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Hiddenverse #1
Knot Forgotten
One night. That’s all it took for everything I knew and loved to be gone.
Riley. Blake. Matt. Cameron.
These guys have always been my safe haven, the place I ran to when things got tough. Best friends since forever, they were the unwavering pillars that stood by me when no one else did.
As we grew up, we dreamed our dreams and planned big things—always facing the world head-on. Together.
But life is not a fairytale. And dreams are nothing more than whispered words we tell ourselves to make us feel like we are the ones who are in charge.
Destiny came knocking and I only had one choice to make. Run. Stay hidden. Stay safe. Talk to no one.
Including them.
But when destiny comes for me again, I make another choice. One I hope will put me back in control.
Only my decision puts me smack dab in their path—at the same university.
Each broken in their own way, they are not the boys I used to know.
Time has changed us—all five of us.
One thing is for certain. My guys—my pack from childhood, if I can still call them that—want to break me, to shatter my soul into tiny pieces, and leave me behind as they thought I did them.
I can only hope that when they’re done, there will be something left to save.
Riley. Blake. Matt. Cameron.
These guys have always been my safe haven, the place I ran to when things got tough. Best friends since forever, they were the unwavering pillars that stood by me when no one else did.
As we grew up, we dreamed our dreams and planned big things—always facing the world head-on. Together.
But life is not a fairytale. And dreams are nothing more than whispered words we tell ourselves to make us feel like we are the ones who are in charge.
Destiny came knocking and I only had one choice to make. Run. Stay hidden. Stay safe. Talk to no one.
Including them.
But when destiny comes for me again, I make another choice. One I hope will put me back in control.
Only my decision puts me smack dab in their path—at the same university.
Each broken in their own way, they are not the boys I used to know.
Time has changed us—all five of us.
One thing is for certain. My guys—my pack from childhood, if I can still call them that—want to break me, to shatter my soul into tiny pieces, and leave me behind as they thought I did them.
I can only hope that when they’re done, there will be something left to save.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
May 22, 2024
A modern why-choose spoke & wheel omegaverse that deserves 3.75 stars!
DISCLAIMER: I received this ARC via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. All my thoughts are my personal opinions.
SUMMARY
***
* **Found On**: BookSirens (ARC)
* **Available On**: KU (US)
* **Audio**: N
* **Genre(s)**: contemporary romance, why-choose (spoke & wheel, 4MMCs), omegaverse romance
* **Demographic**: NA
* **Page Count**: 346 pages
* **Tropes**: hurt/comfort, traumatized FMC, disability representation (Deaf, Bipolar, Mania), trafficking, virginity (FMC and 1MMC), friends to one-sided enemies to lovers, second chance love
* **POV**: first, present, multi
* **Reproduction**:
* **Third Act Conflict**:
* **Intimacy**: sexual intimacy w/ penetration (graphic), sensual (moderate), emotional (minor)
* **Standalone**: Y
* **Connected to Other Works**: Y
* **Other Notes**:
* **Personal Rating**:
CHARACTERS
Erin. Omega. Wounded bird. Very forgiving. Has anxiety and symptoms of PTSD. 2.75 ⭐️
Riley. Alpha. Deaf with cochlear implants. Reads lips, speaks, and uses ASL. Swimmer. Control issues. Foster kid. 4 ⭐️
Cameron. Alpha. Virgin. Foot-in-mouth syndrome. Closer to Blake. The cook. Food is his love language. 3 ⭐️
Blake. Alpha. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder with Manic Episodes. Medicated. Love language is gift-giving. “Bad boy”. Closer to Cameron. 3 ⭐️
Matt. Alpha. Tender-hearted and soft. Footballer. Just ughghndso a freaking sweetie. 4.5 ⭐️
***
ONTO THE POSITIVES…
ASL And Deaf Community Representation
The representation of a deaf MMC and ASL as a normal part of life was excellent.
Courtship
The gifts the MMCs gave Erin were thoughtful and down-to-earth. I loved Blake’s gift-giving love language.
No MM
This is a why-choose spoke & wheel and that’s the gospel truth!
Beginning of Love and Its Messiness
I loved seeing the fumbles of young love! Erin's worries about kissing and liking each boy and their own mistakes highlighted the innocence and budding maturity beautifully. 10/10
Raven
I want her book. The end. I want her book. Despite limited time with her, I loved her character. That’s it; that’s the tweet.
***
ONTO THE NEGATIVE…
Flashbacks and Timeline
This book uses a lot of flashbacks to convey—surprise—what happened in the past. While I understand the intentions, the flashbacks were a little too overused for their purpose of showing the childhood love between FMC and the MMCs, as well as her trauma. A more linear story with a longer prologue or a small “Part I” dedicated to childhood and adolescent love would have been more effective, especially from the perspective of the MMCs. So, we, too, are left bewildered she left such a perfect forming pack.
In that, hinting at her trauma through demonstrations would have given me some intrigue on WTH happened. And then, I could start establishing my theories by noticing her behavior and mannerisms. And then having a final reveal scene with a dedicated flashback would be just what I needed to put together the clues and feel the gravitas of her trauma.
Virginity Angle / Trafficking Plot
I understood where making virginity was a big deal, but I also didn’t. I don’t know. I hate virginity having a critical plot line. I understand it’s…easy, so to speak, for omegaverse or shifter or paranormal to include trafficking and virginity, but it never hits me that I should feel too much concern since the love interest(s) always come in clutch and the experience is a bit…toned down, I guess, with auctions and all of that. And then the celebration sex kinda gives emotional whiplash.
Direct Explanations over Demonstrations (and Other Monologue Oddities)
The compromise with limited perspective is that you’ll see the itty-bitty nitty-gritty of that character’s psyche. Having said that, there were times that the monologue was a bit too on the nose in detailing what a scene meant and felt more for us, the audience, to understand, instead of what would be internally consistent.
I had the impression the FMC didn’t want to be noticed, so it was a little head-tilty why she needed to remind us about her curves in the first 20% of the book. For me, understanding her bodily changes from the perspective of the MMCs would make sense since they’re very obviously in love with her physique. It made less sense when the FMC focused on herself since, at least to me, she seemed like she wanted to reinvent herself in an unnoticeable way.
Third Act Conflict
It was nonsensical.
Why did the FMC forsake everything and just listen to her mother? Why? I didn’t believe that FMC’s anxieties would contribute to this plot whatsoever. It just felt jackknifed in for the sake of drama. I get the flashback was there as a parallel. But none of this was necessary. I didn’t really want the guys and the FMC to meet again when this happened. Especially with the lack of time we have to build Erin’s relationship with her mom and aunt—the third act was just disjointed.
I think the implication about FMC’s anxieties following her around had good merit. But for me to believe she’d go along with her mom, I would’ve needed to see her mom be a helicopter parent multiple times, with her own PTSD and paranoia following her. And maybe her fearmongering would make the FMC finally tell her mother that, while she appreciates the security and safety she had with her mother, it’s time to let the FMC be an adult and grow.
I also kinda…side-eyed the aunt “authorizing” an orgy. Oh dear.
Bipolar Representation
No idea if the author is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or if she knows someone diagnosed, but, of course, no one person’s experience is the same. I didn’t see the point in Blake being bipolar. I could understand that it affected his relationships with the others, but… I don’t know.
The Group
I wish I had more demonstrations of why this group worked as a group. What did they each bring to the table? Why was Erin their chosen omega? Why did they choose each other as packmates? What made Erin special? I feel like I ended the book without knowing the answers. Their HFN was good for them. I see how they fit erotically, so I hope their future has more romanticism. Matt was lost in the group that, you could have merged him and Riley without losing much. Cameron and Blake had a closer bond than the other two as well. I don’t know. I need some more convincing that this group belonged together.
***
ON TO THE NEUTRAL…
Odd Dialogue
This is a personal negative, but I always get twitchy when dialogue forsakes a lot of contractions. There were times I think the dialogue could have added contractions to make it less formal. I don’t know. I wasn’t really hearing separate voices or their emotions when they spoke.
Odd Grammar
En-dashes (–) were used instead of em-dashed (—).
Other Women
It was odd to me all the other women in this book weren’t that great. I don’t know. I know it’s common in romance for every woman outside the FMC to be some type of 2D witch, but, I like it when the story has women who are just…women. Y’know? I know we saw Nikki and Raven a little bit, but eh.
Modern Omegavere
I frequently forgot this was omegaverse. I understand this is an omegaverse, but I confused this with just being another university romance with instalust.
