A Rebel Without Claws

Southern Charm #1

by Juliette Cross, Aiden Snow (narrator), Johanna Fairview (narrator)

Book one in a next-generation spin-off of the bestselling Stay a Spell series.

After yet another bar fight and arrest, bad boy Ronan Reed leaves Texas to live with his Uncle Shane, alpha of the Blood Moon pack. Since werewolf cage fighting isn't illegal in Louisiana, Ronan makes big plans to lead his own team in the ring. But when he sets eyes on sweet Celine Cruz, his whole world stops, and she becomes a tantalizing distraction he doesn't need.

As an Aura witch, Celine always wants to help heal the broken. She knows all too well what it's like to battle anxiety, and so she's dedicated her life to helping those in need. But the second she meets Ronan, she knows she's in trouble. He's everything her close-knit family would a werewolf with a hot temper and a sinful grin to match who runs with a dangerous crowd. So why can't she stay away?

Ronan thinks she's a good girl. Little does he know that all Celine wants is to do wicked things with the bad boy werewolf who revels in breaking all her rules. As their forbidden romance becomes too tempting to resist, Ronan notices that the wolves are circling… and they're coming after his mate.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Witches, Shapeshifters, Romantasy

Audible Audio

First published February 10, 2025

About the author

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JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal and contemporary romance, including the best-selling STAY A SPELL series. As a native of Louisiana, she lives in the heart of Cajun country with her husband, four kids, and sundry animals. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine or whiskey.

Follow JULIETTE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliettecro...

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Follow JULIETTE on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Juliette__Cross

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I devoured this! Absolutely obsessed with Ronan and Celine 🥹💕🫶


Celine was mine. Or she was going to be. And no one was going to keep me from getting my girl.


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ paranormal romance
✨ werewolf x witch
✨ she’s a therapist and a sweetheart
✨ he’s a cage fighter and an absolute simp
✨ insta love
✨ opposite attract
✨ bad boy x good girl
✨ he falls first and HARD
✨ flirty banter
✨ 3/5 🌶️
✨ overprotective family
✨ amazing mental health rep
✨ healthy communication
✨ New Orleans setting
✨ Stay A Spell series next generation spin off
✨ dual POV
✨ HEA


My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in less than 24 hours, only stopping for bathroom breaks and sleep. The story sucked me right in, and I was completely hooked from start to finish. It was such a treat to return to New Orleans, a city I’ve come to adore through the Stay A Spell series, and reconnect with some of my favorite characters.

Celine and Ronan are wonderful MCs. I'll admit, I was a little nervous about how the next generation series would be set up, but Juliette Cross does an amazing job of introducing fresh characters while still giving us those special moments with the previous ones. It's clear from the moment Celine and Ronan lay eyes on each other that they are mates #instalove. Their love burns fast and hot, and I just adore how smitten they are with each other. I was kicking my feet and giggling whenever they were together since every word they spoke and action they took only deepened their love and adoration. THEY ARE THE CUTEST!

The flirty banter was so much fun. Celine and Ronan are total cinnamon rolls at heart—sweet, a little goofy, and 100% themselves around one another. Their dynamic made me smile and was something I could relate to. My husband and I flirt in silly ways as well, so their playful energy felt familiar. I know some readers might not be a fan of some things Ronan says, but it’s really a matter of personal preference. And honestly, I'm tired of only reading about MCs who are broody and no fun. Ronan was an absolute delight.

I am so happy Celine and Ronan had a mature relationship with healthy communication. I found this refreshing. Also, there wasn't really a huge conflict keeping them apart, which allowed their relationship to develop naturally without too much drama. This book was pretty low angst, which made this a relaxing read overall. That is, until the end when things take a dramatic turn (completely unrelated to the romance). But don't worry, it all works out in the end.

THE SPICE! Hot! Celina and Ronan have so much chemistry, and damn they are not afraid to show it. These two get freaky in public for f*cks safe. 🥵 I was sweating just reading some of these scenes, which are open door and explicit, and include sexy shower time, face sitting, and, of course, biting.

The mental health representation was amazing. I honestly can't think of the last time I read a book where one of the main characters is actively in therapy. It's usually something briefly mentioned in the epilogue, but here, we actually get to experience Ronan’s therapy sessions with him, watching as he works through his trauma. Really well done. 👏 I'd love to see this more in other romance books.

