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Royal Artifactual Guild #2
By the Horns
In a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, a woman with a deadly magic secret needs the help of the minotaur she’s trying to forget in the sizzling sequel to Ruby Dixon's
New York Times
bestseller
Bull Moon Rising
.
Gwenna has always considered herself a normal person. A former servant, she wants nothing more than to land a steady job with the Royal Artifactual Guild so she can make some steady coin to send home to her mother. She's not special. She's certainly not a necromancer. That would be impossible, given how necromancing (or any 'mancing) is forbidden upon penalty of death. So if the dead keep talking to her? Well, she's going to keep on ignoring them. They're not going to stand in the way of her dreams.
Also standing in her way? One big, arrogant, far-too-flirty Taurian named Raptor. They slept together once, and now he wants more . . . but she doesn’t have time for that. Her focus is on being a fledgling, a trainee for the Royal Artifactual Guild. But Raptor won't go away. He's on a secret mission for the guild to find an artifact thief.
Problem is, he thinks the thief is Gwenna.
How can she convince Raptor that he's got the wrong girl when all the signs point to her? And how do you tell a Taurian you can't date him because you hear dead people and it might cost you your life?
Gwenna has always considered herself a normal person. A former servant, she wants nothing more than to land a steady job with the Royal Artifactual Guild so she can make some steady coin to send home to her mother. She's not special. She's certainly not a necromancer. That would be impossible, given how necromancing (or any 'mancing) is forbidden upon penalty of death. So if the dead keep talking to her? Well, she's going to keep on ignoring them. They're not going to stand in the way of her dreams.
Also standing in her way? One big, arrogant, far-too-flirty Taurian named Raptor. They slept together once, and now he wants more . . . but she doesn’t have time for that. Her focus is on being a fledgling, a trainee for the Royal Artifactual Guild. But Raptor won't go away. He's on a secret mission for the guild to find an artifact thief.
Problem is, he thinks the thief is Gwenna.
How can she convince Raptor that he's got the wrong girl when all the signs point to her? And how do you tell a Taurian you can't date him because you hear dead people and it might cost you your life?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2025
346 people are currently reading
20577 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Dixon
161 books19.7k followersRuby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 720 reviews
December 3, 2025
0% in - I know... the cover... BUT book 1 was sooo good.
3% in - .... oh no. Ohhhhh no. It's exactly the cover.
If you told me that there were two separate authors - one for the first book and one for the second - I would believe you. The quality of writing, the plot, the characters were THAT different.
The first book was definitely spicy, but it was a four course meal.
The plot was engaging. The main character was funny, quirky and empathetic. The ragtag group was charming and flawed -- I was so invested in their individual story arcs! AND the relationship payoff at the end was satisfying.
The second book was all spice, no dinner.
It was all sex-sex-sexy-sex and then like an inch of plot progression before we swung back to more sex (or thinking about sex, or pining over the lack of sex... you get the point). Annnnd despite the wiiiiiiide variety in scenes, it got real boring, real quick.
My main issue was that the first book set my expectations for a clever plot, three dimensional characters and a great payoff (for the relationship development but also for the fulfillment of the characters' goals).
Book 2 just didn't bother. There was a vague plot (more of a sketch, really), some goals mentioned, but everything plot-related happened at such a glacial pace that I ended up bumping the audiobook to 3x speed just so it felt like things were happening.
The other big annoyance I had was the circling trust issues. Hawk doesn't know if he can trust Gwenna because she might be the thief. Gwenna doesn't think she can trust him.
However, as the audience, we KNEW from the beginning that we could trust both of them, rendering much of their cat-and-mouse game completely useless. By 20% through the book, I was over it. By 60%, I just wanted to bang their heads together and scream.
And by the time we got the plot moving towards the characters barely did anything, especially compared to the first book - I got the feeling that the author wrote every sex scene they wanted to, and then decided to wrap up the book and call it a day.
I haven't been this disappointed by sequel in ages.
3% in - .... oh no. Ohhhhh no. It's exactly the cover.
If you told me that there were two separate authors - one for the first book and one for the second - I would believe you. The quality of writing, the plot, the characters were THAT different.
The first book was definitely spicy, but it was a four course meal.
The plot was engaging. The main character was funny, quirky and empathetic. The ragtag group was charming and flawed -- I was so invested in their individual story arcs! AND the relationship payoff at the end was satisfying.
The second book was all spice, no dinner.
It was all sex-sex-sexy-sex and then like an inch of plot progression before we swung back to more sex (or thinking about sex, or pining over the lack of sex... you get the point). Annnnd despite the wiiiiiiide variety in scenes, it got real boring, real quick.
My main issue was that the first book set my expectations for a clever plot, three dimensional characters and a great payoff (for the relationship development but also for the fulfillment of the characters' goals).
Book 2 just didn't bother. There was a vague plot (more of a sketch, really), some goals mentioned, but everything plot-related happened at such a glacial pace that I ended up bumping the audiobook to 3x speed just so it felt like things were happening.
The other big annoyance I had was the circling trust issues. Hawk doesn't know if he can trust Gwenna because she might be the thief. Gwenna doesn't think she can trust him.
However, as the audience, we KNEW from the beginning that we could trust both of them, rendering much of their cat-and-mouse game completely useless. By 20% through the book, I was over it. By 60%, I just wanted to bang their heads together and scream.
And by the time we got the plot moving towards the characters barely did anything, especially compared to the first book - I got the feeling that the author wrote every sex scene they wanted to, and then decided to wrap up the book and call it a day.
I haven't been this disappointed by sequel in ages.
September 7, 2025
Happy Release Day ✨💫
📜 Bookish Thoughts
Ruby Dixon could write an instruction manual and I’d eat it up. By the Horns was my most anticipated release of the year, and it did not disappoint. Ruby always delivers on immersive worldbuilding, lovable characters, and witty banter!
I was so excited to get Gwenna’s story after Bull Moon Rising. Her backstory hit hard. Gwenna grew up in poverty and that trauma is still very much with her. She’s constantly thinking about how to send money home to her mom, how to keep a job, and how to survive. On top of that, she sees herself as “just a servant” and feels invisible in a world with a very clear class divide .
And when her necromancer abilities start to surface, things get even more complicated.
I adored Gwenna and Raptor together. Their chemistry was instant. Raptor definitely had some moments where I wanted to shake him because it was so obvious Gwenna wasn’t the thief he was looking for. But he came through in the end. He was protective, caring, and fully devoted to her even before he realized the truth. And the spice? Absolutely 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I’ll definitely be listening to the audiobook when it comes out. And fingers crossed we get more books in this world because I love this series.
💫 What You Can Expect:
• Minotaur MMC
• Necromancer FMC
• Forced proximity
• Found family
• Class divide
• Magical artifacts
• Monster romantasy
✨Favorite Quote
“You make family where you can, and you make the best of a bad hand every time. That’s all you can do.”
_ _ _
🗓️ Pub Date: September 2, 2025
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
📜 Bookish Thoughts
Ruby Dixon could write an instruction manual and I’d eat it up. By the Horns was my most anticipated release of the year, and it did not disappoint. Ruby always delivers on immersive worldbuilding, lovable characters, and witty banter!