Other Thoughts
I disagree with categorizing this as a bullymance or dark romance. Blake and Cameron were the only ones who were mean-spirited, and that ended quickly. I’m a dark romance and dark erotic and erotic horror reader, and this book is much sweeter and less intense than typical dark romances.
***
OVERALL
This was a 3.75-star read and an enjoyable one. I’m excited for Raven’s book! I’d recommend this to those new to omegaverse or looking for a lighter why-choose (S&W) omegaverse romance. I’m glad to have ARC-ed this book, and I’ll recommend it in why-choose and omegaverse request posts!
DISCLAIMER: I received this ARC via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. All my thoughts are my personal opinions.
SUMMARY
As a child, Erin always had her alpha friends Riley, Blake, Matt, and Cameron by her side. But their future together is shattered when Erin’s biological father robs them of their right to freely pursue their love and happiness. Years later, Erin enrolls in a university—the same one her heartbroken friends attend.
And they’re also her roommates.
When a case of mistaken identity turns problematic, Erin must reconcile the boys she loved with the men they’ve become: crueler and meaner in some ways, yet still considerate and caring in others. As old feelings merge with new ones, the heat between them intensifies. But their forever isn’t secure.
Not when Erin’s past threatens to destroy her and her forever once again.
***
* **Found On**: BookSirens (ARC)
* **Available On**: KU (US)
* **Audio**: N
* **Genre(s)**: contemporary romance, why-choose (spoke & wheel, 4MMCs), omegaverse romance
* **Demographic**: NA
* **Page Count**: 346 pages
* **Tropes**: hurt/comfort, traumatized FMC, disability representation (Deaf, Bipolar, Mania), trafficking, virginity (FMC and 1MMC), friends to one-sided enemies to lovers, second chance love
* **POV**: first, present, multi
* **Reproduction**:
* **Third Act Conflict**:
* **Intimacy**: sexual intimacy w/ penetration (graphic), sensual (moderate), emotional (minor)
* **Standalone**: Y
* **Connected to Other Works**: Y
* **Other Notes**:
* **Personal Rating**:
CHARACTERS
Erin. Omega. Wounded bird. Very forgiving. Has anxiety and symptoms of PTSD. 2.75 ⭐️
Riley. Alpha. Deaf with cochlear implants. Reads lips, speaks, and uses ASL. Swimmer. Control issues. Foster kid. 4 ⭐️
Cameron. Alpha. Virgin. Foot-in-mouth syndrome. Closer to Blake. The cook. Food is his love language. 3 ⭐️
Blake. Alpha. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder with Manic Episodes. Medicated. Love language is gift-giving. “Bad boy”. Closer to Cameron. 3 ⭐️
Matt. Alpha. Tender-hearted and soft. Footballer. Just ughghndso a freaking sweetie. 4.5 ⭐️
***
ONTO THE POSITIVES…
ASL And Deaf Community Representation
The representation of a deaf MMC and ASL as a normal part of life was excellent.
Courtship
The gifts the MMCs gave Erin were thoughtful and down-to-earth. I loved Blake’s gift-giving love language.
No MM
This is a why-choose spoke & wheel and that’s the gospel truth!
Beginning of Love and Its Messiness
I loved seeing the fumbles of young love! Erin's worries about kissing and liking each boy and their own mistakes highlighted the innocence and budding maturity beautifully. 10/10
Raven
I want her book. The end. I want her book. Despite limited time with her, I loved her character. That’s it; that’s the tweet.
***
ONTO THE NEGATIVE…
Flashbacks and Timeline
This book uses a lot of flashbacks to convey—surprise—what happened in the past. While I understand the intentions, the flashbacks were a little too overused for their purpose of showing the childhood love between FMC and the MMCs, as well as her trauma. A more linear story with a longer prologue or a small “Part I” dedicated to childhood and adolescent love would have been more effective, especially from the perspective of the MMCs. So, we, too, are left bewildered she left such a perfect forming pack.
In that, hinting at her trauma through demonstrations would have given me some intrigue on WTH happened. And then, I could start establishing my theories by noticing her behavior and mannerisms. And then having a final reveal scene with a dedicated flashback would be just what I needed to put together the clues and feel the gravitas of her trauma.
Virginity Angle / Trafficking Plot
I understood where making virginity was a big deal, but I also didn’t. I don’t know. I hate virginity having a critical plot line. I understand it’s…easy, so to speak, for omegaverse or shifter or paranormal to include trafficking and virginity, but it never hits me that I should feel too much concern since the love interest(s) always come in clutch and the experience is a bit…toned down, I guess, with auctions and all of that. And then the celebration sex kinda gives emotional whiplash.
Direct Explanations over Demonstrations (and Other Monologue Oddities)
The compromise with limited perspective is that you’ll see the itty-bitty nitty-gritty of that character’s psyche. Having said that, there were times that the monologue was a bit too on the nose in detailing what a scene meant and felt more for us, the audience, to understand, instead of what would be internally consistent.
I had the impression the FMC didn’t want to be noticed, so it was a little head-tilty why she needed to remind us about her curves in the first 20% of the book. For me, understanding her bodily changes from the perspective of the MMCs would make sense since they’re very obviously in love with her physique. It made less sense when the FMC focused on herself since, at least to me, she seemed like she wanted to reinvent herself in an unnoticeable way.
Third Act Conflict
It was nonsensical.
Why did the FMC forsake everything and just listen to her mother? Why? I didn’t believe that FMC’s anxieties would contribute to this plot whatsoever. It just felt jackknifed in for the sake of drama. I get the flashback was there as a parallel. But none of this was necessary. I didn’t really want the guys and the FMC to meet again when this happened. Especially with the lack of time we have to build Erin’s relationship with her mom and aunt—the third act was just disjointed.
I think the implication about FMC’s anxieties following her around had good merit. But for me to believe she’d go along with her mom, I would’ve needed to see her mom be a helicopter parent multiple times, with her own PTSD and paranoia following her. And maybe her fearmongering would make the FMC finally tell her mother that, while she appreciates the security and safety she had with her mother, it’s time to let the FMC be an adult and grow.
I also kinda…side-eyed the aunt “authorizing” an orgy. Oh dear.
Bipolar Representation
No idea if the author is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or if she knows someone diagnosed, but, of course, no one person’s experience is the same. I didn’t see the point in Blake being bipolar. I could understand that it affected his relationships with the others, but… I don’t know.
The Group
I wish I had more demonstrations of why this group worked as a group. What did they each bring to the table? Why was Erin their chosen omega? Why did they choose each other as packmates? What made Erin special? I feel like I ended the book without knowing the answers. Their HFN was good for them. I see how they fit erotically, so I hope their future has more romanticism. Matt was lost in the group that, you could have merged him and Riley without losing much. Cameron and Blake had a closer bond than the other two as well. I don’t know. I need some more convincing that this group belonged together.
***
ON TO THE NEUTRAL…
Odd Dialogue
This is a personal negative, but I always get twitchy when dialogue forsakes a lot of contractions. There were times I think the dialogue could have added contractions to make it less formal. I don’t know. I wasn’t really hearing separate voices or their emotions when they spoke.
Odd Grammar
En-dashes (–) were used instead of em-dashed (—).
Other Women
It was odd to me all the other women in this book weren’t that great. I don’t know. I know it’s common in romance for every woman outside the FMC to be some type of 2D witch, but, I like it when the story has women who are just…women. Y’know? I know we saw Nikki and Raven a little bit, but eh.
Modern Omegavere
I frequently forgot this was omegaverse. I understand this is an omegaverse, but I confused this with just being another university romance with instalust.
Other Thoughts
I disagree with categorizing this as a bullymance or dark romance. Blake and Cameron were the only ones who were mean-spirited, and that ended quickly. I’m a dark romance and dark erotic and erotic horror reader, and this book is much sweeter and less intense than typical dark romances.
***
OVERALL
This was a 3.75-star read and an enjoyable one. I’m excited for Raven’s book! I’d recommend this to those new to omegaverse or looking for a lighter why-choose (S&W) omegaverse romance. I’m glad to have ARC-ed this book, and I’ll recommend it in why-choose and omegaverse request posts!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2024
Gosh I just loved this Omegaverse RH as A.J. Moran does it again. Great build up and character building with past history of each person to really understand their history, love and depth.
Erin has had 4 best friends in her life, Cameron, Matt, Riley and Blake. They grew up together and loved one another. They made promises to each other for a forever. Life has a different plan and Erin disappeared. Years later going to college she literally is knocked down by none other than Matt. Believe it or not she is not the same little girl anymore and neither is Matt, who does not recognize her.
