Lucky or Knot

Fortune Favors the Fae #14

by Eliot Grayson

Out of money and down on his luck in a city that promised him a run of both, Tony turns to the one asset he knows he can his honed, toned, dangerous alpha body, which looks surprisingly good covered in glitter.

Well, not sell, exactly—that’s a line Tony won’t cross. Display? Gyrate? Flex? Whatever. It pays his bills, and that’s all that matters.

But one payment comes due sooner than expected, and when a slim, unearthly fae customer who can’t seem to take his gleaming eyes off of Tony’s…assets…presents him with the timely opportunity to make a little extra? Tony finds that he’s willing to cross that line after all.

The golden coin Raven offers is enough to settle Tony’s debts. And the way Raven takes what Tony gives him in return is enough for Tony to wish he’d offered himself for free.

But when the sun rises, Raven’s gone—along with the coin.

And Tony isn’t the kind of guy to let things go. Especially not when they belong to him…

Lucky or Knot is a part of the multi-author series, Fortune Favors the Fae. From spicy to sweet, zany romps to epic adventures, there’s something for everyone in this mystical series. Discover destiny and true love and follow the coin on its fickle journey to the next world and a new magical adventure.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Fae, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Magic

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2024

About the author

Eliot's a lifelong Southern California girl, right down to the flip-flops and backyard garden. When she's not writing her next book, you can find her reading, drinking tea, or (more likely) catering to the demands of her kids and ancient, cranky cat.

Steamy books with delicious tension, heart-wrenching pining, and a hefty dose of action and adventure have always been her jam as a reader. Guess what she writes?

You can catch up with her on Facebook in her reader group, Eliot Grayson's Escape from Reality, or sign up for her newsletter at eliotgrayson.com.

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

« The instant I’d seen him, possibly even the instant I’d scented him, it’d been all over. »

This was a fun romance, very sexy and sweet.
I loved the contrast between sexy growly Tony the Tiger and sultry androgynous Raven the fairy. I loved the hurt/comfort elements, the tiger shenanigans, the secret rendezvous.

“If you were mine,” I choked out, as he pushed down, seating his hips, my cock buried as deep in him as he could get it, “fuck, if you were—gods, that feels—you’d always have me however you wanted me.”

Literally 90% of the quotes I saved are the smut, because ohmygawdd I love a growly top.
Plot-wise this read might be a bit on the weak side, could’ve been longer and have more depth to it, but the spice was awesome.

“Come on my knot, sweetness.”

I’ve only read two of the Fortune Favors the Fae series, but I really enjoyed them, so will definitely look into the others as well.

“And what am I? With or without my alpha magic?”
“You’re an exception.”

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Tiger shifter vs fairy
- Stripper MC
- ‘One night stand’ to lovers
- References to domestic abuse (off page)
- Strict top/bottom
- Knotting
- Rimming

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: hurt/comfort, failed one night stand, size difference
Feels: 3.5/5
Steam*: 3.5/5
Kinks: knotting, furniture breaking sex
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: domestic abuse, sexual assault, dubcon, injuries

How much did I enjoy this book? Maybe 3.5 Stars. Honestly, this was a hard book to truly enjoy because of the tough themes of domestic abuse and sexual assault. So that rating is really more about my enjoyment level than it is the author's writing, so I'm going to round up.

Tony is a 31-year-old weretiger. And yes, he does hate the Tony the Tiger grrrreat jokes he gets. He's never been good financially, but one of his last exes in particular did him dirty financially. He's got a loan shark on his back to repay money. Tony works as a stripper at an all-male, all Alpha strip club called Lucky or Knot. One night, a hot fae propositions him, offering to give him a gold coin worth thousands of dollars if he f**** and knots him. Tony has never prostituted himself before, but he finds the guy hot and it will solve his money problems so he agrees. When Tony wakes up in the motel room, the guy is gone and so is the coin, the guy magicked him into falling asleep and left. Tony is pissed and wants to hunt The guy, Raven, down. But once he does find him, he quickly understands why Raven did what he did. And Tony is incredibly attracted to Raven, both for magical reasons and just because he's hot. So Tony goes from wanting to punish and make Raven pay, to wanting to rescue him.

Spoiler alert, I need to address why Raven was doing what he did because I think it's a key trigger warning for people. Raven got conned into a magical deal with this rich guy. He himself had agreed to have sex with the rich guy once in order to get the coin, but the guy tricked him with a magical loophole and now Raven is trapped in an abusive ongoing relationship with this controlling guy, who uses him as a sex toy and a trophy play thing in public. The guy basically rapes Raven, because Raven does not want this. Even after Tony and Raven have sex, Raven has to continue to sleep with the rich guy. Very triggering, not a very romantic dynamic.