I was so excited to get Gwenna’s story after Bull Moon Rising. Her backstory hit hard. Gwenna grew up in poverty and that trauma is still very much with her. She’s constantly thinking about how to send money home to her mom, how to keep a job, and how to survive. On top of that, she sees herself as “just a servant” and feels invisible in a world with a very clear class divide .
And when her necromancer abilities start to surface, things get even more complicated.
I adored Gwenna and Raptor together. Their chemistry was instant. Raptor definitely had some moments where I wanted to shake him because it was so obvious Gwenna wasn’t the thief he was looking for. But he came through in the end. He was protective, caring, and fully devoted to her even before he realized the truth. And the spice? Absolutely 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I’ll definitely be listening to the audiobook when it comes out. And fingers crossed we get more books in this world because I love this series.
💫 What You Can Expect:
• Minotaur MMC
• Necromancer FMC
• Forced proximity
• Found family
• Class divide
• Magical artifacts
• Monster romantasy
✨Favorite Quote
“You make family where you can, and you make the best of a bad hand every time. That’s all you can do.”
_ _ _
🗓️ Pub Date: September 2, 2025
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
August 29, 2025
4.5 When He Only Has Eyes For You✨'s
By the Horns follows Gwenna, a woman determined to become an artificer, who finds herself faced with a serious issue when the dead begin speaking to her. Looking for a distraction, after an afternoon tryst with a Taurian, Gwenna focuses on joining a team of repeaters looking to graduate and work for the guild. However, when she stumbles upon the very same Taurian the next week, Gwenna has no clue the bull, Raptor, is investigating recent thefts from the guild and she is his number one suspect. Hoping to keep her secrets and abilities to herself, Gwenna is in for a rude awakening when Raptor joins her team and glues himself to her side.
Ruby Dixon can do no wrong and this book just further proves that! I loved every minute of reading this chaotic romantasy. Gwenna and Raptor were so sweet together, I loved that Raptor was smitten from the very start and Gwenna had to come around to the protective and charming bull. The two had so much apparent connection and respect for each other, and it was lovely to see Raptor fall all over himself for Gwenna and her safety. Romance aside, the mystery plot left me wholly satisfied as well, I loved how the intrigue kept growing and growing along with all the crazy happenings of the story. Getting to explore the city alongside the team while the mystery unraveled was so fun and the perfect balance to the messy found family vibes. If you're looking for a romance with the perfect amount of humor, heart, horny monsters, knotting, and all the magic; I cannot recommend this book enough!
~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
By the Horns follows Gwenna, a woman determined to become an artificer, who finds herself faced with a serious issue when the dead begin speaking to her. Looking for a distraction, after an afternoon tryst with a Taurian, Gwenna focuses on joining a team of repeaters looking to graduate and work for the guild. However, when she stumbles upon the very same Taurian the next week, Gwenna has no clue the bull, Raptor, is investigating recent thefts from the guild and she is his number one suspect. Hoping to keep her secrets and abilities to herself, Gwenna is in for a rude awakening when Raptor joins her team and glues himself to her side.
Ruby Dixon can do no wrong and this book just further proves that! I loved every minute of reading this chaotic romantasy. Gwenna and Raptor were so sweet together, I loved that Raptor was smitten from the very start and Gwenna had to come around to the protective and charming bull. The two had so much apparent connection and respect for each other, and it was lovely to see Raptor fall all over himself for Gwenna and her safety. Romance aside, the mystery plot left me wholly satisfied as well, I loved how the intrigue kept growing and growing along with all the crazy happenings of the story. Getting to explore the city alongside the team while the mystery unraveled was so fun and the perfect balance to the messy found family vibes. If you're looking for a romance with the perfect amount of humor, heart, horny monsters, knotting, and all the magic; I cannot recommend this book enough!
~Many thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
on-pause
September 13, 2025excited for this, loved book 1✨
September 19, 2025
He is in an endless rut & she needs a distraction! MONSTER ROMANTASY with a magical fmc and a healthy dose of a flirty bull…knotting included!!
✨😈💦💀💦😈✨
Gwenna can see dead people! Major yikes because magic is outlawed & also she wants to be a cave explorer/artificer of magical items, which means dead people are everywhere 💀✨ so when an injured bull confuses her for a sex worker she says HELL YEAH and jumps on the big distraction. Raptor is blindfolded so she feels safe but then they end up in the same training group and things get awkward…
HE IS IMMEDIATELY obsessed and doesn’t even know who she is! I love the dynamic of his dual obsession with the mystery sex worker (literally the fmc) and Gwenna the fellow trainee artificer 💜💦 Raptor’s shameless flirting soon melts into protective softness perfectly wrapped for Gwenna’s pleasure!
😈 she gives him a hj & he covers THE CEILING *silent scream*
😈 bossy fmc that puts his flirty character in check
😈 DIRTY!! He is absolutely insatiable but….very appreciative of her help
😈 great murder mystery!
I had so much fun with this one because of the flirty banter & the downright filthy start. Definitely smuttier than the first book in the series 💦💦 This minotaur is blessed by the gods aka perpetually horny & if he doesn’t get his potion he NEEDS to fuck….it’s funny because it excuses his playboy ways since IT’S LITERAL A CONDITION…it’s all natural 👀
Gwenna was such a strong character and I adored her self sufficient ways. Not every girl can….ride a bull LOL
4.5 ⭐️ Would recommend the DUET audiobook too!
monster romantasy
flirty & carefree mmc
curvy fmc
he falls first
knotting!
forced proximity
found family
class divisions
HEA
✨😈💦💀💦😈✨
Gwenna can see dead people! Major yikes because magic is outlawed & also she wants to be a cave explorer/artificer of magical items, which means dead people are everywhere 💀✨ so when an injured bull confuses her for a sex worker she says HELL YEAH and jumps on the big distraction. Raptor is blindfolded so she feels safe but then they end up in the same training group and things get awkward…
HE IS IMMEDIATELY obsessed and doesn’t even know who she is! I love the dynamic of his dual obsession with the mystery sex worker (literally the fmc) and Gwenna the fellow trainee artificer 💜💦 Raptor’s shameless flirting soon melts into protective softness perfectly wrapped for Gwenna’s pleasure!
😈 she gives him a hj & he covers THE CEILING *silent scream*
😈 bossy fmc that puts his flirty character in check
😈 DIRTY!! He is absolutely insatiable but….very appreciative of her help
😈 great murder mystery!
I had so much fun with this one because of the flirty banter & the downright filthy start. Definitely smuttier than the first book in the series 💦💦 This minotaur is blessed by the gods aka perpetually horny & if he doesn’t get his potion he NEEDS to fuck….it’s funny because it excuses his playboy ways since IT’S LITERAL A CONDITION…it’s all natural 👀
Gwenna was such a strong character and I adored her self sufficient ways. Not every girl can….ride a bull LOL
4.5 ⭐️ Would recommend the DUET audiobook too!
monster romantasy
flirty & carefree mmc
curvy fmc
he falls first
knotting!
forced proximity
found family
class divisions
HEA
October 29, 2025
4.5 l-see-dead-people stars
See… hear… feel… smell… it’s all the same 🤣. It definitely gives the sixth sense a run for its money 🤡 because this one has lots of 🔥 and I was here for it 💅.
