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First Heat

Allie and the Alpha

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Being an omega was not in Allie’s plan. She’s never been kissed, let alone gotten spicy with anyone, and now her first heat is coming up fast. Turning to the heat clinic as a last resort, she reluctantly chooses a Heat Helper named Sidney to help her navigate the lust-filled haze of her designation grabbing the reins. Between his charming smile, kind eyes, and thorough experience, she doesn’t stand a chance resisting the handsome alpha. Even though her expectations may shift as they ride out her heat together, a cold reality is waiting on the other falling in love wasn't in her plan either.
Now, after years of missed connections and longing, fate has a new plan for Sidney and Allie. Every whispered wish and quiet dream comes roaring back when the two are unexpectedly reunited, the same white-hot sparks from her heat in tow. But this time, the universe is going to play dirty. It's time for this charismatic alpha and blossoming omega to claim the happiness they've both been longing for.
Sidney and Allie is an amalgamation of First Heat, First Second Chances, and First Tying the Knot, with significant new additions and revisions.

498 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2024

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Sierra Cassidy

25 books119 followers

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5 stars
24 (40%)
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10 (16%)
3 stars
20 (33%)
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5 (8%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Lyrik.
976 reviews80 followers
June 12, 2025
This is the way to a do sweet and low-angst omegaverse. Sidney & Allie's relationship, and the world as whole, was not perfect, but a more idealized version of reality. The characters talked like real people instead of in an OTT and sickening Hallmark movie way. I was worried how the time apart was going to be handled. Thankfully it was short (page-wise) and we see both characters got on with their life. They did think about and want each other, but neither was in a state of longing or heartbreak. Sidney was a dream of an Alpha and bond partner: supportive and caring. Allie was lively and open. All of the sex (and there was a lot!) was well written and creative. I really enjoyed the time I spent with these characters.

MF
Allie - Omega - Honeysuckle and Ginger
Sidney - Alpha - Citrus and Cloves - Kitten

First Heat, Accidental Bonding, Good Boy, Pegging
Profile Image for Pinkitnl.
1,407 reviews53 followers
Read
December 21, 2024
** DNF **

This is sweet and spicy, but i'm a 38% and i'm bored....so dnf :-(

OW/OM Safety Spoiler:
Profile Image for Emma.
786 reviews27 followers
May 19, 2025
“You have a big, beautiful heart, and I’m grateful every day that you opened it to me. The world needs more people who love as large as you do.”

✔️M/F contemporary sweet omegaverse romance
✔️first heat
✔️second chance
✔️accidental bonding
✔️no 3rd act breakup

2.75⭐️ rounded up

This book starts off so great and has so much promise (the FMC’s first heat section, or the first third or so, is the strongest for sure), but along the way lost me just a little bit. I think the biggest downfall to this book is the fact that it was originally three novellas that were put together into one story and you can tell. Each section has a slightly different vibe though it retains the fluffy/low angst feel overall, but both the FMC’s dialogue and the spice become more juvenile and cringy as the book goes on. That said, I love a good low angst book and this is so low angst that there is essentially none.

I haven’t read many M/F contemporary OV books, so that was a bit of a change for me but I didn’t dislike it. The idea of forming a pack comes up in the story, but it wasn’t a given or expected, it was just one possible option and this couple did what was best for them. This book has all the “standard” OV tropes (scent sensitivity, nesting, bonding, heat, etc) but there are some differences from the majority of stories I’ve read (knotting can only happen during heat, mates are almost unheard of but also seemingly no big deal?). I like how the second chance aspect was tackled — there was no drama (there is no breakup), the four year time jump was very quick, and we get minimal details about what happened during those years so there is no jealousy or stress. Like I said before, my major complaint is the fact that the FMC seemed to become more immature as she got older and her dialogue got progressively more juvenile. The spice, while well written at first, becomes cringy and tedious to read the further you get into the book and while the pacing of those scenes would work fine if this was split back into novellas it doesn’t work in a 400+ page book.

I really wanted to like this and will likely reread the first third or so when I want to jump back into this world and revisit these characters, but I don’t see myself coming back to it in its entirety, and I wouldn’t say this is my first choice if you’re looking for a book with these tropes/vibes.
Profile Image for Stamatina Vatikioti.
166 reviews1 follower
April 20, 2024
Now , what did I just read???????? First of Sierra changed my mind about how omegaverse can be, like a lot!!!! I've never read and omegaverse story as sweet as this one! It's my first book from this author but I NEED to read them all after this book. The love and fluff and growth I read about was phenomenal!