Also, that first night where Tony and Raven have sex is dubcon in a way, because Raven knew what was going to happen, and it's kind of ugly to force someone to prostitute themselves and not give what was promised.

The book was pretty decent. The author writes well. It was a compelling story. I would have enjoyed it more though if there wasn't such a strong theme of domestic abuse and sexual assault. That's just making it a tough read. Also, Raven wasn't really capable of reciprocating Tony's feelings until the very end, so the feelings were a little one-sided which wasn't terribly romantic. I wish we had seen more of Tony and Raven working well as a couple, but they were always in fight or flight mode until the very end.


Some notable moments:

"“Fuck,” I wheezed. “Fuck. But you really overestimate the good taste of Lucky or Knot’s clientele, Raven. I’d sell out the house as Tony the Tiger. All I have to lose is my dignity.” “Will you pinch me again if I point out that you don’t have a lot of that to lose?”"

I love how Tony is so okay with Raven owning him. "“You okay with this guy buying you?” Would I be okay with Raven owning me, body and soul, until the end of time? What a stupid fucking thing to ask. I glanced down at Raven and met his gaze. Also questioning, even though I had no idea why he’d have any doubt. Hadn’t I already given my answer in the car? “Yep,” I said, not bothering to even look at Louie. Raven’s eyes. He already owned me, and this was nothing more than a fairy technicality. Maybe the coin had known that all along. “Fine with me.”"

I love how self-aware they are about how any furniture they have sex on is doomed. They have broken so much furniture! "“Mate me,” he gasped, as I kissed my way up his thigh. My head popped up like he’d electrocuted me, and I felt like it, too. “Here? On this—the massage table’s toast if we do that, Raven.”"

Aw, Raven was so innocent, this moment where he feels love for the first time. "“Oh,” he breathed at last. “I didn’t expect to feel it like this.” He lifted his head and gazed at me as if he’d never seen me before. “That’s you loving me. That—I can’t even describe it.” The wonder in his voice mirrored my own. “You don’t need to,” I said hoarsely. “I’m the one feeling it.” “It’s incredible. I can’t possibly tell anyone I know about this, they’ll all want one.”"


*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.

**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.

[em · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such rotten luck with multi-author series but not only is this one of my favourites in that category, it might be my favourite Eliot Grayson of all time (and I’ve read most of her catalogue)

A grumpy fae twink gets trapped in a deal of his own making with a powerful Alpha. His white knight is a glitter covered, sparkly jockstap wearing Alpha stripper hellbent on revenge after his one night stand and the coin he was promised in payment both mysteriously vanish in the morning!

This was so much fun!! Banter, snark, embarrassing moments, cameos from the Mismatched Mates series (this is set in the same universe), scheming, pining, fae logic. I truly never wanted it to end. Raven and Tony were HOT together. I love seeing an Alpha submit to his lover especially when there’s a size difference like this. Tony was whipped and completely unbothered about it 🥵

I hope we see more of the Lucky or Knot Alpha strip club because it’s just too good of a setting for only one book 🤞🏻

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well as per the Kindle app crashed and lost my review

Let's just say, pay attention to the content warnings, be ready for a weretiger with impulse control issues, a Fae twink who gets more than he bargained for, and not much of Coin until the end.

This is set in Eliot's Mismatched Mates series, so there's guest appearances from Declan and Blake, which I appreciated.

It's an interesting plot and it mainly worked for me, although I'd have liked to have known more about the Fae themselves.

Hopefully we'll get more with this setup because the club where Tony performed was also pretty interesting.

[Iz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a conclusion to this wonderful shared-world series! "Lucky or Knot" is an absolute gem of a book.
Eliot Grayson is ALWAYS a sure thing for me: I don't think she could write a book that wouldn't make immediately obsessed... her writing scratches a very specific itch in my brain, and I've seriously adored every single word she has written, and this book is no exception.

I adored the plot, and I adored the world-building, and I ADORED the romance. I was hooked immediately, and I managed to finish the whole book off in a day: I could not stop reading.

