Sparrow in the Woods

The Lost Souls of Dyconia #2

by Shona Knight

Broken, scared, and running from her abusive past, the last thing Odessa expects is the chance to escape to a new world, but what if the men in that world are determined to break her for good?

Odessa

Growing up a social pariah, my parents were the only bright spot in my life. So when they suddenly pass away, I’m left on my own, with a broken heart. That is, until he shows up.

He swoops in with his charming personality and dashing good looks, wasting no time to stake his claim on me. If only I had known then that I was about to step into the viper’s nest. It takes me three years to escape his abusive grasp, sneaking away in the dead of night.

On the run, and constantly looking over my shoulder, I’m barely able to make ends meet. So when I’m given an offer I can’t refuse, to travel to another world and get beyond his reach, I take the leap, no matter how unbelievable it sounds.

But things in this new world aren’t what I expect, and I soon find myself in the hands of a group of bandits. The four brothers who lead them are fierce, determined and painstakingly gorgeous. And they think I’m their enemy.

These men seem to make it their mission to break me, and this time, I’m afraid they will finally succeed.

Book Two, is a STANDALONE reverse harem/why choose, MFMMM, enemies to lovers, romance novel with a fantasy twist and dark themes. No abuse comes from within the harem. The FMC will not have to choose between her love interests. This is book two of the series, and each book can be read independently as each story focuses on a new set of characters. There may be mention of some characters and themes in other books, so reading in order is recommended, although not required.

For a full list of trigger warnings please visit the author's web site.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Magic

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2024

About the author

Reverse Harem Author
If you love a reverse harem romance with heart, heat and happily ever after, then you've come to the right place! Shona writes full length MFMM+ why choose reverse harem stories that vary from fantasy to contemporary to paranormal. The FMC will always be the main focus of her men!

A lot of her stories focus on women that come from some sort of tortured background, but you will also find some lighthearted fun reads scattered in between!

Reviews

[Meka 🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have read Knights first book in this series and loved it, but going into this one I didn’t know it could get even better!

Odessa’s story captured my heart and the 4 boys went along with it. A true fighter, Odessa endures so much and just continues to come out so strong and brave, I loved it.

The writing was well done, and those spicy scenes 🥵🥵🥵 ma’am, those 4 men at once, yes please!


Overall

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: ❤️❤️❤️
Tropes/Sub Tropes: Reverse Harem/MFMM/Slow Burn/Enemies to Lovers/Found Family/Romantacy

If you read the first book, please know this one is a good bit darker.

Check your trigger warnings

Odessa's story is heart wrenching. It's the first time in a while I have cared for an FMC from the get go. But right from the start I was rooting for a happy ending for her.

I loved the path it takes them on to figure everything out.

There were spots in this book that had me smiling, that made me cry and that had my husband looking at me funny because I would just randomly start busting out laughing.

Roan yelling daffodil at Link is one of my favorite parts...🤣🤣

[Guss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this more than the first book! Odessa is such a unique and pretty name! I loved her from the start. She was really strong and I am so happy she got her happy ever after. It hurt reading everything she went through but once happiness came to her life… it was so rewarding and it made me sigh in peace.

The MMCs were amazing but I will say the same as I did in the first book. Since it’s just a book for every couple, I would have liked more for them but I know it’s impossible to do. This book was longer than the first one and the relationships developed better than Ria and her men’s. From now on if I keep reading the other books in the saga I need to be more realistic and understand that I can’t treat a book as I treat RH sagas for obvious reasons. I still really liked the book and I would happily recommend it to anyone that likes RH and strong FMC and protective MMCs with soft hearts.

What to expect
Enemies(?) to lovers—> they think she is someone else and as consequences their enemy
Explicit scenes with really hot fivesomes and threesomes
This saga is woman exchanging places with their doppelgängers on other realms(?)
Strong FMC —> check trigger warnings because her life was really tough
Protective and soft MMCs
4 MMCs
No mm/ff within the harem
No ow/om drama —> there are no misunderstandings but two om treats the FMC horrible.
Multiple POVs the FMC and the 4 MMCs

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

**read triggers warning before reading**

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book!

Wow, i sat down and read this in one sitting! I hadn’t read the previous book in the series but had no problem picking up book 2 and being sucked into Odessa’s world - or worlds!

