Knot Beneath the Mistletoe

Whispering Grove #4

by Harley Knight

What's worse than losing everything you own? Having to mate to keep it.

I have twenty-one days until Christmas Eve to find a mate, or my bar goes to my power-hungry cousin. Twenty-one days to deny everything I believe about independence. Twenty-one days until my aunt's will destroys me.

But my best friend has a three blind dates, three weeks, three Alphas who make my Omega instincts scream. A brooding craft brewer with dangerous eyes and skilled hands, an intense outdoor adventurer whose feral smile promises wicked nights, and a dangerous security specialist whose darkness calls to mine.

They say some Omegas need three anchors. I say I don't need anyone.

Too bad my heat isn't listening.

Knot Beneath the Mistletoe is a steamy holiday romance featuring a Christmas-hating bar owner, possessive men, and a town full of secrets.

Genres: Omegaverse, Christmas, Why Choose, Holiday, Romance, Romantasy, Paranormal

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2024

Reviews

[Ash (so there’s this book) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre: Adult Omegaverse
Spice: 2/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to books in the same genre*

Tropes & themes: MFMM omegaverse, arranged dating but the FMC doesn’t know, build-a-pack, Christmas-time, FMC has to be mated by Christmas Eve, scent-matches

Thoughts:
The premise of this one is really good and it started out strong with the FMC’s struggles and her past trauma.

Unfortunately, this book never achieved the depth I felt that it needed and there were numerous continuity issues.

It never felt like the FMC formed real feelings for the MMCs and the MMCs feelings felt entirely based on the scent-compatibility and not how they actually felt.

[Iman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ Es war genauso ridiculous wie es aussieht. Hat es mir an einem Sonntagnachmittag genau das gegeben was ich wollte? Ja
Werde ich jetzt das nächste Buch aus der Reihe lesen? Ja

[Sophia Cristello · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can I just say that this story dragged on as slowly as frozen molasses before actually getting to the point. I understand if it's supposed to be a slow burn, but it wasn't considering that there were a plethora of romantic situations throughout it. Basically it took until about nearly the last chapter before Ruby finds out that Garrett, Knox, and Dominic are a pack (I'm using that term very loosely), and it was so so annoying how long that point took to present itself.

I found that Ruby was actually super annoying, and there was this weird play off of her having trauma (which was reasonable) that was constantly brought up and making her flakey, but simultaneously there's no pointvwere she actively works through it... it's just there as an annoying personality trait, and then random just leaves halfway through the book. By the end she throws a temper tantrum about how she was betrayed,but that literally made no sense especially considering her own actions and prior guilt beforehand. I wasn't a fan of her at all.
I did like all the personalities of the men. However, my one qualm is that there is literally no information mentioned about how they even became a pack, and very minimal information about them personally. Just made everything feel so shallow when there's nothing to actually show for.

The one this that I find is an absolute joke about this novel is the claim that it's an omegaverse. Just because you labeled them as alphas/omegas doesn't mean anything when you don't back it up with the appropriate facts, just because you say she has a heat doesn't mean that what you describe actually is one. Basically the only thing that had an omegavers vibe to it was the scent match aspect. Everything else was just labeled without actual basis.

The storyline itself was fine, until you get to the last few chapters when all of a sudden the writing style deteriorates into sentences one after the other that say the same thing but with different words. The steam was good throughout the book until the last few chapters when it was horribly rushed and very lack lustre. The dynamic between them all kept switching to playing favourites, and I wasn't a fan of that. At the beginning it was all Garrett and Knox, the only full sex scene written near the end was with Dominic (he was the only one with zero steam through moajority of the book), then by the end Garrett seems very brushed aside with Dominic and Knox being the focus... even then, throughout this novel Knox seemed to be the one that Ruby gravitated the most to, and had the most deep interaction with.

Over all, I wasn't much of a fan of this. It's not even that long of a book and yet I constantly found myself picking it up, losing interest, then picking it up again... which isn't really a good sign considering how many books I typically read.

[Sarah Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute I think?

