Rustic Beauty

An Omega's Preference #2

by N. Slater

Omega Kieran Woods’ seemingly picture-perfect life with three wonderful, doting mates that cater to his every need and twin boys is anything but. Beneath the veil, Kieran is struggling. Between a difficult birth and the looming shadow of Michael’s release, he feels like a burden rather than their perfect Omega. With Isaias away on a job, Terrence studying for his last exam, and Joel trying to keep the pack together, Kieran refuses to add his worries to the mix. What’s stopping Michael from taking him another time or goddess forbid, his little boys?
Add in the appearance of Joel’s estranged sister, Nala, who has answers about Kieran’s childhood that could very well pull their pack apart and everything begins to spiral out of control. As nightmares come to light and truths are revealed, will Kieran finally be able to face the monster of his past? Will Joel succeed in protecting his pack and bringing them closer together? Will they finally find their happy ending or are they doomed to suffer with each moment they spend strangled by their demons?

Rustic Beauty is a dark MMMM omegaverse and is the second installment of Omega's Preference. It is intended for mature audiences and cannot be read as a standalone. HEA guaranteed.

Genres: Omegaverse, Romance, LGBT, M M Romance, M M M, Polyamory, Fantasy

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2024

About the author

African American. Indie Author. Chaos Writer.
Polyamorous & Found Family Stories Brought to Life.
From PRN to fantasy, contemporary to dark & twisted, there's a little something for everyone.

Current Taboo Romance ~ Vows and Venom Links:
Preorder here ~ https://tinyurl.com/vowsandvenom
Buy here (Releasing April 1st) ~ https://books2read.com/u/bwleNy

Reviews

[Ash’s reading corner ✨🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️

I bit too long. Some parts felt like they could be shorter, but aside from that, it was still as good as the first installment 👀

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 (Rounded to 4 this time)

Plot: 3/5
Spice: 4/5 (Again, sheer number of scenes, kink)
Characters: 4/5

Overall reco:
So this one is tricky. The story in this one was interesting and frustrating (in a good way). It was very tense and while there were still a TON of spice scenes (to the point that I started skipping a few) the story going on behind that was interesting. I had a hard time putting it down to do other things because I wanted to know what the fuck Michael's issue was. And while we found out, it didn't really feel like it was explained enough. Like I get that it was the POCA and he was just an agent working for them but like.. did he want to keep Keiran? He kept Keiran for years I thought. It would have been nice to have more flashback from Keiran to sort of explain Michael's behavior better but *shrug*.
I'm not sure if I will read Nala's story. I might at some point but I think I'm reaching the end of my current need to read OV and while I had questions around the end of Keiran's story I don't know if I'm invested enough to continue.
I probably will read more from N. Slater in the future. Their style is interesting and some of the complaints I had in the first book did not happen in this one.

[LaTosha Webber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finishing Touch

This was an ok ending. Part of me feels like to big of a deal was made about Michael being well connected and things being apart of a bigger issue just to have it all turn out to be nothing. Like there was a plan and the author just wasn’t interested in pursuing it anymore. I like the idea of the rare/non typical omega though and this was a cool take on the concept. I did find myself getting a little bored so I won’t be moving on to book 3 any time soon.

[ChristiLovesBooks_smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rustic Beauty, book 2 of the series Omega’s Preference, by N. Slater @slater.47. First off, I am a new fan of N. Slater’s & this book was awesome!

My goodness! This was such a great book! I loved that Kierarn was able to handle his old “alpha” by himself. The love that this pack has for each other is just fantastic. I loved this conclusion for Kieran, Joel, Isias & Ren. If you like MM & Omegaverse, this is the book for you!

