Five Star Review

MateHub #related

by Marie Reynard

an alternative cover edition can be found here

Gravity, love, and other inevitable falls.

Aiden Lucas is used to a steady stream of discreet packages arriving on his doorstep. It's part and parcel of living with one of the internet's most popular adult toy reviewers, but nothing could have prepared him for the next toy his roommate receives—something that hits a little too close to a secret Aiden has longed to confess for years.

Zayn Parvin has never found a toy worthy of five stars until an anonymous viewer sends him something downright magical—a mysterious model called the Richard Knotz that's not listed anywhere on the internet. The moment he gets his hands, and other parts of his anatomy, on this particular product, he can't stop raving about its special features.

But Zayn is human and shouldn't have been sent merchandise meant exclusively for the supernatural community. His review threatens to expose significantly more than what he usually shows in his videos, and it forces Aiden to make a choice: confess to Zayn, or let a mage wipe Zayn's memory of all things supernatural… including Aiden.

Five Star Review is a 25k steamy best friends to lovers, roommates to mates novella featuring two geeky astronomy majors, some very realistic merchandise, years of pining, a lot of astrophysics homework, and knotting. This stand-alone M/M paranormal romance is set in the Elemental Bonds/MateHub universe and guarantees a HEA for its main couple. It does not contain mpreg.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fantasy, Novella, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance

126 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2024

About the author

Marie Reynard is an American in Japan, teaching English by day and writing M/M paranormal romance by night. Her steamy, snarky stories will take you from first kiss to forever with a few Fs in between—including found family, flirty banter, fake dating, and a fair amount of fu...n. Check out her website for more information on her books, and join her mailing list to get a free story or two and be the first to know about upcoming releases!

Newsletter: https://subscribepage.io/KYQoS1

Social Media: https://mariereynard.carrd.co/

Website: https://www.mariereynard.com/

Reviews

[Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved MateHub, but this was a disappointment. Lacking in character depth, it felt very surface-level. Best friends and roommates who are secretly pining after the other for YEARS. Seems like quite a lot of time for both of them to remain oblivious about the others feelings.

The story revolves around Aiden, who has a long-held secret, and his roommate Zayn, an online adult toy reviewer who unwittingly stumbles upon a supernatural product.

The back-and-forth timelines was such a deterrent, it actually took away from the emotion rather than adding to it.

Every possible connection to astronomy was made, the overly flowery descriptive language took away from what could’ve been a sweet, simple love story.

Aiden ran his hands over Zayn, tracing lines and curves that had etched themselves on his soul, a map he’d studied and memorized as closely as the constellations.

And then this.

Their bodies in perfect sync, their rhythm building to a crescendo that swirled through them like a cosmic storm. Every cell, every particle of their beings, seemed connected.

Decent filler in between books, but not a lot of substance here.

*Most of my GR friends enjoyed this one, so don’t let my negativity stop you from giving it a try!

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need marie to stop everything she’s doing and write like at least 3 matehub books in a month

[Cat the bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for „5 stars review“

I LOVED MateHub: Legend, so I was pretty sure I’ll love this prequel-novella, too. MateHub: Legend is about Richard Knotz, a legend in the supernatural adult film industry, (in)famous for his huge… personality 🤣. Here, it’s about Zayn, a human who’s oblivious to the supernatural amongst us, who has a (paywalled) video platform where he reviews adult, fantasy themed toys. Human toys, until one of his fans send him a dildo that’s an exact replica of Richard’s (with a magically enhanced knot and all the other perks).

That doesn’t go unnoticed by Aiden, his roommate and best friend, who’s been in love with Zayn for years. And who’s a wolf shifter 😬

Annnnywayyyy. It’s a novella, no huge plot. I would have given it straight 5 stars if not for the time jumps, I’m not a huge fan of those. But it’s good fun, and I love the MateHub universe and the cameos (especially Tristan the mage).

Read it, and have fun with it 🥰

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5***** stars


WOHOOOO!!! Something new from Marie Reynard. I loved the hell out of this novella. Five stars for Five Star Review! And that cover? Fabulous!

Zayn had been filming another review, […]

“Oh my god. I’m so glad you’re home. I have to show you this.”

Before Aiden could ask what, Zayn ducked into his bedroom, then emerged again with a box in one hand and an… impressively large dildo in the other. Aiden did the only thing he could do. He sat on their couch, grabbed a throw pillow, and placed it casually in his lap. As one did. Just his totally normal, one hundred percent usual way of sitting—clinging to a pillow for dear life.

Zayn wanted to be knotted for real. This was knowledge Aiden was never going to recover from.
“But seriously,” Zayn said. “You’ve gotta get one of these.”
I already have one, Aiden thought.

It was cool how all the Now chapters were from pining Aiden’s POV and all Then chapters over their first three college years together were from equally hard pining Zayn’s POV.


