mate: The Shifter Alliance
She might look like a daydream, but she’s more interested in revenge than lipstick and lashes.
He might look like a nightmare, but he’s more than his dark ancestry and formidable appearance would have her believe.
When her path of vengeance intertwines with his murky road to redemption, the two of them will either come to an agreement, or come to blows.
Have you ever been underestimated because of the way you look? Me too. But I do it on purpose.
I’m Caroline, lover of ribbons, frilly skirts and curly hair—mostly because they’re all great places to hide spy equipment. Plus, my girly appearance also doubles as the perfect cover. No one suspects the innocent girl with the pretty smile and the pink Converse. Which means that no one knows I’m the spy walking the streets of Shifter Haven, cleaning up the Shifter Council one shady council member at a time.
I have my reasons for my vendetta; I won’t get into them here. But let’s just say that being an ‘extinct’ species—one that people want to remain extinct—hasn’t been fun. And after years of living like a secret, I got tired of being the hunted. So, instead, I became the hunter.
Well at least I was the hunter. Until he showed up.
Morgan Hohlt is a major pain in the backside—he also just has a majorly nice backside, but that’s beside the point. From disrupting my missions, to kidnapping me—yeah, I’m still pretty ticked about that—he’s gotten on my last nerve. Although, in his defense, someone is trying to kill me, so I might’ve needed just a little interference.
But the longer we’re forced to work together, the more I’m beginning to wonder if all the rumors I’ve heard about him are true. Because how can a man who loves my dog and buys me junk food be so evil and malicious like they say he is?
Don’t get me wrong, Morgan and I will always be enemies, and he’ll always annoy me to the very edge of my sanity, but maybe he’s not totally terrible. At the very least, he’s not terrible to look at. So, there’s that…
This book is perfect for fans of K.M. Shea and Shari L Tapscott! Stale-Mate is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and the 1st book in an urban fantasy trilogy, with book 2 set to come out in October 2023 and book 3 following just about 2 months later! This series includes an array of fantasy shifting creatures interacting with the mundane human world, and of course tons of sassy humor and swoony romance. This book has no sex, no swearing, and no graphic violence.
He might look like a nightmare, but he’s more than his dark ancestry and formidable appearance would have her believe.
When her path of vengeance intertwines with his murky road to redemption, the two of them will either come to an agreement, or come to blows.
Have you ever been underestimated because of the way you look? Me too. But I do it on purpose.
I’m Caroline, lover of ribbons, frilly skirts and curly hair—mostly because they’re all great places to hide spy equipment. Plus, my girly appearance also doubles as the perfect cover. No one suspects the innocent girl with the pretty smile and the pink Converse. Which means that no one knows I’m the spy walking the streets of Shifter Haven, cleaning up the Shifter Council one shady council member at a time.
I have my reasons for my vendetta; I won’t get into them here. But let’s just say that being an ‘extinct’ species—one that people want to remain extinct—hasn’t been fun. And after years of living like a secret, I got tired of being the hunted. So, instead, I became the hunter.
Well at least I was the hunter. Until he showed up.
Morgan Hohlt is a major pain in the backside—he also just has a majorly nice backside, but that’s beside the point. From disrupting my missions, to kidnapping me—yeah, I’m still pretty ticked about that—he’s gotten on my last nerve. Although, in his defense, someone is trying to kill me, so I might’ve needed just a little interference.
But the longer we’re forced to work together, the more I’m beginning to wonder if all the rumors I’ve heard about him are true. Because how can a man who loves my dog and buys me junk food be so evil and malicious like they say he is?
Don’t get me wrong, Morgan and I will always be enemies, and he’ll always annoy me to the very edge of my sanity, but maybe he’s not totally terrible. At the very least, he’s not terrible to look at. So, there’s that…
This book is perfect for fans of K.M. Shea and Shari L Tapscott! Stale-Mate is a loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and the 1st book in an urban fantasy trilogy, with book 2 set to come out in October 2023 and book 3 following just about 2 months later! This series includes an array of fantasy shifting creatures interacting with the mundane human world, and of course tons of sassy humor and swoony romance. This book has no sex, no swearing, and no graphic violence.
415 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 24, 2023
Ladies and gentlemen...R.E.S. has knocked it OUT OF THE PARK!!
This is not a book you're going to want to miss! It's magical and hilarious, and I read it way too fast!!
Morgan and Caroline's chemistry is off the charts and their banter is to live for! They had me giggling, smiling, and shaking my head at them with a smirk. I felt all the feels and their characters were so real. And all the side characters were brilliant--especially Morgan's brothers! I love good banter between siblings and the humor that comes from it.
The slow burn romance combined with Morgan's hesitancy and the VERY large secret he's keeping from Caroline make the tension between them spectacular and I can't wait to see what happens between them in the rest of the series!
R.E.S. is going places and I'm blessed to call this talented woman my friend! And trust me, I'm not gushing about this book just because we're friends, I truly love it THAT much!
Thank you so much R.E.S. for the ARC!
This is not a book you're going to want to miss! It's magical and hilarious, and I read it way too fast!!
Morgan and Caroline's chemistry is off the charts and their banter is to live for! They had me giggling, smiling, and shaking my head at them with a smirk. I felt all the feels and their characters were so real. And all the side characters were brilliant--especially Morgan's brothers! I love good banter between siblings and the humor that comes from it.
The slow burn romance combined with Morgan's hesitancy and the VERY large secret he's keeping from Caroline make the tension between them spectacular and I can't wait to see what happens between them in the rest of the series!