Maybe movies from my young days need to be remade into a smuuuutty version 👀🤣.
Gwenna wants to be a part of the Royal Artifactual Guild and is currently cleaning to try to make money. She has goals and dreams and needs to focus on being a fledgling (a trainee for the RAG). While working as a maid, she senses a dead body, not only the body itself but also the WAY the person was un alived ☹️, and she can’t focus on cleaning (and she desperately needs the money). So when she gets instructed to clean a patient’s room, she jumps at the chance.
And jumping she sure does 🤣 because in that room is none other than a huge (all the puns intended) Taurian (ahem… or bull 😉), and the first thing he does when she walks in? Well unveils his man hood of course 🤣.
You see, Raptor (the Taurian) is experiencing an impressive knot 😅… yes… THAT kind of knot 🔥 the kind that is used to mate 🫠 and he thinks Gwenna is the lady of night sent to help him with his… ahem… problem 🤡 since his hands are bandaged up 😬 (as well as his head- which means he can’t see) and he can’t relieve himself 😅.
Gwenna NEEDS to stop feeling the dead person outside of the hospital, and what’s one way to forget about your problems? Well 🔥 time duuuuh 🤡🤣🤷🏻♀️.
Poor Raptor can’t stop thinking about the female that helped him that night. On top of this, there’s a thief and he’s going undercover to find out who’s doing it.
And guess who ends up being part of his team?
Gwenna 👀
How will these two move forward when SOOO much is going on around them…
And when Raptor can’t stop thinking about the woman from the hospital… who he doesn’t realize is his new teammate 👀.
Let the tension begin 😉
What I loved: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
—the 🔥. Ummm. I have to admit. I felt myself crossing my legs here and there, but man was I still invested 🤣. I’m glad Raptor ensures that she’s ready for him, and that Gwenna is up for the challenge 😅 because… my goodness… the amount of stretching needed 🤣. This is a FAAAAST burn- they have 🔥 the first time they meet 🥵 (by like 5%), but they don’t do anything else until about the 40% mark 😉 and then it becomes hard (bahahaha PUNNNNN INTENDED 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣) to stop 💦
—Gwenna being curvy and Raptor LOOOOVING IT 😉
—and enjoying eating cereal 😉 I love me a cereal eating king 💦
—the banter 🤣. These two had some of the best banter lol. Big ol serious Raptor couldn’t help but smile at Gwenna’s antics 🤣
—the mystery of it all 👀. Who’s doing what and why 👀
—how UTTERLY (I would say udderly, but Gwenna isn’t a cow 🤣) OBSESSED Raptor is 👏🏻. He’s only focused on one female and ONE female ONLY 👏🏻
—the fact that Raptor figures out who Gwen is 👏🏻. It was killing me that he wasn’t putting two and two together, but as soon as Gwenna messed up, he figured it out 💅 and then 😉🥵🔥
—how JP Raptor gets 😈. OMD is soooo yummy in my tummy 👏🏻. Men flirting makes Raptor see red 🤣 and I luuuuurved it 💅
—how protective he is 🫶🏻
—KIPP! Oh man I love that lizard 🤣 him and his tongue and eyeball and lack of talking 🤣
—the side characters ❤️ this found family is everything 🫶🏻 I especially love seeing Sparrow (Aspeth) and Hawk again 👏🏻. I always enjoy seeing previous couple’s HEAs
—how emotional I got ☹️. Not only does Gwenna come from an extremely humble background, but her gift (her necromancer skills) made it sad ☹️. Imagine being the only one that could hear you 😭 and there was a certain “being” she encountered that made me get teary eyed ☹️
What I wanted more of:
—another book we don’t see the ring ceremony again 😒. Man. We are missing out!!! 😭😭😭
—not trusting each other sooner 🫠. Loooordt. It’s another type of miscommunication that could be irritating 🫠
—using protection 😒. Since the H is very experienced… (so is the h but he seems to be WAAAAY more experienced). Whyyyy did he have to be such a manwhore 😐😒😒
Overall, I loved it ❤️
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-deaths
-mild OMD: there’s a man in their team that flirts with the h. The H gets jealous 😉
-no protection used 😒. The H is VEEEERY experiences and uses brothels (prostitutes) to deal with his knot. The h is also pretty experienced. The H has a charm to prevent pregnancy
-HEA/epilogue/months later
See… hear… feel… smell… it’s all the same 🤣. It definitely gives the sixth sense a run for its money 🤡 because this one has lots of 🔥 and I was here for it 💅.
Maybe movies from my young days need to be remade into a smuuuutty version 👀🤣.
Gwenna wants to be a part of the Royal Artifactual Guild and is currently cleaning to try to make money. She has goals and dreams and needs to focus on being a fledgling (a trainee for the RAG). While working as a maid, she senses a dead body, not only the body itself but also the WAY the person was un alived ☹️, and she can’t focus on cleaning (and she desperately needs the money). So when she gets instructed to clean a patient’s room, she jumps at the chance.
And jumping she sure does 🤣 because in that room is none other than a huge (all the puns intended) Taurian (ahem… or bull 😉), and the first thing he does when she walks in? Well unveils his man hood of course 🤣.
You see, Raptor (the Taurian) is experiencing an impressive knot 😅… yes… THAT kind of knot 🔥 the kind that is used to mate 🫠 and he thinks Gwenna is the lady of night sent to help him with his… ahem… problem 🤡 since his hands are bandaged up 😬 (as well as his head- which means he can’t see) and he can’t relieve himself 😅.
Gwenna NEEDS to stop feeling the dead person outside of the hospital, and what’s one way to forget about your problems? Well 🔥 time duuuuh 🤡🤣🤷🏻♀️.
Poor Raptor can’t stop thinking about the female that helped him that night. On top of this, there’s a thief and he’s going undercover to find out who’s doing it.
And guess who ends up being part of his team?
Gwenna 👀
How will these two move forward when SOOO much is going on around them…
And when Raptor can’t stop thinking about the woman from the hospital… who he doesn’t realize is his new teammate 👀.
