My life had been a series of unfortunate events, each of them a test to see if I could survive the cruelty of men.
All my life, I’d learned that men were nothing but tyrants, their wickedness etched into every demand they gave to those weaker than themselves, every lie they told us, and every betrayal.
I never believed in fated mates—not until I was snatched from the shadows and taken by a winged creature with dark, fierce eyes, fangs, and claws… and a promise of both danger and salvation.
He said I was his. That he wouldn’t let me go. End of story.
Now, I was bound to a monster whose unyielding grasp refused to even loosen. His presence was a storm—violent, irresistible, but strangely, achingly intimate.
And the longer I stayed with him, the further I weakened under the weight of our undeniable connection.
I was caught between forbidden desires and the irrefutable realization that he’d ensure I couldn’t leave… because he was determined to get me pregnant.
No sé si decir que este también fue soft pero tuvo consentimiento (hasta los monstruos entienden mejor el consentimiento que los hombres) y eso está muy bien. Además que dual V 😏 y el epílogo me pareció muy dulce. 🥹
The chase is hot, monster romance where he saves the girls.
Freydis is on the run when raiders invade her village, but they aren’t the only ones who want to catch her.
Marrex is her special monster. He’s been waiting for his mate for a lifetime. When they meet he wants to make her as comfortable as possible and wait for her to fall for him. This is kind of sweet, in a monster you’re mine kinda way.
Another great edition to the Monsters and Beauties series.
Short, spicy, and fun. This story was everything I needed for a midnight read. In an almost taboo-ish way, this monster romance had everything you are looking for in a unique short dosage. I think this must be my favorite so far.
Additionally, Jenika's Monster and Beauties series had started to have stories that looked too similar to each other, but thankfully that seems to change with the last two installments. Can't wait for the next one!...
THE DUDE HAS A SUCKER ON TOP OF HIS D!CK TO SUCK HER CL!T!!!!
This was short, sweet, and smutty the perfect combination for me. I loved this book so much even though it was a fast read but I adored it. I loved the concept of the FMC who was strong and survived a lot and she didn’t need anyone to care for her, but being taken care of was nice snd I loved it.
Jenika Snow said “I’m releasing another monster smut book” and I said “SIGN ME UP !” 🫠
You can always count on this author when it comes to Smutty stories and this one is no different. 🦇 Winged Demon (he also has horns 😮💨) 🦇 Virgin Heroine 🦇 Size difference 🦇 Special Peen with special functions 😏🥵
For me personally, this one felt very empty and uninteresting. I liked the first 3 books in the series so much better. I felt like the setting and characters were much better fleshed out in the previous books and the uh…activities were more interesting. 😂
2.75 ⭐️ "The creature I once was had been replaced by something who related to being human. I felt love, loyalty, and an unbreakable bond that only Freydis could ever conjure within me."
🌶🌶🌶 Marrex et Freydis Monstre et humaine 📍Beaucoup plus dur que les premiers mais tout autant interessant. Beaucoup scene de sexe intense.
📖 Ma vie avait été une succession d'événements malheureux, chacun étant une épreuve pour voir si je pouvais survivre à la cruauté des hommes. Toute ma vie, j'avais appris que les hommes n'étaient que des tyrans, leur méchanceté gravée dans chacune de leurs exigences envers les plus faibles, dans chacun de leurs mensonges et dans chacune de leurs trahisons. Je n'avais jamais cru aux unions prédestinées, jusqu'à ce que je sois arrachée à l'ombre et emmenée par une créature ailée aux yeux sombres et féroces, aux crocs et aux griffes… et à la promesse de danger et de salut. Il disait que j'étais à lui. Qu'il ne me laisserait pas partir. Fin de l'histoire. Maintenant, j'étais liée à un monstre dont l'étreinte inflexible refusait même de se desserrer. Sa présence était une tempête – violente, irrésistible, mais étrangement, douloureusement intime. Et plus je restais avec lui, plus je faiblissais sous le poids de notre lien indéniable. J'étais prise entre des désirs interdits et la réalisation irréfutable qu'il veillerait à ce que je ne puisse pas partir... parce qu'il était déterminé à me mettre enceinte. 📚
🖋 Assis sur un petit rocher, je contemplais le grand ruisseau qui s'étendait devant moi, trempant mes orteils dans son calme. L'eau était froide, une vive morsure contre ma peau nue, mais je l'appréciais. Cela faisait quelques jours que je n'avais pas eu le luxe de me laver de la saleté et de la sueur de la survie.
Même si je savais qu'il valait mieux ne pas baisser la garde, je ne pouvais résister à l'attrait de l'eau. Le monde était cruel, cet endroit méconnaissable, alors dès que je pouvais prendre le moindre plaisir, je m'y accrochais.