R.E.S. is going places and I'm blessed to call this talented woman my friend! And trust me, I'm not gushing about this book just because we're friends, I truly love it THAT much!
Thank you so much R.E.S. for the ARC!
June 26, 2023
Let me just start by saying Stale-Mate surpassed all of my expectations and had me hooked from the beginning!
Contemporary fantasy has never been a genre I gravitate towards, but R.E.S. marketing had me curious and I am so glad I decided to try it!
From the very first page, I didn’t want to put this book down. Both Caroline and Morgan are such lovable characters and their chemistry was so good! Their banter provided much of the comic relief—The Office references were also a big plus!
As for the rest of the characters, I honestly can’t even pick a favorite! They were all so good!
Thank you so much for the chance to be an early reader, R.E.S.! I can’t wait to see what you do with the rest of this series!
Contemporary fantasy has never been a genre I gravitate towards, but R.E.S. marketing had me curious and I am so glad I decided to try it!
From the very first page, I didn’t want to put this book down. Both Caroline and Morgan are such lovable characters and their chemistry was so good! Their banter provided much of the comic relief—The Office references were also a big plus!
As for the rest of the characters, I honestly can’t even pick a favorite! They were all so good!
Thank you so much for the chance to be an early reader, R.E.S.! I can’t wait to see what you do with the rest of this series!
June 30, 2023
How do I write this review?!?! To say this book is AMAZING would be an understatement!!
Urban fantasy is waaay out of my genre, but I loved the snippets R.E.S shared on social media, so I applied for an ARC. Once I started reading, I could not put it down!
Morgan and Caroline's chemistry was evident from the moment they appeared on the page, and I couldn't stop laughing and giggling over their banter!! Not to mention the great side-characters, and Daisy Mae!
Also, the slow-burn romance was to die for! I cannot wait for the rest of the series. I NEED MOREEE!!
Urban fantasy is waaay out of my genre, but I loved the snippets R.E.S shared on social media, so I applied for an ARC. Once I started reading, I could not put it down!
Morgan and Caroline's chemistry was evident from the moment they appeared on the page, and I couldn't stop laughing and giggling over their banter!! Not to mention the great side-characters, and Daisy Mae!
Also, the slow-burn romance was to die for! I cannot wait for the rest of the series. I NEED MOREEE!!
if-it-fall-it-fall-dnf
March 22, 2026A revenge-driven heroine and a man wrestling with redemption collide in a story with charming character work, real chemistry, and laugh-out-loud moments. The enemies-to-lovers setup was fun for me at first, but the witchcraft-forward magic and spiritual tone gradually shifted the reading experience into something heavier than I wanted.
I ultimately stepped away uneasy, even though I could see why the characters and humor might win other readers over.
Check out my detailed book review at my Reading Home
https://chrissiespurplelibrary.notion...
I ultimately stepped away uneasy, even though I could see why the characters and humor might win other readers over.
Check out my detailed book review at my Reading Home
https://chrissiespurplelibrary.notion...
March 31, 2026
I like the story idea but the same conflict (fighting and injury) happened three times and were nearly identical. That is where the story lost me. 💔
September 15, 2024
DNF 57%. I like the plot idea and was intrigued at the start but the story lost my interest after a couple of chapters. I really wanted to like this book but I unfortunaly don’t.
The world building of humans living with the paranormal was minimal. It was a little introduced at the beginning but from that point on the reader doesn’t learn anything more about what life looks like. Most of the book (until the part that I read) then just focused on Caroline being in Morgan’s house and admiring his biceps. Really, his forearms are mentioned basically on every second page. To me it felt like the whole spy/paranormal world was just there to create an exciting frame for the love story. Which is fine, only that I expected something different. So maybe that’s a mistake on my part.
The relationship between Morgan and Caroline was a little too cheesy for my liking. They are sooo attracted by one another’s physic, it was exhausting to read.
Caroline is 22, yet does things that remind me of a 15 old with a lot of hormones (walking into his room at 2am in the morning to announce that they should try to be friends).
Also she is a spy, and even breaks into a very important building (from my understanding), yet does this in such simple ways that I just can’t find it realistic. The security guards and system on such a building should really be more up to date than to be fooled by a spy that changes her hair colour so people don’t recognize her (which I just can’t believe since Morgan says she is one of the most if not the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. And beautiful people are generally easily remembered and not easily forgotten).
And on and on it goes.
This is just my personal opinion. Some people may really enjoy this book.
The world building of humans living with the paranormal was minimal. It was a little introduced at the beginning but from that point on the reader doesn’t learn anything more about what life looks like. Most of the book (until the part that I read) then just focused on Caroline being in Morgan’s house and admiring his biceps. Really, his forearms are mentioned basically on every second page. To me it felt like the whole spy/paranormal world was just there to create an exciting frame for the love story. Which is fine, only that I expected something different. So maybe that’s a mistake on my part.
The relationship between Morgan and Caroline was a little too cheesy for my liking. They are sooo attracted by one another’s physic, it was exhausting to read.
Caroline is 22, yet does things that remind me of a 15 old with a lot of hormones (walking into his room at 2am in the morning to announce that they should try to be friends).
Also she is a spy, and even breaks into a very important building (from my understanding), yet does this in such simple ways that I just can’t find it realistic. The security guards and system on such a building should really be more up to date than to be fooled by a spy that changes her hair colour so people don’t recognize her (which I just can’t believe since Morgan says she is one of the most if not the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. And beautiful people are generally easily remembered and not easily forgotten).
And on and on it goes.
This is just my personal opinion. Some people may really enjoy this book.