Tony is a fantastic protagonist: he's absolutely freaking wonderful. He's so damn respectful and eager and sweet, but the things I loved most about him were his courage and his honesty. I loved being in his head! Raven, on the other hand, was a smidge more difficult for me to love. Mainly because we never get his POV, so he remains quite a mystery until the very end. Also, I didn't like how he made fun of Tony's supposed dumbness: call it a pet peeve of mine, but it's the one thing I can't stand being made fun of. Also, I absolutely did not think Tony was dumb AT ALL: he's brave and eager, and yes okay, impulsive, but that doesn't make him an idiot. Anyway, that's the reason I'm not giving this book a full five-star rating.
Raven becomes less of a mystery by the end, and I thought Eliot did a wonderful job depicting how different a fae and a non-fae are: their morals and their feelings are very different, and the ""cultural"" divide between the two is also quite big, and I appreciated how she took the time to explain that. It made Raven much more lovable, and the world-building even more fascinating too!
Regardless, I still felt for Raven throughout the novel, and once again, I think the author did a fantastic job portraying his struggles and the impact his ongoing trauma has on him: despite my own pet peeves, I wholly understood the reason behind his choices, as did Tony.

Regardless, I ADORED the romance: I love it when two characters can't seem to take their hands off each other, and Eliot Grayson is the queen of that kind of trope. Both of them are obsessed with each other, and it made me both swoon and blush. The steam was absolutely STEAMIN', and their bond, the way both of them ended up being quite ready to sacrifice themselves for the other, made me tear up more than once.

Last but not least, "Lucky or Knot" is set in Eliot's Mismatched Mates series, so for long-time fans of the series, we get to see a couple of well-known (and beloved) faces! And yes, since it's Vegas, that means DECLAN AND BLAKE. I squealed: those two are my favourite of Eliot's couples, and I loved seeing them being all loved-up (and snarky) together. Also, Blake is still very much an asshole, and I loved him for that. My babies <3

The ending was perfect, and I seriously cannot wait to see which couple will be the next in this series. "Lucky or Knot" was a fabulous, steamy, fun, but also surprisingly angsty and dark, romp of a book, and I could not recommend it enough.

TWs/CWs: domestic abuse, violence.

Thank you GRR for the ARC. This is my honest review.

[Mir]

DNF 56%

This whole book is giving me the ick while being simultaneously very boring.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a crazy amount of debt with his loan shark breathing down his neck, Tony spends yet another night grinding his glitter covered body at the alpha only strip club Lucky or Knot. Nothing unusual about that, until a gorgeous Fae male comes in and offers Tony something he can't refuse. With the opportunity to clear his debt for good, Tony foolishly accepts, not knowing that everything is about to change...

When I requested an arc of this from Gay Romance Reviews, I didn't realize this was part of a multi-author series. I just hopped at the chance to read another Eliot Greyson book because I'm a fan of her work, but if the rest of this series is as fantastic as Lucky or Knot is, I may have to give it a go.

The chemistry and snarky banter between Tony and Raven was everything, and oof were these two smoking hot together! I'm a sucker for size differences and knotting, and absolutely ate this up!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Down-on-his luck and broke af shifter stripper Tony can't resist a chance to make some quick cash by making a bargain with a fae. Knotting Raven for a gold coin that'll give him the ability to pay off his debts and spend time with a fae who smells like everything he's ever wanted? It's a no-brainer. Except when the night is over, Raven and the coin are gone, and Tony isn't sure he'll ever be able to recover.

All the cells in my body seemed to have oriented themselves in his direction, iron filings chasing a magnet.

Lucky or Knot is filled with Eliot's trademark humour, a capricious fae, a loyal weretiger and a really beautiful theme about how far you might be willing to go for the ones you love.

I love Eliot Grayson's writing more than I loathe multi-author series, and so I had to grab Lucky or Knot because trust me I've been waiting for this book. The blurb alone made it a must-read, not to mention how good Eliot's books always are. It was really fantastic and I highly recommend it. It can be read as a standalone which is perfect since I had zero intention of reading the other 14 books in the collaboration. The cameos from another of my favourite Eliot books were delightful and has me headed to reread that book for the fourth time (I won't say who because spoilers). Read this book!

Rating: 5 stars
Angst: 3/5
Steam: 3/5

I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[juli✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

not me giving a book called lucky or knot four stars ✋😭 i do this to myself at this point … that being said, it's eliot grayson and she rarely misses <3

[ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

°˖✧✿✧˖° lucky or knot by eliot grayson°˖✧✿✧˖°

rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

"would i be okay with raven owning me, body and soul, until the end of time? what a stupid fucking thing to ask."