I liked the characters but it felt rushed? Like the build up to her kidnapping and the kidnapping herself felt disappointing. It could have been done better. I find myself wanting more plot with these and coming up empty.

I also found myself confused by the the fmc, sometimes she would say it was her first and then say she was with a beta first. Also three Alphas but no knotting in this one lol.

[Darcy’s Good Opinion · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

MFMM
Omegaverse
He Falls First x3
Cinnamon Rolls
Hurt & Wary Omega
Villain
Snowed In
Holiday Romance
Touch Her And Perish

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so much fun I had a great time
I do feel like it was really lacking in depth for 2 of the relationships. More importantly, in a book with “Knot” in the title why is there literally zero knotting 🥴

[Christine Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby has no love for the holidays, but she lives in a town that goes all out for Christmas. As the festive music plays throughout Whispering Grove, she tries to push on ahead knowing that if she doesn't find a husband before Christmas Eve, she will lose her beloved aunt's bar. The problem is Ruby doesn't trust Alphas, and her cruel cousin doesn't help her opinion. Yet she meets three perfect hunks who could change her whole world, but will she let herself fall for them before her deadline?

This is a fun and sweet Omegaverse holiday romance. I love the town of Whispering Grove. It's beautiful and like something from a Hallmark Christmas movie. Ruby had my heart right away. She's hard-working and sweet, but full of anxiety. The three hot Alphas - Knox, Garrett, and Dominic - are unique and so sexy. I love how things are let to develop naturally between Ruby and the men, but it isn't a slow burn. The steamy scenes had me fanning myself and craving more.

[Meredith Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ 2🌶

🎄 Holiday Romance
🪢Omegaverse
❔️ Why Choose

Ruby must marry by Christmas Eve in order to fully inherit her aunt's bar. If she fails to do so, it goes to her Alpha-hole cousin, Marcus. Thanks to Ruby's abusive Alpha father, she has major trust issues and the idea of finding an Alpha to mate and marry seems far out of reach.

Enter Garrett, Dominic, and Knox. Each one plans a "spontaneous" meet-cute, hoping Ruby will fall for each of them. And she does. But Marcus refuses to let go of what he believes belongs to him.

This was a different take on an omegaverse than what I'm used to reading. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. The plot was very predictable, but I really enjoyed the characters.

[ᴊᴇꜱꜱᴛʜᴇʙᴏᴏᴋᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ ☾ ✧˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really liked the premise of this book, and appreciated that the alphas wanted to establish their own individual relationships with Ruby. the build up and slow burn was good and it had that trope of an omega fighting against their instincts/nature.

i felt like it was missing parts of omegaverse that i love though. it didn’t include nesting or bite marks. and we really didn’t get a full/satisfying heat scene. and i wish Ruby would have talked to the guys about her parents. also the ending for her cousin Marcus was so…. unsatisfying.

[thenerdybookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby and Christmas don’t mix. With a bar that’s slipping further and further out of her reach, what is there to be joyful about.

Enter Knox, Dominic, and Garrett. Meeting each in different ways, Ruby can’t help but catch feelings.

With her jerk of a cousin breathing down her back and some truths come to light, can Ruby find some holiday magic to help her this Christmas season?

Knot Beneath the Mistletoe is a cute holiday story, one I didn’t love but definitely liked. It’s worth a read.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Omegaverse holiday romance. Ok. Wasn't as good as others I've read.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 ⭐
It would of been 3 overall but just before the ending it was pretty spicy and fun and then it got boring again and repetitive. Overall a fun read but not one I'd rush to revisit.

[XxnightxowlxX74 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Read…

Ruby has twenty-one days to find a mate or lose her bar to her cousin. Her friends try to talk her into three blind dates but she’s a little stubborn. Ruby also has to deal with an oncoming heat too. So she’s juggling a lot.

The three men Garrett, Dominic and Knox want Ruby but on their own terms. With meet cutes, adventure and just good old fashioned persistence to break down her walls. They are already all in once they meet Ruby. They want to help her keep her bar and definitely want to help with her heat.