Finding one another is a nightmare or is it fate? Just love all 5 of them and how they struggled to find each other again after all these years. It wasn’t easy and forgiveness overcame.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Erin has had 4 best friends in her life, Cameron, Matt, Riley and Blake. They grew up together and loved one another. They made promises to each other for a forever. Life has a different plan and Erin disappeared. Years later going to college she literally is knocked down by none other than Matt. Believe it or not she is not the same little girl anymore and neither is Matt, who does not recognize her.
Finding one another is a nightmare or is it fate? Just love all 5 of them and how they struggled to find each other again after all these years. It wasn’t easy and forgiveness overcame.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
June 2, 2024DNF 19%
Very weak FMC. Immature MMC's.
Very weak FMC. Immature MMC's.
June 9, 2024
This is the first book I have read by the author but, I can safely say that this won’t be the last.
This was a captivating story from start to finish. I loved Erin as she was a full character who has experienced pain and loss.
I also found that it was refreshing as the main misunderstanding was resolved quickly and did not get dragged out. This meant that the story unfolded at the right pace. I loved Matt, Blake, Riley and Cameron as they each had their issues but, it did not define them.
This was a great story from start to finish and I was sad when I finished as I didn’t want it to end. This is an excellent 5 star story!
This was a captivating story from start to finish. I loved Erin as she was a full character who has experienced pain and loss.
I also found that it was refreshing as the main misunderstanding was resolved quickly and did not get dragged out. This meant that the story unfolded at the right pace. I loved Matt, Blake, Riley and Cameron as they each had their issues but, it did not define them.
This was a great story from start to finish and I was sad when I finished as I didn’t want it to end. This is an excellent 5 star story!
July 3, 2026
Amazing. Angst, Groveling, Forgiveness, Love
I was looking for a quick angst, rejection, and groveling, and what better than an ABO novel. Happen to discover this book and am quite pleased. The FMC is in love with four boys as a teen but has to abruptly move away (wo goodbyes) under difficult circumstances that we learn on, and returns but the MC resent her. We learn on a lot about their dynamic and they all learn why she left quickly, so groveling is just right. Wish there was more groveling lol but that’s my preference. The books was good in itself and I liked all the characters. P.s. it’s not heavy in ABO and there’s no shifting involved.
I was looking for a quick angst, rejection, and groveling, and what better than an ABO novel. Happen to discover this book and am quite pleased. The FMC is in love with four boys as a teen but has to abruptly move away (wo goodbyes) under difficult circumstances that we learn on, and returns but the MC resent her. We learn on a lot about their dynamic and they all learn why she left quickly, so groveling is just right. Wish there was more groveling lol but that’s my preference. The books was good in itself and I liked all the characters. P.s. it’s not heavy in ABO and there’s no shifting involved.
January 17, 2025
Sooooo.... don't be fooled by the cover. This is barely YA, except for the extreme sexual stuff that's like something out of a fever dream. A ton of flashbacks to when the MCs were 14 which is kinda creepy, seeing as they are being pretty sexual then too.
However the worst part is that FMC is still acting 14 even out of flashbacks.
She doesn't seem to have a single ounce of character to her so far. The only thing i know about her is that she had curly hair and straightened it.
I'm a fifth of the way into the book and all she's done is moon after the MMCs and watch them in frankly kinda gross ways.
It's her first week at college and she isn't trying to make friends or explore the area or try clubs or anything except stare at the MMCs when they are trying to get it on with other people. She sat through her first class and spent all of it flashbacking about extremely average teenage drama (seriously she keeps weeping and asking herself if this is what being an omega is, and I want to pat her on the head and tell her no, this is what being an overdramatic kid with her first crush is. If you weren't in this novel you'd have mostly forgotten everything that's happening -except the extreme cringe- in a month.)
In real life this is the kind of girl who'd be living in her mother's basement until she was 35 and refusing to go out except to buy discounted funko pops of anime characters that she's convinced are obscure but really aren't.
I don't understand why anyone would go out with someone like this. I kind of want to warn the MMCs to run while they still can.
Oh good god. I assumed they were pretending they didn't know her, not that they actually didn't recognize her. That's..... not how that works. They were that shitty to a random girl?
Close proximity for days and NONE of them recognized the girl that for some reason is the defining figure of their lives? Riiiight. And now he's blaming her 14yo self for 'sneaking out in the night' because 'you were my everything'. That's an extremely healthy way to look at that. I'm sure the 14yo with an abusive family had complete control over where she lived and when she moved.... they're really going to bully her because she moved away when they weren't even dating?
Now I kind of think they all deserve each other.
I'm not sure if i can finish this. Five main characters and they're having to take turns with the single braincell between them.
Yeah, no. I'd like to say i called it after the FMC got physically abusive (I freaking HATE when everyone is cool with abuse because it's a girl doing it) but it was the playboy suddenly spouting bad poetry that really killed it for me. If he's doing that a third of the way into the book I can't imagine how much worse it's gonna get. Peace out.
However the worst part is that FMC is still acting 14 even out of flashbacks.
She doesn't seem to have a single ounce of character to her so far. The only thing i know about her is that she had curly hair and straightened it.
I'm a fifth of the way into the book and all she's done is moon after the MMCs and watch them in frankly kinda gross ways.
It's her first week at college and she isn't trying to make friends or explore the area or try clubs or anything except stare at the MMCs when they are trying to get it on with other people. She sat through her first class and spent all of it flashbacking about extremely average teenage drama (seriously she keeps weeping and asking herself if this is what being an omega is, and I want to pat her on the head and tell her no, this is what being an overdramatic kid with her first crush is. If you weren't in this novel you'd have mostly forgotten everything that's happening -except the extreme cringe- in a month.)
In real life this is the kind of girl who'd be living in her mother's basement until she was 35 and refusing to go out except to buy discounted funko pops of anime characters that she's convinced are obscure but really aren't.
I don't understand why anyone would go out with someone like this. I kind of want to warn the MMCs to run while they still can.
Oh good god. I assumed they were pretending they didn't know her, not that they actually didn't recognize her. That's..... not how that works. They were that shitty to a random girl?
Close proximity for days and NONE of them recognized the girl that for some reason is the defining figure of their lives? Riiiight. And now he's blaming her 14yo self for 'sneaking out in the night' because 'you were my everything'. That's an extremely healthy way to look at that. I'm sure the 14yo with an abusive family had complete control over where she lived and when she moved.... they're really going to bully her because she moved away when they weren't even dating?
Now I kind of think they all deserve each other.
I'm not sure if i can finish this. Five main characters and they're having to take turns with the single braincell between them.
Yeah, no. I'd like to say i called it after the FMC got physically abusive (I freaking HATE when everyone is cool with abuse because it's a girl doing it) but it was the playboy suddenly spouting bad poetry that really killed it for me. If he's doing that a third of the way into the book I can't imagine how much worse it's gonna get. Peace out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2024
Genre: omegaverse romance
Tropes: why choose MFMMM, virgin h, virgin H, mental health rep, deaf MMC, childhood best friends, enemies-to-lovers-ish, second chance, kidnapping.
Rating: 3✨
This book is an omegaverse, but I often forgot about that and I also wouldn’t consider it a dark romance nor a bully one.
Erin, our FMC, at 14 years old escape with her mom from her abusive father who wanted to sell her and her innocence. In doing so, she’s forced to leave behind her four best friends without an explanation or goodbye. The five of them have a strong bond, in fact Erin was starting to discover the romance with each one of them and the MMCs were planning to court her as their omega.
Five years later she enrolls to the college they always talked about and surprise, surprise, not only she met them straight away, but they are also their roommates and don’t even recognize her.
I’m going to be honest, it’s not a bad book, but there were certain things that really bothered me.
Cam made a few comments regarding Erin’s body that I didn’t like because an MMC who does body shaming is simply not my cup of tea. I draw the line with cheating and freaking body shaming, probably because it hits a little too much close to home, but I can’t stand it. I have to say that this is really minor though. He only does a couple of comments like that, but a couple of comments more than necessary nonetheless.
For the cheating, instead we have to talk about Blake. It’s not cheating per se because they weren’t exactly together, but still.
I seriously doubt that the guys believed the FMC’s dad when he told them that Erin decided to leave them. I mean, they knew Erin situation at home and Cam is her neighbour, he seriously didn’t see or hear what happened the night she left? Didn’t he hear the police sirens? No one knows that he got arrested because he tried to kill his wife?