July 25, 2024
This was such a fun story with just the right balance of sweet and sassy! I love a heroine who knows her worth and stands up for herself, but is also cool letting her man protect her here and there. Fiercely independent, but willing to share some things with a reliable partner. That’s Caroline! And Morgan really is a teddy bear on the inside. I loved how their dynamic shifted as the story progressed. There were moments that their behavior was very definitely not appropriate for “just friends”, but since they’re presumably end game, I’m willing to accept it. I hope they admit their feelings to each other in the next book! 🤞🏻
July 25, 2023
Such a fun book! Action packed, entertaining, and yet deeply and tenderly romantic, 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙚 has turned me into an urban fantasy fan! I am not usually one to binge read series, but this book has me just itching for book two the second I finished it.
I am a sucker for good world building, and not once did this book disappoint. I could picture the setting so clearly (and honestly I just want to move in with Morgan & Caroline & the crew and watch The Office forever 😍)
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
(I won't say much about the side characters because to be perfectly honest...Morgan and Caroline stole the show! But just know the side characters are all amazing to the point that it's my suspicion many of them will be getting their own books at some point—and I am SO here for it!)
First of all, 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. She was such a fun character! My favorite moment of hers was when she was packing up her entire room. I mean, you never know when you'll need that eighth pair of shoes you stupidly forgot to bring...we all know what that's like!
𝙄 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙪𝙥 𝙗𝙖𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.
Then there's 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 (also, that NAME! I've decided only boys should be named Morgan now, along with Ashley. How did girls ever manage to snag that one? It's just so strong and manly!) Morgan is 100% that swoony alpha male type I can never get enough of...but he's got quite a sense of humor on him too! Caroline doesn't have the monopoly on the snark in this one!
𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚? 𝘼 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙖, 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚? 𝘼 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧? 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚. 𝘖𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤, 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.
There are so many quotes I want to share about Mor and Care's love story. It was sweet and slow, yet reached a depth and power that was incredibly moving and had me nearly in tears at one point... and it's taking EVERYTHING in me not to share those quotes (end of Chapter 27 🥹😭 that's all I'm gonna say, folks) so I'll end my review by sharing another favorite of mine:
𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙, 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚.... 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄'𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙮, 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚, 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩, 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚. 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩.
I am a sucker for good world building, and not once did this book disappoint. I could picture the setting so clearly (and honestly I just want to move in with Morgan & Caroline & the crew and watch The Office forever 😍)
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
(I won't say much about the side characters because to be perfectly honest...Morgan and Caroline stole the show! But just know the side characters are all amazing to the point that it's my suspicion many of them will be getting their own books at some point—and I am SO here for it!)
First of all, 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. She was such a fun character! My favorite moment of hers was when she was packing up her entire room. I mean, you never know when you'll need that eighth pair of shoes you stupidly forgot to bring...we all know what that's like!
𝙄 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙪𝙥 𝙗𝙖𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.
Then there's 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 (also, that NAME! I've decided only boys should be named Morgan now, along with Ashley. How did girls ever manage to snag that one? It's just so strong and manly!) Morgan is 100% that swoony alpha male type I can never get enough of...but he's got quite a sense of humor on him too! Caroline doesn't have the monopoly on the snark in this one!
𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚? 𝘼 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙖, 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚? 𝘼 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧? 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚. 𝘖𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤, 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.
There are so many quotes I want to share about Mor and Care's love story. It was sweet and slow, yet reached a depth and power that was incredibly moving and had me nearly in tears at one point... and it's taking EVERYTHING in me not to share those quotes (end of Chapter 27 🥹😭 that's all I'm gonna say, folks) so I'll end my review by sharing another favorite of mine:
𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙, 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙄 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚.... 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄'𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙮, 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚, 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣. 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚'𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩, 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚. 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩.
July 16, 2023
This book was such a fun read. Caroline and Morgan had such great chemistry, and the world they are in is so vast- there is room for so many books in it. Especially with all the fun side characters who I want to read more about, too. There is so much to explore- and that's not even taking into consideration the main characters' own complicated pasts, or the things they still need to learn about each other.
The kidnapping bit was kind of weird to me, especially with how OK some of the characters were about it after a while. I'd personally be spending every second of the day planning a horrifying revenge, but maybe that's just me. Anyway, the tone of the book is light and happy with dark pasts and high stakes and I love that vibe so much.
I love fated love when done well, and it was. So was the enemies to . . . friends who flirt. Loved watching the characters grow in relation to one another and can't wait to see where the next adventure takes them.
Note to more sensitive readers: there are a few innuendos, some mild language, and violence.
I would recommend this book for everyone who enjoys urban fantasies and romcoms.
I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
The kidnapping bit was kind of weird to me, especially with how OK some of the characters were about it after a while. I'd personally be spending every second of the day planning a horrifying revenge, but maybe that's just me. Anyway, the tone of the book is light and happy with dark pasts and high stakes and I love that vibe so much.
I love fated love when done well, and it was. So was the enemies to . . . friends who flirt. Loved watching the characters grow in relation to one another and can't wait to see where the next adventure takes them.
Note to more sensitive readers: there are a few innuendos, some mild language, and violence.
I would recommend this book for everyone who enjoys urban fantasies and romcoms.
I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
July 16, 2024
I tried to like it. I really did. It's rare to find Christian writers of paranormal.
I just couldn't get over a few discrepancies. Like his reply on why he kidnapped her, and keeps her kidnapped. "I just don't know what else to do."
He thus knew it was wrong, and he didn't repent. He doubled-down and imprisoned her. Judge, jury and executioner. Because he's too inept to think of a better way?