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

﹒⟢﹒tropes ﹒⟢﹒

⟢ fae/shifter romance
⟢ stripper weretiger
⟢ knotting
⟢ reluctant allies
⟢ hurt/comfort
⟢ bad bargains
⟢ pinning

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

tony, the weretiger shifter stripper, is broke and desperate. when raven, an enigmatic fae with the allure of a thousand love potions, offers a deal—sex in exchange for a magical coin—tony agrees, only to have raven disappear with the coin by morning. thus starting tony's pursuit, not just for the money, but for answers, and maybe something more.

the chemistry between tony and raven was electric, and i couldn't get enough of tony's courage and humor. he was sweet, fierce, and surprisingly vulnerable, and i loved seeing his dedication toward raven grow beyond the initial attraction. raven, on the other hand, was shrouded in mystery, which added a layer of tension to their romance—though i wish we’d gotten a glimpse inside his head. i so wanted to read his mind and find out what he was thinking.

the humor and world-building were good, with witty banter. tony and raven’s story was steamy. the steamy scenes were great as always.

what did not make it a 5 star read was the constant belittling of tony by raven. he kept calling him dumb again and again whilst being stubborn. i understand that he was stuck but atleast tony was doing something and being courageous. i loved tony's dedication to raven despite being treated coldly by him. tony, if you can read this, YOU ARE NOT DUMB!

the ending and logic well, did not make much sense in the last 10% of the book for me personally. it was all over the place and that kind of ruined the book for me. but i did enjoy tony the tiger being an actual tiger and jumping through the hoops, that was hilarious.

MY FAVOURIATE PART : THE CAMEO BY DECLAN AND BLAKE!!!! THE WAY I SCREAMED WHEN TONY MENTIONED THE CLUB'S NAME. I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN DECLAN SHOWED UP ON PAGE AND HELPED TONY. AND BLAKE!! I MISSED HIM SO MUCH! HE WAS STILL SO SNEAKY AND COMING UP WITH THE WHOLE IDEA COULD ONLY EVER COME FROM HIS BRAIN. DECLAN NOT LETTING HIM COME TO LUCKY OR KNOT MADE ME LAUGH. I JUST WISHED TONY DID NOT CALL HIM AN ASSHOLE AS MUCH AS HE DID CAUSE HE IS MY BABY AND YOU COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED ANYTHING WITHOUT HIM SIR!

overall, "lucky or knot" is a wonderful, easy to read book and i highly recommend it for those looking for shifters, fae, pinning and banter and ofcourse, more of declan and blake.

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
This story was such an absolute delight. I love the way Eliot Grayson brings heat, humour and swoon to an absolute adventure of a story. Tony’s personally and financially struggling so when a too good to be true bargain falls in his lap literally he can’t say no. Raven has hidden the secret agenda and consequences of their deal which triggers Tony’s stubborn side when he finds himself at the short end of the stick. Hunting Raven down pulls him into an adventure of a lifetime, culminating in love and a banger of an HEA. I love when theres appropriate comeuppance for the bad guy. Completely satisfying.

I also loved Blake and Declan. I’ll have to go back and read their book. If you’re looking for a shifter romance with sweet funny moments, a fast paced adventure and swoony you’re mine vibes I highly recommend checking this out

Expect:
* Shifter x Fae
* Stripper
* Size Difference
* Opposites attract
* Hurt comfort
* Possessive MC
* Protective MC
* Knotting
* Humorous
* Insta Lust

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned out to be nothing I expected, but I’m ok with that because it was such a fun read. Poor, sweet glitterfied Tony got himself into financial trouble and in a moment of weakness, decided to go against his usual rules of not sleeping with the customers of the strip club he worked for in order to get a coin that could take care of a good portion of his debt. Problem is, after what turns out to be one of the most memorable nights for him, the man he can’t stop thinking about is gone … as is the coin. Thus begins a whole lot of semi-stalking and half-baked antics to get closer to and ultimately save the fae that has transfixed him. I adored Tony. I didn’t like that he thought so little of himself, but he was guileless and funny and just so damn sweet. Since this was entirely in his POV, Raven was a lot harder to figure out and initially I wasn’t nearly as enthralled … but he grew on me and I ended up rooting for Tony to save him too. They were certainly hot together and I found myself laughing along. I definitely recommend this book, esp if you’re a fan of her other writing!

[Bekka]

I was hoping this one would be more up to the authors typical level than the Tavia Lark one was but this too left me disappointed.
What typically works well - the single POV - didn’t work for me that well this time since the cultural differences between the alpha weretiger (POV) and abused fae were so large to bridge in basically three sex scenes, hardly any talking and a couple hundred pages.
The idea of a weretiger alpha stripper and his incandescent fae-ted mate sounded great but
- are they fated? The whole scent thing was never explained
- this was so slow to get started like the first few chapters are the initial meeting and sex scene and I’ve read books that like span only a few hours in more pages that dragged less


NSFW infos
Fae tries to sell his body to get out of a contract (bottoms)
Alpha tiger tops and knots

[Josephine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book really rubbed me the wrong way. The main character came across as an obsessive stalker; there really wasn’t any indication of reciprocated interest but he insisted on “helping” despite being told his help wasn’t wanted/needed. It has “you said no but I know you didn’t mean it”-vibes. Gross.