Odessa made me care for her immediately and i was rooting for her straight away, she never gave up and i loved her story! The guys..well…the spice level was definitely there 🌶️🌶️

I am a big fan of RH books and this one definitely didn’t disappoint! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

* 4.5 stars

Somewhere around the 10% mark, or maybe a little further, I have to admit I started wondering if the build-up of this book shouldn’t have gone quicker. I started questioning how long we had to experience Odessa’s hard life, feeling like we were stuck, but then… the chapter came that turned it all around. I’m rarely emotional while reading, but damn there is a scene in this book that hit me hard. And now I have to admit the author picked the exact right pace to reach the full impact. I believe I will remember this scenes months, maybe even years from now.

If you like a second chance romance, with friends to lovers (with a twist) and devoted guys, you’re in for a treat with this standalone. I like how the author took this story to an entirely different location in Dryconia, letting us discover more of the area, while staying true to the main elements of the series. But even though the men destined for Odessa are great, there are some less than great characters in the story as well. So now knowing the things they do to her, I want to advise reading the warnings if you have any triggers. And if you’re okay with the things mentioned there: enjoy!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star ARC read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was given the chance to read the sequel to Secrets of the Sea which I also absolutely loved.

This book hooked me straight away and I read it in one sitting. The plot was engaging and kept me wanting to find out more. The spice was great and it was nice to see the FMC not afraid of it despite her past.

Odessa is sweet and while she is a bit timid and meek she is still so strong to overcome all that she faced.

The other characters are well developed and all their flaws make them more realistic. I definitely don't like the name Edward now 😂

I would definitely reccomend this book and series. 5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

ARC received for honest review.

[Nichole White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this story and the take in parallel worlds. I thought the concept was genius and it immediately brought me in. Definitely check your triggers because those happen pretty fast in the book. The spice was a little slower but once it hit it was SPICY. Definitely an enjoyable read and worth a read!! I love the world the author built.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me hooked from day 1 of reading. I couldent put it down @shonaknight really did an amazing job I felt as if I could envision everything happening. Can’t wait to read more

[Kez Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enchanting standalone fantasy, filled with steamy love interests, secrets, adventure and a determined FMC.
In a similar theme to book 1's adventures, the FMC needs to escape her dire situation and finds a mysterious card that seems too good to be true. With her life in danger from her possessive and abusive ex, she takes a chance and finds herself in a medieval world swapped with her doppelganger.
She hoped to find an escape, but she's captured by her worst nightmare. When all seems lost she's kidnapped by 4 handsome bandits and taken to the forest, but Odessa is a fighter and refuses to suffer any longer.
I loved the brothers and their distinct personalities and nicknames, they each help Odessa heal in their own way, and in return soften their own hearts as well. I loved the twists of their origins in this one too.
This was an emotional and very spicy second chance love story, with a strong FMC overcoming her trauma, and 4 brothers worshipping their queen.
I love the medieval realm of Dyconia, the creative relationship dynamics, and the way these men are beyond dedicated and possessive.

🗡️ "If this is you behaving, I'd love to see you when you're being bad"

🗡️ "She's my soulmate, i'm sure of it. This feeling right here, holding her in my arms, it feels like everything is finally clicking into place"

🗡️ "No hurting yourself, Little Sparrow. The only teeth that will be touching this lip from now on are mine and my brother's"

🗡️"He looks like he's close to losing it, like those three little words might send him over the edge, and I want to see it"

🗡️"Our good girl's a little dirty, is she?"

🗡️"Sweetheart, you never cease to amaze me with your strength"

🗡️"Little Sparrow, there is no scenario that I would let anyone else get their hands on you. You belong to me, to us. And no one else. I will do anything and everything to keep you safe"

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I defintely enjoyed this more than the previous one, and I think it is because of the darker themes running through it.
Overall it is a fairly light plot, so to have the darker themes running through it made it a lot more interesting.
I did still struggle with some of the same things as I did in the previous book. There isn't enough world development for me, so there are a few gaps and questions still. The fact that the MMC have never been close to a woman (0nly family) before, yet they all nail it on the first try of intimacy with the FMC. I would like a little more fumbling, and some guidance from her to make it feel a little more real.
But honestly, once they are no longer enemies and all start to form a relationship with the FMC...it's just very cute.

[Taylor Chitwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pacing of this is way too weird to be 5 stars. Her trust in them made no sense to me. I loved the first 30% but then it felt like when the truth came out everything moved WAY too fast. No way would someone who went through what the FMC did be recovering so quickly. Idc if it’s fantasy or not 😅

[Kimberlea Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Reading This You’ll Believe In Magic ✨

An amazing & magical story that will easily transport you to another world…ok, maybe not quite like Odessa experienced, but close enough 😉😝 The premise behind this series was so unique that it immediately grabbed my attention, and the world building was exceptional & finished sending me down the rabbit hole.