But we're suppose to see him as good, kind, intelligent, not-beastly, etc? When his deeds showed the exact opposite? He's vile, wicked, too stupid to think of a better alternative and acted very much beastly.
She is then angry all the time in the first week. Really? Only angry? No depression? Sadness? Despair? Feelings of rejections, fear, horror, worry, loneliness? Just anger? Maybe if she felt a bit more sadness and fear he may have realised what the heck he's doing!! And how WRONG it is!
Her sister always checked up on her... but not this time? And she doesn't request a message to be send to her sister? She doesn't even spare a thought for her sister? How utterly weird.
The other males just allow him to do this evil deed? Find it mildly "strange", but contribute without thought to her captivity? And she befriends them? Stockholm much?
No one seems to think this WRONG. Exceptionally WRONG.
If they didn't want to be known as beasts, why act like it? ALL of them? Not one with an ounce of moral value?
So I stopped reading. Pity. I really wanted to like the book. I just can't cope with the lack of morality in books and supposedly "good" characters anymore these days. I had my fill of trying to ignore it all, because it's paranormal or alpha-behaviour or "he didn't mean it that way". Urgh.
I just couldn't get over a few discrepancies. Like his reply on why he kidnapped her, and keeps her kidnapped. "I just don't know what else to do."
He thus knew it was wrong, and he didn't repent. He doubled-down and imprisoned her. Judge, jury and executioner. Because he's too inept to think of a better way?
But we're suppose to see him as good, kind, intelligent, not-beastly, etc? When his deeds showed the exact opposite? He's vile, wicked, too stupid to think of a better alternative and acted very much beastly.
She is then angry all the time in the first week. Really? Only angry? No depression? Sadness? Despair? Feelings of rejections, fear, horror, worry, loneliness? Just anger? Maybe if she felt a bit more sadness and fear he may have realised what the heck he's doing!! And how WRONG it is!
Her sister always checked up on her... but not this time? And she doesn't request a message to be send to her sister? She doesn't even spare a thought for her sister? How utterly weird.
The other males just allow him to do this evil deed? Find it mildly "strange", but contribute without thought to her captivity? And she befriends them? Stockholm much?
No one seems to think this WRONG. Exceptionally WRONG.
If they didn't want to be known as beasts, why act like it? ALL of them? Not one with an ounce of moral value?
So I stopped reading. Pity. I really wanted to like the book. I just can't cope with the lack of morality in books and supposedly "good" characters anymore these days. I had my fill of trying to ignore it all, because it's paranormal or alpha-behaviour or "he didn't mean it that way". Urgh.
July 8, 2023
SO GOOD. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
I loved how nostalgic this felt! It brought me back to my high school days where I would devour wattpad urban fantasy books with the chosen one and bonded mate tropes. Long have I hunted for clean books with similar vibes - the moment I saw Stale Mate on Instagram, I knew this would be it. Boy, was I right!
Caroline and Morgan have sizzling chemistry.Their banters were so entertaining and adorable. Morgan's best friend and younger brothers quickly flocked around Caroline and even nicknamed her Care Bear, I mean, how cute is that!! 😭 The found family vibes in this are so previous. There are tons of references from the office, and LOTR sprinkled throughout, which made this book even better 🫶🏽
The plot was very engaging, and the slow burn romance was 🤌🏼✨️ I'm so glad I picked this up. Waiting for book 2 is going to be so hard but worth it.
I loved how nostalgic this felt! It brought me back to my high school days where I would devour wattpad urban fantasy books with the chosen one and bonded mate tropes. Long have I hunted for clean books with similar vibes - the moment I saw Stale Mate on Instagram, I knew this would be it. Boy, was I right!
Caroline and Morgan have sizzling chemistry.Their banters were so entertaining and adorable. Morgan's best friend and younger brothers quickly flocked around Caroline and even nicknamed her Care Bear, I mean, how cute is that!! 😭 The found family vibes in this are so previous. There are tons of references from the office, and LOTR sprinkled throughout, which made this book even better 🫶🏽
The plot was very engaging, and the slow burn romance was 🤌🏼✨️ I'm so glad I picked this up. Waiting for book 2 is going to be so hard but worth it.
July 2, 2024
I’m hesitant to admit I read this book. It’s basically a long dialogue of snarky comments and unconvincing antagonism between the two love interests. It has a weak plot and contrived romance. The editing is poor with many grammatical errors throughout. I decided to stop reading it and select something more profitable at least a half dozen times… and yet, I kept reading.
It should really be 3 stars… but that somehow seems a hypocritical rating given that I finished it in a day and a half. So WHY did I continue reading it despite my ongoing decision to stop? I choose not to ponder that question too deeply…
Content:
The language and romance is clean, despite some light sexual innuendos in the dialogue. Surprisingly enough, there are numerous pro-Christian references throughout the book, with mentions of praying, God’s will, and even the world needing Jesus Christ (and a therapist).
It should really be 3 stars… but that somehow seems a hypocritical rating given that I finished it in a day and a half. So WHY did I continue reading it despite my ongoing decision to stop? I choose not to ponder that question too deeply…
Content:
The language and romance is clean, despite some light sexual innuendos in the dialogue. Surprisingly enough, there are numerous pro-Christian references throughout the book, with mentions of praying, God’s will, and even the world needing Jesus Christ (and a therapist).
June 26, 2023
This book. Y’all, this book. To say I devoured it would be putting it mildly.
It’s a clean, urban fantasy with plenty of swoon-worthy moments and characters that I fell in love with. It’s fun, it’s witty, it’s sassy and I cannot wait to read the second one.