Now, there were a few small things I didn't love, but honestly, these things don't impact my overall enjoyment of the story.

The conflict at the end felt a bit sudden and wrapped up just as quickly. While it was clear that the story was headed toward some kind of dramatic turn with the cage fighters, it still came out of nowhere and ended up being a lot more intense than expected. As much as I love drama, I really wish there had been more build-up to this situation. Also, this situation also would have been extremely traumatic (especially Celine), but it's brushed over which I found a little strange considering this book heavily focuses on healing trauma.

The mentions of modern pop culture—Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Rihanna’s “Skin,” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”—date the book. References to TikTok also tie it to a specific time, which risks pulling readers out of the story in a decade when they recognize these references as a sign of the era.

This is a small thing, but when Ronan first goes into her childhood bedroom, he describes her comforter as “soft and girly” and then the name of her cat, Petunia, “cute and girly”. This all happens within sentences of each other, and this reaction irritated me. It was like he was almost making fun of how girly everything was, as if it was something to laugh at or infantilize. I don't think that was the intention, and maybe it was supposed to be part of his playful behavior with her, but I don't know, it just came across wrong.


Overall, A Rebel Without Claws is an amazing start to this new series! 10/10 would recommend. I had such a great time reading it and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book.

Thank you Juliette Cross for sending me a physical ARC copy! I appreciate you so much! As always, all opinions are my own.


Favorite Quotes:

"Cheers to my sister dating a hot, virile werewolf. May the fates send one my way soon."
_______

"And what are my intentions?"
"Me."
"Well, you've got that right, angel. My intentions are you."
_______

"I missed you too."
"Show me."
"I don't want to get you all sweaty."
"Maybe I want you to get me all sweaty."
_______

"I want you to come in my mouth babe. Need to taste more of you."
_______

"What was that last squeeze for?"
"I'm going to miss her. Had to give her a little hug."
_______

"I missed you."
"How? You just saw me before the fight."
"I always miss you when you aren't with me."
_______

"Petunia doesn't like me, but I know one pussy who does."
_______

"I'll be just fine. I've got you to live for now."
_______

Celine wasn't my girlfriend. That word was too small for what she was to me. She was my everything. My beginning and end. And no matter what her father thought of me, I would never leave her.
_______

"Hurting Celine would be like cutting out my own heart."
_______

"You can pee on my trees any time you want."
_______

Ronan didn't heal me. But he allowed me to heal myself.
_______

"I love you so f*cking much it scares me."
"Why are you scared?"
"Because I can't lose you. I'd die if I lost you."
_______

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Juliette Cross is one of those authors that sometimes I can connect well with and other times, something about her writing keeps me from sinking deeply into the story. This one was an entertaining time, but felt a little shallow in places, perhaps because much of it is far easier than you think it might be. There’s a hint of angst at times and a dramatic plot line close to the end, however the majority of the story is a fairly insta-feeling fated mates build-up between two charming characters and a slew of side characters sort of hovering around them. A side plot line involving the H cage fighting was interesting, but even that felt like something was missing.

Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and both are experienced (mention of H having short flings in the past but no significant details; h had a bad experience in high school and then dated very beta guys she wasn’t as attracted to).

Some tropes/themes:
☆ Second generation FMC following the Stay a Spell series (not necessary to read prior but lots of references to and characters from)
☆ Bad boy MMC paired with a good girl FMC
☆ Overprotective family for the FMC
☆ MMC still affected by the death of his mother as a child
☆ Reconnecting with an uncle for MMC
☆ Shifter who can’t shift/suppressed wolf
☆ Positive therapy representation - MMC gets it and FMC is a child therapist
☆ Some cage fighting scenes but not really descriptive violence
☆ Positive friendships for both

Sparks immediately fly when new-to-town Ronan (H) sees Celine (h) at his uncle’s bodyshop. Ronan’s a wolf shifter whose wolf is silent following an accident where his mother died when he was a pre-teen. He’s moved to New Orleans from Texas because cage fighting is illegal in TX and he needed a new start. His plan is to form a cage fighting team to compete legally in Louisiana. Celine is a witch who sees auras and is empathic, from a large family of a mix of supernaturals. She’s sweet but a bit cautious because of a past negative event, which also makes her family more protective than others. As Ronan makes new connections, he’s told over and over that Celine won’t be for him and to watch out for her family. These two are drawn to each other though and Ronan quickly recognizes that they’re mates.