Je n'avais pas senti le monstre à proximité depuis au moins une journée, et cela me permettait de respirer. Je me suis levé, j'ai enlevé mes vêtements sales et déchirés, et j'ai marché dans le ruisseau glacial. L'eau a glissé sur ma peau jusqu'à ce que je m'y immerge complètement, submergeant mon corps et me laissant un instant en apesanteur.
J'ai pris une poignée de sable doux dans le lit du ruisseau et j'ai frotté la saleté incrustée dans ma peau, savourant enfin la sensation du bain. Après avoir lavé la crasse, ma peau irritée et picotée par le sable, je me suis allongé, j'ai écarté les bras et me suis laissé flotter en contemplant la cime des arbres. L'espace d'un instant, j'ai fait semblant d'être en sécurité. Un endroit préservé du mal, des ténèbres et de la ruine.
Il me semblait que je n'avais eu que quelques secondes de paix avant de le ressentir.
Un frisson me parcourut l'échine, et ce n'était pas l'eau froide qui me glaçait. C'était le poids indéniable d'être observé. Encore une fois.
Je m'enfonçai plus profondément dans l'eau, submergeant tout ce qui se trouvait sous mes oreilles et mon nez, et je scrutai la limite des arbres, le souffle lent et contrôlé. Le vent agitait à peine les feuilles, le silence pesant.
Le malaise s'intensifiait dans mes entrailles. Mon instinct m'avait maintenu en vie si longtemps. Je ne l'ignorerais plus.
Puis, l’air a changé.
Une ombre passa au-dessus du ruisseau, massive et rapide. Mon cœur battait fort tandis que j'inclinais la tête pour suivre son cours, et c'est là que je l'aperçus.
Un cri s'est logé dans ma gorge et j'ai couvert ma bouche avec ma main pour éviter de faire du bruit.
Du haut des arbres, un monstre, dans tous les sens du terme, me fixait. La créature planait au-dessus de moi, les ailes déployées, masquant le soleil pâle et mourant.
J'ai pris une grande inspiration, mon corps se bloquant. Bien que le monstre ressemblât à un homme par bien des aspects, il n'était pas humain. Loin de là.
Ce grondement profond provenait du grondement le plus effrayant que j'aie jamais entendu, puis j'ai cligné des yeux et il a plongé jusqu'à se tenir à quelques mètres du bord du ruisseau.
Il mesurait deux mètres quatre cents, peut-être plus, et était bâti sur des muscles solides. Il était nu – et oui, c'était un homme, ce que je pouvais deviner grâce à ma vision périphérique – mais je refusais de baisser les yeux et de regarder… ça …
Sa peau luisait comme de l'argent poli, lisse, ce qui lui donnait un aspect surnaturel. Il avait des griffes noires et recourbées au bout des doigts, des crocs qui s'accrochaient à sa lèvre inférieure, et des ailes. Non pas plumeuses comme celles d'un oiseau, mais sombres et membraneuses, comme un individu sorti tout droit d'un cauchemar.
Mais le pire, c'étaient ses yeux.
Rayonnant. Concentré. Et fixé sur moi comme si j'étais à lui .
J'ai à peine eu le temps de reprendre mon souffle avant qu'il ne s'accroupisse et ne sourie, montrant une bouche pleine de dents acérées qui menaçaient de me déchirer.
Et c'est à ce moment-là que j'ai finalement crié.
.
Son regard baissa, et une peur nouvelle m'envahit, car, malgré la distance qui nous séparait, je me tenais devant lui… nue. Exposée sous son regard brûlant.
Ses narines se dilatèrent tandis que ses griffes noires et recourbées frétillaient à ses flancs. Il prononça d'autres mots dans sa langue, puis, pour que je puisse comprendre, il dit : « Je te tiens enfin. » Sa voix était comme un manteau sombre qui enveloppait chaque partie de moi. « Oh, Marrex, toi« Je l’ai enfin trouvée », dit-il un peu plus doucement et visiblement pour lui-même.
Ses mots résonnaient dans ma tête en boucle. Ils étaient certainement faux, mais étrangement, ils me semblaient… justes.
Je secouai la tête, à peine capable de comprendre ce que je voyais, ce qu'il disait. « Je… Lâche-moi. S'il te plaît. » J'avais été forte pendant si longtemps, luttant et survivant aussi longtemps que j'avais le souffle coupé. Mais là, je me sentais étrangement faible.
Car même si cette créature était horrible et me voyait probablement comme de la nourriture, je ne ressentais pas de peur.