This was a quick read filled with family drama, OW drama and has some past trauma that Ruby has to deal with. There’s steamy build up but no sexy times until the end. So about 97% of this is a story with a real plot, which I enjoyed, it was a refreshing feeling. It doesn’t have an epilogue, boo, but there is a next book in the series so I guess we will see Ruby and her guys again since it’s about her BFF.

[DarcieReadsALot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had the makings of something perfect for what I look for in a book. We had a past that caused trauma and walls for our FMC. We had a villain that was irredeemable. A little bit of OW drama (more like wishful thinking on their part, though). Specific to Omegaverse, we had three alphas that were scent matches to our FMC and willing to break down those walls she built.

I enjoyed everything up until the very end (in some respects). A good part was the sweet, sweet justice we got for our FMC, however, in Omegaverse, I'm there for the heat and this was anticlimactic at best. Pages and pages about what was going to happen without actually taking action. There was no discussion about overcoming the trauma and I'm a reader that is there for the hurt/comfort, but it was just glossed over; miraculously cured.

Overall, it was great but there are a couple things I would've changed to add another star to my rating.

[Katelyn Livezey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omegaverse
Standalone
RH
Omega with traumatic past and trust issues
Possessive/Growly Alphas

Our FMC, Ruby, hasn’t had an easy life. Her father was an abusive alpha and her mother was a submissive omega who did nothing to stop it. She was kicked out young and went to live with her Aunt Eve.

She helped her Aunt run her bar and after passing, took it over and lives in the apartment above. Only surprise- she finds out if she isn’t mated and married by Christmas the bar and apartment are forfeited to her awful Alpha cousin, Marcus. Marcus does everything in his power to make her life hell. He wants the bar. Well, he wants it to tear it town and turn it into apartments. Marcus’ step-father owns half the town, so needless to say he has had a silver spoon in his mouth his whole life. Entitled. Gets away with everything. He’s had charges put on him from other omegas who’ve since then ran far away from here.

Her best friends, the two sisters who run the bakery across the street, try to help her. They try to set her up on a blind date with three Alphas who they’ve vetted. They want her to find a good alpha to marry so she keeps everything she’s worked hard for. She has to be careful because if they were ever to divorce, that Alpha gets half of her business. So she’s skeptical.

In comes the Alphas:
Garret- growly, but sweet. Owns another brewery.
Knox- the worst dad jokes, outdoorsy. Owns an adventure company where he teaches survival, hiking, skiiing.
Dominic- growls, possessive, the most alpha. He owns the best security company where they get done whatever others can’t.

These three were the blind dates the friends setup. But they decided they would setup their own “random” chances at meeting Ruby for its not like a blind date and she can get to know each of them as they are individually to see if there’s anything there. Turns out, they’re all scent matches. She doesn’t tell each of the guys about the others and eventually feels guilty. She begins to avoid them. They finally realize their mistake and go in all together to her bar to right that mistake… only to be outed by the awful Marcus. Ruby feels used and betrayed, so she kicks them all out.

After two days of nothing, the guys decide enough is enough. They’re going to go get their girl… only for Ash, Rubys bartender, to show up at their place saying she’s been missing for two days. Turns out she was kidnapped…. By Marcus. He wants to hold her captive for three days until the deadline is last and he can get the bar.

The guys go to find Marcus and run into his stepdad. He agrees that he needs to be handled and give them all the info the need to try and find him.

After they rescue Ruby and return Marcus to his stepdad for punishment, they go get married so Ruby can keep her bar. This book ended with a HEA, but I wish there was more. Like an epilogue with a sneak peek into the future and some babies, but I still loved the book and would definitely read it again!!!

I can’t wait to read about Lilly, the friend, next!!

[Elissa's Kindle Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knot For Me

I didn't hate this book but I also didn't love it.