I felt like there was the perfect amount of background & info given on Odessa, and what she had been through before she ended up in Dyconia, so that we truly understood the motives behind her choices & thought processes. It gave the slow burn of the story more context, depth & understanding. Don’t worry though, once the spicy moments hit the pages, they made the wait well worth it (especially with ALL 4 MMCs being virgins) 👀🔥🥵

The trauma response, panic attacks, reactions to situations, and time it took for Odessa to start working through all the abuse (physical & emotional) she had dealt with, was all handled in a manner & timeline that felt authentic & believable, while taking into account the fated mates aspect. It definitely added an element of realism to the storyline that I appreciated, especially since watching her grow to trust her guys & become a new, more confident, version of herself was one of the best parts of the book. Odessa (& all of her guys also to some extent) exhibited such a strong sense of perseverance, hope, and determination, and for Odessa, she did it all while facing each new day with a strength she didn’t believe she had. These are qualities that made all these characters so easy to pull for.

After reading this book (& seeing those 2 epilogues), I can safely say that I hope we’ll get many more stories set in Dyconia because I’d especially love to see some of the other guys at the camp find their own HEA. This story is definitely going on my reread list, and I will ABSOLUTELY be watching for new books in the series 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[kaylaschapterchats · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Odessa's story so much!

Odessa is beautiful, kind, caring, intelligent and so brave. She has gone through so much but has always found another way through the heart break and devastation she continues to experience.

Our mmc's are Nox, Link, Roan and Hale. They've dealt with alot in their lives but they've always had each other for support. Nox, is the leader of the brother, Hale is their doctor, he's really kind and caring but also a little reserved, Link radiates happiness and just gets along with everyone and Roan is also really kind but he has this charm about him that makes it easy to talk to him.

The plot was a lot darker than what I thought it was going to be but I think it definitely suited these characters so much. This story is so raw and emotional and really takes you through the ups and downs of what it's like to fall in love (it's also a lot more than that). The growth that Odessa showed was amazing, she went from strength to strength and showed just what a beautiful person she truly is. The guys, love them but I personally think they should have grovelled harder but as we all know, I love the grovel trope so much. It was sweet that the guys let their guard down with Odessa to show her that she is safe with them.

I'm so excited for the next story because I know it's going to be amazing.

Also, check your trigger warnings with this beauty as she is dark and your mental health matters 💚

Shona, what an amazing story 🙌🙌🙌

Thank you so much to Shona and your beautiful team for giving me the chance to read this story. I am forever grateful 🙏

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

💓 why choose
💓 multiple pov
💓 secret identity
💓 survivor
💓 enemies to lovers
💓 romantasy
💓 bandits
💓 spicy scenes
💓 so much more...

[Felicia Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say, if you love something to let it go, and if it comes back to you, it was meant to be.

This story is the literal reason for that saying I swear it. Start to finish the Main Characters take you on an adventure back into the world of Dyconia. If you loved Secrets on the Sea as much as I did, I promise this book will be so much better.

From a rip your heart out, tear it up into a thousand tiny pieces, stomp on it and burn it, to handing it back to you after healing it and smiling. I swear this author will take you for one heck of an emotional walk through this story.

Our main Female character is a heroine who has been through the proverbial ringer, and when she meets the ones she’s destined to be with, her entire world flips on its head. I found myself holding my breath more times throughout this book than any other Why Choose I’ve ever read. The author presented to her readers a world and languages that feel so real, it’s as if you are walking the woods and feeling the breeze, touching the bark and looking up at the luscious oaks and pines, right alongside Odessa.

The romance was hot, spicy and left no room for the imagination if you know what I mean. *insert an eyebrow wiggle here* haha. Shona Knight literally brought to life a story about second beginnings, and I found myself completely emerged within the story and the sensation of being right there with them was emotional. Having faced my own traumas similar to our FMCs in the beginning, it was a wonderful piece of peace when she got her retribution in the end.

Thank you so much for the words you put on paper and healing a wounded heart with the story you presented. I can’t wait to see what she will bring to us next.

If you’re contemplating this one, don’t. Just go read it. Trust me.

Until the next one.

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read in awhile.

The ONE thing that bothered me with this book was abortion was mentioned a few times and instead of it being "I couldn't do it." it was "I couldn't kill an unborn baby" .... yikes. In this day and age we should be very much her body her choice. This came off very anti-abortion, which is unfortunate. It's about HOW it was said... I hope the author will consider changing the way it is written if this isn't how it was meant to come off.