[Cabert A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book much better than I thought I would given the premise! It was hot and sweet at the same time, plus had a lot of action scenes to keep me interested.

[Miss S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really fun read, but unfortunately I didn’t really connect with the main characters, Tony and Raven, and I couldn’t feel their chemistry beyond the physical, which was mostly based on scent?

I haven’t read any of the other books in the Fortune Favors the Fae series, but I think it sounds super fun with a multi-author series following the same coin.

In this case the coin has landed with Raven, who trapped himself in a bad deal with an abusive Alpha. He approaches Tony, an Alpha stripper at Lucky or Knot, and tries to make a new bargain with the coin, asking Tony to knot him.

Tony is in deep debt, and while he never crossed the line for paid favors before, there is just something about Raven. Tony is in instant lust from the first moment Raven’s magical fairy scent hits him.

One night of knotty (awkward) fun leads to… obsession, light stalking, stolen moments of passion, gun shots, a car chase and so much more.

Lucky or Knot definitely had a lot of action and I was here for it, but the romance was lacking, in my opinion.

❥ Single POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Paranormal
❥ Alpha Stripper x Fae
❥ Size Difference
❥ Pining & Knotting
❥ Bad Bargains & Fae Logic
❥ Cheating (on the bad guy)

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Read the full review on my blog here with edits and quotes.

[The Word Nerd Reviews Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony, is down on his luck and out of money. He’s an alpha stripper at Lucky or Knot, a place where glitter and sensuality reign. Tony’s honed, toned body becomes his most valuable asset, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to pay his bills. Enter Raven the alluring fae customer. Captivated by Tony and his graceful dance routine (😊) he presents Tony with an intriguing opportunity—one that involves a golden coin. THE golden coin. The mischievous coin once again wields its magic to bind Tony and Raven to a fate beyond their control. Hilarious hijinks ensues.

The chemistry between Tony and Raven is electric. Their attraction is undeniable, and as they navigate volatile magic and dangerous desires, their hearts become entangled. Despite the initial transaction, it’s not just about settling debts for both Raven and Tony. Their relationship evolves from a mere exchange to something unexpected, and as their connection strengthens, the stakes get higher.

Lucky or Knot weaves sensuality, magic, longing, and frustration into a captivating narrative. Eliot Grayson skillfully balances romance and intrigue, creating a story that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The glitter-covered world of Lucky or Knot comes alive, and the characters’ struggles and desires resonate with the reader.

My only criticism is that I would have liked some of the story from Raven’s perspective. This is Tony’s story, and it is told from how he interprets the various situations. Even at the end, Raven is still a relatively elusive character. It would have taken the book from very good to excellent with even a few chapters from his perspective. How he got himself in the mess to begin with, his experiences, the role of his family and the fae world, and just his thoughts about Tony, would have made this book a deeper experience.

With its lovely happily ever after, Lucky or Knot is a delightful addition to the Fortune Favors the Fae series. Eliot Grayson’s storytelling shines, making Lucky or Knot a must-read for the author’s existing and new readers.
Like all the stories in this multi-author series, it is a complete standalone, just another adventure of the mysterious gold ring.

Highly Recommended!

[S B · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review**

Ahhhh. Call it a guilty pleasure if you will but there is something so irresistible about the fated mate trope, especially when it's done in an MLM or WLW context. I'm not typically into possession or obsession in romance, but in this world, it works perfectly. The moment the characters catch each other's scent and JUST KNOW they’re fated to be together? I gobble it up, every time. It’s a magical connection that I wouldn’t enjoy in any other genre, but here, it feels just right.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the portrayal of Raven, the feminine, power-bottom character. As a bisexual mess, I can’t get enough of well-drawn, androgynous characters who exude both power and allure and are just a bit perfectly sassy. Raven’s appearance at the strip club in those killer heels immediately grabbed my attention, and Tony’s obsession with those heels was spot-on. Same, Tony, same! Raven embodies this perfect blend of androgyny, a figure that’s both mesmerizing and commanding (and knows exactly how to get what he wants)