[Ashley -Goldstarreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are back with Kieran and his mates for book 2. Now we see Kieran after his pregnancy and with 4 month old twins. Ren is studying to get his degree in social work, Joel is the father of the twins and still trying to find his place and Isaias starts the story out back in Grimsby finishing the last bit of questions to close the case from attack with Michael. In this second book, Kieran is still struggling with what he went through and leaning on his pack, he doesn’t feel safe and is overly paranoid and wants to protect his babies. Ren is still healing from the Austin fiasco. Joel is getting calls from unknown numbers. Isaias is angry about his mates being harmed and nothing being done about it. Lots of emotions. Lots of angsty feelings that they are slowly working through. So much babies cuteness and love, passion and sex. Isaias is the dream Alpha, putting his mates first, protecting them, loving and nurturing them. Joel is the typical beta where he feels he doesn’t belong but trying to find his place. Ren and Kieran tho break their molds. Ren is more like an omega. And tho Kieran is more dominant, he still has some omega qualities. These four are so perfect for one another. My only complaint is that it felt like Ren wasn’t the center like they said he would be in book 1. I get a lot has happened with Kieran so his issues are in our face but Ren is still healing too and sometimes it felt like he was in the background too much. This story felt like it revolved more around Kieran and Joel, with some Isaias and Ren sprinkled in. I still thoroughly enjoyed this story. The writing was very well done. The guys all were amazing. And I loved the plot.

[Emma Bakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the perfect end.

I love the relationships in this book. Isaias is such support for his pack picking up what they need when they need it. I loved that Joel’s insecurities were explored in this book. Loved Kieran he hold the story together a brilliant mix of dominance and vulnerability.

Would have loved more from ren and how he was coping following the first book. The spice was good and flowed. Nothing is forced in this book.

Looking forward to Nalas story and hopefully seeing these guys again.

[Dani (criesinanxiety) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always check the TWs!!!


I’m loving the non traditional pack so much! I’m so happy they got their happy ending, I was getting heated in some moments but it all played out well 🥹
I’m so interested in seeing Nala story! I definitely think she was a nice addition to the story!

Favorite Quote: “The scars he left aren’t physical ones. Not all wounds can be seen…”

Recommend if you like…
~ M/M/M/M
~ Dark Romance
~ Omegaverse (w/ mpreg)
~ Knotting/Heats
~ 4 POVs

(I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a perfect ending to Kieran’s story🥹

I loved this book. The author writes about postpartum depression in the most real way & it’s so relatable as someone who has had PPA and PPD. Anyone who reads this who has had PPD will feel seen.

The only thing that I wish was there was a little bit more action. All of the action happened at the very end with quick resolution. I felt like everyone was feeling these big emotions but they all refused to talk about them.

I wish I could keep reading about this pack, BUT I’m super excited to read Nala’s story next and figure out all about the POCA story line.

[Alyssa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a perfect ending to the duet! It gave you your ups and downs and gave you that HEA most people crave! I know I do! Can’t wait for N Slaters next piece of work!

[Heather Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect

The was a great second part and perfect ending to kieran,ren ,Joel and Isaias story. I felt the love and the fear and the anger I wanted to jump into the book at a couple of spots lol I can't wait for the next story

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending for Kieran, Ren, Joel, and Isaias!! Beautifully written, moments of suspense, loving scenes between the pack. Michael finally got what he deserved!! Leo and Elias were adorable and I cannot wait for Nala and Zahria’s story!!

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️

[Dylan Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm rating this a 2.5 stars, rounding up on Goodreads because I love Nala so much.

So, this was a difficult read for me. I really enjoyed Woodland Appeal despite the way it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and Bite of Spice was enjoyable enough. However, I really found Rustic Beauty to be lacking in a lot of ways, and I found this novel to be a disappointment compared to Woodland Appeal.

Some spoilers below:

Now, I love erotic romance. I've been reading erotic romance almost since I began reading romance in general, and I love books that have a lot of erotic content in them. However, I feel like this story has too many sex scenes, especially in the beginning of the story when Isaias is still away. I understand to some degree that the plot can't really happen without him at the house, but it sort of felt like not much headway was being made in the relationship, and so the sex scenes were sort of just filling up the pages until Isaias came along and the story could properly begin.

I found myself frustrated at the lack of on-page difficult converastions the characters had with each other. In Woodland Appeal, there were conversations. Everyone opened up and talked to each other about what bothered them, even when it wasn't easy, because they needed to communicate to establish their relationship. In Rustic Beauty, it felt like there was an awful lot of saying they knew they needed to talk, but then also saying they didn't want to/weren't ready/would do it later. I found this especially sad because I was looking forward to seeing Kieran healing after everything he went through, and it seems like most of that happened off-page during the timeskip.