Il se redressa de toute sa hauteur et s'approcha lentement, délibérément, comme s'il l'avait fait tout le temps, jusqu'à ce que ses orteils griffus touchent à peine l'eau. La tête du monstre se redressa légèrement, ses narines se dilatèrent comme s'il humait l'air, avant de tourner vers moi ses yeux brillants. « Je suis Marrex, et tu es à moi. Mon compagnon. On ne peut pas abandonner le destin. »
Mon pote. Qu'est-ce que ça voulait dire ?
« Mon pote », grogna-t-il, plus fort cette fois, puis ses ailes jaillirent de son corps massif, s'ouvrant largement, puis battirent en mouvements lents et gracieux jusqu'à ce qu'il flotte au-dessus de l'eau. C'était la chose la plus surréaliste que j'aie jamais vue.
Ses mots m'ont frappé, envoyant un violent frisson dans tout mon corps, puis j'ai couru. 🖋
Monsters and Beauties - Book 5 - The Chase - Jenika Snow
This is the fifth book in the Monsters and Beauties series by Jenika Snow and as always it did not disappoint. This story is a monster and human romance filled with lots of heat. This story is not all about the plot, however it is all about the smexy times and crazy chemistry that is instant between Marrex the winged monster and Freydis the human woman. Freydis is trying to run from the males that control the landscape, force women to go with them and be used. She escapes into the wilds thinking the whispered about monsters are less terrifying than the human males but she wasn't prepared for Marrex. He is beastly in appearance yet with her shows a tenderness that she has never experienced in her life. He claims she is her mate and after all that she has endured that is not the worst thing that he could of said. Marrex whisks Freydis away to his lair and keeps her there and she isn't exactly fighting him on this. Freydis is scared but knows there is truth to his words by the way she feels and now that she accepts his claim and mating her world will become irrevocably changed forever. Marrex can't wait to get his claws on his little mate and its deliciously hot when he finally does. Freydis and her monster Marrex are extremely intimate with each other so bear that in mind. They soon go on an intimate journey of discovery together which involves the use of claws, a devilishly talented tongue and an urge to mate. There is a list of trigger warnings that you may want to look at on the Authors website before you begin reading, these include Monster and Human together, Plus Size Rep, Ribbed/ Ringed Member, Voyeurism, Dubious Consent, Size Difference, Slight Breath Play, A Vibrating Peen with a Succa, Horn Play, Virgin Monster Hero, Claw Play, Captivity of Heroine by Hero, Biting and Marking, and Breeding to name just a few but once you start buckle up because Oh my .... Happy Reading. I have given this read 5 out of 5 stars.
ℚ𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤: ✨ Something inhuman was here. And it was coming for me.
✨ “I am Marrex, and you are mine. My mate. There is no ‘letting go’ of fate.”
✨ “You are too soft for this world yet strong enough to survive it. Fate has brought you here—to me—and I’ll never let you go.”
✨ “You are my mate, Freydis. I will always protect you, and you’ll never have to fear for your life again,”
ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: This book is book five in the Monsters and Beauties series, where each book features him as the monster and her as the human — the beauty. They are fated mates, and there is no escaping fate.
The books are short, and this one in particular has about 64 pages. As the title suggests, she is trying to run from the monster, but, obviously, he is catching her.
I don’t want to say more about what happens in the book because it’s short, and I believe if I say too much, I will ruin the action. But what I will say is that, because it’s a short one, you’ll finish it in one sitting — and I believe you’re going to enjoy it if you like this kind of book, where he is the provider who will kïll anything that threatens his little human and will do everything to satisfy his little precious.
Overall, I enjoyed this short story, just like the others, and I recommend the whole series, not just this one. And of course, you can read this book as a stand-alone; you don’t have to read the first ones.
TW - kidnapping, captivity, pregnancy, death and murder, sexual violence (of scs, implied), knife violence, animal death (for sustenance)
CW - cum play, claw play, fang play, breeding, biting, marking, hand necklace, light breath play, unprotected sex, very light blood play
Tropes - paranormal, size difference, fated mates
Representation - plus size
Cute, fun, smutty, palette cleanser
Scale: ⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite ⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪
Hold onto your hats, folks—it's the fifth electrifying chapter in the Monsters and Beauties saga!
Freydis is in full-on escape mode after Raiders turned her village into a chaotic playground of destruction, tagging lives like it’s a twisted game and abducting folks for their sinister shenanigans. In search of a little zen in the forest, she takes a plunge into a lake, but wait—what’s that? Someone's got their sights set on her! Enter Marrex, the dashing knight in shining armor who’s claimed Freydis as his one and only and is ready to take on the universe for her! Let the wild ride begin!
Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for a quick, spicy read with just the right amount of plot!