And come on, seriously? It’s only been five years, it’s impossible to not recognize the girl you said was your everything, it just isn’t.
I also really don’t understand these characters’ fixations with the FMC’s virginity and their “we aren’t good for your first time”. I was like hello??? You’re not an animal?? I promise you, you can control yourself.
But let’s talk about the third act breakup.
In my opinion, it would probably have had more sense if it happened before the kidnapping and claiming scene. As it is in the book, it feels a little pointless and forced, like it’s there just for the sake of the drama.
Last but not least, how were four 18 years old, able to enter a mafia warehouse without some specific knowledge, skills or weapons? It seems it will remain a mystery.
Tropes: why choose MFMMM, virgin h, virgin H, mental health rep, deaf MMC, childhood best friends, enemies-to-lovers-ish, second chance, kidnapping.
Rating: 3✨
This book is an omegaverse, but I often forgot about that and I also wouldn’t consider it a dark romance nor a bully one.
Erin, our FMC, at 14 years old escape with her mom from her abusive father who wanted to sell her and her innocence. In doing so, she’s forced to leave behind her four best friends without an explanation or goodbye. The five of them have a strong bond, in fact Erin was starting to discover the romance with each one of them and the MMCs were planning to court her as their omega.
Five years later she enrolls to the college they always talked about and surprise, surprise, not only she met them straight away, but they are also their roommates and don’t even recognize her.
I’m going to be honest, it’s not a bad book, but there were certain things that really bothered me.
Cam made a few comments regarding Erin’s body that I didn’t like because an MMC who does body shaming is simply not my cup of tea. I draw the line with cheating and freaking body shaming, probably because it hits a little too much close to home, but I can’t stand it. I have to say that this is really minor though. He only does a couple of comments like that, but a couple of comments more than necessary nonetheless.
For the cheating, instead we have to talk about Blake. It’s not cheating per se because they weren’t exactly together, but still.
I seriously doubt that the guys believed the FMC’s dad when he told them that Erin decided to leave them. I mean, they knew Erin situation at home and Cam is her neighbour, he seriously didn’t see or hear what happened the night she left? Didn’t he hear the police sirens? No one knows that he got arrested because he tried to kill his wife?
And come on, seriously? It’s only been five years, it’s impossible to not recognize the girl you said was your everything, it just isn’t.
I also really don’t understand these characters’ fixations with the FMC’s virginity and their “we aren’t good for your first time”. I was like hello??? You’re not an animal?? I promise you, you can control yourself.
But let’s talk about the third act breakup.
In my opinion, it would probably have had more sense if it happened before the kidnapping and claiming scene. As it is in the book, it feels a little pointless and forced, like it’s there just for the sake of the drama.
Last but not least, how were four 18 years old, able to enter a mafia warehouse without some specific knowledge, skills or weapons? It seems it will remain a mystery.
May 30, 2024
I like this book but omg it gives me second hand embarrassment a lot 😭
Also what is it with this harem ? Dose everyone has to be sick or have issues can’t at least one person be normal 🧍🏻♀️
Anyway i had to put my kindle down when the fmc wanted to lose her V card and no one wanted her 🤣
But wait it’s because they have issues 💁🏻♀️ of course they will reject being your first ….but then one of the mmc had to do it later 💁🏻♀️ take one for the team 😂
At the start the author said there’s only little ow drama but guess what 🧍🏻♀️ the fmc walk on the mmc while they have fun time with 2 ow 🤡
Another time where i had to pause and put my kindle down caz i wasn’t having it
And i actually liked the book even though it has some issues with mmc and their groveling like i wanted them to do more then be like yea i have issues since u left me
I can’t wait to read more omegaverse from this author
Also what is it with this harem ? Dose everyone has to be sick or have issues can’t at least one person be normal 🧍🏻♀️
Anyway i had to put my kindle down when the fmc wanted to lose her V card and no one wanted her 🤣
But wait it’s because they have issues 💁🏻♀️ of course they will reject being your first ….but then one of the mmc had to do it later 💁🏻♀️ take one for the team 😂
At the start the author said there’s only little ow drama but guess what 🧍🏻♀️ the fmc walk on the mmc while they have fun time with 2 ow 🤡
Another time where i had to pause and put my kindle down caz i wasn’t having it
And i actually liked the book even though it has some issues with mmc and their groveling like i wanted them to do more then be like yea i have issues since u left me
I can’t wait to read more omegaverse from this author
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2024
Honestly? It wasn't bad per se, but it wasn't the greatest either. There were aspects I did like, like how all the guys were very much infatuated with her... but there were also several aspects that I didn't like at all.
For starters, I'm not a "bully romance" fan to begin with, but the summery of the book definitely made it seem like that would be a more prominent plot point than it actually was. Once they found out who she was they were mean and trying to "break" her for like a week maximum before they tried to pursue her romantically.
Also, I honestly don't understand Erin's thought process through most of the book. On numerous occasions she kept backing away from the guys (who were verg openly pursuing her) and going on self run tangents about how she was "too broken" and "used to running" to be with them. Like sorry, not to brush off people's trauma but she came from an abusive household as a child where she was only verbally abused before her and her mom left the situation (which she delt with openly around the guys when they were kids), and then she only moved twice (first away from her father, then after high school).... so I truly don't understand what she's talking about when she claims she's broken or that she's used to running within the 5 years her and the guys were apart. It honestly just felt like they were grasping at straws in this department.
I also don't get how even though Erin arrived to campus on the second day of move-in how the guys somehow seemed to already have established relationships with other people on campus and sports teams. It very much made it seem like they had been attending the school for longer than her even though they were all the same age.
The drama part of the story was honestly so far fetched I couldn't help but to roll my eyes. You're telling me that four 18 year old boys broke into a mafia warehouse and only got caught after the fact because of cameras? An 18 year old boy can't even walk down a hallway without being obnoxious and doing something they shouldn't or even eat quietly, and you're trying to convince me that four of them had the wherewithal to not only drive all the way to NYC in the middle of the night to break into a renowned mafia warehouse without being caught until after they were in?? Yeah right.
Also... just super creepy really that they're all 18, it felt quite icky to read with that knowledge. Even more so, when there were flashbacks to when they were 14 and there were mentions about how much they wanted each other/rubbing up on each other and whatnot... that was even more icky to read.
The fact that they didn't feel like a very cohesive pack was also a pretty big bummer honestly, like I was expecting all of them to have personalities that played of of each other but in reality they were all so different in a way the just didn't seem right. Matt was probably the most tolerable and heartwarming out of all of them, then followed closely behind by Riley. Cameron and Blake were Grade A pricks whenever they pleased and it just wasn't a good look. Like you don't just act like that/treat people like that as a mask, that's something that's part of who you are as a person. Honestly with all the cute flashbacks that Erin had with Cameron I was totally banking on them being like two parts of a while... but Cameron was near insufferable (almost more than Blake at times). This point isn't only in relation to personality either, but the steamy scenes were weird. They didn't feel cohesive because the pack themselves weren't cohesive. Like it didn't really feel like a reverse harem since 9 times out on 10 she was just fucking them one by one not as a whole pack unit. It also felt really weird where they would all be present together and then there would only be steam with like 3 of the guys before cutting out to a different situation... like why leave one out?
There's probably a few other minor things but these are the main ones that bothered me. Like I said initially, the book itself wasn't necessarily bad but I can't justify liking the idea of something as being the sole reason of liking it when other aspects fell short for me.
For starters, I'm not a "bully romance" fan to begin with, but the summery of the book definitely made it seem like that would be a more prominent plot point than it actually was. Once they found out who she was they were mean and trying to "break" her for like a week maximum before they tried to pursue her romantically.
Also, I honestly don't understand Erin's thought process through most of the book. On numerous occasions she kept backing away from the guys (who were verg openly pursuing her) and going on self run tangents about how she was "too broken" and "used to running" to be with them. Like sorry, not to brush off people's trauma but she came from an abusive household as a child where she was only verbally abused before her and her mom left the situation (which she delt with openly around the guys when they were kids), and then she only moved twice (first away from her father, then after high school).... so I truly don't understand what she's talking about when she claims she's broken or that she's used to running within the 5 years her and the guys were apart. It honestly just felt like they were grasping at straws in this department.
I also don't get how even though Erin arrived to campus on the second day of move-in how the guys somehow seemed to already have established relationships with other people on campus and sports teams. It very much made it seem like they had been attending the school for longer than her even though they were all the same age.