The romance is a sweet one and Ronan may give off bad boy vibes, but he’s nothing but a swoony sweetheart to Celine. She makes him work for it a bit and there are a couple instances where she’s accidentally hurtful once they’re going (like when she delays introducing him to her parents for as long as possible). Their interactions are cute and I appreciated that they do go on dates. Celine doesn’t immediately know that they’re mates (usually the shifter knows first) and she comes to appreciate Ronan without the label, which I think is valuable. Since the attraction is so strong, it’s not surprising that as the dates start occurring, the spice heats up too. There are a few explicit scenes that heat up the pages.

Because he’s recently found his mate, Ronan’s wolf does start coming more to the surface, also helped by his therapy. There’s some background given on shifters, witches, and some other supernaturals, but some aspects of the world are glossed over slightly if they’re not specific to this couple. More will likely be explored as the series continues given that other supernaturals appear to be getting set up and of course, a lot of context was likely given in the first series (which I haven’t read). I would have loved seeing Ronan connect more with other wolf shifters about his wolf side on page. He’s very dismissive of his wolf for a lot of the story. Same wish for Celine, we see her use magic and get told about some ways that witches work together, but don’t see the witch community really.

Loads of supporting characters throughout help support various aspects of what the characters are doing though. Ronan’s new friends are primarily co-workers and cage fighting team mates and while some bonding occurs as they work and train together, more on a personal level would have been wonderful. I did like the moments between him and his uncle though. Celine had several scenes that were lovely between her and family and friends. She does spend a small chunk of time being concerned about her family’s reaction and really only her father freaks out.

A couple of errors did take me out of the story at times. For example, at the time I read this, Ronan’s aunt has one name at the start of the book, then a different name when his uncle is recollecting with him, and back to the original name later. The pacing of the book felt somewhat uneven, maybe because it’s mostly low angst and you think it’ll ramp up at certain times but doesn’t until suddenly drama hits late. Celine also felt immature to me in several places.

The third act focuses on the cage fighting plot line and the firmer establishment of the romance. Celine does misstep and has to apologize while Ronan focuses on achieving his goals. When the climax occurs and some serious actions hits, I felt for both main characters, but also was glad for some payoff on what was happening with Ronan. The ending is solid and the epilogue is a nice transition to their HFN (that you know is their HEA considering they’re fated mates). It’s sweetness and some updating following the heart-pounding third act. A few friends read this before me and loved it and I think other friends will love it too. I certainly enjoyed Ronan and Celine, even with a couple of hang-ups. I don’t know if I’ll continue the series or not because of my kind of wishy-washy feelings when it comes to the author’s writing style.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was SO amazing to be back in New Orleans and meeting the new generation of Stay a Spell characters. Though this will undoubtedly be most satisfying if you have read that series, there was still plenty to love here. I love a Fated Mates romance, and it's especially sweet when the Hero knows first. When he sees her and it all just clicks.

I loved getting to see some of my favorite characters as parents and their kids all grown up. Celene Cruz is an Aura and wants nothing more to assist those in need. So a Werewolf cage fighter with trauma in his past and a chip on his shoulder is going to be quite the challenge for her.

Ronan Reed is trying to focus on his fights, but when he meets Celene, he knows he can't just walk away. Distraction or not, she's someone he wants to know. Their chemistry is immediate and any hesitations Celene might have are being drowned out by his presence. Her family might have a few things to say about the crowd he runs with, but let's be honest, they know the pull of a Fated Mate too.

They were so cute together and I adored how they fell for each other. There are some things they need to work out and their lives are opposites in a lot of ways. However, their romance is so sweet and I was never worried about them working it out.

For long time fans of Stay a Spell, this is an easy sell. You won't be disappointed with where this new series takes out gang. And I hope many new readers will find this and feel like doing a deep dive into the OG series.

Juliette Cross made me feel right at home with this first entry to the Southern Charm series. I cannot wait for what comes next as their are some great books being teased.