I like an author that isn't afraid to let us see first hand everything that the characters go through that is the cause of the trauma they have. Although in this it may have been a little long for others.. I thought it was great and really just made the story come together a lot better. It helped me connect with the fmc in a way that I haven't in awhile.

Also I really liked reading a story with an fmc that is aware of what she is capable of... which is linked to the spoilers...

SPOILERS..

Odessa ending up being the queen makes sense (her "husband", the king, was killed...). Her recognizing that she wasn't meant to lead the people and asking the guys to lead with her? Amazing. Too often I read a book and because women need to be "strong and independent" they end up doing stuff that doesn't make sense. For example if she had been like "that's right I'm queen. I got this" .. that wouldn't make any sense. This author didn't do that. It made the fmc feel much more relatable. Because based on her history, she is not ready to be a queen and lead the kingdom. The guys who gave the kingdom their freedom? Yeah... them leading makes a lot more sense.

[Brandi Augustine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This is my first read of this author's and definitely will not be my last. I really enjoyed Odessa's story. She may seem meek and not strong but everything she endured in her life definitely proves otherwise. As a child, Odessa say four boys in the stream she plays by. She thought it was a trick but they started talking to her. She introduced herself as Odie. For a couple years her and the boys would talk and have a great time together. Everyone thought she was crazy because the boys would never appear for anyone else. One day, the boys didn’t show up and she tried to see them for many years after but they disappeared.

When Odessa got older, she met a man and he seemed nice until he would control her and be abusive. She got away from him after three years and hid from him. While out one day she found a card that said call for your dreams to come true. She thought it was nothing and put in her pocket. When she went home, Eddie her ex found her. She got away and decided to call the number and was met with a woman who sent Odessa to another realm.

While there she ends up in a horrible situation again but ends up being taken by four men. These men think she's someone else but there's something about them. So much more happens in this and I could go on and on. Such a great book and the storyline is amazing. I would say this is a slow burn til the middle and then gets spicy. Read this book! Cannot wait for more!

[Carol Rupprecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still loving this series now that we’re on book 2! I love the uniqueness of each fmc's story and how we get something new each time. Compared to Ria's story, Odessa's is a bit darker. Definitely not a free spirit looking for an adventure, that's for sure. Her story is a sad one and I'll admit that I was getting emotional on and off while reading. Her first experiences in Dyconia weren't any better than the turmoil she was escaping in her own realm and it just really sucked that she had to go through even more of it in order to reach her happy ending.
This book is a nice mixture of enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and long lost lovers. It's kind of a complicated situation and a lot of things are misinterpreted in the beginning. It's one of those things where you can understand both sides of the coin and recognize why the guys acted the way they did. Despite all the misunderstandings, you could tell there was a pull there, bringing Odessa and the guys closer together, second guessing their feelings, and trying to understand what exactly was happening.
I'm really excited for the next book with Penny since it seems like some single men will get a chance instead of a group of brothers. I think that it will be a nice change of pace as we see the actual harem build as the story develops.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a BIG fan of Shona Knight’s books! I am absolutely loving this world and the series! Each book is so unique and different. Each has taken me on a different adventure. This story is a bit darker than the first one but still very good.

I love Odessa, she has been through so much. I just want to put her in a bubble and protect her. Odessa goes through so much even when she steps foot into Dyconia. She endures so much but comes out so strong and brave.

The men…where to start. I loved them but I will say at first I got sometimes angry with them lol and the way they were. But I will say I definitely grew to love them. The situation at first is definitely complicated but I came to understand why through out the story.

I will say when their connections started to grow I did love that. Especially, when the sweet moments came. And they all started to understand their feelings. I feel like this was a puzzle piece of a relationship and they all brought something that Odessa and them each needed.

Overall, I absolutely loved the story and can’t wait for the next book in the series! Odessa’s journey wasn’t easy but it was one I really did love. I highly recommend this story! I am excited for book 3 which will be Penny’s story! I can’t wait!

[Shelby Seal(Allen) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparrow in the Woods gets a little darker folks! Make sure to check the trigger warnings before proceeding. 💛 I absolutely adored this novel, and I'm definitely hooked for this series!

I love how different book 2 is from book 1. Odessa, our FMC has been through a lot of bullying, loss, and abuse, only to escape to Dyconia into the hands of a king who looks exactly like her abusive fiance from back home.