The drama part of the story was honestly so far fetched I couldn't help but to roll my eyes. You're telling me that four 18 year old boys broke into a mafia warehouse and only got caught after the fact because of cameras? An 18 year old boy can't even walk down a hallway without being obnoxious and doing something they shouldn't or even eat quietly, and you're trying to convince me that four of them had the wherewithal to not only drive all the way to NYC in the middle of the night to break into a renowned mafia warehouse without being caught until after they were in?? Yeah right.
Also... just super creepy really that they're all 18, it felt quite icky to read with that knowledge. Even more so, when there were flashbacks to when they were 14 and there were mentions about how much they wanted each other/rubbing up on each other and whatnot... that was even more icky to read.
The fact that they didn't feel like a very cohesive pack was also a pretty big bummer honestly, like I was expecting all of them to have personalities that played of of each other but in reality they were all so different in a way the just didn't seem right. Matt was probably the most tolerable and heartwarming out of all of them, then followed closely behind by Riley. Cameron and Blake were Grade A pricks whenever they pleased and it just wasn't a good look. Like you don't just act like that/treat people like that as a mask, that's something that's part of who you are as a person. Honestly with all the cute flashbacks that Erin had with Cameron I was totally banking on them being like two parts of a while... but Cameron was near insufferable (almost more than Blake at times). This point isn't only in relation to personality either, but the steamy scenes were weird. They didn't feel cohesive because the pack themselves weren't cohesive. Like it didn't really feel like a reverse harem since 9 times out on 10 she was just fucking them one by one not as a whole pack unit. It also felt really weird where they would all be present together and then there would only be steam with like 3 of the guys before cutting out to a different situation... like why leave one out?
There's probably a few other minor things but these are the main ones that bothered me. Like I said initially, the book itself wasn't necessarily bad but I can't justify liking the idea of something as being the sole reason of liking it when other aspects fell short for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2024
Thank you Book Sirens for the free ARC!
I’ve been on an OV binge the last two years and I was excited to get an ARC of Knot Forgotten as I’m always looking for new-to-me authors.
POSITIVES
There was a lot of potential with this story and I liked the second chance romance trope.
Matt and Riley were good characters that I could root for.
I enjoyed having deaf representation and that each of the MCs knew ASL in order to have a close relationship with their friend.
NEGATIVES
While I loved the ASL in the book, I didn’t love the descriptions of all the signs. If someone doesn’t have prior knowledge of ASL (I’m fluent, my brother is deaf) then it would be very difficult to picture and distracting from what is being said. I enjoyed the parts where we knew they were signing without the author going into the minutiae of what a sign looks like.
Blake and Cam were not characters I wanted to root for. They needed to get it together sooner in the book to give me time to start to like them. It felt very forced and like their relationships were not genuine.
The other women in the book were unnecessary. They were set up to be a big issue but then they disappeared and then popped up randomly just to help the plot along.
There were so many flashbacks that it hindered the story for me. Having them almost every chapter was too distracting and could’ve been edited down to half of what was in there. I would’ve rather had those pages be focused more on developing the relationships in the current timeline to make their progression believable.
The mom in the third act came out of nowhere. It felt like a completely different storyline and just didn’t mesh with everything else that had already happened.
The conflict with Valentine was also so fast that it didn’t give us a chance to feel the stakes. It was extremely rushed.
The relationships between all the characters just really didn’t feel developed and thought out. The only believable one was Matt, Riley too but even his relationship felt a little disjointed.
Overall, it just felt like there was too much happening with not enough focus. It felt like a ping pong ball zipping around and we couldn’t really dive into an actual plot line.
I’ve been on an OV binge the last two years and I was excited to get an ARC of Knot Forgotten as I’m always looking for new-to-me authors.
POSITIVES
There was a lot of potential with this story and I liked the second chance romance trope.
Matt and Riley were good characters that I could root for.
I enjoyed having deaf representation and that each of the MCs knew ASL in order to have a close relationship with their friend.
NEGATIVES
While I loved the ASL in the book, I didn’t love the descriptions of all the signs. If someone doesn’t have prior knowledge of ASL (I’m fluent, my brother is deaf) then it would be very difficult to picture and distracting from what is being said. I enjoyed the parts where we knew they were signing without the author going into the minutiae of what a sign looks like.
Blake and Cam were not characters I wanted to root for. They needed to get it together sooner in the book to give me time to start to like them. It felt very forced and like their relationships were not genuine.
The other women in the book were unnecessary. They were set up to be a big issue but then they disappeared and then popped up randomly just to help the plot along.
There were so many flashbacks that it hindered the story for me. Having them almost every chapter was too distracting and could’ve been edited down to half of what was in there. I would’ve rather had those pages be focused more on developing the relationships in the current timeline to make their progression believable.
The mom in the third act came out of nowhere. It felt like a completely different storyline and just didn’t mesh with everything else that had already happened.
The conflict with Valentine was also so fast that it didn’t give us a chance to feel the stakes. It was extremely rushed.
The relationships between all the characters just really didn’t feel developed and thought out. The only believable one was Matt, Riley too but even his relationship felt a little disjointed.
Overall, it just felt like there was too much happening with not enough focus. It felt like a ping pong ball zipping around and we couldn’t really dive into an actual plot line.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
3.5 ⭐️
I wouldn't consider this a dark, bully romance by any stretch of the imagination. It was more of a second chance (childhood) romance OV with "damaged" characters. I would have rather a few chapters in the beginning depicting their younger years, time spent together, bonds forming, love blossoming before that fateful night when Erin (our FMC) and her mother had to flee under cover of darkness without explanation. Instead, we were given many *flashback* scenes throughout the book which really interrupted the story.
Fast forward to present day, Erin arrives to college, the same college the boys and her spoke about attending together when they were kids. She quite literally runs into them while trudging across the courtyard. Though she recognizes her childhood best friends immediately, Matt, Cameron, Blake and Riley our MMCs, don't recognize her. I'm sorry, but it's been all of 5 years, extra 'curves', lack of braces, and straightened hair can't make someone look THAT different. Especially if this someone was supposedly their everything and the omega they'd planned being the center of their pack?!?! It takes some rando chick that went to school with all of them walking by and being all "holy sh@t Erin, been a while, we need to catch up" for the light bulb to go off.... **cue eye roll**
This is where I expected the "bullying" and "darkness" to start. Don't get me wrong, the guys (except for Matt 😍) were kinda dīcks and @lphaholes at this point, but except for like, a chapter or two, the entire climate of the novel changed and it became a sweet, fluffy "let's get our girl back", intalove, end goals book. She was a better woman than me, cause my petty @ss would not have been such a pushover, forgiving them all for their crap... it was refreshing to have a novel where every character wasn't keeping secrets and hiding elements of their past for WAY too long into the book. Having Erin confide in Matt almost immediately what had her and her mother fleeing all those years ago was a breath of fresh air and allowed the characters to do some soul searching and allowed them to move forward in reconnecting. Furthermore, no third act breakup?!?! Hallelujah, thank you for this. There was a random third act curveball (kinda weird, but, I'll take it over a stupid breakup any day!). Overall, though not entirely marketed as having the right tropes, it was an enjoyable omegaverse, and I look forward to reading interconnected books in the series.
3.5 ⭐️
I wouldn't consider this a dark, bully romance by any stretch of the imagination. It was more of a second chance (childhood) romance OV with "damaged" characters. I would have rather a few chapters in the beginning depicting their younger years, time spent together, bonds forming, love blossoming before that fateful night when Erin (our FMC) and her mother had to flee under cover of darkness without explanation. Instead, we were given many *flashback* scenes throughout the book which really interrupted the story.