5 stars
3 on the spice scale

CW: PTSD, assault, kidnapping, drugging, violence

[bee (semi-hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ★'s

〰.✦what to expect:
🐺 paranormal romance
🔮 witch ✗ wolf shifter
🐺 fated mates
🔮 mental health rep
🐺 dual POV
🔮 🌶🌶/5

〰.✦mini blurb:
ronan reed leaves texas to live with his uncle shane in louisiana. there he hopes to pursue his dream of cage fighting and lead his own team in the ring. ronan hasn't been able to feel his wolf since losing his mum in a tragic accident when he was younger. he meets a aura witch named celine cruz and his wolf makes a reappearance.

・⸝⸝

❝ That's fine. I don't mind a chase, Celine. But I sure hope you let me catch you. ❞

〰.✦my thoughts:
i haven't read the stay in spell series so this is my first impression of this universe and characters. i thought the world building was under developed and i couldn't get a feel of the place at all. there's all these different creatures; vampires, warlocks, wolfs, witches but none of them were ever fully explained or expanded on. plot was simple and predictable with ending that felt a little rushed.

my main issue was the insta-lust/love romance which isn't for me. they see each other for the first time and become obsessed straight away. timeline was unclear but it all felt very fast paced with them declaring their love for each in a short amount of time. that being said i did find them cute together and there was some wholesome moments.

i enjoy PNR but for me this book was missing that magical feeling and was reading more like a contemporary romance.

──────────── ❤︎ ────────────
thank you netgalley and publisher for providing me with a arc in exchange for a honest review

[Olivia ✨✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so Rebel Without Claws? Absolute vibe. This standalone paranormal romance had me kicking my feet and giggling like a teenager. The MMC (Ronan 🥵) is the definition of “Touch her and die” energy, and the way he’s all in from the moment they meet? Chef’s kiss. It’s giving fated mates, found family, overprotective brother, and the kind of public spice that makes you blush but also flip the page faster.

The romance had me hooked, but the story goes deeper with a tragic past and redemption arc that hit me right in the feels. The whole vibe is fun, fast-paced, and honestly just so entertaining. If you’re into a protective alpha vibe, some angst, and plenty of swoon-worthy moments, this is the book for you. I’d give it a solid 4 stars—definitely recommend for when you’re in the mood for something spicy and fun but also a little emotional

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

**thank you NetGalley and Juliette Cross for the ARC. All opinions are my own and this review is 100% voluntary

[rayhanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
this lowkey felt like an ad for Life360

~~
all jokes aside lol, it was really nice to be back in this world! Ronan and Celine were adorable, and I can't wait to read about the other couples!

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Rebel Without Claws is the first book in a new series from Juliette Cross, but just know it is a second generation/spinoff from her Stay a Spell series so obviously reading that series first will help/mean more with characters. This is a paranormal-lite romance in a New Orleans setting (just supernaturals living in the real world), we get werewolf x witch, he’s a cagefighter x she’s a therapist, and bad boy x good girl vibes.

I love SaS series so I was excited to get to this next gen series. While I enjoyed seeing familiar characters again, I just wasn’t wowed by this book sadly. It is very insta love, which I mean I get with them being fated mates and all, but even the acceptance of that just felt so easy and I really didn’t feel a soul-level connection between these 2 (like I did with SaS couples from this author for example). It all just felt easy, zero angst, and surface level…and I needed more.

Basically in this one, Ronan moved from Texas to Louisiana to live with his Uncle Shane (alpha of the Blood Moon pack). Werewolf cage fighting was illegal in Texas, so he’s had some run-ins with the law but in Louisiana it’s legal so he’s ready to grow a team and take his wolf cage fighting to the next level. He meets Celine Cruz one day and instantly recognizes her as his mate, or his wolf does who hasn’t shown himself in 15 years. He’s initially warned away from Celine because of her massively protective, and powerful, family (the SaS families). But nothing can keep these 2 apart. And that’s literally the book, there is some mentions of her being an aura witch and she’s an art therapist for kids, she had some trauma in her past that felt kinda glossed over, and he has repressed grief from his late mother’s death years ago (which also caused his wolf to disappear). But the book is pretty much Celine and Ronan being happy and in love with one another and even her family comes around to it pretty easily. While not an awful book by any means, I just needed something more.