I haven't read any of the other Whispering Grove books, so I don't know if they're similar, but I felt like I was running a 100 yard dash the whole time with this one. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. One minute we were meeting Ruby nd then we blinked (with a tiny mention of dating 3 alphas thrown in by her bff) nd then she's in a basement with a stranger. Then there's a very brief dance with death in a snowstorm, that felt rushed af despite the actual danger, where stranger #2 saves her. Then she's hosting a party where she gets up close nd personal with yet another stranger. At one point BFF sees Ruby walking with stranger #2 but does not show any signs of recognition (didn't you set this all up?) as she makes kissy faces at them thru a window.

We never know what actual day it is or how many days go by, ever. We are subjected to several missing moments, sentences, words, etc. At one point Ruby references a touch nd how it made her feel, only there was no touch on page. 🤔 We are meant to think Marcus is this rich scary alpha with all this power (very mafia-esque vibes), meanwhile, he's a puss. The conflict at the end is a page long, maybe, nd is resolved in mere minutes. The men all have specific nicknames for Ruby (Garrett-sweetheart, Knox-pretty girl, Dom-angel) nd they are not only overly used to the point where I eyerolled, the author also screwed them all up once they were all tgther, with Garrett calling her angel nd Knox calling her sweetheart. Annoying. Ugh.

Maybe the problem for me was that this felt like it could have been a much larger book that instead got crammed all tgther, which made it feel messy, amateurish, nd rushed. It really had the potential to be a good read, just missed the mark a bit.

Despite the title, there was no knotting. Sigh. Also, do canines purr? Cause these ones do...unless they aren't wolves at all. Despite all the alpha/omega/scent/heat/knotting talk, there was no shifter talk/action.

All I know is I won't be reading any more Whispering Grove novels.

[Amanda Matthiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Harley Knight and I absolutely loved it! The FMC, Ruby, inherited a bar from her aunt with the stipulation that she has to be married and mated but the next Christmas in a year. Unfortunately, Ruby absolutely hates the holidays and has a past a past where her father was very abusive to her mother. Her mother warns her to never fall for an alpha but unfortunately for Ruby to keep the bar she must. If she doesn't, her filthy backstabbing a-hole of a cousin gets the bar and he is trying everything he can to sabotage her. Her best friends come up with a plan to date 3 alphas, one week each for the next 3 weeks, Knox, Garrett and Dominic.

Ruby doesn't know it till later that the 3 alphas are best friends and are longing for an omega to share. Ruby starts to fall for the 3 and feels guilty that she has to choose. Then her nasty cousin drops the bomb that Knox, Garret and Dominic know each other. She is absolutely crushed and feels lied to. While trying to figure out her feelings with the hurt, her cousin kidnaps her 3 days before Christmas as a last-ditch effort to make sure she doesn't get the bar. The guys go absolutely crazy looking for her. When they find out her cousin was behind it, they run to her uncle to figure out where she is. They find her and her cousin pays dearly. The three of them make Ruby theirs and have their HEA.

This book will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit as Ruby lets go of her past and welcomes these three alphas. It's such a heartwarming story with some mixed in spice that is chef's kiss. I highly recommend this book over and over again.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dnf at 40%. I'm giving it 3 stars because it looks like this is a new author. A for effort and all.

Now to the book.
The premise is great, the execution, not so much. We have Ruby an "omega" who just "gushes between her legs" a lot. A LOT.
This is labeled an OV, without the crucial aspects needed, is it really an OV? Supposedly it is. Where is her nest? Idk it's not been mentioned. The only aspect I see is they are scent matches.
Ruby has trauma, sometimes. Not all the time. But it's ok! She worked it out on her head. She told the awful voices to go away!! Bam, cured.
There are the same sentences written twice just different wording, like the author forgot to delete the one she didn't want. Context is missing. A lot of context is missing. EX, They go to the fair and are in front of a food truck, and it reads like a whole conversation took place we don't get to see, and are thrown in the middle of. That happens a lot as well.