Fast forward to present day, Erin arrives to college, the same college the boys and her spoke about attending together when they were kids. She quite literally runs into them while trudging across the courtyard. Though she recognizes her childhood best friends immediately, Matt, Cameron, Blake and Riley our MMCs, don't recognize her. I'm sorry, but it's been all of 5 years, extra 'curves', lack of braces, and straightened hair can't make someone look THAT different. Especially if this someone was supposedly their everything and the omega they'd planned being the center of their pack?!?! It takes some rando chick that went to school with all of them walking by and being all "holy sh@t Erin, been a while, we need to catch up" for the light bulb to go off.... **cue eye roll**
This is where I expected the "bullying" and "darkness" to start. Don't get me wrong, the guys (except for Matt 😍) were kinda dīcks and @lphaholes at this point, but except for like, a chapter or two, the entire climate of the novel changed and it became a sweet, fluffy "let's get our girl back", intalove, end goals book. She was a better woman than me, cause my petty @ss would not have been such a pushover, forgiving them all for their crap... it was refreshing to have a novel where every character wasn't keeping secrets and hiding elements of their past for WAY too long into the book. Having Erin confide in Matt almost immediately what had her and her mother fleeing all those years ago was a breath of fresh air and allowed the characters to do some soul searching and allowed them to move forward in reconnecting. Furthermore, no third act breakup?!?! Hallelujah, thank you for this. There was a random third act curveball (kinda weird, but, I'll take it over a stupid breakup any day!). Overall, though not entirely marketed as having the right tropes, it was an enjoyable omegaverse, and I look forward to reading interconnected books in the series.
May 22, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the story of an Omega named Erin and her four Alpha’s – Cameron, Blake, Riley and Matt. This group grew up together and were inseparable from a very young age. As they grew into their teenage years, feelings of friendship grew into something more. And then one fateful night everything changed. Erin was no longer a part of their group. The boys changed – they felt everything that happened between the five of them had been a lie and Erin wasn’t who they thought she was. Fast forward five years later and this group is reunited at college. As you can imagine, their reunion did not go smoothly.
Erin showed her strength throughout this book. She made the best of a horrible time from her childhood. Although she had her doubts about the guys’ intentions, her love for them was always there.
And the guys? They were all charming and lovable each in their own ways. Cam’s love language was food – always making sure to feed and provide for Erin. I was so happy to see him finally get over his “issues” by the end of the book. Matt was the constant in her life. Even though he was devastated when Erin left, his love for her was always there and never faltered when she returned. He was gentle and kind, always there for her. Riley was still drawn to her even though he was angry about what he thought happened. He grew up being shuffled from foster home to foster home. When Erin left, he felt abandoned again. But once the truth finally came out about what actually happened, he was all in – and it was perfect! Blake was my favorite! I loved his gifts and the sweet notes he left for her. He and Cam were determined to court her and do it the way they wanted to when they were younger.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the book was well written. I can’t wait to read more from this universe.
This is the story of an Omega named Erin and her four Alpha’s – Cameron, Blake, Riley and Matt. This group grew up together and were inseparable from a very young age. As they grew into their teenage years, feelings of friendship grew into something more. And then one fateful night everything changed. Erin was no longer a part of their group. The boys changed – they felt everything that happened between the five of them had been a lie and Erin wasn’t who they thought she was. Fast forward five years later and this group is reunited at college. As you can imagine, their reunion did not go smoothly.
Erin showed her strength throughout this book. She made the best of a horrible time from her childhood. Although she had her doubts about the guys’ intentions, her love for them was always there.
And the guys? They were all charming and lovable each in their own ways. Cam’s love language was food – always making sure to feed and provide for Erin. I was so happy to see him finally get over his “issues” by the end of the book. Matt was the constant in her life. Even though he was devastated when Erin left, his love for her was always there and never faltered when she returned. He was gentle and kind, always there for her. Riley was still drawn to her even though he was angry about what he thought happened. He grew up being shuffled from foster home to foster home. When Erin left, he felt abandoned again. But once the truth finally came out about what actually happened, he was all in – and it was perfect! Blake was my favorite! I loved his gifts and the sweet notes he left for her. He and Cam were determined to court her and do it the way they wanted to when they were younger.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great and the book was well written. I can’t wait to read more from this universe.
May 29, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A.J. Moran is a new to me author. I started with an ARC of a new Omegaverse/non-shifter book that is just released. This book has elements of dark romance, and is reverse harem, no MM in the pack. It is not super traditional along those lines though. It is also a bully omegaverse, but was mostly light bullying and only for a small percent of the book.
One of the things I really like is that the FMC is a strong character, even when she has had to flee in fear from past situations, she doesn't let it break her. I like when an FMC is not wishywashy and can stand on her own. She also actively has anxiety attacks from her trauma and I thought the story handled it appropriately. She does get in her head a lot, and some of the initial issues in the story would obviously not have been there if they would have just talked, but that is the point of the story isn't it ;)
Her and her 4 best friends grew up together, eventually, she presented as an omega, specifically their omega, but something happens and she disappears from their lives. They reconnect when they end up at the same college and accidentally share a co-ed living space in the dorm. They do not recognize her and she goes by a different name, so it takes a bit to figure out who she is. That is really when you see the bullying. Eventually the truth comes out and everything stops and the rest of the book is their love and relationship taking its course. It is not an easy path and they face a lot of challenges.
I liked each alpha, and I liked that they were well thought out characters. Each one had their own inner demons to deal with but they all loved each other for them anyways and worked together to help everyone. This book has some great representation: mental health/bipolar/active anxiety attacks and one alpha is deaf. Each of the alphas were easy to like, even in the beginning when they were not nice to her.
There is some decent spice in there, which of course picks up as the book goes. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea. But as far as omegaverse goes, this is definitely up there with some of my favorites. I look forward to reading more in this story line.
A.J. Moran is a new to me author. I started with an ARC of a new Omegaverse/non-shifter book that is just released. This book has elements of dark romance, and is reverse harem, no MM in the pack. It is not super traditional along those lines though. It is also a bully omegaverse, but was mostly light bullying and only for a small percent of the book.
One of the things I really like is that the FMC is a strong character, even when she has had to flee in fear from past situations, she doesn't let it break her. I like when an FMC is not wishywashy and can stand on her own. She also actively has anxiety attacks from her trauma and I thought the story handled it appropriately. She does get in her head a lot, and some of the initial issues in the story would obviously not have been there if they would have just talked, but that is the point of the story isn't it ;)
Her and her 4 best friends grew up together, eventually, she presented as an omega, specifically their omega, but something happens and she disappears from their lives. They reconnect when they end up at the same college and accidentally share a co-ed living space in the dorm. They do not recognize her and she goes by a different name, so it takes a bit to figure out who she is. That is really when you see the bullying. Eventually the truth comes out and everything stops and the rest of the book is their love and relationship taking its course. It is not an easy path and they face a lot of challenges.
I liked each alpha, and I liked that they were well thought out characters. Each one had their own inner demons to deal with but they all loved each other for them anyways and worked together to help everyone. This book has some great representation: mental health/bipolar/active anxiety attacks and one alpha is deaf. Each of the alphas were easy to like, even in the beginning when they were not nice to her.
There is some decent spice in there, which of course picks up as the book goes. This book may not be everyone's cup of tea. But as far as omegaverse goes, this is definitely up there with some of my favorites. I look forward to reading more in this story line.
June 2, 2024
Knot Forgotten was a delicious Omegaverse book. Sometimes it's difficult to find an Omegaverse novel that isn't insta everything. Knot Forgotten follows 5 individuals that have known each other since they were young children and that background allowed everything to grow naturally versus being instalove/lust. I really appreciated that. It was also really well written.
I had a few issues with the book, preventing it from being a full five stars. The main one being that these 5 individuals grew up together. One of the last scenes from the book said they'd known each other since they were 6. The fact that 4 men that were "obsessed" with the FMC didn't recognize her because she straightened her hair and had a few curves--does not track. Especially as in the book, it said she wasn't very popular, but someone from their high school glanced at her in the library and instantly knew who she was? But her 4 closest friends didn't? I know it's needed for the plot, but I really struggled with that. The second point is the way the plot seemed to jump from point to point, ie. the bullying to end of the bullying, the rescue, etc. That said, I kind of get it. To flesh out a full book with 5 MCs and to also flesh out the plot, it would be a 1000 page book before we know it. So I think that's something that just may go hand in hand with Omegaverse novels. You have to lose some to gain elsewhere.
Again, the book was really well written. The MCs were all highly likable. It was a fun quick read on a Saturday night. The spice was spicing and for having to track 5 people, we weren't ending up with 12 elbows that just didn't make sense. Well done to the author on that.
I'm excited to keep reading this author and see what else is in the Hiddenverse.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I had a few issues with the book, preventing it from being a full five stars. The main one being that these 5 individuals grew up together. One of the last scenes from the book said they'd known each other since they were 6. The fact that 4 men that were "obsessed" with the FMC didn't recognize her because she straightened her hair and had a few curves--does not track. Especially as in the book, it said she wasn't very popular, but someone from their high school glanced at her in the library and instantly knew who she was? But her 4 closest friends didn't? I know it's needed for the plot, but I really struggled with that. The second point is the way the plot seemed to jump from point to point, ie. the bullying to end of the bullying, the rescue, etc. That said, I kind of get it. To flesh out a full book with 5 MCs and to also flesh out the plot, it would be a 1000 page book before we know it. So I think that's something that just may go hand in hand with Omegaverse novels. You have to lose some to gain elsewhere.