We follow her getting kidnapped from the castle by 4 men, Nox, Link, Hale, and Roan. They plan to use her as a bargaining chip thinking she is the Queen they knew before. These men are not warm to Odessa at first and it takes some time for her to even semi trust them. I mean can you really blame her after all she's been through?

I don't want to give any spoilers in here, so I'll let you find out all the intricacies of this relationship for yourself! If you love fantasy, why choose, groveling men, mistaken identities, enemies to lovers, and more, you WILL love Sparrow in the Woods!

Thanks again Shona for writing such a fun series, I can't wait to continue The Lost Souls of Dyconia into the next book. 🔥

[Kim Vela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of Sparrow in the Woods by Shona Knight.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️-Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️-Spice

This is the second book in The Lost Souls of Dyconia Series. It can be read as a standalone but I feel it’s better to read the first book as you can learn more about this universe that way. It is a darkish RH romantasy with a guaranteed HEA. Please check the TWs. I finished this book in one sitting, staying up late into the night because I just couldn’t put it down. I was absolutely captivated by the plot and the world Shona created. The way she built the world felt so vivid and immersive—it felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing every twist and turn. The FMC Odessa is trying to escape an abusive relationship and finds a way to do that when her fairy godmother transports her to a different realm so she can get a new start in life. The beginning of her story in this new realm isn’t what she was hoping for but it starts to turn around once she meets the MMCs. I loved all of the MMCs but have to say Link had a way of making me smile that I just loved. I can’t wait for the third installment which will bring us back to a character from book one.

[Mom Reads Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juices. Nibble. Row-row. 🤡 This book was not fun or easy reading. I didn’t like it at all and skimmed it about 69 % in. The nicknames were fucking precious. 🙄🤮

Smut happens at 60% and then is pretty heavy for the rest of the book. Reads like all the other sex scenes from her other books. The formula for her book was similar too.

I felt badly for the fmc as she is abused over and over but it just got to be so much at a certain point I hollered “FOR FUCKS SAKE REALLY???”

Fmc attempts to kill herself w a dagger to the stomach bc her life is so out of her control and so horrible.

The author did put a warning in her book which I appreciate it but it was a main character and she nearly killed herself. So if that is content you don’t want to read bypass this book.

The characters went from zero to sixty way too fast. It fell flat for me. I got whiplash. One page she is a prisoner and the next they are pledging their love to her. The flow and pace of this story was off for me.

Rh no mm

KU

Standalone but a part of a world/series.

Not as readable as the other books in this series. Frankly it was the worst one imho.

[₊⋆ Nyxia ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY HEART, this book I am NOT okay right now! What an emotional ride. This author keeps writing my favorite books of the year, I loved this book so much!

𝔐𝔶 𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔭𝔯𝔬𝔱𝔢𝔠𝔱 𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔞𝔫 𝔬𝔟𝔰𝔢𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫.

This book is dark, be mindful of trigger warnings. I wasn’t expecting to cry but I full on bawled parts of this book. Odessa is such a strong fmc and I just felt for her!

"𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕓𝕚𝕣𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕠'𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕔𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖."

This book is an enemies to lovers. It’s pretty intense enemies at first. Once the story developed I really fell in love with the guys. There’s so many swoon worthy and wholesome moments as well! I loved how separate each of the relationships were and how they all developed.

The spice in this book was hot! Some scenes will be stuck in my head forever. I loved it so much! The plot was amazing! There’s some twists, revenge, emotional and wholesome moments. If you want a dark reverse harem romance I recommend so so much! ♡

"𝒲𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓋𝑒𝓁 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝒾𝒻 𝒾𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”

[Dach Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50 I have such mixed feelings about this series so far like as a reader who doesn’t read any books with fantasy elements these books do keep me entertained and engaged from that aspect since I don’t read any type of fantasy books and I can spend hours reading these books but at the same time I haven’t loved the harems in either book like book one was more spice then development but this one it was better in the development aspect but still a lot of spice just like the first book and it feels repetitive , and I don’t feel connected to the characters like I’m fine to read about them but I don’t love them plus Odessa constantly being abused, man handled , and disrespected broke my heart 💔💔 I kept waiting for it to be over with it . Overall this was easy to follow it was interesting reading about royalty this time around and this story was more sadder but it made it interesting to want keep reading on. Eventually when the guys figured out Odessa was from a different realm they were sweet with her and took care of it and it was sweet to read.