While the instant attraction between Raven and Tony might not make sense to everyone, for fans of the fated mates trope, it’s absolute perfection. And although this story isn’t a highly complex, lyrical masterpiece, it’s the perfect palate cleanser—so satisfying that I’m eager to devour the rest of the series (immediately please)

What really sets "Lucky or Knot" apart is how it tackles serious themes, particularly domestic violence, within a world where obsession and possession are normalized. In a genre where the "alpha finds his mate" trope often leads to unhealthy dynamics, this book refreshingly criticizes that behavior. Tony's unwavering insistence that Raven deserves to be cherished, not controlled, was a breath of fresh air. Despite the animalistic world-building, the story delivers a metaphor for our own world, showing that love is about respect and adoration, not domination! ( except if you’re into that ;-)

And the steamy scenes… don’t get me started 🥵

So overall, amazing book, can’t wait for more!

[Jem Zero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is grrrreat!!!

Maybe I’ll come back later to leave a review that’s more coherent, but for now, all I can say is this book started hilarious, had me on the edge of my seat throughout, and stuck the landing. Tony is a big dumb kitten and Raven is… well, an unattainable bombshell in heels. Unless you’re Tony, then he’s semi-attainable, but only after you’ve broken your spine in a few places.

Theirs was a love thoroughly fought for and I adored every minute.

[Trish Skywalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Eliot for this arc, this was such a fun read!
Tony is a tiger shifter working off his deep debt to a loan shark in a Vegas strip club. Being covered in glitter and shaking it for bachelorette parties isn’t his dream, but it’ll do for now. He never crosses the line of selling himself outside of the club, until a beautiful fae walks into his club and makes him the offer of lifetime: one night together, and the fae will give him a coin that can pay his debt in full.
But things don’t go as planned when Tony wakes up the next day with the beautiful man gone…along with his payment.
Not only is Tony livid at being cheated but he was also completely enthralled by the stunning, nameless fae. He’s determined to do whatever he can to get him back, in more ways than one.
But the fae is already taken, and he can’t see a way out. Impossible means nothing to Tony when it comes to this gorgeous and magical man.
This was such a fun story, a sweet romance with super sexy steamy scenes (there’s knotting!!). Lots of laughs, tenderness, and a completely asinine scheme to save a fae!
-Weretiger/fae
-Lots of laughs
-Steamy 🔥🔥🔥
-A bargain to be broken
-The weretiger’s name is Tony. And he’s grrreeeeaaaat!

[Daje1968 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

First as one of the teeming masses who do not have a taste for ginger men, I find it funny that cover art of ginger heroes never shows them with really red hair. Get the hint, romance writers. Stick with blonde and brunette.

Second, I am not a huge paranormal fan, but I can f*ck with shifters. But I draw the line at magical people. Even Harry Potter bugged me. There are no parameters or limits. They’re going to see us, no problem I can make us invisible. I will cast a spell and make them think they love me, etc etc. it’s stupid.

Finally, not a delicate twink fan so the pairing did nothing for me and Grayson can write stream.

Nice to see Declan and Blake, though.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always love Eliot's work

Super fun, steamy, angsty read with the perfect amount of action! Always love Eliot's work and now I think I'll reread mismatched mates again 😇

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a coldly cutting twinky fae stuck in an abusive relationship, a glittery stripping weretiger in desperate financial straights, fae contract shenanigans, and giggle worthy banter. Highly recommend.

[Verdelite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, tropey romp!

It was refreshing to have a book from the alpha shifter's single POV, which are usually relegated to the extras.
Usually Eliot Grayson's protagonists spend a lot of time angsting inside their head (which I do enjoy, don't get me wrong), but Tony's straightforwardness in his problem solving was also fun to read and made the story read less angsty than it otherwise might have been, considering the LI's circumstances.

[Kazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Alpha Tiger Shifter and a Fae. Ooh la la!

Sexy. Snarky. Fun. Action. A fae who belongs to an arsehole, a tiger shifter stripper, and a coin that needs symmetry make for hellishly entertaining reading.
Blog review-

[Light · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seemed like a very superficial story. Didn’t live up to my expectations from this author at all.

[空 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I keep giving Grayson the benefit of the doubt because they’ve written some things I did enjoy reading, like The Royal Curse and … wait, based on my reading history, I only ever liked that one book. … Shit, this is like that time I kept giving AJ Sherwood my attention because I kept thinking “Surely it’s not that bad?” It’s that bad.

My poor judgment aside, this book being the fourteenth in a series should have been enough to warn me off — in a series this long past characters I don’t give a rat’s ass about are sure to make appearances as authors can’t resist bringing back their beloved characters, teehee — but alas, for myself and my time, I persisted. I am the very picture of hope springing eternal.