Now, this is not to say that healing doesn't take time. I just wish the conversations they needed to have had been more present, and that they'd used sex less to distract each other from having them. I feel like both could have been accomplished, but I felt like the former wasn't present often.

I was really looking forward to Michael getting dealt with after everything he did in Woodland Appeal, but I honestly felt like having him be this malnourished, sort of weakened version of himself took away some of his bite. Michael felt really scary in the first book because he was scary. He was someone who frightened Kieran and who had terrorized him forever. But here, he just seems sort of pitiful? I know this is probably to put more of the focus on the organization behind his actions, but it really made his inevitable fate feel anticlimactic.

I just wish there had been more.

I have two things, however, that I have a massive problem with in this book: Ren's refusal to honor Kieran's clearly-set boundaries and a comment that Joel makes in his head.

Ren and Kieran are both victims of sexual assault and rape. When Kieran makes it clear multiple times that he doesn't want Ren to touch his nipples and Ren ignores this, it really comes off super uncomfortably. I understand this was likely meant in a teasing and playful way, but because the trauma of these two characters is fresh enough to still be mentioned often in the story, and is a pretty big focal point for Kieran, it just made me feel bad. It also seemed out of character for Ren, given that everyone has been very careful of his boundaries and making sure he's comfortable, to decide that Kieran's comfort is not really all that important to him.

Joel, at one point in the novel, thinks to himself that the world caters to Alphas and Omegas, and he doesn't know his place in the world. I understand that it might have just been a flippant comment, and at least he only thinks it, but... The world clearly does not cater to Omegas. In fact, a large part of the plot concerns itself with the mistreatment of Omegas and how much is just allowed to happen to them. Isaias even makes a comment that Kieran is only allowed some peace because he's pregnant, because Omegas are only important when they're carrying babies. I feel like it was a really short-sighted comment on Joel's part, and it feels out of character for him as well to simply not even acknowledge that was a weird way to feel. I know people last out sometimes in their thoughts, but Joel is just not really that kind of person. At least, he doesn't come across that way.

I do love Nala, though, and I'm still optimistic the next book will be good. I really like Zahria in both books and I love Xylo's attitude, so I will be reading the next book later this year despite not really enjoying this one very much.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed reading this duology and Rustic Beauty did not disappoint in providing a happily ever after for Kieran and his unconventional pack. These characters are so easy to love!

Being witness to Kieran's growth as a character as he learns to navigate life after his rather unfortunate past was so inspiring. Life is always filled with challenges and seeing characters start to overcome them is always a great experience.

That being said, I would have loved to have seen even more growth from Kieran throughout this story, but at the same time understand that healing takes time. It would have done wonders to further Kieran's relationship with his pack, if he began to open up a little more and allow them to help him navigate his trauma. I would hope that after over a year together, Kieran would be more willing to talk, especially pending an investigation that his experiences might provide more information for.

I would have loved to have seen a greater exploration of Joel and Ren's trauma as well throughout this book, as it was briefly touched on, but never fully discussed. If anything, I think that Joel and Ren opening up about their traumatic experiences might have encouraged Kieran to feel a little safer in doing so for himself.

We got a little more from Joel throughout this book than we did in the first installment, however the reader didn't really get to see him fully work through his emotions after being attacked and also didn't really get a resolution in regard to Joel finding his pace in the pack/struggling with feeling adequate. Every time this came up, if felt like other pack members would distract him into romantics while proverbially sweeping his feelings about this under the rug. I understand that he wants a place and wants to feel needed, but I would have liked to have seen further development verbally on this issue.

I would have loved to see Ren discuss his feelings a little more as well, again it just felt like there was a lack of discussion about these issues with Ren refusing to open up. We see Ren's growth physically in this aspect, but I would have loved to have seen a hashed-out discussion that helped Ren towards healing.

I really had no issues with Isais but would have loved to have seen him doing a little more investigative work into a Michael despite not having permission, given his profession.