Let the tension begin 😉
What I loved: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
—the 🔥. Ummm. I have to admit. I felt myself crossing my legs here and there, but man was I still invested 🤣. I’m glad Raptor ensures that she’s ready for him, and that Gwenna is up for the challenge 😅 because… my goodness… the amount of stretching needed 🤣. This is a FAAAAST burn- they have 🔥 the first time they meet 🥵 (by like 5%), but they don’t do anything else until about the 40% mark 😉 and then it becomes hard (bahahaha PUNNNNN INTENDED 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣) to stop 💦
—Gwenna being curvy and Raptor LOOOOVING IT 😉
—and enjoying eating cereal 😉 I love me a cereal eating king 💦
—the banter 🤣. These two had some of the best banter lol. Big ol serious Raptor couldn’t help but smile at Gwenna’s antics 🤣
—the mystery of it all 👀. Who’s doing what and why 👀
—how UTTERLY (I would say udderly, but Gwenna isn’t a cow 🤣) OBSESSED Raptor is 👏🏻. He’s only focused on one female and ONE female ONLY 👏🏻
—the fact that Raptor figures out who Gwen is 👏🏻. It was killing me that he wasn’t putting two and two together, but as soon as Gwenna messed up, he figured it out 💅 and then 😉🥵🔥
—how JP Raptor gets 😈. OMD is soooo yummy in my tummy 👏🏻. Men flirting makes Raptor see red 🤣 and I luuuuurved it 💅
—how protective he is 🫶🏻
—KIPP! Oh man I love that lizard 🤣 him and his tongue and eyeball and lack of talking 🤣
—the side characters ❤️ this found family is everything 🫶🏻 I especially love seeing Sparrow (Aspeth) and Hawk again 👏🏻. I always enjoy seeing previous couple’s HEAs
—how emotional I got ☹️. Not only does Gwenna come from an extremely humble background, but her gift (her necromancer skills) made it sad ☹️. Imagine being the only one that could hear you 😭 and there was a certain “being” she encountered that made me get teary eyed ☹️
What I wanted more of:
—another book we don’t see the ring ceremony again 😒. Man. We are missing out!!! 😭😭😭
—not trusting each other sooner 🫠. Loooordt. It’s another type of miscommunication that could be irritating 🫠
—using protection 😒. Since the H is very experienced… (so is the h but he seems to be WAAAAY more experienced). Whyyyy did he have to be such a manwhore 😐😒😒
Overall, I loved it ❤️
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd
-deaths
-mild OMD: there’s a man in their team that flirts with the h. The H gets jealous 😉
-no protection used 😒. The H is VEEEERY experiences and uses brothels (prostitutes) to deal with his knot. The h is also pretty experienced. The H has a charm to prevent pregnancy
-HEA/epilogue/months later
May 31, 2025
4.75 stars. I received this for free as an advanced reader copy and I am SO GLAD! My only regret is not having the audiobook... which just means I'll have to re-read this again someday!
That was delightful. I loved the first one and I adored this one.
If Ruby Dixon would like to keep writing about this world, I will gladly keep reading!
In book 1, Gwenna accompanies her naive (and virginal) lady on her quest to become an "artificer", something women DON'T do. And Gwenna is not super enthusiastic about coming along for the ride. However she saw that there could be more for her life than being a servant and she WANTS that. She's hungry for more.
in book 2, we see Gwenna after her first year of trying ended up in failure. She's getting ready for her comeback when some strange powers start irritating the crap out of her. It's when she's at her lowest where she meets Raptor, blinded and healing in the hospital and suffering from extreme horniness (ya ya, it's a monster romance... it makes sense). He thinks she's come to "relieve him" and she decides to "jump on it", (literally) to distract her from her irritating powers.
Well, he's smitten after one time and proceeds to hunt for his new love when he's finally out of the sick bed.
Little does he know that he'll end up on the same team and he'll be fighting his attraction to his teammate without knowing she's the mysterious woman he is crushing on.
I am not not for insta-lust. Nor am I a big fan of most of Ruby Dixon's books... but this one WORKED for me!
I was giggling, kicking my feet, and fanning myself!
I loved this. I was a bit bummed out by their lack of trust for each other all the way into 70% of the book, but it resolves fairly easily and we don't' have a 3rd act breakup (phew).
The worldbuilding is SO FUN and I want so many more stories of what's going on and whether they can change the world so that women as artificarers are normalized and mancers are welcome and looting history for power is not so prevalent.
Safety deets
- Both are experienced. Raptor has been with a lot of sex workers because of his particular issue, but once he meets Gwenna, he's true to her even at the risk of his own comfort and well-being.
- No birth control or disease prevention discussed during their first time... and disease is not discussed later. I would be a bit nervous to be with Raptor because that dude has beeen arouuuuund.
- They are happy, in love, and married in the end.
- no third act breakup
That was delightful. I loved the first one and I adored this one.
If Ruby Dixon would like to keep writing about this world, I will gladly keep reading!
In book 1, Gwenna accompanies her naive (and virginal) lady on her quest to become an "artificer", something women DON'T do. And Gwenna is not super enthusiastic about coming along for the ride. However she saw that there could be more for her life than being a servant and she WANTS that. She's hungry for more.
in book 2, we see Gwenna after her first year of trying ended up in failure. She's getting ready for her comeback when some strange powers start irritating the crap out of her. It's when she's at her lowest where she meets Raptor, blinded and healing in the hospital and suffering from extreme horniness (ya ya, it's a monster romance... it makes sense). He thinks she's come to "relieve him" and she decides to "jump on it", (literally) to distract her from her irritating powers.
Well, he's smitten after one time and proceeds to hunt for his new love when he's finally out of the sick bed.
Little does he know that he'll end up on the same team and he'll be fighting his attraction to his teammate without knowing she's the mysterious woman he is crushing on.
I am not not for insta-lust. Nor am I a big fan of most of Ruby Dixon's books... but this one WORKED for me!
I was giggling, kicking my feet, and fanning myself!
I loved this. I was a bit bummed out by their lack of trust for each other all the way into 70% of the book, but it resolves fairly easily and we don't' have a 3rd act breakup (phew).
The worldbuilding is SO FUN and I want so many more stories of what's going on and whether they can change the world so that women as artificarers are normalized and mancers are welcome and looting history for power is not so prevalent.
Safety deets
- Both are experienced. Raptor has been with a lot of sex workers because of his particular issue, but once he meets Gwenna, he's true to her even at the risk of his own comfort and well-being.
- No birth control or disease prevention discussed during their first time... and disease is not discussed later. I would be a bit nervous to be with Raptor because that dude has beeen arouuuuund.
- They are happy, in love, and married in the end.
- no third act breakup
August 10, 2025
4.5 Stars - This was everything I enjoyed in the first book plus a better placed plot due to the internal conflict for the heroine trying to keep her secret. I bought the romance more (though once again, this feels more like HFN than HEA) and hey... if you've been waiting for a book comparable to Morning Glory Milking Farm's level of effluvia, the opening scene gives it a run for its money
October 2, 2025
4.5✨
Hugeeee thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Ruby Dixon for this ARC! I screamed when I got the email and immediately got to it 😂
This was so enjoyable! I liked this a little more than book 1 and I absolutely loved book 1. The author included a list of TW and I really appreciated that!
Gwenna was a character I really got attached to in the previous book. She’s resourceful, smart and simply fun to follow about. I really loved Raptor too. I was happy we got to see the previous characters and the found family is just simply too precious!
The Indiana Jones vibes with the plot and world building absolutely worked for me. And the romance was sweeet! It lays a bit on insta-lust but the author makes it work.
I really hope the author writes other stories in this world because I’m absolutely bewitched!