The spicey scenes made me cringe. That is sad, cause I love my spice. But the dirty talk was a lot of c@ck and d!ck thrown around, but nothing was sexy about it.
Sentences are miissing words, or they start off in the middle of it. Some wording is weird. "A purr strokes my throat".. yea her purr strokes her throat... what? It's weird phrasing like that, that kept bringing me out of the story. The Men. They are nice and apparently are the hottest men in that town.. that's all. 40% in and we've not even met three last alpha except for 1/2 a chapter. They don't get even screen time.

Author needs an editor and some beta readers. Maybe that can save her future books.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one for Christmas-themed stories, I feel like they can only be read during the holiday season, Christmas in July just is not for me. However, I've been switching things up lately. If anything was going to get me to change my mind, it was going to be a reverse harem, and making it an omegaverse is just icing on top of the cake. Knot Beneath the Mistletoe was fabulous.


The characters were great. Ruby is an omega who runs her own business, a brewery, how cool is that? It's so sad that she has to deal with awful family members and lets her fear of alphas stop her from taking a chance. Her abused mother's whispered words had a strong influence on Ruby. Every time she would pull back from the guys, it killed me.


Yasss! I loved Garrett, Knox, and Dominic. Each alpha was strong and confident but not overbearing. There was definitely an attraction between them and Ruby, but it was the connection and the little things that got to my heart. It was a bonus that each guy fell first and fell hard, it was love at first sight for them. I loved every interaction between Ruby and the alphas.


The way Harley approached this Christmas story was different but sweet and very entertaining. Between the infuriating cousin and the deadline, there was enough tension to keep things interesting, and the super cute dates disguised as anything but dates brought a little bit of drama and were a whole lot of fun. Everything came together perfectly. Knot Beneath the Mistletoe was amazing! If there are more holiday books like this, then I might just become a holiday romance convert.

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knot Beneath The Mistletoe by Harley Knight is an exceptional sweet why-choose omegaverse that you won’t be able to put down. Ruby is grappling with the emotional fallout of losing her aunt, and the situation intensifies when she discovers a clause in the will: she must be mated and married by Christmas or her bar will go to her dubious cousin. The combination of family trauma and her past experiences makes trusting an Alpha seem impossible.

Enter Garret, Knox, and Dominic—three men who are irresistibly drawn to Ruby after her best friends encourage them to date her. Their initial meet-ups quickly evolve into heartfelt connections as they each fall for her. The big question is: can Ruby overcome her mother’s warnings about Alphas and open her heart, or will she face Christmas alone, watching her bar slip away?

This holiday book has all the charm of a Hallmark movie, featuring a strong Omega in Ruby and three incredibly different yet perfectly complementary men who treat her with the utmost respect and care. Their adorable meet-ups shine with thoughtfulness and creativity. With a slow burn and just the right amount of spice, it's an ideal read for the season.

If you’re in search of a delightful holiday story, Knot Beneath The Mistletoe is where you should turn. With themes of why-choose non-shifter omegaverses, ABO dynamics, mate bonds, scent matches, found family, forced proximity, and arranged dating, it's the perfect seasonal escape you didn’t know you needed!

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

DNF—but not for normal reasons

This is a good story. It’s well written at least, characters with some depth, and definitely trauma…

Not sure if it’s just who I am as a person, but I got to the scene where she goes hiking and those two crazy girls try and kill her with hypothermia and locking her outside in a storm… and every winter I spent in Alaska and all my inner craziness just couldn’t get over her actions? Two people try to kill you and you nearly suffer from hyperthermia but can just get up and be playful the next day? Take your shirt off, wrap it around your first, and break a window…why was she just out there accepting her demise? Walk around the cabin banging, find a rock or chunk of ice, break and shake till everyone is up. I’ve been nearly hyperthermic before, that had me laid out for days feeling like crap. I’m also insane apparently because I’d call police the second I have service and report for assault and attempted murder, not text my employee and just say “crazy stuff happened”. Idk, it’s a weird hang up for me to fixate on, but it’s just to explain why I didn’t finish. I hated that scene and it made me so frustrated. I’d probably feel different if Ruby at least took a swing or sprayed them with bear spray (which a trained trail guide would’ve had on them).