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

CW: abusive relationship (mentioned, in the past), stalking (in the past), abduction

[Angela Hates Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This legit might be 2.5 or even 2 stars. It might be that bad, but out of my loyalty to Juliette Cross who has written some spectacular paranormal in the past, she’s getting 3 stars, okay? This is politics, baby. Deal with it.

So Celine is the daughter of Evie and Mateo, because…of reasons. I don’t love second generation unless it’s HR cause you have all the time in the flipping world to go next generation. In contemporaries I’m like…what the hell, Evie was just my age and now the triplets are 24?? What year is it?? What’s the political climate? You’re texting and tracking locations 24 years later? No you’re not, you’re microchipped and cloned and cars run on bananas?!!!

But I digress.

So Celine is an aura witch and she stumbles upon Ronan and he’s a werewolf and dun dun duuuuun she’s in love with him. Just has a fEeLiNg and he also has a fEeLiNg and despite all of Celine’s overprotective family they’ll overcome the odds and be together!!!

Okay but like that’s it. Celine’s family is overprotective and she has anxiety for some reason that has to be brought up (like it’s been 9 years and nothing really happened, please practice some changes in behavior and thought patterns plz, that’s plenty of time to not be triggered but something that never happened,) and Ronan has legitimate #trauma that obvs leads to him going to therapy in this book.

Okay I’m gonna stop this review right here and say I can’t freaking stand therapy in books. I can’t stand anxiety either, I’ll be honest. Like, yeah, Ronan has been through some stuff but seriously? I don’t want to read his therapy sessions on page. I’d much rather him have discussions with the heroine or something to get his life in order not with some professional stranger. These scenes do NOTHING for me. It pulls me out of the story. It’s like when I’m reading a Christian fiction book and characters pray. Listen, I pray, it’s great. Everyone should pray, but liiiikeee, on page?? It’s cringey. I don’t like it. And the same is true with therapy. If you need it IRL, do it, I don’t need it in my books. Cause now I’m on this journey with Ronan that’s not creating emotional intimacy with Celine, it’s him going on this journey of healing with someone else and that’s a missed opportunity IMO.

Anyway.

So these two are mates and they’re in love and that’s it. Literally. That’s all. Good for them. Not a whole lot going on there besides some spicy scenes and Ronan fighting. And listen, I can get down with a low drama romance book, but there still has to be emotional intimacy! There have to be two people that fall in love not two people that are in love already!!

AND THEN WE GET TO THE 90% MARK!!!

I was reading it like, “Don’t do it, don’t doooo iiiitttt JC, I know what you’re thinking and don’t freaking do it cause it’s unnecessary as crap and it doesn’t have to be like this!! We don’t need this!!! JULIETTE! Nooooo!!!!!”

And then I was actively booing my kindle which is a fun little thing for me. Booooo to this ending. Booooooo.

And probs boo to this book for the really really bad KU editing. Typos and bad paragraph breaks. I found myself constantly being like “Who the crap is speaking right now??” Which is a very lame reading experience.

But ya know, I still have mad love for Juliette Cross and will read all the books she writes obvs and even though this book is more 2 stars, I’m gonna give her 3 because that’s politics, baby, and I’m gonna support her even when I know this book was borderline terrible and okay at best.

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, soulmates story very much in the vein of Cross's prior Stay a Spell series.
Note: it really seems like Cross expects readers to have already read that series. There will not be a lot of explanation of the magic system nor the different supernaturals in this installment.

- Old characters still make appearances.
- The male love interests are the biggest and baddest alphas of all time (even more than era 1).
- The same pop songs are inexplicably still being played 20-23 years from when the first series left off?? Even at live shows???
- It's an easy read with a couple of spicy scenes.

The Third Act Conflict:
One thing I'm less a fan of is the damselification of the FMC. In the Stay a Spell series, all of the first three novels featured really strong FMCs who could save themselves or choose the situations they were put in. Over the latter half of the series, they became much more passive victims to their circumstances and had to be rescued. Unfortunately, it looks like this spin-off series is continuing the trend. Really hoping it's just this one entry, but I guess we'll see.

The Writing:
My only other complaint is that the dialogue is generally good (and the overall caliber of the book definitely rivals mainstream trad publishing) but some of the narration could get over-simplified or repetitive. Even just the way that it would say something like 'she'd seen Diego eat a lot before, so she knew he could eat a lot now' but in like 4 different ways in the same page? Like honestly we can infer that just from knowing he's a werewolf and a fit guy and nobody blinks an eye when he orders a ton of food. It didn't need to be stated, let alone spelled out so many times.