This ends with a happy ending and a slight cliffhanger. Enough to appease our romantic hearts, but still leave us wanting the second book. I cannot wait to continue the journey with these characters.
It was dual first person POV and I thought it was done really well. It wasn’t confusing and I knew who was narrating the chapter by tone, even if they hadn’t been labeled.
The setting was brilliantly done, melding fantasy with current day USA. The pop culture references were on point and I loved them.
Overall, get it. Get it now.
It’s a clean, urban fantasy with plenty of swoon-worthy moments and characters that I fell in love with. It’s fun, it’s witty, it’s sassy and I cannot wait to read the second one.
This ends with a happy ending and a slight cliffhanger. Enough to appease our romantic hearts, but still leave us wanting the second book. I cannot wait to continue the journey with these characters.
It was dual first person POV and I thought it was done really well. It wasn’t confusing and I knew who was narrating the chapter by tone, even if they hadn’t been labeled.
The setting was brilliantly done, melding fantasy with current day USA. The pop culture references were on point and I loved them.
Overall, get it. Get it now.
March 31, 2024
Whole lota internal monolog and feelings
Storyline needs to move quicker with less internal dialog and thinking/talking about the characters' feelings, especially at inappropriate times in the story, like in the middle of a battle scene. Started off strong, ended kind of weak.
Storyline needs to move quicker with less internal dialog and thinking/talking about the characters' feelings, especially at inappropriate times in the story, like in the middle of a battle scene. Started off strong, ended kind of weak.
July 13, 2023
I love urban fantasy and trying to find a clean book is hard so I was so happy to read Rachel’s book-and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I love Morgan and Care💛 he’s so cute trying to fight the mate-bond. You really feel for Care as she’s unique (no spoilers!) and feels so alone. I’m looking forward to more of the found family as Morgan and his brothers take her in🥰 cannot wait for the next book!
June 28, 2023
Another clean urban fantasy! 🎉
I love the unique cast of characters we meet, the found family aspects, and the banter! It’s filled with The Office references, amazing chemistry, and deep themes of trust, friendship, and self worth and forgiveness.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I love the unique cast of characters we meet, the found family aspects, and the banter! It’s filled with The Office references, amazing chemistry, and deep themes of trust, friendship, and self worth and forgiveness.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 14, 2023
Despite being way outside my usual genres of choice, this book was so much fun! It’s sweet & snarky filled with a cute dog, mystery, heists, stakeouts, and plenty of hilarious banter. Morgan & Caroline are great MCs, and I adored the cast of side characters. Can’t wait to return to this world in book 2!
(Also, the cover is beyond stunning & so perfect for the book! 😍)
(Also, the cover is beyond stunning & so perfect for the book! 😍)
July 14, 2023
Such a fun read!
This was a fun and hilarious read! I definitely had moments laughing out loud. I’m excited for book 2 and returning to these characters!
This was a fun and hilarious read! I definitely had moments laughing out loud. I’m excited for book 2 and returning to these characters!
February 2, 2024
I enjoyed this story.
Content: mild violence, innuendo, a couple swear words
Content: mild violence, innuendo, a couple swear words
May 13, 2024
It's been a while since I've read a book that I legitimately enjoyed reading, so congrats to this book for breaking the streak.
Honestly, I just had a string of thoughts while reading this book, so here are those thoughts in no particular order:
1. This book is a light, fun read with a lively and humorous tone. It isn't one of those books that takes itself too seriously. While it does have its moments of seriousness, the book never tries to bring the mood down or force the reader to contemplate the meaning of the universe.
2. I feel like authors put a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the book so that later when the reader doesn't like anything, the author can be like, "Heheh, you silly goose, didn't you read the trigger warnings? You knew what you were getting into." Which is exactly what happened to me. I was like, "Eh... I don't know how I feel about this ten year age gap." Then I remembered I was literally warned about it before starting the book and chose to read it anyway.
3. That being said, the romance was actually okay. I liked how Morgan and Caroline's relationship was built off of having to figure out if their attraction to each other was because of the mate bond or because they genuinely liked the other person. Because as we all know, love is a choice. Now if these two lovebirds would finally admit their feelings and realize that "platonic best friends" do not act the way that these two do!!?
4. One trivial thing that really bothered me was that at one point a character is described as a black bear, but also as a large bear. So is the character a North American Black Bear, which are small for bears?? Or is the character built more like a grizzly but just happens to have black fur?? Explain please T-T
5. A bookish pet peeve of mine is when the FMC ignores logical and sound advice out of spite. In this case, Morgan tells Caroline that she is a spy, she does not know how to fight, and she gets butt-hurt about it. But like, Morgan is right?? Every time, in this book, Caroline ends up in a physical altercation, she loses.
6. That being said, one thing I really liked about this book is the clear character arc in both Morgan and Caroline. That is all I'll say about that.
7. The ending seemed rushed and too convenient. And that is all I'll say about that.
8. The worldbuilding was creative and thought-out. It was interesting seeing this author's take on traditional paranormal creatures and how she incorporated them into her world.
9. The book is no spice, which is great for me because I recently went on a rant about how I couldn't find any books with adults protagonists and no spice. Guys, I found the middle of the Venn diagram!! This book is the perfect level of flirting, innuendo, and attraction without ever veering into lustful or objectifying thoughts or actions.
10. I'm just gonna leave this quote here and you can decide for yourself if you want to read this book...
Honestly, I just had a string of thoughts while reading this book, so here are those thoughts in no particular order:
1. This book is a light, fun read with a lively and humorous tone. It isn't one of those books that takes itself too seriously. While it does have its moments of seriousness, the book never tries to bring the mood down or force the reader to contemplate the meaning of the universe.