I think if you don’t care about little stuff like that, you’ll love this book! I’m just weird lol.

[Meagan Grauel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just OK. The initial premise was decent enough and I was interested to see how the issue would get resolved. But then it felt like the author had multiple other story lines going and would start developing those plot lines, and then would deviate and go in a different direction. So the initial storyline just didn't feel well or fully developed. It was also needlessly complicated due to miscommunication and withholding information on all characters parts. The book also takes place in the Omegaverse, but it's not really a focal point because there's so much drama happening that I forgot the character is supposed to be an Omega looking for an Alpha.
All that aside, the smut in this book was THE WORST! 1/5 for spice ... if that. The FMC has some minor trysts with each of the alphas pursuing her and then there's a heat in the epilogue (why the author chose to do epilogue 1 and 2 when it was just a continuation of the story is beyond me) that doesn't make any sense at all and was just a mishmash of dirty talk and unrealistic transitions and positions. Don't care that an Omega's body is physiologically different, how things were described wouldn't have worked.
I wouldn't recommend this one for a holiday read. As Marie Kondo would say, it "didn't spark joy" while reading it, so I would keep looking.

[OnBooksAndMountains · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ruby is an omega who inherited her bar from her aunt, must get mated by Christmas to keep it or her evil cousin gets it.

Unfortunately, this book became evermore ridiculous as the story moved forward.
Ruby as a character was set up as an insecure omega and she doesn’t seem to undergo any growth but will have moments where out of the blue she is confident and forward.

There are three love interests and I cannot for the life of me understand why this was necessary. They all pursued her separately but for the development of their long-term relationship it would have been better if they had been pursuing her together. We don’t even meet the third love interest until almost 60% into the book.

Other things that felt inconsistent to me: Ruby has a bar, but it’s also a brewery (she brews in a back room?) but she also may have gotten a delivery of the beer one of the love interests wanted to try, and Knox has this big, beautiful house that he wants to share with her, but then they all move into Dominic’s house. I just don’t get it.

The most annoying thing of all was Ruby’s mom who, though never actually on page, was like a specter of discontent, preventing Ruby from growing or experiencing joy.

This book unfortunately was not my cup of tea, but they all lived happily ever after, so all’s well that ends well, I guess.

[Lory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents a delightful mix of holiday charm, emotional depth, and slow-burn romance. The premise, where the heroine, Ruby, must find a partner by Christmas Eve to save her beloved bar, immediately intrigued me. Add to that her struggle to embrace the holiday season due to past trauma, and you have the perfect setup for both heartwarming moments and emotional growth.

The author strikes a great balance between family drama, romantic tension, and Ruby’s healing from her past—something I really appreciated. The slow-burn romance builds beautifully, with plenty of steamy moments that keep the story engaging, even though the real romantic payoff doesn’t happen until the very end.

Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read with a lot of heart. If you love a holiday romance with emotional depth, family drama, and a strong, independent heroine, this is definitely worth checking out.

As always, my book reviews are totally voluntary, and no monetary compensation was received. The opinions I have expressed are completely my own.

[Elyssa Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby is a bar owning, spunky Omega who doesn’t want to give up her freedom. But that may be what it takes to save her beloved bar. Enter 3 perfect Alpha’s, all whom she meets separately. Could one of them be the key to saving her livelihood and her freedom?

This was a pretty good read. Probably 3.5 out of 5 stars, and a ⅗ on the chili pepper scale. If you’re looking for plot? You get some here. If you’re looking for characters who you can deeply connect to? Meh, you get a bit. I really wanted more in this book. It was a good little read, I finished it in about 2 hours. Spice? It’s very nice! My husband enjoyed this book, even though he didn’t read it!

But yeah, a bit more plot and fleshing out the characters would have been nice. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a cute book. It’s marketed as Christmas, but really it just seems like that was the date set, that it’s not integral to the story. I don’t know, I wasn’t super impressed, but it wasn’t the worst written book I’ve ever read.

So yeah! Try it out!