Things to know
Virgin Monster Hero / Virgin Human Heroine / Size Difference / Kidnapping / Captivity of Heroine by Hero / Vibrating Monster Peen / Special Monster Peen Clit Suction Feature / Cum Play / Claw Play / Fang Play / Slight Blood Consumption / Breeding / Pregnancy / Horn Kink / Graphic Sex Scenes / Plus Size Rep / Biting and Marking / Hand Necklaces / Slight Breath Play / Anal / Unprotected Sex / Fated Mates / HEA
Snow’s most recent book in this series follows Freydis and Marrex (yes, the first monster character in this series to have an actual name besides being called whatever creature they are).
Though Marrex’s species is never specified, my guess is that he is a dragon hybrid due to physical characteristics; he is large, has wings, and horns just to name a few things.
*If you all happen to read this book before or eventually, what were your thoughts? I did have some other ideas throughout reading but I felt dragon hybrid was the best and most appropriate option I could come up with.
Nevertheless, this story was really sweet! Not only was it the first to give its creature his own unique name but also had the characters experience slow burn with one another making their ending all worth it in the end. I just wish there was more backstory for Freydis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This novella is my favorite out of this series! The dynamic between Freydis and Marrex is really special. I love that he was very patient and didn't rush to claim her, he took the time to just take care of her and gain her trust. Freydis is strong and has been running her entire life to survive, so it takes her a bit to get used to someone taking care of her and for her to accept any help.
Even though it's just a little novella, the world-building is great. I enjoyed getting to see other monsters/creatures in this one. The spicy scenes were hot, especially with Marrex's special equipment 😏 The epilogue is actual perfection! I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was so nice and heartwarming and everything I want an epilogue to be!
Jenika writes monster romance novellas better than anyone out there. She manages, in The Chase, to create a fully fleshed out FMC in around 66 pages. It’s insane! Freydis has spent her whole life running, and when Marrex finds her in the woods after stalking her for a few days, he informs her she is his mate. What follows is weeks of Freydis finally feeling protected and cherished, and Marrex finally being able to… well, you’ll just have to read it 😉
I literally live for Jenika’s novellas and I really hope she continues this series because every single one has been fantastic!
Thank you Jenika Snow for the ARC. This review is entirely my own.
Vale, Jenika ya debería cambiar la trama de esta serie de libros, se lee lo mismo una y otra vez en cada libro. Tenemos a la protagonista que huye de las cadenas que representan siempre un hombre, huye de su destino y se embarca valientemente al bosque que tiene todo tipo de criaturas. Luego se siente acechada por un monstruo (que no resulta tan monstruo) y bla bla bla…
Son libros que tienen potencial para hacerte pasar un buen rato pero ya, incluso la autora sigue el mismo patrón en las escenas spicy y los cinco libros hasta ahora terminan con el mismo final. Es aburrido leer lo mismo pero que por alguna razón no puedo dejar de leer 🤷♀️
Good short story. Freydis didn’t think the creature that grabbed her would hurt her. There was something about him that showed kindness. Marrex knew she was his mate. He would claim and protect her. Not sure what sort of creature Marrex is. He certainly doesn’t rush Freydis. He makes her life safer and gives her what she needs. And Freydis wasn’t scared of him. Ok, yes at first but Marrex didn’t do anything that hurt her. This is a kind love.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love this series and the monsters and their beauties. I do have to say that in my head, Marrex looks like a human looking gargoyle with huge bat like wings, eyes that glow, and horns. I loved how caring he was to Freydis and protective. I mean, he’s the total package, he’s hunts for food, has a huge dong, wings, loves her, has a succa above his dong, he cooks for her, and takes care of her. The epilogue was so adorable, I loved it. I can’t wait for the next book.
Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews (BookTome Edition): “The Chase” by Jenika Snow
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
Once upon a time, a runaway fled deep into a mysterious forest to escape the raiders who had destroyed her village. Little did she know that by taking this path, she would unknowingly run into the arms of a winged monster—who just might be her fated mate!
Jenika Snow’s “Monsters and Beauties” universe continues to expand with the fifth installment in this Dark Monster Romance series! Snow’s signature flair for primal, tension-filled romance never gets old, and each page-turning read is guaranteed to leave you breathless—in just 54 pages! I can’t disclose ALL the details, but if you want to dive into this riveting read before the highly anticipated Sinners and Stardust 2025, then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on March 31, 2025!
Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice Meter: 5/5🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Tropes to Expect: Runaway Protagonist x Supernatural Entity, Fated Mates, Dark Romantasy, Monster Romance, Size Difference, Insta-Love/Insta-Lust, Forced Proximity, and Plus-Sized Representation.
Better than The Demon, but not better than The Hunter (my favorite in the series so far), in my opinion. It's still a monster romance by Ms. Snow, so you can't go wrong reading it. Enjoy!
The heroine is a survivor- no matter what life has thrown her way. So, when a monster shows up claiming she's his... she'll do what she has to in order to live another day.