[Jjs_booknook · Rating 5 out of 5]

little Sparrow

I’m not sure if it was possible but I may like this book more than the first. I love a hurt/comfort and this had all the tropes and set up that I can’t resist. Poor Odessa was stuck in a horrible life, running from her ab*sive ex looking over her shoulder at every turn and she is finally found. She escapes and find her way into Dyconia, only problem is that she is stuck right back in the same (if not worse) situation as before being a locked up queen to an insane cruel king. When she gets kidnapped by a group of rebels, Nox, Doc (Hale), Shadow (Lincoln) and Row (Roan) then all realize that not everything is quite as it seems. Once then get over that bump, Odesa and the guys start their slow story of falling in love but they can’t have an easy HEA can they? With the evil king still out to get Odessa, and the guys (and Odessa) still pining after lost childhood love, it takes time and a bit of fate for everything to fall into place.

[Kit Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC. I am happily leaving this review because I want to!

Oh my God! This was my first time reading a reverse harem trope, that wasn’t fanfiction, and oh my god! I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this story was!

The characters have so much depth to them! The plot itself was absolutely amazing! And the spice scenes? They were so beautifully written! I felt as if I was actually there in the moment when I was reading this story.

The world building was so well done too!

While this is book two in a series, I can confirm with 100 percent certainty that you don’t have to read the first book to understand how the world works with this series. I read it first. (Totally bumping book one up on my TBR now though!)

Five stars overall and spice wise, I’d put it at 4.5 peppers out of 5!

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading an ARC copy of this book and I really love it. Honestly after reading Secrets on the Sea I had a feeling that this author would either be a one hit wonder or all her books are going to be just as amazing as the first, and after reading 3 books from her so far (3rd being Penny's book) I can say that it's the latter. This book made me cry so much. I love a soft FMC just as much as I love a bad bitch. Honestly Odessa might have been soft but she was strong AF, and don't get me started on the guys. Also the twist about their past was absolutely mind blowing. I can honestly say without hesitation that I'll be reading all of Shona's future books. I can't wait to see who's next (I'm really hoping the fairy godmother gets her own book too).

[sycokittykat - Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally Free

Odessa is going to take you on a journey. There will be a special connection that is lost, tragedy, and so much abuse before she can find her freedom. With this freedom comes acceptance, hope, and so much love.

This is a beautifully tragic story. This is a story with a promise given to a young girl that gives her enough hope to survive the worst possible things. A story of parallel words, magic, and fate.

I love each of the boys so much. Seeing each of their personalities and the way they love is beautiful. What they have dealt with in order to keep a promise is so admirable.

Plus this is also quite steamy and gets more so as everyone gets comfortable.

I'm super intrigued to read the other books in this shared world.

[Ashleigh Dill · Rating 5 out of 5]

O my heartstrings!!

I am absolutely in love with this series!!

Odessa(FMC) is running from her abusive ex when she runs into…. Yup you guessed it “The Fairy Godmother”! Once through the door there wasn’t the excitement of escape we had all hoped for. Then she is snatched up by who she thinks are bandits!!

Nox, Row-Row, Doc and Shadow(MMCs) are headstrong at getting revenge on the kings that they grab the Queen (or is she the Queen?).

There are definitely some strong feelings for each other with the guys and Odessa but something is also holding them back! Once the secrets start to come out you are definitely rooting for them and yelling at them to pay attention to the clues. This was definitely an all the feelings story and received an amazing ending!! Can’t wait for more!!

[Conni J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I gave this one a chance

I wasn’t thrilled with the first book in the series and almost passed this one up. I’m happy I didn’t.

Trigger warnings as this one starts out dark: FMC is abused by different men. Abuse includes grape, incarceration, physical torture, mental manipulation, and kidnapping. The threat of being returned to one abuser causes FMC to try to unalive herself. Childhood bullying is almost mentioned but not on page.

If you can persevere through all that, the story is worth it. Characters are well- rounded, plot is engaging, their love story is passionate, spicy, and believable. Author has shown a lot of growth and maturity since the first book and this one is head and shoulders above that offering.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This was great -- I didn't know how they were going to grovel because they were horrible towards her and I still think they should've groveled more. Like she was too understanding especially for how she has been burned by men before. Anyways, I loved this one. Odessa's story made me cry so much but I'm happy she got her HEA.

I know these are standalones set in the same world with slight similar premises but I wish we could have some overlap between the characters (no matter how improbable that would've been because pirates and rebels in different parts of the country... theres minimal crossover but STILL lol). Anyways, I'm excited for Penny's story next especially with that small egg of Drake's pov in the epilogue