[Booklover04📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Festive Romance Read: Holiday Omegaverse Reverse Harem

If you're a fan of romance with a twist, then the holiday-themed omegaverse reverse harem story you’ve been waiting for has arrived! This book features well-crafted characters that draw you into their world from the very first page. The chemistry and playful banter between the female main character (FMC) and her three male love interests (MMCs) will keep you hooked. While the spicy scenes are more on the subtle side, they are still thoroughly enjoyable and add a nice flavor to the story.

One aspect that could have enhanced the experience is a deeper exploration of the FMC's past family trauma. Her experiences undoubtedly shape her character, and delving into them would have added more depth to her journey. Overall, this book is a delightful read that balances light-hearted moments with emotional undertones. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see what this author brings us next! Highly recommended for any romance enthusiast!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading this one, I was confused. Once I realized that this book is a Prequel to the series, It was easier to get into and to understand. There is a point where Lily mentions something that happened to her, and suddenly the entire story orientates itself in the right way. After I figured that out, everything flowed in a more understanding way, and the plot and twists were well written and well placed. The emotions ran high in this book, and the scheming both against Ruby, and in favor of her, was an even more intriguing thing to read. I thought Dominic, Garrett, and Luke were perfect for Ruby in different ways, and complimented each other as a pack. The men scheming against each other in order to see Ruby, made me laugh each time.

Once the action started, I kept holding my breath and biting my nails but everything turned out as it should and I was beyond happy to see it. Also Ash, was such a great friend and the banter and sass between him and Ruby was hilarious.

I was also so happy to see Sterling stepping up and making sure that his step son got what he deserved.

All in all I really loved this book. Highly recommend.

[Ines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This standalone contemporary omegaverse reminds me a little of a combination of Jarica James’ and Dreia Wells’ contemporary omegaverse stories. It has protective men, friendships, complicated relationship building and a bit of suspense to make it all come together. It results in a nice and quick storyline, and I loved watching Ruby get her happy ever after.

The only thing I feel needs to be mentioned, is that I believe this author could really use one or two bèta readers who are good at spotting minor inconsistenties. It weren’t big things, so it was still possible to enjoy the overall story, but they did throw me out of the story at times.

Of the three new men in Ruby’s life, I have to admit I loved Dominic the most. I can really appreciate his growly personality in a book boyfriend, and even though it makes sense for the story that he was the last one to connect with Ruby, I would have loved more chapters with the both of them.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I have to say that I loved reading and learning about Ruby. This story was so sweet to read and the romance was very heavy at times with lots of fun times for the Christmas season. When Rub's Aunt passes on the will that was left stated that Ruby would inherit the bar that her Aunt but with a stipulation. Ruby being an Omega must find a mate in so many days or she would lose everything.
Love and Romance does it exist for Ruby? Will she find her Happily Ever After instead of disaster of what her monster of a cousin seems to deliver.
Enter in three very hot delicious gorgeous Alpha men to save the day. Knox, Dominic and Garret very mouth watering the type you want to cherish forever like a delightful sweet drink.
The heat is very delightful that makes you want more when you've gotten to the end.
So, if you Love heated Romance, Three very delicious Alphas and a gorgeous FMC then this book is for you.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

timeline issues are distracting

It’s a good story. Writing is good.

I am able to suspend the belief necessary for a book like this (as one does to read an Omegaverse book), but this story takes place in 2.5 weeks so timelines are kind of important. There were several that should have been caught by an editor or even a beta reader. They were distracting and annoying, and they didn’t add to the story.

Ex: Knox’s date with Ruby was tomorrow night but referenced as tonight several times. Dominic noting he’ll wait his turn to meet her, implying it would be after Knox’s date, when it was before. Reference to events that never happened.

I could go on but don’t want to give spoilers.

If this kind of thing doesn’t bother you, you’ll like this book. But for me, there were too many for a book I read in a day. Especially since they weren’t necessary for the story. It feels like gaslighting by the author…did I really miss that this thing happened? Except I didn’t.