Allie is a first timer in heat and everything that follows it, she still has her v card to every aspect of that matter, kissing, heat, haze, intimacy.... She is extremely shy but she knows what she wants deep inside. And her heat helper guides her to that finish line exceptionally, so we see her bloom absolutely beautifully.

Sidney is the said heat helper(and a nurse in the same clinic). He is so caring and loving and thoughtful and kind and golden hearted....He fosters puppies!!!!!!!!!!!(until they find their forever home). He takes care of Allie all the way in her first heat, unlocking her desires, herself and her needs. And by doing so we get to enjoy a week of scorching hot smexy times, sweetness and care and emotions developing. So much that he gets scared and for her protection he is keeping himself away from her and been in pain.

The whole story is magnificent, the writing is touching you heart, pulling you deep in the plot, you feel what they feel, you fall in love with them, you experience their insecurities, their fears, their agony pain, you laugh.....they are the absolute couple and I love that they go from strangers, to mates, from shyness to sex Gods/Goddess to dorks! They are funny and sweet and I love that they experiment with their needs, with toys(him on her and her on him) and they don't let misunderstandings between them, they communicate in the most healthy way, they care about each other and they show it in every possible way and at any time.

Allie is the strongest person from the begining,even though extremely shy and introvert but what she wants she will get and Sidney....what can I say for this absolutely marvelous Alpha!a real dream Alpha for any and every omega or beta girl out there....A dominant, kincky, dirty talking golden retriever, cinnamon roll... Read the book and I guarantee you will fall eternally in love with this couple
Profile Image for Jessica.
161 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2024
"𝕊𝕥𝕦𝕡𝕚𝕕 𝕤𝕖𝕩𝕪 𝕡𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕪-𝕤𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕝𝕡𝕙𝕒." - 𝔸𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕖

"𝔹𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕝. 𝔻𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕡𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕘𝕒 𝕧𝕚𝕣𝕘𝕚𝕟." - 𝕊𝕚𝕕𝕟𝕖𝕪

What to Expect
🖤 Virgin Omega
🖤 An Alpha w/ a Heart of Gold
🖤 Toys are Friends
🖤 Pegging
🖤 Sweet Omegaverse w/ Low-Angst
🖤 Puppies!!!!

If you've read the First Heat series, you will be familiar with parts of this story, but Sierra has dramatically expanded it to almost double the word count. I had not read the series, so I went into this with just what little I know about them from Nicky & The Night Owls.

Sidney may be my favorite alpha ever, and that's saying a lot because I've read a ton of Omegaverse books. From the second he meets Allie, he is the kindest and most considerate man; once he gets her home for her first everything, he's the BEST teacher. This man could read her like a book, and seeing how in tune he was with Allie was lovely. I'm trying to think of something he did that made me question him, but I'm coming empty.

When we first meet Allie, she's adorable, intelligent, and a bit innocent because she chooses to focus on her studies and not on guys. She's awkward in a way that reminded me so much of myself when I was that age, which helped me connect with her character more. Years later, when we see her again, she's more assertive and sure of herself but still has the same adorableness.

Spice for days! DAYS! S & A explore so many different things because Allie wants to try them, and I absolutely love that for them. Sidney has a treasure chest of toys and other items to enhance their spicy times together and eases Allie into using those items, be it him using them on her or her getting to use things on him. They communicate so well (in and out of the bedroom) and still manage to keep it fun and sexy.