Hugeeee thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Ruby Dixon for this ARC! I screamed when I got the email and immediately got to it 😂
This was so enjoyable! I liked this a little more than book 1 and I absolutely loved book 1. The author included a list of TW and I really appreciated that!
Gwenna was a character I really got attached to in the previous book. She’s resourceful, smart and simply fun to follow about. I really loved Raptor too. I was happy we got to see the previous characters and the found family is just simply too precious!
The Indiana Jones vibes with the plot and world building absolutely worked for me. And the romance was sweeet! It lays a bit on insta-lust but the author makes it work.
I really hope the author writes other stories in this world because I’m absolutely bewitched!
October 14, 2025
I hope that this series has at least as many books as Ice Planet Barbarians. I can’t get enough of this world and the characters. I enjoyed this book more than the first one, but I’d still recommend reading them in order for the world-building (even though they’re technically both standalones).
Both books so far have had the perfect balance of plot and world-building without it becoming too overwhelming. The romance was woven into the plot beautifully, and I felt like there was a perfect balance between the two.
Gwenna and Raptor are everything, and I loved them both individually and together. Is a Minotaur now one of my top book boyfriends?? Maybe??
Kipp is my absolute favorite side character I’ve probably ever read, and I would read a whole book dedicated to him!!
I was a little disappointed in Aspeth/Sparrow at the beginning of this book, though. Gwenna stood by her through everything in the first book, and I wish she had gotten more support from Aspeth throughout this one. I guess I just expected Aspeth to play a bigger role.
Both books so far have had the perfect balance of plot and world-building without it becoming too overwhelming. The romance was woven into the plot beautifully, and I felt like there was a perfect balance between the two.
Gwenna and Raptor are everything, and I loved them both individually and together. Is a Minotaur now one of my top book boyfriends?? Maybe??
Kipp is my absolute favorite side character I’ve probably ever read, and I would read a whole book dedicated to him!!
I was a little disappointed in Aspeth/Sparrow at the beginning of this book, though. Gwenna stood by her through everything in the first book, and I wish she had gotten more support from Aspeth throughout this one. I guess I just expected Aspeth to play a bigger role.
April 12, 2025
rtc
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2025
3⭐️ 3🌶️
Gwenna, a woman with a dangerous magical secret who must rely on a minotaur she wants to forget. Set in a world of fantastical beings and magical artifacts, the story follows the protagonist's journey as she navigates this world while dealing with the challenges of her hidden powers and a past connection to the minotaur.
Read if you like:
• magical world
• minotaur (M)
• dual POV
• one night stand
• knots 🫣
• magical power (F)
• second book in series
• forced proximity
• he falls first
• insta-lust
• mysterious
Gwenna, a woman with a dangerous magical secret who must rely on a minotaur she wants to forget. Set in a world of fantastical beings and magical artifacts, the story follows the protagonist's journey as she navigates this world while dealing with the challenges of her hidden powers and a past connection to the minotaur.
Read if you like:
• magical world
• minotaur (M)
• dual POV
• one night stand
• knots 🫣
• magical power (F)
• second book in series
• forced proximity
• he falls first
• insta-lust
• mysterious
October 3, 2025
By the Horns is the second in the Royal Artifactual Guild series and it does standalone, however I think there are some details and world building that aren’t given depth in this one because they were set up in book 1. So I could see readers starting here perhaps feeling a little like something was missing, even if the bulk of the story (esp the romance) doesn’t depend on book 1.
I loved Gwenna (h) in Bull Moon Rising and her character is such a fun one, while having significant depth too. Raptor (H) is also an excellent main character and matches Gwenna’s energy so well. He was also intriguing in the first book and I love when side characters shine in their own stories. So why isn’t this a 5 star for me? Like the first book, secrets stay til right near the end and that did become somewhat wearing on me knowing how both characters felt and were struggling with them. There’s also a good bit of repetition that circulated throughout, I wasn’t sure why some points had to be rehashed multiple times. Overall though, the vibes are amazing and I’d love more in this world. Plus, these covers are perfect.
Written in first person, dual POV. No actual ow drama (there is a point where the h thinks the H is taken by someone else without realizing it’s her he’s referring to), no real om drama either (as one of the only women trying to become an artificer, sometimes men make unwanted advances and are promptly turned down), and both are experienced. The H is what’s considered gods touched so always has a knot and has a high sex drive. He typically utilizes the services of brothels to manage, but after his first encounter with the h, he’s celibate to wait for her again. The h is sex positive but other than her encounter with the H at the start, she’s typically not involved with anyone outside of a relationship.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Minotaur smut
☆ FMC trying to better her situation
☆ She also has to fight against misogyny
☆ FMC with secret magic that's illegal
☆ MMC secretly investigating
☆ Horniness (pun intended)
☆ Found family
☆ But also the mains are side-eyeing everyone around them
☆ On page training
☆ The dead can communicate
So the mains - Gwenna is feisty, resourceful, resilient, and has strong ideas of where she wants to be given where she’s coming from. She’s also hiding a secret ability that unfortunately could screw up those plans. Raptor gives off the impression of being charming and laidback, but there’s more churning under his surface. He’s also been roped into an investigation and Gwenna’s one of his suspects despite his immediate attraction to her. I loved the banter between them and how even when Raptor is at his most unsure about her, he’s got Gwenna’s back. I understood where she was coming from with her secret and fears, but one of the best parts of the book is when she’s completely vulnerable with Raptor and he’s still so supportive.
This does have minotaur smut and knotting in it. It hits early but then Gwenna’s hiding who she is in terms of what happened between them (Raptor was blinded at the time so didn’t see her) and it does take time before they get together again. Though they’re plenty horny lol. Raptor waiting for the woman he’s enamored with while admiring aspects of Gwenna as he gets to know her also gave me Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas vibes in a way I enjoyed.
Ruby Dixon always does an amazing job with side characters and it was wonderful seeing some from book 1 and getting to meet some new ones (or see old ones in new ways). Kip is still a favorite. Seeing Sparrow happy with Hawk was precious. I really liked Gwenna’s new teacher and there was new depth for the head of the guild. I’m not sure who another book would follow but I’d still love to see more of all these characters.
I did think that the investigation was a little obvious over where the villains were probably coming from. How it comes together though and the climax were all so fascinating and my favorite part of the story. I was literally flipping pages as fast as I could because it got intense in parts in a way that was completely unexpected. Some of the resolution fizzled slightly, though it also fit with the character that was involved. Most of all, I appreciated how Gwenna was powerful, even if she was worried about what that power meant for her. Raptor was just the right amount of protective and proud of her too. I liked where her abilities are left and how she was able to see the benefits and not just the dangers. The ending is HEA with Gwenna and Raptor mated and celebrating their successes while planning their next steps for their new life together.
I do recommend reading this esp since I enjoyed it slightly more than the first book.