Ronan:
I think most of why I liked this story really just came down to the MMC. He had a very cool, nonchalant confidence that was very attractive. And he wasn't at all afraid to be corny or straightforward about what he wants.

Three Stars:
While this was fun and cute and held my attention so I got through it super fast, it's not the kind of story that will stick with me. One of the main failings is that the FMC has very little personality or backstory. Since I've already forgotten her name I know exactly two things about her: she likes helping people with anxiety through therapy, and she had a bad experience with a stalker ex-bf. I don't see her being overly nice to anyone or even communicating with anyone who isn't her family, a patient, or the love interest. She's not more good/sweet/helpful/self-sacrificing than any of those people, either. And she seems mostly over the ex-boyfriend stuff with just the occasional nervousness (understandable) but otherwise it's mostly irrelevant and doesn't even become a B plot like I thought it might.

Overall:
I did like that we kinda came full circle, starting this series with another werewolf MMC who can't shift into his wolf.

Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for providing an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moment that Ronan Reed met Celine Cruz, an Aura witch, he knew he met his mate. However, everyone warned him away from her because of her scarily over protective uncles, father, and brothers. Not to mention the legacy that her mother and aunt has in the NOLA area. Ronan didn’t move to NOLA to find his mate, but to move from underground fighting to actual legal fighting venues for werewolves. Celine wants to help others, which is why she is a child therapists for supernaturals. She wasn’t looking for her mate, but Ronan was different from the others she dated.

As this is fated mates, there is an attraction between Ronan and Celine, but Juliette Cross did a fantastic job at building a relationship between the two. There were dates, working through a lot of trauma and family issues that helped them form a deeper bond. I loved that we got to see small moments between Ronan and Celine, and I loved seeing both support each other. I loved that we got to see the Ronan fight in human form and wolf form on page. I loved the PTSD/mental health and therapy positive representation! I loved that we got to experience Ronan’s first Savoie family dinner!

When I heard that Juliette Cross was writing a second generation spin off series to her Stay-a-Spell series, I was excited to be back the world of witches, werewolves, vampires, and grims. Reading A Rebel Without Claws was like reuniting with some old friends. I loved that we got to see Mateo/Alpha be well possessive over his wife and his daughter, Celine. We got to see Evie put him in his place! Of course, Ronan’s Uncle Shane is back! he characters from the Stay-a-Spell series didn't have a personality transplant, but they also didn’t detract from the new characters! A Rebel Without Claws added to the richly developed world Juliette Cross has already established. It can still be read as a standalone! While you don’t know to read that series first, I would recommend it for better context about the characters.

CW: death of parents, PTSD, stalking, drugging, assault, kidnapping.

[AvidReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve forgotten how much I loved this world until I read this book. It feels good to be back!

Ronan and Celine was classic good girl x bad boy example but they complimented each other really well. I loved their connection. They both cherished and respected each other. I loved how caring Ronan was.
But still my favourite character in this whole series Alpha. When he showed up, I whopped! What a scene that was🤣.

Usually when second generation story is told, our favourite characters from first generation looses some of their charm but here, I’m so glad that author did that really well. Evie and Matteo were terrific parents.
I loved all the secondary characters and I want all of their stories (pretty please🙏).
I hope it’s Samara and a certain grumpy warlock’s story next.

Overall I highly recommend this book and the original series. It’s my favourite and comfort books.

-Good girl x bad boy.
-Werewolf x witch.
-Feel good, cute but steamy romance.
-KU, Recommended and standalone.

I received an advance review copy and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd like to say that first off I love the Stay a Spell series. Every couple offered something different and had such good chemistry. I have all of them on my shelf.

This one... I had a really hard time with both Celine and Ronan. There wasn't any real tension between them that made the chemistry snap. Everything was just so quick and easy. It made it boring. It made them boring.

Which is saying something because Ronan is a cage fighter and that's hot as he'll. Which made me even more grumpy.

I'm hoping the next one's better.