The ending and resolution of this story felt a little rushed for me, however I do love a good HEA. I would have loved to have seen greater exploration into Michael's past, as well as glean more information on his involvement with POCA. It would have provided a lot more depth to the story if the reader had a little more information and perspective from Michael's side of things and would have made the ending much more thrilling if Kieran was able to gain more information from him prior to his death.
Honestly, I would have loved to have even seen a few chapters from Michael's perspective to get the inside scoop on his variety of crazy. I also have so many questions:
How did Michael get involved with POCA?
When did he decide that he wanted to start preying on Kieran?
Was he ever going to attempt to sell Kieran or was his plan always to keep him?
Why was it so pertinent that he delivered an Omega to POCA?
If he really cared for Kieran, then was he always so unkind to him?
Why was he so emaciated in the end? A reflection of what who he had become? A loss of sanity in his fixation? His time in prison? Or some sort of punishment from POCA?

My hope is that these questions will be resolved in Nala's installment, or maybe they'll even find a journal from Michael during their investigation into him and POCA as a whole to fill in these gaps for the reader. I can't wait to see what N. Slater comes up with and to learn more about Nala and her involvement with Michael/ the POCA investigation.

Overall, I have enjoyed this book and have fallen in love with the characters. I think that's the largest part of why I wish character emotions and traumatic experiences were discussed further, I just wanted to see more from characters that I love. I can't wait to see little glimpses back into their lives in the next installment.

[Gale MR · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the darkest night comes the brightest day. The author has perfectly captured the vibe of this quote in Rustic beauty. Kieran has spent most of his adult life with the threat of his ex boyfriend reappearance, looming over his shoulder - the memories of violence and abuse, a painful stamp on his life, haunting his dreams and crippling his ability to create closer connections. The continuation of Woodland appeal, where Kieran miraculously found a pack of his own, is all about healing, comfort and nurturing the created bonds between him and his alphas while living in the shadow of fear that his unhinged ex will reappear and smash the fragile feeling of happiness that is slowly sneaking in into his heart and life. Joel, Ren and Isaias are doing everything possible to help him adjust and feel safe which isn't an easy task especially after the birth of the twins - an unexpected gift nobody expected due to Kieran's unusual biology and the abuse he was subjected to for many years. The story is a real roller coaster of emotions that slowly move from dark to light. But what stands out most vividly is the overarching sense of warmth created by the pack as a whole and based on love, acceptance and respect. The challenges and hardships that Kieran and his alphas face in this book help them become a true pack - a close-knit family, brought together by chance and trauma, but cohesive and strong after overcoming all the obstacles along the way. The story is bittersweet and inspiring, a stellar example of the endurance, perseverance and resilience of the human mind.

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favourite Quote: "Use me, Omega. Give me your pain and your worries, your nightmares. Let go."

Rating: 🪓🪓🪓🪓🪓/5

Why I read it: I adored book one, and I absolutely HAD to get to the pack's HEA.

What I loved:
• The refreshingly genuine representation of Postpartum Anxiety, and Nala helping Kieran have time with his men
• There was an almost constant threat throughout this book, and I felt like it did a brilliant job of keeping me really locked in and engaged with the story
• Omega-branded justice AGAIN

The vibe: This book felt darker than the first one. It dealt with overcoming trauma and healing, but also seeing the pack blossom and their relationships grow stronger despite everything. It was very light at the end of a really crappy tunnel. Jonah also shone in this book, diving into how our sweet Beta feels and where he fits in the group.

Who it’s for: Everyone who read book one and thought, "But Michael didn't get his ass beat!" As with the first book, make sure to check the content warning before diving in, as many are on page.

[Clary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rustic Beauty is the perfect conclusion to Kieran's story. It will walk you through Kieran dealing and coping with his trauma, the difficulties of early parenting, and the loving support Joel, Isaias and Ren provide him and each other. I love seeing how the guys relationships grow and bloom becoming a true family. Kieran's protective and dominant nature is at the forefront finding the satisfaction of being able to be his true self, knowing that he has the unconditional love of his pack. New characters are introduced, conspiracies are discovered, and loving bonds are strengthened. A perfectly satisfying conclusion and a happily ever after give Kieran's story the perfect ending I was hoping for. The only thing I'm sad about, is not having more Kieran stories to look forward to, but I can't wait to see what else N. Slater brings to the table. I definitely recommend this book.