Hi, I'm an adult who doesn't know how to accept a compliment. Oh look! There's an entire generation of us, I feel better.
2. I feel like authors put a list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the book so that later when the reader doesn't like anything, the author can be like, "Heheh, you silly goose, didn't you read the trigger warnings? You knew what you were getting into." Which is exactly what happened to me. I was like, "Eh... I don't know how I feel about this ten year age gap." Then I remembered I was literally warned about it before starting the book and chose to read it anyway.
3. That being said, the romance was actually okay. I liked how Morgan and Caroline's relationship was built off of having to figure out if their attraction to each other was because of the mate bond or because they genuinely liked the other person. Because as we all know, love is a choice. Now if these two lovebirds would finally admit their feelings and realize that "platonic best friends" do not act the way that these two do!!?
4. One trivial thing that really bothered me was that at one point a character is described as a black bear, but also as a large bear. So is the character a North American Black Bear, which are small for bears?? Or is the character built more like a grizzly but just happens to have black fur?? Explain please T-T
5. A bookish pet peeve of mine is when the FMC ignores logical and sound advice out of spite. In this case, Morgan tells Caroline that she is a spy, she does not know how to fight, and she gets butt-hurt about it. But like, Morgan is right?? Every time, in this book, Caroline ends up in a physical altercation, she loses.
6. That being said, one thing I really liked about this book is the clear character arc in both Morgan and Caroline. That is all I'll say about that.
7. The ending seemed rushed and too convenient. And that is all I'll say about that.
8. The worldbuilding was creative and thought-out. It was interesting seeing this author's take on traditional paranormal creatures and how she incorporated them into her world.
9. The book is no spice, which is great for me because I recently went on a rant about how I couldn't find any books with adults protagonists and no spice. Guys, I found the middle of the Venn diagram!! This book is the perfect level of flirting, innuendo, and attraction without ever veering into lustful or objectifying thoughts or actions.
10. I'm just gonna leave this quote here and you can decide for yourself if you want to read this book...
"Sorry, your chesticles had me distracted for a second. I want to go stakeout the Alliance Building."
"My what had you distracted?"
"You know, your chesticle situation, all very manly and a little unexpected."
"Unexpected?" he demanded, glancing down at himself. "What part of this is unexpected? Did you think I looked like a sick Victorian boy under here?"
Did Not Finish
October 2, 2025DNF at 18% (about 80 pages)
Content up to 80 pages:
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. Lots of kicking and fighting. Character is kicked in the face, elbowed, and gets things thrown at them.
Sexual: Mild. There are a few innuendos. A neighbor says he'll seduce his wife into retirement by wearing his beret, and only his beret. There's a line about 'evil succubus, which...ew. And a few lines about hard abs, biceps, and physique stuff being 'hot'.
I got immediately turned off when mate bonds came into play.
Granted, this one touts that mate bonds aren't forced in this, it's a 'point you to the right person' type thing...but it still connects you and you can't reject it. So. Still forced. I loathe fated mates tropes, as I find it to be an utterly lazy way to do a relationship.
Before I even got to the mate bond part though, this book had loads of issues for me.
There is little to no set-up of this urban fantasy world other than an exposition deluge spouted between a meeting of shifters, where it would've been way more interesting if I'd gotten to know the world by actually hearing what was going on in the meeting. Oh, and side note? There was a Fitz, Finch, and Fritz or something like that. They were too close for me to latch on to any names to tell them apart.
The story delves right into action sequences, and gives us 'stakes' in the vaguest, quickest way possible. Caroline is our 'vigilante', taking down fantasy government corruption, and Morgan is the guy who catches her because he's getting suspicious eyes from everyone else that it's him doing the deed. But the thing is...that's all we know about both of them. And after Morgan kidnaps Caroline I just wondered what the plot was now. Getting her to stop? He just did that by kidnapping her. The entire thing just died right then and there. There is no bad guy or mystery to solve. It's just them. In his house. Yelling at each other while being instantly attracted because *mate bond*.
Sure there's lots of funny banter, but emotionally? Neither of them make sense. We're told Morgan has a horrible reputation, but has done absolutely nothing to show how that could be the case in the time we're introduced to him. Caroline is an extinct shifter that is all about saving others from feeling like they have to hide or be sidelined but the only personal thing shown is a call to her sister.
The 80 pages I read were...lackluster? I had hopes for this being a fun UF, especially seeing all the positive reviews. But I'm scratching my head at them from what little I could get through. The prose is 90% tell, 5% banter and 5% show. The pacing jumps from one attack to the next without really setting up tone for the world. It just seems like the author had a vague notion of an idea and then focused on getting lots of back-and-forth zingers from the main characters and trying to set up comedic moments based on how the two think each other are drop dead handsome/gorgeous and try not to let on they feel that way.
This falls short, and it's almost 400 pages? I know for sure and certain that it will drag. I just don't have the heart to force myself to keep trying to read this. I can tell it will just make me mad.
Content up to 80 pages:
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. Lots of kicking and fighting. Character is kicked in the face, elbowed, and gets things thrown at them.
Sexual: Mild. There are a few innuendos. A neighbor says he'll seduce his wife into retirement by wearing his beret, and only his beret. There's a line about 'evil succubus, which...ew. And a few lines about hard abs, biceps, and physique stuff being 'hot'.
I got immediately turned off when mate bonds came into play.
Granted, this one touts that mate bonds aren't forced in this, it's a 'point you to the right person' type thing...but it still connects you and you can't reject it. So. Still forced. I loathe fated mates tropes, as I find it to be an utterly lazy way to do a relationship.