This story takes place before the events of Mate Hub: Legend, side-starring the Richard Knotz merch (*lmaooo) and I have the insistent urge to read it again right now!!

Marie Reynard is a hoot. Her puns, wit and humorous way of writing is just fantastic entertainment. Highly recommended! ⇢ You can find the free copy here, a new-author giveaway on bookfunnel.


*************
MateHub & Elemental Bonds Universe

Book 1 - Accidental Bonds - tbr
Book 2 - Impulsive Connections - release 10/24

Book 1 - MateHub: Legend - 4.75 stars
Book 2 - MateHub: King - release 01/25

Novella - Five Star Review - 4.5 stars

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars.
A 100 pages novella in the MateHub universe.

Aiden and Zayne's journey from best friends to mates was enjoyable and sweet, but I wasn't as invested as the author's other books. It lacked the humor and banter I loved so much in Hunter and Richard's book, espescially.
But obviously not every book can be as awesome as MateHub Legend, I know!

As in MateHub Legend, the MateHub Forum chats were fun, there was one at the beginning and one at the end of the story itself.

ps this novella is at the moment a freebie with the author's newsletter, and bookfunnel.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have missed the MateHub universe!

Zayn and Aiden are oblivious to how the other feels, but are so well suited. Very cute relationship, but I could have done with a little less of the astronomy talk - I like that it showed how passionate they were about their shared interest, but it started to feel a little too much. I'd have rather seen Zayn meeting the pack I think.

Also I absolutely love Bram and I really hope there's a book for him in future.

Still obsessed with the forum chats, and loved the way Richard Knotz was the catalyst for this relationship to begin - I would love to see him preening about that fact 😂

[Jackbees · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐ review

*Edit 2025. AUDIOBOOK ALERT!! Find it here.


Like many others I am here because I read MateHub: Legend and wanted more. While we wait for the next book MateHub: King we have to tide ourselves over with whatever we can get.

Five Star Review is a novella set in the same world as Matehub Legend and has some satisfying overlaps.

It is also very sexy and sweet but not quite as good. Though I will never complain about yearning and pineing.

These boys pine over each other as roommates for 3 years and there is not really any solid explanation of why they aren’t aware of each other’s thirst or don’t give in to their own that makes sense, except for a vague “don’t want to wreck the friendship” and “what if he can’t handle my secret” vibe. Then suddenly Aiden is like “be my mate forever” and Zayne goes “ok” and then that is it, they root and are HEA. It was sort of anti-climactic.

What was climactic though is “Inzayne reviews”. Excellent name and this story concept seemed original to me.

Once again I am a grit creeper and I enjoyed Aiden basking in the yumminess of Zayne’s scent.

Very much enjoyed. Gimme more!

[Ninni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hot & hillarious read set in the same world as MateHub. Loved the mc:s, the cover and the not angsty but oh so good story involving a Richard Knotz merch. I want more from this author - NOW 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Ben Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This'll tide me over until book 2's release.

[Megan [Gemini Season] · Rating 5 out of 5]

MM Romance
Best Friends To Lovers
4.5 Stars ⭐️

🎧Narrated by Zachary Zaba and Harley Chase🎧

This was a 2.5 hour audiobook and I LOVED being back in the Matehub world. Technically this takes place prior to Matehub Legend but you do not need to read this to read that since I only realized at the very end what the timeline was. This is also Matehub adjacent because it’s about best friend college roommates, one a shifter and one a human who are idiotically oblivious to the more than friendly connection between them. The human has no idea the supernatural even exists until his side gig testing dildos gifts him some very unique merchandise.

This is written in a then and now chapter to chapter format and I cackled when they met for the first time in the past talking about astronomy. It was the nerdiest thing I’ve ever heard yet had I been either of them and known a lick about science I’d probably have fallen in love right away too. This was the kind of science speak that gives the tv show “The Big Bang Theory” energy when Sheldon tries to explain anything really 😂

I think had I read this it probably would have been a 4 star read because I would have loved a bit more depth and to see more cameos besides just Tristan although I loved that the shifter was friends with one of the forum members in real life 😂😂 but I’m such a slut for this series and the audiobook was so good that I’m giving it 5 stars. I need more books in this series. Fingers crossed Matehub King really releases in December. 🤞🏻

#The52BookClub-Started On the 26th of the Month

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute and fun addition to this series! Zayn and Aiden were so adorably oblivious and I loved how the split timelines and POV's highlighted that. And Tristan...I adore his "I cannot be bothered" attitude. I can't wait for his book.

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a solid 4 star novella set in the Matehub universe that could be considered a sort of prequel maybe?

I liked the story but the dual timeline felts weird a bit even more after they get together but we still get chapters of years ago.