Again, the book was really well written. The MCs were all highly likable. It was a fun quick read on a Saturday night. The spice was spicing and for having to track 5 people, we weren't ending up with 12 elbows that just didn't make sense. Well done to the author on that.
I'm excited to keep reading this author and see what else is in the Hiddenverse.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 26, 2025
They were best friends, her world, and future, but one night changed everything. She had to leave; disappear without a trace. Now Erin has followed them to the college they all planned to attend. They're here, but they don't recognize her. And they aren't the same boys she once knew. Once they discover her identity, they don't welcome her back into their group. Instead, they are cruel and cold. They are angry. They don't realize it wasn't her choice. It was survival. Can they fix what's broken? Will they even want to since she is the one who broke them?
I didn't dislike this book. It was mostly entertaining. But the story felt contrived and the characters forced at times. No recognition at all? The same dorm suite? Specific kinks that are non-negotiable? It lacked commitment - bully-lite, kink-lite, dark-lite. I needed more bullying, more groveling, more relationship-building, and more danger. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters. Erin lacked sass, Matt and Riley were fine, and Blake had the most potential with his volatility and gift-giving, but Cam drove me crazy. His denial came across more as a choice than anything else; one that purposefully hurt his ability to get close and have a meaningful relationship. The angst he portrayed over this choice was so unnecessary. Fear of intimacy. We all get hurt, we all get left; the reaction doesn't have to be so extreme or last forever. Man up.
I also needed Erin to make a friend. Did she not speak to any other students? The best girlfriend is a necessary character for me.
I didn't dislike this book. It was mostly entertaining. But the story felt contrived and the characters forced at times. No recognition at all? The same dorm suite? Specific kinks that are non-negotiable? It lacked commitment - bully-lite, kink-lite, dark-lite. I needed more bullying, more groveling, more relationship-building, and more danger. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters. Erin lacked sass, Matt and Riley were fine, and Blake had the most potential with his volatility and gift-giving, but Cam drove me crazy. His denial came across more as a choice than anything else; one that purposefully hurt his ability to get close and have a meaningful relationship. The angst he portrayed over this choice was so unnecessary. Fear of intimacy. We all get hurt, we all get left; the reaction doesn't have to be so extreme or last forever. Man up.
I also needed Erin to make a friend. Did she not speak to any other students? The best girlfriend is a necessary character for me.
June 27, 2024
If you're interested in an angsty story about friend-to-lovers turned enemies-to-lovers this is the one for you.
Something happens in the past forcing Erin to leave her men. She meets them again when they end up being dorm mates and they all seemingly don't recognize her. (Which is a bit hard to believe). She discovers that they aren't the sweet guys she once knew, possibly because of how she disappeared from their lives. They quickly find out and set out to torment her.
Of the four men, Matt seems to be the sweetest and doesn't not participate in any bullying. Cam & Blake being the most cruel possibly because they took her leaving the hardest. Each man comes to terms with their longing for her along with the reasons why she left. There are apologies and a bit of groveling by some of her men.
There is a secondary plot to ratchet up the stakes with her father, which I felt wasn't necessary for this book but helps to wrap up the story full circle.
Overall it was a good enjoyable angsty read even if nothing new was tread on.
Notes:
One MMC is bipolar, another is deaf and they use ASL to communicate
Erin is an omega. You get knots, heat, and mate marks but this book reads much more like a contemporary novel for the majority of the novel
Talk about omega trafficking
There is bullying and OW drama
Something happens in the past forcing Erin to leave her men. She meets them again when they end up being dorm mates and they all seemingly don't recognize her. (Which is a bit hard to believe). She discovers that they aren't the sweet guys she once knew, possibly because of how she disappeared from their lives. They quickly find out and set out to torment her.
Of the four men, Matt seems to be the sweetest and doesn't not participate in any bullying. Cam & Blake being the most cruel possibly because they took her leaving the hardest. Each man comes to terms with their longing for her along with the reasons why she left. There are apologies and a bit of groveling by some of her men.
There is a secondary plot to ratchet up the stakes with her father, which I felt wasn't necessary for this book but helps to wrap up the story full circle.
Overall it was a good enjoyable angsty read even if nothing new was tread on.
Notes:
One MMC is bipolar, another is deaf and they use ASL to communicate
Erin is an omega. You get knots, heat, and mate marks but this book reads much more like a contemporary novel for the majority of the novel
Talk about omega trafficking
There is bullying and OW drama
June 2, 2024
3.75☆ Overall, I liked the story. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I would because the issues stemming from lack of communication on both ends were irksome. She didn't come right out, be honest about her identity, and was upset they were upset. She could have told them the truth about past events much earlier, and they could have actually bothered to ask as well. I'm glad we didn't have to wait until halfway through the book or the end. And I'm glad that though they were jerks, it didn't cross a line, although I wished she stood up for herself better in the beginning. After things were cleared up I liked seeing their relationship develop, although it wasn't without its issues, and I didn't quite understand Cams issue/predilection or why it affected him to the extent it did. There were quite a few flashbacks, which were not all necessary to me, but it didn't detract from the book. I liked that things were wrapped up well by the end. The epilogue was nice, and I'm hoping to see more of Raven and her story later.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 3, 2024
Knot Forgotten by AJ Moran was a sweet RH romance. Imo, I’d classify this novel as a beginner RH.. a nice little toe dip if you’re unsure on your own personal k*nks to read about.
The story primarily focused on the group rather than the plot as a whole. The action in it aside from character building seemed to be like an after thought and not actually something that was an intentional lead up as the description of the book made it seem.
It was well written, an easy read, but I felt it lacked enthusiasm. It simply did not dwell on dire circumstances and hopped right back into the love life shared between the five of them. Maybe it’s just me, but I need a little more groveling when it comes to the danger within the plot.
I did, however, love that the author didn’t immediately make the characters flip their script in terms of forgiveness like most books seem to do. Like, “oh, he winked at me? I guess I love him again.” Instead, I felt like it was rebuilt at a good pace.
As always, I really appreciate the opportunity to read the advanced copy of the novel! I received this copy for free through Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ♥️
The story primarily focused on the group rather than the plot as a whole. The action in it aside from character building seemed to be like an after thought and not actually something that was an intentional lead up as the description of the book made it seem.
It was well written, an easy read, but I felt it lacked enthusiasm. It simply did not dwell on dire circumstances and hopped right back into the love life shared between the five of them. Maybe it’s just me, but I need a little more groveling when it comes to the danger within the plot.
I did, however, love that the author didn’t immediately make the characters flip their script in terms of forgiveness like most books seem to do. Like, “oh, he winked at me? I guess I love him again.” Instead, I felt like it was rebuilt at a good pace.
As always, I really appreciate the opportunity to read the advanced copy of the novel! I received this copy for free through Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ♥️
May 30, 2024
Erin fell in love with her childhood best friends Matt, Riley, Blake, and Cam. They were inseparable. They were sure they'd be a pack, but one night changed it all. Erin is forced to leave without a goodbye, leaving everyone brokenhearted. Years later, they meet again. Mistaken identity, forced proximity, and some bullying ensues.
The guys were not very nice to Erin when they meet again. They're determined to hurt her like she hurt them. Erin had a good reason for leaving, but she never forgot them. When they finally find out how wrong they were in treating her, they've got to work to convince her to give them a chance to be a pack.
I asked for more omegaverse, and A.J Moran delivered!!!! This book has some of my favorite tropes, second chance mixed in with a bit of bully romance. I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book. When they finally give in and come together as a pack 🥵. I'm wondering if we'll get the story for one of the characters introduced towards the end of the book. She seems fascinating, plus she's living dangerously.
The guys were not very nice to Erin when they meet again. They're determined to hurt her like she hurt them. Erin had a good reason for leaving, but she never forgot them. When they finally find out how wrong they were in treating her, they've got to work to convince her to give them a chance to be a pack.
I asked for more omegaverse, and A.J Moran delivered!!!! This book has some of my favorite tropes, second chance mixed in with a bit of bully romance. I can't get over how much I enjoyed this book. When they finally give in and come together as a pack 🥵. I'm wondering if we'll get the story for one of the characters introduced towards the end of the book. She seems fascinating, plus she's living dangerously.