I loved Gwenna (h) in Bull Moon Rising and her character is such a fun one, while having significant depth too. Raptor (H) is also an excellent main character and matches Gwenna’s energy so well. He was also intriguing in the first book and I love when side characters shine in their own stories. So why isn’t this a 5 star for me? Like the first book, secrets stay til right near the end and that did become somewhat wearing on me knowing how both characters felt and were struggling with them. There’s also a good bit of repetition that circulated throughout, I wasn’t sure why some points had to be rehashed multiple times. Overall though, the vibes are amazing and I’d love more in this world. Plus, these covers are perfect.
Written in first person, dual POV. No actual ow drama (there is a point where the h thinks the H is taken by someone else without realizing it’s her he’s referring to), no real om drama either (as one of the only women trying to become an artificer, sometimes men make unwanted advances and are promptly turned down), and both are experienced. The H is what’s considered gods touched so always has a knot and has a high sex drive. He typically utilizes the services of brothels to manage, but after his first encounter with the h, he’s celibate to wait for her again. The h is sex positive but other than her encounter with the H at the start, she’s typically not involved with anyone outside of a relationship.
Some tropes/themes:
☆ Minotaur smut
☆ FMC trying to better her situation
☆ She also has to fight against misogyny
☆ FMC with secret magic that's illegal
☆ MMC secretly investigating
☆ Horniness (pun intended)
☆ Found family
☆ But also the mains are side-eyeing everyone around them
☆ On page training
☆ The dead can communicate
So the mains - Gwenna is feisty, resourceful, resilient, and has strong ideas of where she wants to be given where she’s coming from. She’s also hiding a secret ability that unfortunately could screw up those plans. Raptor gives off the impression of being charming and laidback, but there’s more churning under his surface. He’s also been roped into an investigation and Gwenna’s one of his suspects despite his immediate attraction to her. I loved the banter between them and how even when Raptor is at his most unsure about her, he’s got Gwenna’s back. I understood where she was coming from with her secret and fears, but one of the best parts of the book is when she’s completely vulnerable with Raptor and he’s still so supportive.
This does have minotaur smut and knotting in it. It hits early but then Gwenna’s hiding who she is in terms of what happened between them (Raptor was blinded at the time so didn’t see her) and it does take time before they get together again. Though they’re plenty horny lol. Raptor waiting for the woman he’s enamored with while admiring aspects of Gwenna as he gets to know her also gave me Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas vibes in a way I enjoyed.
Ruby Dixon always does an amazing job with side characters and it was wonderful seeing some from book 1 and getting to meet some new ones (or see old ones in new ways). Kip is still a favorite. Seeing Sparrow happy with Hawk was precious. I really liked Gwenna’s new teacher and there was new depth for the head of the guild. I’m not sure who another book would follow but I’d still love to see more of all these characters.
I did think that the investigation was a little obvious over where the villains were probably coming from. How it comes together though and the climax were all so fascinating and my favorite part of the story. I was literally flipping pages as fast as I could because it got intense in parts in a way that was completely unexpected. Some of the resolution fizzled slightly, though it also fit with the character that was involved. Most of all, I appreciated how Gwenna was powerful, even if she was worried about what that power meant for her. Raptor was just the right amount of protective and proud of her too. I liked where her abilities are left and how she was able to see the benefits and not just the dangers. The ending is HEA with Gwenna and Raptor mated and celebrating their successes while planning their next steps for their new life together.
I do recommend reading this esp since I enjoyed it slightly more than the first book.
September 16, 2025
By the Horns by Ruby Dixon
Damn By the Horns was SO good. Honestly, even better than book one. Book one now feels mild in comparison because Ruby turned the heat all the way up in this one. 🌶💋🌶
Tropes I loved:
✔️ Friends to lovers
✔️ One-night stand
✔️ Teammates to lovers
✔️ Taurian high fantasy
First of all Raptor. He is now my favorite Taurian daddy. Funny, sexy, strong, reliable, passionate OMG, he has everything to make a girl swoon. He completely stole my heart.
Gwenna I actually liked her so much more than I expected. She’s funny, outgoing, and such a breath of fresh air.
The storyline was written so well you have to clap 👏 because Ruby Dixon really is the definition of Romantasy. For this being book two and somehow better than book one that’s nearly impossible, but she did it. I loved how she tied in previous characters while still keeping the spotlight on Raptor and Gwenna. The flirting, the passion, the chemistry. I was screaming YES, I freaking love this. You can tell Ruby planned these two books to flow together seamlessly, and what a fantastic job she did.
💌Verdict: Ruined, ruined, and ruined again left screaming and clawing for more. Gwenna can share 😈💗 Raptor is mine now 🐃🥰😍 Thank you, Ruby, for this awesome story.
Damn By the Horns was SO good. Honestly, even better than book one. Book one now feels mild in comparison because Ruby turned the heat all the way up in this one. 🌶💋🌶
Tropes I loved:
✔️ Friends to lovers
✔️ One-night stand
✔️ Teammates to lovers
✔️ Taurian high fantasy
First of all Raptor. He is now my favorite Taurian daddy. Funny, sexy, strong, reliable, passionate OMG, he has everything to make a girl swoon. He completely stole my heart.
Gwenna I actually liked her so much more than I expected. She’s funny, outgoing, and such a breath of fresh air.
The storyline was written so well you have to clap 👏 because Ruby Dixon really is the definition of Romantasy. For this being book two and somehow better than book one that’s nearly impossible, but she did it. I loved how she tied in previous characters while still keeping the spotlight on Raptor and Gwenna. The flirting, the passion, the chemistry. I was screaming YES, I freaking love this. You can tell Ruby planned these two books to flow together seamlessly, and what a fantastic job she did.
💌Verdict: Ruined, ruined, and ruined again left screaming and clawing for more. Gwenna can share 😈💗 Raptor is mine now 🐃🥰😍 Thank you, Ruby, for this awesome story.
September 1, 2025
By the Horns was so much fun! The 2nd monster romance in Ruby Dixon’s Royal Artifactual Guild. I had a fun time with the first book in the series last year and another great time with this 2nd release.
Gwenna is a former servant, a repeater at the guild who desperately wants to land a job with the Royal Artifactual Guild so she can make a steady income and be able to help her mother. She has realized she can “feel” the presence of the dead…but necromancers were outlawed centuries ago and no one has had personal magic since. So she’s been keeping that secret! On top of that one day while she’s cleaning the healer’s rooms, she stumbles across Raptor there recouping with his eyes bandaged up. He can’t see Gwenna when she enters his room and he mistakes her for someone there to help with a release (he’s ’god-touched’ and always ready to go). They end up hooking up and she leaves him what a fake name. But once he’s healed up, he becomes obsessed with finding this mystery woman and starts searching for her! With the guild he’s also tasked with finding out who has been stealing artifacts and is very suspicious of Gwenna, who of course is hiding secrets from him but not quite the one he’s imagining!
This was just so fun, I loved the secret identity she has going on for a bit and him desperate to find her (not knowing it’s her). The couple of book 1 makes appearances, she’s friends with the heroine x he’s friends with the hero. This world is just fun overall. Similar to the first book, this was just a tad bit on the longer side but all in all a fun one! I always love this authors book.