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: friends to lovers, roommates
Feels: 2/5
Steam*: 1/5
Kinks: knotting, toys
Angst: low/medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: bad use of time jumps, pining, OM drama

Aiden is a wolf shifter and 3 years ago he fell for his college roommate Zayn. They are both astronomy nerds and they quickly became friends. They were both secretly pining over each other but thinking the other one wasn't interested. Aiden couldn't bring himself to hook up with anyone and he's a virgin. Zayn didn't have the same problem and he's had a full hookup and dating life over the years, which has been killing Aiden inside a bit, because with Aiden's senses he knows about every hookup. Zayn reviews sex toys online with videos of him using them. Aiden feels like he can't be with Zayn because he's human and it wouldn't be allowed. But then Zayn gets sent a supernatural knotting dildo that he shouldn't have, and now Aiden has to do something or risk having the human world find out about the supernatural.

I liked the first mate hub book, but there wasn't much for me to enjoy out of this novella. I'm a person who hates pining and other man drama so I didn't enjoy those elements in this book. But one thing that I really hated was the use of flashbacks, the novella was formatted with one chapter in the present one chapter in the past over and over again repeating. Even after they got together, the flashbacks continued for the entire duration of the book. It really f***** with the flow of the story in my opinion. You start getting a little bit attached to where the plot is going and then you're just yanked out of it back into another headspace over and over again. And you don't get to sit in a positive trajectory of the story because all of the flashbacks are basically painful moments of them not being together.

I don't feel like I can judge novellas too hard, it's hard to tell a story in so few pages, so I'll round up to three stars. But this is more of a 2 to me.


A notable moment:

"Zayn had confessed its existence to him toward the beginning of their junior year—a revelation that had both blindsided Aiden and sent him running for his laptop and credit card. Before that, he’d assumed Zayn simply liked to… indulge himself. Frequently. He hadn’t realized there’d be accompanying videos for a low monthly fee."


*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.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even condensed into a novella, this was such an intense and adorable love story. I enjoyed it as it is, but I would have loved it even more if we'd gotten to spend more time with "Zayden". This is the last book of Marie Reynard's that I have to read, and I'm so sad to have to let go of her world until the next book comes out! I've loved every single one of her books, and I absolutely recommend giving them a try!

[•:*´¨binx ¨`*:• · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing missing is more pages. I loved the dual timeline!!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

How cute! A fun little cheeky thing full of nerds.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was that. Kinda cute, but didn’t really vibe with Zayn. Highlights were the cameos throughout! It’s just a little novella, but I enjoyed it and can now say, I’ve read everything by the author 😂

[ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, but fairly underwhelming novella set in the MateHub universe. I think I'd have enjoyed it a lot more as a full-length book where there had been time for the tension to build, but as it was, everything felt abbreviated and predictable and not nearly as spicy as I was expecting from this author.

[Tare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute little novella set in the MateHub world.

I loooove friends to lovers and this one was super sweet with just enough mutual pining 👌

Some things I loved:
- Toys. Enough said.
- Bram Stroker 💀
- TRISTAN. My god he is hilarious and I love every time this sassy little shit is on page.
- I liked seeing more world building. Aiden is just a regular shifter versus all the porn star shifters we previously got to know so it gave the novella a more cozy vibe.
- I loved how Aiden was the inexperienced one tbh. My man was just so in love with Zayn and low-key knew he was his mate so he just didn't hook up or date.
- These two absolute NERDS becoming besties (oh my god they were roommates).

I am ready for MORE now Marie. I am begging for alllll the MateHub books 🙏

[acalithas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Zayn and Aiden together! I liked the build up to their relationship. I did feel like this story did not have the same level of detail or feelings that I expected from it though. I still really enjoyed it a ton! Quick and fun read.

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

It’s a novella so my expectations aren’t usually high, but despite some issues, I still enjoyed this more than most of the crap released so far this year.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little story! I find it hard to get truly invested in a novella when the MCs aren't previously established characters, but things worked fairly well here. A 3.5* read round up because Zayn and Aiden were such sweethearts. I just wish we'd had more time with them!

It was nice being back in the MateHub universe and getting a few cameos from the first book. I was glad to see more forum posts too! Those give me life fr 😂 The usernames alone are fabulous! I can't wait for MateHub: King ✌🏻

[Ditte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.25

Cute, fun novella in the Matehub universe with wolf shifter Aiden and his human college roomie Zayn who does video reviews for sex toys.
Both guys are pining for each other and I do so love a good idiots to lovers book.

Five Star Review definitely had me laughing but even though it's only a novella, I did find myself bored several times hence the rating. Not a bad novella at all, just not a great one either.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute little novella! 🥰 makes me want to reread MateHub: Legend again.

[haletostilinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mostly just alright.

Kinda cute, but not much more than that.

Aiden and Zayn have been best friends for almost 4 years, and they've been in love and pining almost as long.