Before I even got to the mate bond part though, this book had loads of issues for me.
There is little to no set-up of this urban fantasy world other than an exposition deluge spouted between a meeting of shifters, where it would've been way more interesting if I'd gotten to know the world by actually hearing what was going on in the meeting. Oh, and side note? There was a Fitz, Finch, and Fritz or something like that. They were too close for me to latch on to any names to tell them apart.
The story delves right into action sequences, and gives us 'stakes' in the vaguest, quickest way possible. Caroline is our 'vigilante', taking down fantasy government corruption, and Morgan is the guy who catches her because he's getting suspicious eyes from everyone else that it's him doing the deed. But the thing is...that's all we know about both of them. And after Morgan kidnaps Caroline I just wondered what the plot was now. Getting her to stop? He just did that by kidnapping her. The entire thing just died right then and there. There is no bad guy or mystery to solve. It's just them. In his house. Yelling at each other while being instantly attracted because *mate bond*.
Sure there's lots of funny banter, but emotionally? Neither of them make sense. We're told Morgan has a horrible reputation, but has done absolutely nothing to show how that could be the case in the time we're introduced to him. Caroline is an extinct shifter that is all about saving others from feeling like they have to hide or be sidelined but the only personal thing shown is a call to her sister.
The 80 pages I read were...lackluster? I had hopes for this being a fun UF, especially seeing all the positive reviews. But I'm scratching my head at them from what little I could get through. The prose is 90% tell, 5% banter and 5% show. The pacing jumps from one attack to the next without really setting up tone for the world. It just seems like the author had a vague notion of an idea and then focused on getting lots of back-and-forth zingers from the main characters and trying to set up comedic moments based on how the two think each other are drop dead handsome/gorgeous and try not to let on they feel that way.
This falls short, and it's almost 400 pages? I know for sure and certain that it will drag. I just don't have the heart to force myself to keep trying to read this. I can tell it will just make me mad.
July 20, 2026
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This book is first of the Shifter Alliance trilogy. It felt like a YA story.
Caroline is a unique kind of shifter though it isn’t exactly clear what she is until later in the book. She can use glamour to hide her appearance, and she also can cause people to have confused thoughts. She is a vigilante who finds out bad deeds about people on the Shifter Alliance council and reveals them. There is a movement to keep shifters from using their magic and she is trying to prevent that from happening.
Morgan, the head of the berserkers/bears, is being blamed for Caroline’s work. He decides to kidnap her to get her to work with him. It is not exactly a well thought out plan and he also asks a witch to bind Caroline to his house or to be with him.
Morgan has had a mate. When he meets Caroline, he realizes that she is his new mate and he wants to reject the idea. The mate bond allows the other to know what they are feeling. It also makes them trust the other. This helps build their relationship to a degree, but it felt like a plot device. I thought the relationship needed more development.
The book alternates between Morgan and Caroline’s point of view.
The author uses the word extort incorrectly.
I will not be continuing the series. I did not care for the book and rushed through it.
This book is first of the Shifter Alliance trilogy. It felt like a YA story.
Caroline is a unique kind of shifter though it isn’t exactly clear what she is until later in the book. She can use glamour to hide her appearance, and she also can cause people to have confused thoughts. She is a vigilante who finds out bad deeds about people on the Shifter Alliance council and reveals them. There is a movement to keep shifters from using their magic and she is trying to prevent that from happening.
Morgan, the head of the berserkers/bears, is being blamed for Caroline’s work. He decides to kidnap her to get her to work with him. It is not exactly a well thought out plan and he also asks a witch to bind Caroline to his house or to be with him.
Morgan has had a mate. When he meets Caroline, he realizes that she is his new mate and he wants to reject the idea. The mate bond allows the other to know what they are feeling. It also makes them trust the other. This helps build their relationship to a degree, but it felt like a plot device. I thought the relationship needed more development.
The book alternates between Morgan and Caroline’s point of view.
The author uses the word extort incorrectly.
I will not be continuing the series. I did not care for the book and rushed through it.
May 28, 2024
Pros:
-Really great beginning. The set up reminds me a lot of K.M. Shea's Magiford series.
-Fairly healthy relationship depiction. (This genre can be terrible about that, and this book isn't)
-Likable main characters.
-humor.
-Well developed and interesting world.
Cons:
-After the beginning, it gets kind of slow. It's about 100 pages longer than I thought it needed to be with repetition about the main characters' relationship.
-The unraveling of the mystery isn't very strong. Answering the question, "Who is the bad guy?" is just a matter of them revealing it, it's not really something that is hinted at or clever that the reader could figure out, which fell flat for me.
-While there are a more pros than cons, these two cons make me unlikely to continue the series. Relationship-wise it felt like the two main characters would wrap up their relationship stuff in this book, but they don't and I really just can't imagine going through two more books with the same pace.
It's a well written book.
-Really great beginning. The set up reminds me a lot of K.M. Shea's Magiford series.
-Fairly healthy relationship depiction. (This genre can be terrible about that, and this book isn't)
-Likable main characters.
-humor.
-Well developed and interesting world.
Cons:
-After the beginning, it gets kind of slow. It's about 100 pages longer than I thought it needed to be with repetition about the main characters' relationship.
-The unraveling of the mystery isn't very strong. Answering the question, "Who is the bad guy?" is just a matter of them revealing it, it's not really something that is hinted at or clever that the reader could figure out, which fell flat for me.