And yet my hope was once again betrayed.



✦ Grayson’s alpha characters are one-note and one-key, can’t carry a tune for their lives. They’re always hotheads who can’t be bothered to use their other, bigger heads, and the day any of them have an actual plan that isn’t half-baked? Prepare yourselves, Ragnarok cometh.

✦ Tony? Dumb as rocks, and it isn’t even the cute kind of dumb either. He’s the kind who insists on getting involved in things above his paygrade and things only work out because the plot demands it. Tony has never met a bad decision he hasn’t liked.

Grayson tries their hardest to present Tony as the good kind of possessive because he’s in love, but it’s really fucking weird that he just ... decided that Raven was “his” and Raven didn’t ... really say anything about it? It’s okay this time around because technically Raven can destroy him from the inside out (although I have no fucking clue how powerful he is as he doesn’t even get to do anything in the end). But what if Raven was just a normal person?

And it doesn’t really help that Raven is so cold. Grayson was probably aiming for tsundere but imho he read more as not really liking Tony and that just gave Tony major creeper vibes.

✦ Who would like Raven’s fish-cold ass? I had little sympathy for him either. Granted Tony wasn’t the best, but Raven was a turnoff too. What an unsympathetic bitch. Great, you have nice toes. Good for you. But Raven was so fucking ineffective most of the time. Even in the final confrontation, Raven was just mostly standing behind Tony. Like, yeah, Tony was covering him, but bitch he is one of the immortal fae. I think he can handle some goons with guns.

Raven’s lack of interaction with other characters also doesn’t help the reader see that Raven treats Tony differently.

✦ But honestly? Thin plot, dragged along only by Tony’s idiocies — his attempts at plot interspersed with uninteresting sex scenes and halfwit characters.


Raven, a fae, gets caught in an agreement he can’t escape from with the story villain, Cunningham (no need to remember him, he barely shows up in the book and is easily outmaneuvered by a numbnut with muscles in his head and a stoner parking valet). In an attempt to break the contract he tries to buy Tony-the-stripper’s time and dick, something about reciprocity and symmetry blabla, but it doesn’t work. Only now, Tony also becomes obsessed with Raven, and he determines to free Raven from Cunningham’s clutches.

Despite being a hotheaded dumbfuck, Tony conveniently happens upon the one thing that will free Raven: he convinces Raven to buy him and his debts from his debtor. This works, although Cunningham bursts in and threatens them all before being disabled by Tony’s employer, Declan, who, I gotta say, is much more helpful an employer than any of the other companies I’ve worked for. Does he need any office workers? A logistics person perhaps?

With the contract broken and Cunningham conveniently out of the way and Tony’s debts dispensed with, it’s HEA (I guess).


✦ And the ultimate travesty:

“You were the real MVP tonight,” I said, the words coming out softly

I’M CRYING HOW FUCKING DARE YOU SULLY KEVIN DURANT’S WORDS IN THIS MANNER. NEITHER OF YOU WERE THE MVP UNLESS YOU’RE DISCUSSING THE MVP OF IDIOCY. GET THE FUCK OUT.



✦ Also one last note regarding Tony… *cue Turkish Airlines advert* SO TURKISH

[Sao Reads (smut books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

📘5 stars. Read 13th Oct, 2025. i apologise Eliot Grayson, i wasn’t familiar with your game. i read the wrong book 1st and got the wrong impression. But the writing in this? It’s awesome. And it’s set in the same world as Declan McKenna from Alpha’s Gamble (the “wrong” book i picked up). He & Blake even make a cameo omg!! Now i actually want to reread that cuz it’s the one book i regret DNFing. 😭Actually this might just be it’s sequel. But it does have some issues so check the diamond bullet points. Tropes & tags at the end.

❧ Story- 4⭐, Characters- 4.2⭐, Sex- 5⭐, Epilogue- no epilogue; HFN⭐

First off, Toni the tiger?? Lmao. Stripper bi alpha paying off debt meets a feisty tiny femme fae at the club. Insta lust hits, he breaks his “no sex with clients” rule and knots Raven, for the price of a coin. But then he vanishes (coin too). And now it’s up to Toni to find him and make him his.

❧ Chris Chambers was fantastic in this!

❧ Toni’s descent to obsession is so awesome to see! So was his strong protectiveness when.. he finds out even more and Raven’s situation. i love how he just relentlessly pursues Raven and looks to ways of freeing & rescuing him.