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, lighthearted paranormal romance

Fated mates
Dual POV
Insta-attraction
Set in New Orleans

cute & low stakes

4.25 ⭐️

[Sam | Haus of Fables · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 nostalgic stars
I loved coming back into this world! ‘The next generation’ after the stay a spell series! I loved seeing the originals pop up but these clearly have their own stories to tell.
This was like them all. Fun, spicy, paranormal romance with great audio narration!

[jordan | joburns.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5
🌶️ open door, explicit

🐺 paranormal romance
🐺 good girl/bad boy
🐺 insta-love
🐺 fated mates
🐺 found family
🐺 mental health rep (ptsd and anxiety)
🐺 second generation series

I loved the Stay a Spell series, so it’s no surprise that I am OBSESSED with this book. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better return to this universe! 10/10 - no notes. While this is a second generation series, I don’t think you have to read the first books, but it will enrich your reading experience.

A Rebel Without Claws takes place in the Stay A Spell Universe and follows Celine, daughter of Evie and Matteo, and Ronan, nephew of Shane. I thought Celine and Ronan were fantastic together - I always enjoy a good girl/bad boy trope. Their connection really made them the perfect couple.

Juliette Cross always slays her supernatural romance books. ARWC had just the right amount of drama and comedic relief that it immediately went on my faves list. Also - the cover is STUNNING. TBH, I will probably reread this when the audiobook is released bc I was SO excited to catch up on my favorite fictional supernatural family!

[Kelsey T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved the Stay a Spell series and when I heard there was going to be a spin off series I was super excited. Unfortunately this book was not the vibe. Absolutely no tension and yearning like there was in the Stay a Spell series. Everything felt rushed. In fact, are we sure this was the final edit of the book? Because it definitely left me wanting more from it. Boooo tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes 🍅🍅🍅

[Romancing the Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy to be back

There’s something about this paranormal universe that just makes me happy to be back.

📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: A Rebel Without Claws by Juliette Cross

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Southern Charm character series.
Book 1.

📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book on Kindle. 🆓 on KU.

📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Paranormal romance

📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Professional fighter, reformed bad boy, opposites attract, fated mates.

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Ronan moves to Louisiana to fight professionally, leaving a dark past behind in Texas. There he meets Celine, a young witch with a protective family, who might be his match in more ways than one.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I was searching for paranormal romances once and asked my followers to recommend me some, and about 70% of them said the Stay a Spell series. I motored through them, happy as a clam, because they were such fun reads. And now we get the next generation.

Celine and Ronan’s story was like a hug. Not much couple drama, great character development, a wolf who won’t stop once he’s found his woman. The “second gen” of it all wasn’t bad either - I don’t feel like you NEED to read the first series to understand the second, and there weren’t too many characters to keep track of.

I’m definitely going to dig into these as they release this time, so I don’t miss a second of the fun.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶

[Luna ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

»Aura witches are naturally and magically empathic. A partner like that would suit a wilder wolf who has a past trauma perfectly.«

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

❥ 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
So much love for this woman. She is kind, caring but strong willed and intelligent.

❥ 𝑹𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒏 ࣪⋆✮
This man >> He is hot, dangerous and loves his woman. He is the perfect book boyfriend.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
I loved it so much! This was the perfect start into the second generation series. I can‘t wait to read more books in this universe. I love the setting, the characters and the plot is entertaining too. New Orleans has this magic vibe and it was lovely to meet the characters from the first generation again.
Celine and Ronan are perfect for each other. They have great tension, amazing dialogue and they communicate well. They‘re opposites in so many ways but fit as a couple. I giggled a lot while reading cause Ronan said all these perfect things. He is a loner and kinda troubled but is in his best behaviour when it comes to Celine. He finally got the big family he deserves and it was heartwarming how Mateo and the rest included them in their big, messy family.
This was an amazing fantasy romcom. Perfect, just perfect.

𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes, especially if you loved the previous book series.

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 5/5
spice: 3/5
humor: 5/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, witch x werewolf, urban fantasy, romcom, fated mates, mental health rep, good girl x bad boy, insta love, found family, opposites attract, he falls first and harder, cage fighting

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A fun time and so happy to be back in this world, just a tad too fast paced for me

[April Neese · Rating 1 out of 5]

Insta-love. Womp womp.