-While there are a more pros than cons, these two cons make me unlikely to continue the series. Relationship-wise it felt like the two main characters would wrap up their relationship stuff in this book, but they don't and I really just can't imagine going through two more books with the same pace.
It's a well written book.
March 14, 2026
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
3.25*
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
3.25*
First time read the author's work?: Yes
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
August 10, 2024
Interesting story
Interesting story. The back and forth between main character view points is well done and very insightful. There are a few spelling / word choice errors but not enough to distract from the story. The gradual unveiling of our main characters' layers is beautifully, touchingly done. The supporting characters are lively and interesting. The magic and species set-up here is different than any other "shifters" and/or urban fantasy I've read. Given the female main character's magic, close attention is paid to emotions and emotional shifts-- yet it all feels very believable. I'll probably read the next book but only if I don't find something better and get distracted. (A much more interesting [to me] series with a hiding elf begins with the book The King's Shadow ~ Magiford Supernatural City. Best shifter series I've ever read? Ghost Mountain Pack.)
Interesting story. The back and forth between main character view points is well done and very insightful. There are a few spelling / word choice errors but not enough to distract from the story. The gradual unveiling of our main characters' layers is beautifully, touchingly done. The supporting characters are lively and interesting. The magic and species set-up here is different than any other "shifters" and/or urban fantasy I've read. Given the female main character's magic, close attention is paid to emotions and emotional shifts-- yet it all feels very believable. I'll probably read the next book but only if I don't find something better and get distracted. (A much more interesting [to me] series with a hiding elf begins with the book The King's Shadow ~ Magiford Supernatural City. Best shifter series I've ever read? Ghost Mountain Pack.)
April 15, 2024
it had potential, BUT I could not finish
I RARELY do not finish a book. Some part of me feels incomplete without knowing the end. I could not finish this one because the FMC made me so unreasonably angry. She has the power to look like anyone she has seen before and magically manipulate their emotions. She’s a vigilante with a mission to end governmental corruption, and Apparently there is no drawback to using said magic, no cost, it’s just part of her.
What does she do with this frankly OP magic? She. changes. her… hair!! A wig would do that. Maybe she starts using the brain she professes to have later in the book, but I couldn’t stick around.
I RARELY do not finish a book. Some part of me feels incomplete without knowing the end. I could not finish this one because the FMC made me so unreasonably angry. She has the power to look like anyone she has seen before and magically manipulate their emotions. She’s a vigilante with a mission to end governmental corruption, and Apparently there is no drawback to using said magic, no cost, it’s just part of her.
What does she do with this frankly OP magic? She. changes. her… hair!! A wig would do that. Maybe she starts using the brain she professes to have later in the book, but I couldn’t stick around.
June 6, 2024
Not for me
DNF @ 17%. I didn’t realize HOW YA this book would be. The interactions just didn’t make sense and everything seems really basic. Then I went to the reviews and see she’s being compared to KM Shea, and I realized this one just isn’t for me.
NOTHING wrong with this author or Shea. I’ve read all her Magiford series’, her Magical Rehabilitation series and the unfinished one about the video game, but I’ve grown up in the content I enjoy now… so authors like these don’t do it for me.
DNF @ 17%. I didn’t realize HOW YA this book would be. The interactions just didn’t make sense and everything seems really basic. Then I went to the reviews and see she’s being compared to KM Shea, and I realized this one just isn’t for me.
NOTHING wrong with this author or Shea. I’ve read all her Magiford series’, her Magical Rehabilitation series and the unfinished one about the video game, but I’ve grown up in the content I enjoy now… so authors like these don’t do it for me.
January 15, 2025
The Shifter Alliance world by Rachel E Scott has made me so happy. The first book is Stale Mate, and we get to know Morgan, the bear shifter representative who is a big brooding character. Then there is Caroline, the sneaky sarcastic last of her kind. There are fated mates (love how it shows up), kidnapping, and enemies to lovers with slow burn romance. The side characters are also neat to get to know.
If you are looking for another author to support and series to read, check this one out! It's delightful. Great GM read with no spice or language.
If you are looking for another author to support and series to read, check this one out! It's delightful. Great GM read with no spice or language.
February 25, 2024
Wow!
Stale-Mate was a fantastic story! This is the first book I've read by Rachel E Scott, but it certainly won't be the last. Caroline is such a firecracker, and Morgan is definitely the broody hero with a cinnamon roll inside. All the side characters are an absolute hoot! I love Care and Mor's banter and quips, and I CANNOT WAIT to read the next book in the series! In fact... why wait? ;D
Stale-Mate was a fantastic story! This is the first book I've read by Rachel E Scott, but it certainly won't be the last. Caroline is such a firecracker, and Morgan is definitely the broody hero with a cinnamon roll inside. All the side characters are an absolute hoot! I love Care and Mor's banter and quips, and I CANNOT WAIT to read the next book in the series! In fact... why wait? ;D
March 23, 2024
Snarky. Sassy. Quippy.
Ooh. A contemporary, paranormal-ish, fantasy-ish, romance with banter on nearly every page. Plus, for fans of quoting your favorite shows and referencing certain character from film, you will feel right at home. I loved all the little asides or direct quotes! (From what exactly I won’t spoil by expounding upon.)
I really liked this world of magic and shifters, and am excited for more of this story!
Ooh. A contemporary, paranormal-ish, fantasy-ish, romance with banter on nearly every page. Plus, for fans of quoting your favorite shows and referencing certain character from film, you will feel right at home. I loved all the little asides or direct quotes! (From what exactly I won’t spoil by expounding upon.)
I really liked this world of magic and shifters, and am excited for more of this story!
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