I received and audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
Gwenna is a former servant, a repeater at the guild who desperately wants to land a job with the Royal Artifactual Guild so she can make a steady income and be able to help her mother. She has realized she can “feel” the presence of the dead…but necromancers were outlawed centuries ago and no one has had personal magic since. So she’s been keeping that secret! On top of that one day while she’s cleaning the healer’s rooms, she stumbles across Raptor there recouping with his eyes bandaged up. He can’t see Gwenna when she enters his room and he mistakes her for someone there to help with a release (he’s ’god-touched’ and always ready to go). They end up hooking up and she leaves him what a fake name. But once he’s healed up, he becomes obsessed with finding this mystery woman and starts searching for her! With the guild he’s also tasked with finding out who has been stealing artifacts and is very suspicious of Gwenna, who of course is hiding secrets from him but not quite the one he’s imagining!
This was just so fun, I loved the secret identity she has going on for a bit and him desperate to find her (not knowing it’s her). The couple of book 1 makes appearances, she’s friends with the heroine x he’s friends with the hero. This world is just fun overall. Similar to the first book, this was just a tad bit on the longer side but all in all a fun one! I always love this authors book.
I received and audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
September 24, 2025
I don’t know how she does it, but this was better than the first book. If you love Ms. Dixon, you will love this book.
September 4, 2025
Let’s make a compliment sandwich shall we.
I love this world and the spicy stuff starts early and stays hot.
Now for the center of our sandwich 🥪
I know I’m an outlier and most people won’t read this book in less than 24hrs (in my defense I was sick and stuck in bed) but the repetition of things the characters thought/said was mildly annoying. I have started noticing this more and more in traditionally published books. If it’s been 200 pages since we talked about something I totally understand needing to remind your reader of something but 50 pages…20 pages…geez give us some credit. A reader CAN and WILL pay attention to details. There are also many simple ways to remind a reader of something that’s in a character’s mind without blatantly stating it.
Let’s give you an example bc I’m sure you’ll find something similar in a book you pick up soon.
Gwenna’s friend Asbeth has a new name, she goes by Sparrow. Gwenna struggles with this seeing as how she has been friends with this character for years as Asbeth. She is constantly having the inner (or outer) monologue about this name change. There are ways to do this without the character stating “I am having a hard time remembering that her name is Sparrow not Asbeth🤷♀️” whenever we interact with this character.
Have her stumble over it and quickly move on. Have her apologize using the new name. Don’t just state “I am having a hard time remembering Asbeth is Sparrow now” over and over
This is one example of something I saw often enough in this book to want to include it in my review.
Back to our outer bread
These characters were fun and cute and I didn’t even mind that Raptor had a cow face.
Just for the record I enjoyed this, I enjoy all this authors books. I read this so fast and had fun, I just needed to scream into the void about that one thing that got under my skin with the editing/writing.
I love this world and the spicy stuff starts early and stays hot.
Now for the center of our sandwich 🥪
I know I’m an outlier and most people won’t read this book in less than 24hrs (in my defense I was sick and stuck in bed) but the repetition of things the characters thought/said was mildly annoying. I have started noticing this more and more in traditionally published books. If it’s been 200 pages since we talked about something I totally understand needing to remind your reader of something but 50 pages…20 pages…geez give us some credit. A reader CAN and WILL pay attention to details. There are also many simple ways to remind a reader of something that’s in a character’s mind without blatantly stating it.
Let’s give you an example bc I’m sure you’ll find something similar in a book you pick up soon.
Gwenna’s friend Asbeth has a new name, she goes by Sparrow. Gwenna struggles with this seeing as how she has been friends with this character for years as Asbeth. She is constantly having the inner (or outer) monologue about this name change. There are ways to do this without the character stating “I am having a hard time remembering that her name is Sparrow not Asbeth🤷♀️” whenever we interact with this character.
Have her stumble over it and quickly move on. Have her apologize using the new name. Don’t just state “I am having a hard time remembering Asbeth is Sparrow now” over and over
This is one example of something I saw often enough in this book to want to include it in my review.
Back to our outer bread
These characters were fun and cute and I didn’t even mind that Raptor had a cow face.
Just for the record I enjoyed this, I enjoy all this authors books. I read this so fast and had fun, I just needed to scream into the void about that one thing that got under my skin with the editing/writing.
November 7, 2025
5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶️🪢
Smutty and cozy Minotaur romance? Yes, please.
Smutty and cozy Minotaur romance? Yes, please.
September 28, 2025
cute treasure hunting/archaeology mythical romance
September 3, 2025
i fear there’s just no topping the literary masterpiece that is bull moon rising
September 6, 2025
Gwenna and Raptor have my ENTIRE heart ✨💕🥹
November 13, 2025
By the horns by Ruby Dixon
-ohhhh we starting naughty, raunchy and I am not mad
-Gwenna being a nurse with a horrible boss gave Cinderella vibes idk if that makes sense
-their sexual arrangement is hotttt can I take her place lol 👀
-Ruby had me always delulu for a different being 😩🤪
-Gwenna’s sensing powers (necromancer) I find it really cool
-Raptor is obsessed with her, yearning for her and looking for her I’m obsessed
-love seeing the characters from bull moon rising Hawk and Asbeth love them so much 🥹🫶🏾
-the forced proximity with this artifact program with that sexy night looming over them OUFF the sexual tension
-this world and adventure is amazing
-Raptor knows how to braid , his relationship with his sisters my Sheila 🥹
-the action had me so intrigued
-I ATE UP THIS BOOK UP ruby did it again with this one 🔥
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-ohhhh we starting naughty, raunchy and I am not mad
-Gwenna being a nurse with a horrible boss gave Cinderella vibes idk if that makes sense
-their sexual arrangement is hotttt can I take her place lol 👀
-Ruby had me always delulu for a different being 😩🤪
-Gwenna’s sensing powers (necromancer) I find it really cool
-Raptor is obsessed with her, yearning for her and looking for her I’m obsessed
-love seeing the characters from bull moon rising Hawk and Asbeth love them so much 🥹🫶🏾
-the forced proximity with this artifact program with that sexy night looming over them OUFF the sexual tension
-this world and adventure is amazing
-Raptor knows how to braid , his relationship with his sisters my Sheila 🥹
-the action had me so intrigued
-I ATE UP THIS BOOK UP ruby did it again with this one 🔥
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 25, 2025
4 stars. I liked this story so much more than book 1. Would have been a five star if the hero hadn’t been with countless prostitutes in the past.
Safe
Safe
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2025
I absolutely adore Ruby Dixon's writing. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I'm in for something that's equal parts spicy, adventurous, and surprisingly wholesome?-thats how this one felt and By the Horns delivers on all fronts!
This second installment was just as good and fun as book one. Gwenna and Raptor completely stole my heart. Their dynamic was electric, and I loved the "monster romance meets Indiana Jones" vibe-full of action, chemistry, and just the right amount of emotional depth.
Ruby has a real gift for creating fantasy worlds that feel both wild and warm, and characters that are easy to root for (even if they have claws or horns). I'm thrilled to add this beauty to my shelf, and I already can't wait for the next one. Gosh, I hope there is a next one!