May 29, 2024
Knot Forgotten is the first book in the Hiddenverse series by A.J. Moran.
💜 broken FMC
💜 childhood best friends
💜 why choose
💜 college
💜 🌶🌶🌶🌶 spice
Erin loves playing around with her four best friends. They do so much together. Lately, she’s been feeling more towards them then just friendship. It seems like they have been feeling those feelings as well when they all start to sneak kisses. But what happens when one night everything changes? What will happen to them? Will they ever be together?
This was such a fun dip into the omegaverse world. I love the take of childhood best friends to a unexpected reuniting. All of the main characters go through so much during this book. I love the fact that it’s not just the main female character that goes through a rough patch in her life but all experience the trails in a different way. This was so fun and I can’t wait to see what other stories will come out of this new world.
💜 broken FMC
💜 childhood best friends
💜 why choose
💜 college
💜 🌶🌶🌶🌶 spice
Erin loves playing around with her four best friends. They do so much together. Lately, she’s been feeling more towards them then just friendship. It seems like they have been feeling those feelings as well when they all start to sneak kisses. But what happens when one night everything changes? What will happen to them? Will they ever be together?
This was such a fun dip into the omegaverse world. I love the take of childhood best friends to a unexpected reuniting. All of the main characters go through so much during this book. I love the fact that it’s not just the main female character that goes through a rough patch in her life but all experience the trails in a different way. This was so fun and I can’t wait to see what other stories will come out of this new world.
June 9, 2025
Second chance forced proximity
Erin is assigned a room with four Alphas as an Omega. She believes the mistake was made due to her mother or aunt using her middle name Quinn on the admissions paperwork.
The four Alphas turn out to be her four best friends from childhood, but she doesn't tell them it's her right away. This turns out to be a mistake at first because they believed that she left them on purpose.
Her father was going to sell her because he figured out she was going to present as an omega and he didn't want her to be corrupted by those boys. Her mother took her away and wouldn't let her contact anyone from her past.
This is a second chance romance where the Omega has to fight for the childhood loves she is forced to live with at college. It takes something drastic to happen for them all to come back together as a pack.
It's a well told story and I loved how it ends.
Erin is assigned a room with four Alphas as an Omega. She believes the mistake was made due to her mother or aunt using her middle name Quinn on the admissions paperwork.
The four Alphas turn out to be her four best friends from childhood, but she doesn't tell them it's her right away. This turns out to be a mistake at first because they believed that she left them on purpose.
Her father was going to sell her because he figured out she was going to present as an omega and he didn't want her to be corrupted by those boys. Her mother took her away and wouldn't let her contact anyone from her past.
This is a second chance romance where the Omega has to fight for the childhood loves she is forced to live with at college. It takes something drastic to happen for them all to come back together as a pack.
It's a well told story and I loved how it ends.
Read
June 6, 2024This was an interesting read. I have to say that I do think it's pretty awesome that none of them are perfect, and by that I mean that the alphas have flaws that weren't perfected by alpha genetics: asthma, hearing issues, bipolar disorder, etc. They were definitely more human and relatable. There was certainly some drama, especially with the way they treat her at the start. I know it wasn't in the script, but there would have been so much less chaos for all of them if she'd just explained herself from the beginning. Overall, it was a decent read. Although I liked all of the guys, I feel like they were playing at being "big boys" sometimes. Not the usual take on alphas and omegas that is normally told.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 7, 2024
Scents of Childhood
It’s been a long time since I’ve read about the alphas/omega relationship. And it’s the first time for the MC’s to be teenagers moving into college life. Moran has done an excellent job of incorporating this fictional and unique romance into real life. Their notion of “forever” as teens was rudely dispelled by Erin’s father’s wanting to sell her to another pack. She and her mother abruptly left home to escape, leaving Matt, Blake, Cameron and Riley heartbroken and bitter. The author reunites them all at college where the rest of the story takes place. Each character is richly described with all the emotional fragility that each one imbues. Enjoy this intensely emotional and steamy romance.
I have received an ARC from the author and I am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.
June 1, 2024
Erin thought she and her 4 best guy friends were going to be together forever but one night changed all of that. When given the chance to see them again and see how things stand, Erin finds out she's not the only one who has changed in the last 5 years.
This is my first book by A. J. Moran and I found the premise of the story very interesting and the style of writing just flowed. I found the flashbacks gave much needed insight into how their relationship used to be and how their relationship needed to be now that they were older and in a very much different place. I enjoyed the book and will definitely be on the look out for the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is my first book by A. J. Moran and I found the premise of the story very interesting and the style of writing just flowed. I found the flashbacks gave much needed insight into how their relationship used to be and how their relationship needed to be now that they were older and in a very much different place. I enjoyed the book and will definitely be on the look out for the next book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2024
Well written, full of drama, kidnapping, steam, abuse, love, chemistry, childhood friends to college roommates. Omega vs Alpha's. Erin goes to college as a girl named Quinn. She has been in hiding for years from her father. Sh is accidentally placed in a male dorm room, only to find out that it's her friends from years ago- Blake, Cam, Riley and Matt. They all grew up with so many secrets and battles from their past, that they still are dealing with. Together they work for the love that they had and still want, needing a safe place for it. Has so much action along the way to their safe place and happily ever after. Lots of steamy scenes. Would recommend to others.
I am an ARC and leave this unbiased, honest review.
I am an ARC and leave this unbiased, honest review.
June 7, 2024
I really enjoyed reading and learning all about Rin. Knot Forgotten really encompasses what this story is all about. Erin or 'Rin' as she’s called, grows up with 4 guys who become her best friends. One night Rin up and vanishes.
Skip ahead to all of them being college age and then the story really picks up. Rin remembers the future plans they all made and chooses the same university as the guys. The very first day she is flabbergasted that one of the guys runs into her. Talk about embarrassing considering he knocked things out of her arms and some rather private stuff fell on the grass. Want more info? Sorry, you’re going to have to read this amazing story that can be a heart jerker. I absolutely love the ending that Rin got and she totally deserved it!
Skip ahead to all of them being college age and then the story really picks up. Rin remembers the future plans they all made and chooses the same university as the guys. The very first day she is flabbergasted that one of the guys runs into her. Talk about embarrassing considering he knocked things out of her arms and some rather private stuff fell on the grass. Want more info? Sorry, you’re going to have to read this amazing story that can be a heart jerker. I absolutely love the ending that Rin got and she totally deserved it!
June 11, 2024
A J Moran did a fantastic job of capturing the wonder of childhood friends, the fears caused by an abusive parent, and the joys of reclaiming the friendship and love between them. I enjoyed every moment of Erin’s reunion with Riley, Matt, Blake, and Cameron and their journey to become a pack. There’s drama, danger, and the intense emotions of anger that play out among them. The spice was very well written: different kinks that added to their bonding and the love that each man showed Erin. I loved how protective, thoughtful, and supportive they were for each other! Poignant, positive, and powerful with a HEA!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2024
One of my favorite tropes is childhood friends to lovers. Pair that with omegaverse and I end up being so excited to read the books with both. I loveddd this book. We get to know the background story of the friend group and how they used to be so close, and then we see how they interact in the present and how they have to build their relationships back up after a period of the FMC and male character not being together. Erin is strong and I love how she just knows how to handle each of the male characters and what they need to help their broken parts. I would definitely recommend this book to others!!
May 24, 2024
This is the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It has a curvy MFC, deaf representation with one of the MMC, mental health representation across a spectrum, and diversity in kinks.
I went in expecting this to be darker than it was. The bully aspect resolves quickly. The DV issues were dark but there rest of the book balanced out that.
Overall I loved the way the characters grew both together and individually. It felt like an authentic view of young adults finding themselves at college dealing with trauma and broken hearts.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I went in expecting this to be darker than it was. The bully aspect resolves quickly. The DV issues were dark but there rest of the book balanced out that.
Overall I loved the way the characters grew both together and individually. It felt like an authentic view of young adults finding themselves at college dealing with trauma and broken hearts.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 1, 2024
This is the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed this it. There was, however, one thing that didn't make sense to me. Perhaps I'm wrong but it doesn't seem that she intended for them to find out who she was, so her saying that she didn't know how to tell them is just not consistent. For this it lost a half star for me. Otherwise, I recommend the book. The characters are well thought out and I liked all the main ones. The story line was engaging and hopefully there's a book coming for Raven and Todd.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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