[Samantha Willens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved diving back into the Stay a Spell New Orleans but with the second generation and the glimpses we get of Gen 1 😉 Thank you to Net Galley, Union Square Publishing, and Juliette Cross for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. ~Book releases 2.11.2025~

Juliette did a wonderful job with this spinoff, introducing us to the new set of supernaturals and leaving little breadcrumbs of what’s to come. But she gave us just enough of the old crew to scratch that itch without diminishing our new crew. I am so excited for the rest of the series!

Celine and Ronan’s relationship was a little too rushed for my liking and felt all too convenient. Celine’s relationships with her brothers and cousin though was so great and loved peeking into more of their stories. Also, Mateo/Alpha, had me giggling so much. Ronan’s overall story arc I liked with his growth and development.
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If you’re a lover of Stay a Spell Series and understand Juliette’s definition of an Aura, I feel that’s a difficult witch to write with her type of powers and having her powers be a helper with the plot as that was proven in “Grim and Bear It.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/💋💋/🌶️🌶️

[Salina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC.

It was so nice to come back to the Stay a Spell world in a new series. I feel like this is a good book to reintroduce us to the characters, especially since it is focusing on Mateo and Evie's daughter. I will say if you haven't read the Stay a Spell series you will probably not super enjoy the book, but it's a fun and cozy fantasy series so you should give it a shot.

I have a soft spot for characters that have already done a lot of the work needed to better themselves, like Celine's stuff with her ex. And then on top of that Ronan deciding to do the therapy thing after his uncle tells him he should? Love men appreciating the benefits of therapy and not getting weird about it.

Fated mates has never been a favourite trope of mine but for some reason it has never bothered me with Juliette Cross' books and I think it's the cozy vibe of the series that makes it seem less intense and weird than other book relationships. I almost wish the book was a little longer because I felt like there were some aspects of the book that weren't explored well enough for me. The fighting, for example, could have been more of the story. Like I don't know if it's just me but it felt weird that they were only fighting the one group over and over again, especially the reigning champs. I was just questioning where the other fighters were the whole book. I know that the one group ended up being important but that was also a little weird to me and felt shoehorned in. Yes, they were assholes but them becoming Evil seemed out of nowhere to me so I think we either needed more of the fighting stuff to flesh that out or less with a different twist at the end.

But, all-in-all, it was a great addition to the universe and I'm very excited to see what comes next. If we're following the pattern of the original series it might be Samara, but I would personally love a Joaquin (and maybe Ty??) book next. Whoever it is I'm looking forward to it.

[Hailey Goshert · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ Ronan & Celine were both sooo heart eyes for each other, and i don’t blame either of them for the insta-lust/love because of the circumstances around their relationship (iykyk). they both were just insanely easy to love and so perfect for each other in every way!

i do, however, just feel like that ~oomph~ was missing in this compared to the OG Stay a Spell series. there is honestly not one single thing wrong with this novel, just maybe could’ve been fleshed out better so i could really get to know them more and feel a deeper connection between the two mc’s? not sure, can’t quite put my finger on it.

that being said, i still had a blast getting to wrap myself up in this world and Cross’s characters again! i’m super excited to see which 2nd gen kid gets a book next, and what kind of crazy adventure they’ll go on:)

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fated mate book, so there’s some insta-love. If you haven’t read the other series, I’d suggest reading those first to understand the world. This is an established world and while I was hesitant to read about the kids from the parents in the Stay a Spell series, it was still so good and worth the read. I devoured this book in 5 hours.

Ronan is 🤤🤤🤤

[between.inked.sheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like coming come 🥹

I loved loved Celine and Ronan! They were so perfect for each other. This was funny and romantic and spicy and at times serious but overall such a lovely heartwarming book.❤️❤️ I can't wait for the next one!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, simple fun.
I loved it!
Girl and boy meet, they don’t let anything get in the way, accept immediately that they are mates, live happily ever after.
There is some drama, because they, of course, need to overcome their trauma. Other than that it’s a pretty undramatic bit of smutty fun.

[Hannah Reads a lot of Smut · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute but didn’t make me not want to put it down. I liked the start of the parents series more than this one.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 🌟 This was less fun than the original series. This book is about Evie and Mateo's daughter, Celine, and Ronan. It was less fun and more corny.

[Trine Moeldrup · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun!!

[Liv Routley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this for my book club. You’ve embarrassed me in front of my friends. Unforgivable.