If you're a fan of monster romance with a heart, By the Horns is a must-read!
This second installment was just as good and fun as book one. Gwenna and Raptor completely stole my heart. Their dynamic was electric, and I loved the "monster romance meets Indiana Jones" vibe-full of action, chemistry, and just the right amount of emotional depth.
Ruby has a real gift for creating fantasy worlds that feel both wild and warm, and characters that are easy to root for (even if they have claws or horns). I'm thrilled to add this beauty to my shelf, and I already can't wait for the next one. Gosh, I hope there is a next one!
If you're a fan of monster romance with a heart, By the Horns is a must-read!
September 5, 2025
3.5 *insert Debby Ryan hair tuck meme here*
November 20, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up.
The middle lagged so much that I just kept increasing the speed, skipping over the spice entirely. Also, what was the point of the letters back to her mom? I assume they were only added to balance out his letters. But they seemed so unnecessary that I spent most of the book expecting her to be the thief and her letters were in code to communicate with her mom who was receiving the artifacts. Alas, it was not to be.
The middle lagged so much that I just kept increasing the speed, skipping over the spice entirely. Also, what was the point of the letters back to her mom? I assume they were only added to balance out his letters. But they seemed so unnecessary that I spent most of the book expecting her to be the thief and her letters were in code to communicate with her mom who was receiving the artifacts. Alas, it was not to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2025
Okay. No one is more disappointed with this book than me, I was looking forward to this since the first one came out and was at my local bookstore right away when it was released.
Unfortunately, the sequel is much worse than the first. Let’s get into it.
Gwenna is the most boring main character possible. Her only traits are 1) used to be a maid and 2) trying to hide her magical abilities. She has no drive, no passion for anything, she doesn’t event really care about becoming an artificer, which is what this whole book is about! “It wasn’t my dream as much as it was Sparrows, but I’ve been tempted by the thought of coin.” It is uninteresting to read about a main character that doesn’t even care about what she’s working for. In the first book, Aspeth was so passionate about it and wanted it so badly that you wanted it for her too. In this one, Gwenna has no passion for anything besides Raptor.
Raptor drove me CRAZYYYYY. He was SO hung up on the idea of Sarya, he made her out to be this perfect person for him that he needed to find, when they had a 30 minute transactional interaction once. He was not my favorite type of love interest. Hawk was always yearning and trying to impress Aspeth which I loved. Raptor flirts a bunch and says suggestive things and that’s about it. Not my ideal monster man love interest, but hey, to each there own on that front.
The letters to Gwennas mom were so dumb. I thought maybe they would culminate to her mom coming to see her at the end of the book or something, but no. They are utterly pointless and go nowhere.
The sexism in this book is wild. Apparently, in this universe, basically all men see women as useless and only care for their bodies. And yeah, the main characters in this book don’t agree with that sentiment, but do we really need constant quips and sexual harassment from outside characters??? How does that add anything to the book?
I would have much rather read a book about Kipp and his lover.
Here are two of my favorite horrible quotes from this book:
“I’m not a looker in the face, and I’m not rich. Tits are all I have” Gwenna says this GENUINELY.
“My sweet wench” said in the middle of a spicy scene 🤢🤢🤢 be so for real, who wants to be called a wench?!
Okay I’m dong ranting, this was so disappointing I just had to vent about it.
Unfortunately, the sequel is much worse than the first. Let’s get into it.
Gwenna is the most boring main character possible. Her only traits are 1) used to be a maid and 2) trying to hide her magical abilities. She has no drive, no passion for anything, she doesn’t event really care about becoming an artificer, which is what this whole book is about! “It wasn’t my dream as much as it was Sparrows, but I’ve been tempted by the thought of coin.” It is uninteresting to read about a main character that doesn’t even care about what she’s working for. In the first book, Aspeth was so passionate about it and wanted it so badly that you wanted it for her too. In this one, Gwenna has no passion for anything besides Raptor.
Raptor drove me CRAZYYYYY. He was SO hung up on the idea of Sarya, he made her out to be this perfect person for him that he needed to find, when they had a 30 minute transactional interaction once. He was not my favorite type of love interest. Hawk was always yearning and trying to impress Aspeth which I loved. Raptor flirts a bunch and says suggestive things and that’s about it. Not my ideal monster man love interest, but hey, to each there own on that front.
The letters to Gwennas mom were so dumb. I thought maybe they would culminate to her mom coming to see her at the end of the book or something, but no. They are utterly pointless and go nowhere.
The sexism in this book is wild. Apparently, in this universe, basically all men see women as useless and only care for their bodies. And yeah, the main characters in this book don’t agree with that sentiment, but do we really need constant quips and sexual harassment from outside characters??? How does that add anything to the book?
I would have much rather read a book about Kipp and his lover.
Here are two of my favorite horrible quotes from this book:
“I’m not a looker in the face, and I’m not rich. Tits are all I have” Gwenna says this GENUINELY.
“My sweet wench” said in the middle of a spicy scene 🤢🤢🤢 be so for real, who wants to be called a wench?!
Okay I’m dong ranting, this was so disappointing I just had to vent about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
I will take zero criticism from anyone for this book. Ruby Dixon writes a “monster” romance with heart and complexity that I envy. We have a story about women being treated like crap in a workplace and fighting for equality. Our FMC, Gwenna, works so hard and gets nowhere. She is working as a maid but wants work for The Artifactual Guild and find magical treasures. This is a male dominated space and she is not welcome. She also now has to deal with her new “I see dead people” powers and her crush on a Minotaur type male. That male is Raptor, who is trying to find a way to restore his Guild title and find a woman who he thinks is the love of his life because she banged him when he was blindfolded in the hospital. Ok, stay with me. It really was hilarious and a fun way to move the story as that woman is our girl Gwenna. They are forced to work together and we have confusion, suspicion, obsession, possessiveness, and onions on beer. I couldn’t stop reading and was drawn in. Don’t worry as you will KNOT be disappointed by the spice. (Hehe) I truly feel like Ruby has some background world building happening that will blow up in some way as things with the gods and the tunnels are very interesting. Read this if you like Indiana Jones but wished he had horns.
October 7, 2025
Rounded up from 4.7
Another crazy fun monster romp
Another crazy fun monster romp
September 1, 2025
4.5 stars
Thanks for the free book Berkley!
I can't believe how great this book was! Gwenna was such a good character. She was strong but was still soft towards her friends. I was also very happy that Kipp was a main side character in the book again! He's so cute! If you're wanting to read a book where the MMC is down bad, look no further. He thinks Gwenna is up to criminal activities, but he still is obsessed with her. I definitely think you need to read book one before reading this book. You'd be missing out on a lot of background information.
Thanks for the free book Berkley!
I can't believe how great this book was! Gwenna was such a good character. She was strong but was still soft towards her friends. I was also very happy that Kipp was a main side character in the book again! He's so cute! If you're wanting to read a book where the MMC is down bad, look no further. He thinks Gwenna is up to criminal activities, but he still is obsessed with her. I definitely think you need to read book one before reading this book. You'd be missing out on a lot of background information.
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