“it really was incredibly fucking simple. He was mine. He belonged to me, and he was in trouble, and I had to protect him. End of story.”


❧ i have to mention this micro trope i like where the alpha thinks that his actions will earn him a tut or a slap from his prickly lover.

❧ What a hard fought HFN with mating bond.

❧ This has early sex at 12% and a total of 4 sex scenes. All extended scenes. 2nd last one with very good foreplay (head+face riding). Reactions were perfect every time. 💋 Poor bubba didn’t get to prep his fae, the guy did it himself until at the last one. :) So responsive and i loved how he wanted his fae to scream and he is indeed a loud one.


So, there are some important issues to consider, esp the OM drama as thats the plot:

♦This is very high angst. For the reason below. Poor Raven.. This gave me Travis flashbacks from Dax by Silvia Violet.

♦Major OM Drama. There is cheating, but almost impossible for me to fault Raven for this. Bcuz his situation is… unique and pretty messed up. We find out about him and my heart dropped. He’s the villain’s “companion” but a totally unwilling one. Now add to the fact that he cried during sex (bcuz he felt safe with Toni), didn’t want to get kissed or any body part touched and in the 2nd meetup when he got to his defensive stance and yeah… it’s not a pretty picture. i dunno why this and Travis’ story really got to me. Then later Raven gets locked up in the villain’s home. There’s bruises visible on his face when Toni rescues him. Yeah.. It was impossible not to cry. Man, forget Toni’s attempts, I WANTED TO save the man myself.

♦Toni is always belittling himself. Thinking that any dumb animal could pull the actual amazing (but also reckless) rescue mission he did. The story shows just how strong he is. He was even willing to sacrifice himself for Raven.

♦Apparently, fae are portrayed as so individualistic they border on selfish. So Raven is basically a product of his kind, meaning he can’t love. Every ILU from Toni goes unanswered bcuz Raven simply has no concept of it. BUT he still shows it in his own way. i read him as someone scared to trust becuz of his past, but he still chose to trust Toni and genuinely wanted him. So making the fae incapable of love felt like a disservice. It robbed Raven of the chance to give back equally.

Tropes & tags: •Fae x tiger shifter, •stripper MC, •paid to have sex, •insta lust/love, •hookup to lovers, •nuzzling, •moaning, •vengeance by MC (on villain), •obsessive MC, •mild stalking by MC, •shower together, •crying (emotional release) •high angst, •1st person single pov, •OM drama, •cheating, •HFN.

CW: Mentions and after effects of DA on LI (by villain), LI forced to maintain a relationship with the villain, implied off page dubcon sex by villain.

[S a n d r a · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I was really looking forward to this multi-authored series (I love these kinds of collaborative projects), and even though I know each book is completely independent, I like to read them in order. However, this time, I decided to start with this one because I had the chance to read an ARC, and I really like Eliot Grayson's books.

I started reading it without looking at the blurb preciously to go completely blind; I only had a vague idea of what it was about due to the theme of the series.

First, we meet Tony, a stripper who works at a club in Las Vegas where only alphas perform, something unique in the whole world. It’s there that he meets a fairy who offers him a gold coin in exchange for his services, a deal that will change their lives forever.

I don't want to go into more details about the plot, how the deal affects both of them, the reasons they each have for seeking it (especially the fae), and the relationship that develops between them, just know that it was interesting and fun overall.

I really liked Tony's rawness and intensity. From how he reacts to Raven's scent to how he handles their encounters, the deceptions, the secrets, and finally the harsh reality Raven has to deal with.

As for Raven, I really liked him even though we don’t get to read his POV. I think that even without him narrating from his perspective, we can clearly see how each encounter with Tony affects him and how he slowly falls deeper for Tony’s without him even realizing it.

It's one of those romances that, without being overly sweet or having grand courting gestures, shows how they gradually fall for each other. They face a complicated situation, meet under unorthodox circumstances, and fall in love amid sexual encounters, deals, and schemes.

The difference in species (Tony is a tiger shifter and Raven is a fairy) also influences the progression (or lack thereof) of their relationship and how each experiences their feelings.

Despite being completely different from one another, these two end up fitting perfectly, and it’s quite an experience to see them tease each other: with Raven constantly reminding Tony of all his humiliating moments, and Tony making the proud and haughty Raven blush and give in to him.

The plot is entertaining enough without being too complex; it adds a touch of tension and drama that accompanies our MCs on their journey to happiness. Having some characters from the Mismatched Mates series make cameos adds an extra touch for those who’ve read those books (and will leave those who haven’t wanting more XD).