[Rachael Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love these four. Kieran, Ren, Isaias, and Joel........they really all fit together perfectly. This book contains not only Kieran having issues 4 months postpartum, but also the uncertainty of what is to come as Michael is again released. Isaias is overall the best Alpha as in he loves his pack so much, he is willing to go outside the norms on so many accounts. Ren may be my favorite character of all. Add in the fact that Joel's sister, Nala, makes an appearance, and it helps put the pieces together on why Michael is so obsessed.

The only thing I wish was that there was more information when Kieran began to remember snippets of his childhood.

Cannot wait to read about Nala and what I hope is the formation of her pack.

[Mama's Reading List · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great conclusion to the first book and little novella! I loved that Kieran had to find his own strength. He finally got to face his past and his villain.
I like the addition of Joel's sister however I feel like she kinda came out of nowhere so I wish she would have been mentioned in the first book or brought up a little more organically.
Oh sweet babies I loved seeing them as dads! Then dealing with the fears and added omega hormones and adjustments was cool, I can appreciate that it wasn't just an easy transition.

[Therese · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it was gonna get better but it didn’t, even when it was such a short story it took 3 days to finish. I had a hard time understanding the wording and I think there was a few too many times there was a mix up with names. The story was strained at best. How Michael even found Nala is beyond me cause he and Kieran lived in a whole ass nother state than Nala and Joel. It made it really far fetched. And we don’t really get much insight to anything. This felt like a dream where you don’t get the whole story cause you’re just expected to know it already.

[Casiddie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute stunning send off to end these characters stories. As a mother, Kieran's worries and anxieties were so relatable and validating.

Kieran was able to get closure for his trauma and can now start his true healing journey knowing his family is with him and he can lean on them always.

As always the spice was spicing. The insight into the next book of this series has me anxious and eager to know more. But Kieran was my first Mpreg and will always hold a piece of my heart.

[Simera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an emotional end to the drama that Kieran has gone through. Dealing with the emotions of having twins, a really rough birth, and Micheal still out there to cause more harm is sending Kieran's emotions all ov er the place.
The love between Kieran, Joel, Ren and Isaias is off the pages.
There is closure, drama, Joel's sister appears, finally Micheal gets what he deserves and so much love.

[Bianca Pluym · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I got to read the rest of this pack.

With the constant threat, this book is incredibly exciting.
It is also wonderful to read how the pack develops as threats keep coming their way.

How they interact with each other so that everyone gets the chance to heal in a world where their pack is unconventional is beautiful and contributes to several deep emotions that you just feel while reading this book.
Their love for each other and the spice just jumps off my screen.

[Hazel Haze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole!!!! Being witness to Kieran's growth as a character after his unfortunate past was so inspiring. I never grow tired of reading your books. you always find new ways to impress me with your skills in story making lol. The growth, the characters chemistry, the plot, everything was just amazing!!!

[Amber Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t want it to end and I knew it had to at some point and N. Slater gave this book the perfect end! It was amazing. The character development was amazing! The story was beautiful. It was truly a fantastic book and I loved it! I felt so many emotions reading this book and I am grateful I got the chance to read and review this book!

[Johnsons Buzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omega Oh My

Kieran is probably my favorite of the pack!!! This book kind of took me through the wringer with the angst but I stayed for the ride. Michael was the worst and he received everything he deserved. The intro of Nala made my heart melt and now I’m on to her story.​

[Linda Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

book review

Awe these characters were just amazing. I loved this series and can’t wait to read about the twins. I truly enjoyed the fact that ren and keiran didn’t fit the mold of their designations

[Kiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book was so amazing and how the ending happened it was epic I loved every second of reading this book and couldn't put it down no matter what I had to finish it

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the way everything ended for Kieran. The story was easy to read

[jasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not gonna lie I skimmed through quite a bit of this… the writing isn’t bad but I don’t think this series is for me. Definitely won’t be continuing it.

[Jennifer Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awe these characters were just amazing. I loved this series and can’t wait to read about the twins. I truly enjoyed the fact that ren and keiran didn’t fit the mold of their designations