Where Zayn is 100% human, Aiden is 100% werewolf...but hasn't been able to tell him, because there are rules to it and all that.

But Zayn, the human, has had a blog for a year and a half or so where he reviews sex toys, trying them out on camera for others to see, and has gathered quite a following - some of them being supernatural, who send him a magically modified dildo of Richard from the first book's dick - and no human is supposed to get things like that, as MateHub is supposed to just be for the supernatural people only. Unless a human knows of the supernatural somehow.

With this, Aiden finally comes around to asking his alpha to tell Zayn about the supernatural, and with that these two can finally get together.

I understood Aiden not telling Zayn for years, as generally someone would freak out if they found out.

But why didn't he ask his alpha sooner? His alpha was totally cool about it all, so I don't know why Aiden was scared he wouldn't be.

The chemistry was also kinda so-so. Which, I get it's hard to establish chemistry in a novella, but still. We only got Zayn's POV in the flashbacks - which I didn't really care for, for the most part - and aside from the first chapter, I wasn't feeling his love and passion for Aiden as much as I wished to. I felt it on Aiden's side, though.

This was only like 90 pages or so but I slightly skimmed lines here and there near the end, wanting to skim more but forcing myself not to. I don't know, this was just harder to finish than such a short story should have been.

It also skipped over a lot of their first with sex with each other, and even what it didn't skip, it was very quick and by rote so I didn't feel much.

So overall this was alright. Cute in some areas - I did like Zayn and Aiden's initial connection through Astronomy and them speaking geek to each other - but otherwise just kinda meh. I was expecting more, after loving the first book.

But I get that novellas are not usually long enough to be really enjoyable.

Ah, well, I'm still very excited for the second book in this series. I just don't know if this novella was all that needed 🤷‍♀️

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun and well researched book, I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

[Devoted❤️Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Maybe I can’t tell what we smell like, but I don’t need to. I know we’d be perfect together. So bite me, bond me, knot me, whatever you want to do to me. I’m yours.”

Ahhhh, the MateHub world is so much fun, and visiting it again with Aiden and Zayn, who are adorable with stars in their eyes and for each other, had me wishing for more Richard and Hunter. I foresee a reread in my future, and that’s knot a joke.

[⭐Toonasa⭐ *Romance Book Lovers' Haven* (For long and deep.... reviews!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will I give a book named "5 Star review" a 5 Star?
I'm actually leaning towards 4.75 or even 4.5, but I remember it in a good-light, so maybe I gotta re-listen to make up my mind 😆.

A MM paranormal romance with college roomies + friends to lovers, (it's giving) idiots who are obvious yet oblivious, pining, geeking, secrets, magic, knotty shenanigans 😉!
So this works as a standalone prequel to MateHub legend which is good as I haven't read that 1. I loved the MCs, it was fun & the frustrations kinda made sense.

A's POV seem to be Zaba as I know his voice. Z's must be Harley, he's new to me narrator. I like the voices, I can feel the emotions when talking & it's clear in inner monologue.

Aiden is the muscular hottie wolf-shifter, A's quite the worrier, friendly & fun. Zayn is the (clueless about supes) nerdy human, Z's curious, rational, timid yet bold about sex stuff while A's inexperienced. I love how they bonded over their passion for astronomy! I love space science too 😍.

A+Z both harbor secret crushes on eachother, it sucks they both think the other can't possibly like em back (idiots ya). I did understand their reasonings for not confessing! Especially A's. But you 2 were so obvious!

Z does sex-toys video reviews & it all comes to heed when a fan sends Z a magical knot! Will this get them closer or escalate to forget? The way magic worked here was cool, I like the side characters 😁.

This is dual POV with dual timeline. I really LOVED getting their past, start of friendship & yearning along with idiocracies, realisations, truths, smut & love of present ❤️. Really, there was a good choice & a hurtful one 🤷‍♀️. Talk helps & it works out effortlessly! Duhhh. People can be their own block sometimes.

Broo, the home scent & "mate", how did u not realise it years ago?! 😭 Omg idiots. It's true, u don't realise what u have until u (almost) lose it. The epilogue's interesting & fun. I wish we got Z's POV in present & saw them meet the pack!

Audiobook+Story ratings :
POV: 3rd Person, Dual POV
Narration: Dual. Harley Chase & Zachary Zaba.
1) The Characters: 5/5
2) The Feels: 😏🤷‍♀️🤭🤣😅😭😍🥹🥰🥵🤔😶‍🌫️😁🤗
3) Sexy/Steamy times: 2.5/5
4) Levels: Moderate-Lowish Angst, Very Cute, Low Dark
5) Build up & Style: 4/5
6) Voice acting: 9/10 (great)

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[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just enjoy this universe so much. Too fun. Cannot wait for more!
This couple was precious and oblivious and adorable. I need more.