I loved every second of this book and highly recommend it if you enjoy spicy, low-angst romance.
Profile Image for Alex B.
40 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2024
Sweet does not even cover how great this book was. If you are looking for extremely low angst between two adorably sweet people, this is the book for you. We start following 19-year-old Allie Carmichael as she visits an Omega heat clinic to help her pick out a heat helper, an Alpha who is designated to help her during her first heat. When she begins the process, one sniff of a canister of citrus and cloves brings her to her knees. Enter Sidney Marino, puppy fosterer, heat helper and nurse who has worked for the clinic for years. When they meet, both are immediately affected by the other. After a passion filled heat where both are so overcome with need to be with one another outside of the heat, Sidney makes the ultimate sacrifice and bans Allie from being his client; knowing that it is illegal for a heat helper to date a client within two years of their heat. Four years go by before they bump into each other again. To say their obsession only grew with time is an understatement. Not only do you get the warm and fuzzies from this book, but you probably will also need to take a cold shower from all the spicy scenes. Sierra Cassidy did a great job making you fall in love with not only the main characters but the supporting characters. I can’t wait to read more of this series!!
Profile Image for Allie.
51 reviews
March 12, 2025
Meh… like others have said it was way too sweet and cheesy. I like the more comforting “omegaverse” books but this one…no…the characters just had no depth at all. Sidney was like… a hallmark movie guy escaped from the screen. He was like a hopeless romantic’s dream version of a man, but they’ve never actually met a human man in real life. Literally, just always perfect, never got angry or jealous or irritated or really ever experienced any emotion except apparently blind affection and lust. In his free time he spends money on shopping for Allie, saves puppies, and bakes cakes. Does not appear to have any other “Alpha” personality traits, despite the reader being frequently reminded that he is in fact an Alpha.

Allie’s personality was super-super-excited about everything all the time. She loves everything and everyone and she’s so excited to be doing whatever it is they’re doing that day. Getting a surprise milkshake at work gets the same level of unbelievable excitement that a $10,000 shopping spree does. I mean these characters were so unrelatable and boring.

There is a lot of spice and smut in this book but I even started to skim that because… again… it was somehow super boring. There’s gotta be a little more complexity or drama or conflict driving a storyline.
Profile Image for Kristin.
274 reviews1 follower
October 7, 2024
This is a sweet omegaverse. I enjoyed the first half, but the second half of the book is no plot just vibes. That’s not necessarily bad, but the ending felt drawn out.

Plot summary: Allie is a virgin omega going into her first heat. She matches with Sidney as her heat helper. The two share a connection and miss each other terribly afterward. Legal restrictions prevent a heat helper from dating an omega client for two years after a heat, so the two stay apart for several years before a chance encounter has them reconnecting.

Sidney is just a great guy and really supportive of Allie and letting her explore the physical aspects of being an omega.

I really liked that it's a kind of a fated mates situation but the characters are deliberate in deciding if they really want to be together or not, which is refreshing compared to the insta-love you get with scent matches in many omegaverse books.

If you want a warm fuzzy omegaverse novel without drama, this is it. But if you want drama or plot tension, this book is not going to satisfy.
Profile Image for Andrea Frankel.
308 reviews3 followers
May 18, 2024
Mixed opinions on this one. It was so absolutely, relentlessly sweet that I felt like I needed a shot of insulin to cope. It was like eating an all-day buffet of cotton candy and gummy bears. On the other hand, it was a nice counterbalance to all the nasty, abusive "romance", omegaverse and otherwise, that I keep encountering. Probably best consumed in small doses to clear the palate between darker, more angsty books. Wonderful wish fulfillment if you are craving a respectful, kind, attentive book boyfriend after a glut of grumpy alphaholes.

Lots and lots of smut, but a decided lack of drama so it felt like a " why bother" otherwise. It did feel a bit odd for omegaverse, in that there was a lack of nesting and knotting outside of her heat, and Sidney didn't really come across as an alpha outside of sex. But all was forgiven because puppies!
142 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2024
I first heard of Sierra Cassidy in an anthology I read a few months ago, and I immediately started following her socials and signed up for her newsletter! After reading a full-length novel by her, I am so glad I that I did!

Sidney and Allie are everything you could possibly ask for in a romance. We’ve got sweetness, puppies, spice, love, laughter, second chances, and happily ever after. As long as we’re not talking about the impossibility of Omegaverse, each situation in this book is something that could happen in reality. I absolutely love this one, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!
Profile Image for Between The Covers .
497 reviews12 followers
April 17, 2024
This was such a great read! I enjoyed Sydney and Allie a lot. I loved reading about them together in the beginning, how it affected them being apart, and then getting to watch them grow together. Sydney was so caring towards Allie. There were times I laughed like crazy at their antics, teared up over their emotions, enjoyed their “excitement”, and rejoiced when things went well. Also, let me just say the spice is definitely spicyyy. There were a lot of “Oh mys” coming out of my mouth. I loved the friendships in this book and how Luna eventually opened up and accepted Sydney as Allies mate. Sierra, you did an amazing job on this book! I can't wait to read about Luca and Luna!

Profile Image for Dark Little Reader.
319 reviews12 followers
April 17, 2024
The Marino siblings books are complete!

This book is absolutely beautiful. Sierra tells the story of a couple going through so many stages in life and so many firsts and she does it beautifully. You won't find any angst in this story, it's such a cozy read, but that doesn't mean it's low on spice because 🥵🥵🥵

Allie is hilarious and I don't think there is a more golden retriever man than Sidney Marino, he's absolute perfection. If you like MF omegaverse and a pairing so sweet they will give you cavities, then you should definitely check this out!

Also, all of the other books in the series are delightful!
Profile Image for Brittany ⭑ Book lover.
327 reviews23 followers
May 29, 2024
3/5 ⭐️
5/5 🌶️

I was torn when reading this - I wanted to love it but something just fell a little short. I loved the first 1/2 of this book. Allie and Sidney were instantly drawn together (exactly like I expect in the omegaverse) but couldn’t pursue each other. After years apart they both still have very strong feelings for one another. After they reconnect the story felt like it would take a different turn. Since they bond accidentally they question their feelings for one another. I always appreciate the instant bond - and completely irrational - love bond mates share in the omegaverse. This book felt like some of those “real world” feelings got in the way of that connection. It made the story more drawn out than it needed to be. The spice was perfect and once the conflict around their bond was resolved - the characters were great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
14 reviews
April 17, 2024
Sweet and Steamy

This book immediately drew me in. The first heat is everything with the way Sidney takes care of Allie. Allie is sweetly anxious and watching her come out of her shell and learn about her desires is so satisfying.

I loved how Cassidy develops the concept of heat helper here and the way it positively portrays the work. I also enjoyed how the book develops that instant connection between the characters into a deep and meaningful relationship. Plus this book is packed with heat and spice! AND PUPPIES!!!
Profile Image for frenchy_reads_all.
383 reviews4 followers
May 26, 2024
This was an outstandingly beautiful sweet OV. Sidney was Allie’s first heat helper and they developed a connection from the start. Their chemistry was off the charts! The heat in this book was 🔥🔥🔥🔥!!! Fast burn and intense! Life gets in the way and they see each other for years and then a chance encounter throws them back together again. Sooooo amazingly exquisite! Low angst, lighthearted super sweet omegaverse that I could not put down. I cannot express to you guys how great this story was! All I can say is that you DEFINITELY need to read it right now!!
Profile Image for ChristiLovesBooks_smut.
2,157 reviews46 followers
November 23, 2024
Sidney & Allie was a great book!

Sidney & Allie, book 1 of the series Heats & Hearts, by Sierra Cassidy @sierracassidyauthor. Sierra is a new author for me though I love her alter ego Lexie! I have no doubts I will love her as Sierra!

This was such a cute loving book about Allie & Sidney. Tropes: Omegaverse, MF, Male Sex Worker, 2nd Chance, Accidental Bonding & Ideal Mates.
Profile Image for Brittni Shafer.
541 reviews7 followers
July 14, 2024
Loved

I read the novellas first and absolutely loved them.. but this! This was so so good, all the additional stuff made me swoon even more. If you read the novellas and want to know if it's worth it to read this? Absolutely, 💯%, yes! It read so much better this way!
Profile Image for ze.
30 reviews
April 24, 2024
DNF. Got Boring and once she wanted to explore having more than one man it felt gross
Profile Image for Barbara.
155 reviews
May 3, 2024
Sweet and spicy!!!

Oh so sweet, like binging on chocolate cake and puppies. And plenty spicy. These two just never stop. No drama. Very low angst. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Dorothy Y Nunamacher .
1,058 reviews10 followers
December 11, 2024
This storyline is unique. It's about first and second chances. It's got all the heat that you would expect from this author. I couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Savanna Chase.
76 reviews4 followers
April 18, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! It was the most adorable romance with just enough spice. I loved the ending and can’t wait for the next
Profile Image for Rowan Liddell.
Author 15 books6 followers
April 19, 2024
I've been with Sidney and Allie since the beginning. To have seen them grow and equally expand has been the ultimate pleasure. They were my introduction to the omegaverse, and they set extremely high standards for me going deeper into the genre. The scenes added into this and the perspective switches make it so worth the purchase. It's the ultimate compilation and just feels like a bonus to all the time I spent reading and rereading this pairing. It's heartwarming, and it picks me right up and leaves me flailing from a sugar rush. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews