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Whispering Grove #1

Knotting with a Stranger

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It started with a message to the wrong number…now I'm craving a stranger.

Running the bakery with my sister is my life—early mornings, endless dough, and just enough sugar to keep me sane. I don't have time for distractions.

But when I accidentally text a stranger, everything changes.

He's not just mysterious—he's sharp-tongued, wickedly charming, and far too good at making me forget common sense. What starts as playful banter turns into something more…something that stirs my Omega instincts in ways I don't understand. His words make me burn, his voice wraps around me like a promise, and when he finally asks to meet…I panic.

Because no one this intense, this consuming, can be real.

I tell myself to forget him, but fate has other plans. A snowstorm, a wrong turn...and suddenly I'm face-to-face with the man who's haunted my thoughts. Only he's not alone. His world is sharp edges and whispered threats, tangled in power plays and ruthless Alphas.

I should walk away. But his touch ignites something primal inside me, and resisting him feels impossible.

He says I belong to him.

But in a world ruled by Alphas, giving in might mean losing myself…and I'm not sure I'll make it out whole.

This standalone cozy Omegaverse romance is filled with slow-burning tension and a thrilling edge that'll leave you breathless.

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Published August 26, 2025

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Harley Knight

34 books136 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
Profile Image for Persephone.
179 reviews34 followers
April 8, 2025
This book feels very disjointed. I felt like I read the beginning of one book and the end of another. Honestly, it just got boring.



I really liked the beginning. I love plots that start with texting a wrong number (Wrong Pucking Number by CR Jane was one of my favorite books in the last year), and it was promising. The heroine was a lot of fun, she's a baker in a small town with her sister and a bit insecure where dating is concerned, so it was fun to see her interactions with this mystery man.



It was a little odd that the pack hadn't formed yet, in spite of growing up together, being best friends, and being together through everything, but whatever. Didn't bother me, I just found it odd. Then everyone comes together in one location and the book completely shifts gears.

Now the heroine is a shrew who keeps harping on about "lies of omission" and has a major personality transplant. At one point, she even thinks about coming to terms with being an omega.



She's always known she was an omega. She's never had a heat, but this wasn't a plot where she suddenly discovered this new facet of herself.

And speaking of the heat, out of all the omegaverse books I've read, this was the weirdest heat I have ever read. Apparently, it involves nesting in a laundry room, but they say they're going to move her nest to her room (yet they never do). The heat itself involves one round with Hunter, then it's over. She gets horny with the other two at different times throughout the day, but she's walking around, having conversations.

Granted, this is the author's universe, but some things are set in stone and if you're going to reface that stone, it needs to be addressed what the rules for your universe are. No one is writing vampire romance where they survive on beer instead of blood without explaining that quirk. Omegaverse is newer, but there are still expectations to build your world when you are creating your own rules.



As for the men, they came from a very shallow pool. I can't tell you anything about them, other than James went to jail - which is only a plot to allow the heroine to sulk and pout and whine about him not telling her via text, even though he explained he was going to tell her in person.

Then we have the weird treasure hunt plot, that was so weird, served no purpose, and the map was a complete red herring, since it was found due to a phone call. It was just...stupid and out of left field. Just like the weird cousin who decides that breaking in during a blizzard to steal the map was a good idea. Maybe wait for the spring thaw when the house doesn't have four people in it.



Added to that, when they went to get the map back, why send the ex-con on probation to commit breaking and entering and assault? Maybe let him stay with the omega, so he doesn't get shipped right back to prison.



So...yeah. It started out promising, but fell apart once the characters all got together. And that's not ideal for a romantic plot.
Profile Image for Arcadia Porter.
185 reviews2 followers
April 2, 2025
Lady, get over it already

I was honestly on James side. He was even planning a date to explain everything to her. It was a random text she developed feelings, she has a prejudice, she and her sister are making the worst assumptions of a person they've never met. Honestly, Lily is being holier than thou.

Otherwise, it's a good book. Treasure aspect seemed a little rushed at the end. Did he ever actually tell Travis?
Profile Image for Colleen.
437 reviews2 followers
dnf
May 19, 2025
DNF 40ish% I think

I fell asleep reading this last night and just have zero urge to pick it back up again today
Profile Image for M.
79 reviews1 follower
July 9, 2025
this started off cheesy and delicious then it lost me around the time my guy goes he likes black coffee because he likes things... "unaltered"
Profile Image for Mary.
20 reviews2 followers
November 8, 2025
Absolutely ate this up!! Will be finishing the series🤭🫡
Profile Image for Ines.
1,326 reviews47 followers
March 22, 2025
“Knotting With a Stranger” is a cute omegaverse why choose standalone, with a small town vibe and some really nice meet-cutes. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something low-angst, with devoted Alpha males and a nice everyday woman you can easily connect with. I would describe the burn level as medium burn, but once it starts burning it immediately becomes a raging fire!

If you’re looking for surprises, unexpected plot twists or huge revelations, I would say this isn’t the book for you. But if you like small town omegaverses, a snowed in trope, and forced proximity with an unexpted heat, this is definitely a winner. For me, the favorite part was absolutely the banter between these characters: it managed to put a huge smile on my face the whole team while I was reading this.
Profile Image for Jessica Fowler.
366 reviews
April 13, 2025
These books leave me confused by myself

This book is indicated as the first of two but, it's the second in this town/universe/friend group. Which is the first indication you'll get that the author can't keep track of basic details. I *want* to like this book but it's a difficult read and every time I got into the story again there was another issue throwing me out of sync. The base storyline itself is good but the rest just goes off the rails a bit.

Lily is a decent FMC, mostly but she is..... Just not great. She's wishy washy, holds a grudge about a "lie of omission" that does not qualify as a lie at all (barely knew each other and not something to send via text), and she somehow doesn't realize what being an omega entails despite prior knowledge that she is one and well established concerns that she doesn't show all of the typical omega traits. I spent half the book wondering if she is the problem or if the author just forgot details already written.

The guys are.... Ok. They're as shallowly written as MMCs can be. Nothing to dislike but I don't care about them at all which isn't a good indicator for MMCs.

Side characters are pretty terrible really. Starting with Hannah who is the worst non-antagonist sister ever written, Mrs meadow who needs to be kicked out and refused service (for which Hannah is partly to blame), to their maternal family who are just useless when they aren't gaslighting Lily into thinking Hannah is better in any way. The Dad is actually my favorite character of the book come to think of it, despite how little we see him.

Then we have the actual antagonist, who is just a hanging plot thread in my opinion. There's no true resolution beyond "we better not see you again" - which we all know is exactly how you stop an enemy! *Facepalm*

As previously mentioned, the author has major issues with continuity and details. POV is dropped at one point, timing details go wobbly, established actions suddenly didn't happen, somehow Hannah manages to get to the cabin the morning after 7 days of blizzard assisted only by plows on the road but no one touched the driveway or gave her directions etc etc. It's just completely absurd and piles up for an unsatisfied reading experience.
861 reviews17 followers
April 21, 2025
This book was just all over the place. I picked it for a faster read during a reading slump because of the wrong number texting trope, which I apparently really like and got progressively more disappointed. spoilers.


This book seems like a lot of ideas where tossed into a blender and put down on paper. Starting with the wrong number texting. Romcom level stuff and we see how captivated and into it James is, then we have the prison detail added and the random storyline that he was framed. alright. then our main male characters all start out with these sweet roles and personalities, then in the next breath they are secretly forceful doms? The overall treasure map and family concerns in top of everything else seems ridiculous.

The scene that bugged me the most on that front was when they visit James in jail and instead of discussing how to get him out they discuss the map and treasure hunting and the family dynamics.


overall, I think the book just needed someone to narrow down ideas.
Profile Image for Meagan Grauel.
683 reviews3 followers
April 11, 2025
I love a good Omegaverse book, but this author deviated way outside the realm of what a "standard" Omega/Alpha relationship is (especially with this Omega's heat) that I didn't really like this book as much as I was hoping I would. I still thought the storyline was interesting enough and there was definitely enough spice to keep things engaging that I didn't DNF the book. But I was glad that it was over when I came to the end of this one. So pretty plainly put, this one wasn't for me and I thought it was just OK. I wouldn't actively discourage anyone from reading it, but I won't be recommending to my reader friends.
Profile Image for Cee.
3,241 reviews165 followers
April 28, 2025
Honestly, not bad??? I liked the beginning more and how the author tried to have an additional plotline with the treasure hunt, but it kinda fell flat and mostly forgotten.
And this really didn't feel like an omegaverse except for her being called an omega and them alphas. Oh and of course the obligatory heat -- but even that was... mild. So, omegaverse was used as an excuse for the brief sex scenes and explain the insta-love.

I also thought the fmc was WAY too hard on James for his "omission" which honestly I understood. His truth isn't something people are okay with and he was right that an in-person explanation would have been better.

So, some complaints, but I did mostly enjoying reading this book and it had some tropes I liked. I do plan on reading Cindy's book.
Profile Image for McKayla.
248 reviews5 followers
May 24, 2025
I’ve begun going into OV books, especially harem OVs, with the preconceived notion that there will be “group activities” or even the crossing of a sword. It’s always a bit of a let down when there’s not either. I am of the party of “how the hell are you gonna have a harem but never bang all at the same time?!” It takes the fun out of it imo if they all just MF bang at individual times. Like WHATS the point of the harem at that point?!

That is my one big issue, which could totally just be a personal issue, so I’m rating this a solid 3 ⭐️. I enjoyed myself, I kicked my feet at a few scenes, and loved the small town setting/snowed in aspect.
Profile Image for alex.
972 reviews178 followers
July 25, 2025
3.25 stars ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

☆⋆。𖦹°‧★ Knotting with A Stranger☆⋆。𖦹°‧★

⁺₊★·.´🎧✩°。 0:56 ──♡───── 3:32 ⁺₊🎧★·.·´

🎶 Running from the past. Tripping on the now. What is lost can be found, it's obvious 🎶

All Lily (h) wanted was quiet and sugar-sweet peace - until a stranger’s text turned into something dangerously consuming. Trapped by a snowstorm and tangled in an Alpha's world, she has to decide if surrendering to fate means losing herself… or finally finding where she belongs.

— ⋆。゚☁︎。⋆。 ゚☾ ゚。⋆• THOUGHTS⋆。゚☁︎。⋆。 ゚⋆—

[James]

“Look at you two,” James sneers, but there’s a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “All protective of some female you just met.”


I wasn’t even mad at James, to be honest. She just assumed he was a chef, and it’s not like he intentionally hid anything from her. And yeah, looking back, the whole prison situation wasn’t really a crime on his part. He didn’t actually do anything wrong - he was literally framed. I really wish the book had gone deeper into that, because you could tell this man had been through it. He was definitely carrying trauma, but at the same time, he came across as the most emotionally intelligent of the group. That’s something that should have been explored more, because there was a lot to unpack with him. Still, I understand her feeling somewhat betrayed, but I don’t think he had any ill intentions. He was just trying to find his footing again after being wronged, and in the process, he happened to find his person. I really liked that he wasn’t afraid to push her buttons a little, especially when it came to the tension between them. Instead of avoiding it or pretending everything was fine, he brought it to the surface. She was already trying to push him away, and he didn’t let her!!!!

[Archer]

“She’s getting to you.”


“Shut up.”


“The mighty Archer, losing his cool over an Omega.”


He met her at the bakery and didn’t think much of it at first since he was just passing through town, but even then, he felt a pull. Lily was clearly down bad for him, and for someone who always thought of herself as a broken omega, it was obvious how excited she was to feel like she had found her people—completely by accident. And when he told her he’d like to think it was fate that brought them together 🥺💖💗🩷💓

[Hunter]

“Someone fucking better be dead, Hunt,” he growls, voice sandpaper-rough with sleep.


“Lily’s gone,” I say without preamble.


“Gone as in...”


“Room’s empty.”


Hunter was the one who saved her when her car got stuck and brought her back with them - okay, protector energy. Then when she went MIA in the house, he started losing his mind because he couldn’t find her. That panic hit hard until he realized she had gone into heat. The rest of the guys immediately stepped in, making it their mission to take care of her and make sure she had everything she needed without pressuring her at all. They let her settle in, gave her space, and even helped her nest. Hunter was always the first to lose his cool if she wasn’t okay, and that made him feel even more protective.

[All]

This book had everything I love 💌🤍❤️ especially the penpal trope. It gave me a MMC who loves to read and bake. People were absolutely down bad, completely obsessed with her, and I was so here for it. The book was ridiculously cute, and honestly, I do not even care that they fell for each other in a week. It worked. The vibes were right. They were snowed in, there was forced proximity, she went into heat, and she was obsessed with them. It all came together and gave exactly what I wanted. And then the scenes where she tells them she’s pregnant - oh my God, I loved it. It was so cute and emotional in the best way. The fact that James started bawling his eyes out while the others stood there completely terrified before all of them instantly snapped into dad-protective mode? That was everything. It gave exactly what I needed. I love this book so much.Honestly, I too would have abandoned everything for these men.

— ⋆。゚☁︎。⋆。 ゚☾ ゚。⋆ OVERALL⋆。゚☁︎。⋆。 ゚☾ ゚。⋆—

Omegaverse romance is exactly my kind of read. It's all about the vibes—intense, emotional, a little messy in the best way. No one said it’s high literature, but that’s not the point. It’s fun and hits just right.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Miyawakiss .
282 reviews58 followers
June 30, 2025
3.5⭐

I'm so glad I ended the month with this cosy read 💗 Initially I was so confused because from the title and synopsis, I had assumed it was a 1 man x 1 woman romance. Oops, it's a RH Why-Choose with 3 men x 1 woman. I think I overlooked something 🤣 Not complaining though! I love my RHs 🥰 and this was done so well!

I loved how this had an actual plot with proper characters who have deep backgrounds and pasts. The pacing was also great! 💙 Our FMC also actually has a genuine personality and I love her sense of humour. I loved how she spent time with each of the men separately as well as together. It made their relationship and attraction feel more real 💚

One thing I will say that annoyed me about the FMC was how hung up she was about one of the MMCs "lying" to her. When in reality, he was just not telling her something because he was afraid of being prejudiced against, plus they didn't even know each other properly then. And his fears were realised when she was instantly prejudiced. 🙄

A part of me is also confused because sources label this book as book 1 in the series but it lowkey feels like a 2nd book? Ywim? 🫠 It feels like there's some hidden history going on and that there's a previous book I need to read. So there's that too.


🚨 MINOR SPOILER BELOW 🚨

What I actually SURPRISINGLY appreciated was that the labour scene is included? Usually with the pregnancy trope, the FMC is pregnant and then ✨POOF!✨ The baby appears after a scene change and everyone is happy. But here, there's actually a labour scene and while it wasn't detailed and graphic, I actually found it a but more magical to introduce the babies this way. And this is coming from someone who usually doesn't even like pregnancy tropes! 🤣 Something about this scene made my ovaries tingle and my heart warm, I won't lie 🥹💕

Thank you for the cosy read, Ms Knight! I'll definitely check out the other Whispering Grove books 💗
Profile Image for Rachel.
2,345 reviews131 followers
March 31, 2025
The Whispering Grove Universe is turning out to be a fantastic series. It started with the holiday read Knot Beneath the Mistletoe, which featured Ruby, Lily's best friend, and now it's Lily's turn.


Lily was cool. I loved her sense of humor. She's also witty and a true crime addict, among other things, and she runs a successful bakery with her sister. She's also an omega but didn't have any omega tendencies until she met three friends, all of whom are alphas. Snowstorms, late nights, and a drunken game of Truth or Dare—let the chaos begin. I liked all the characters. I enjoyed getting to know Lily more. Surprisingly, there's a little darkness beneath her bright surface, and it matches the alphas' own darkness perfectly. The banter was something I lived for. It was one of my favorite things about the story. The sense of belonging. They belonged together, and Lily fit right in, almost instantaneously.



The story was fantastic! It seemed like fate had a helping hand, forcing everyone together. I mean, who's mad at a little forced proximity? New relationships were forming, and Lily was having a bit of self-discovery, learning who she was with all her omega senses activated. Secrets come out, meaningful conversations are had, and real feelings start to develop. This is one of those lighter omegaverses. I mean, sure, there were some bumps in the road, but just enough drama to be entertaining but light enough to sit back and have a good time. And the added twist of a treasure hunt was just the icing on top.


Knotting With A Stranger was sweet, playful, and funny—an excellent read. I loved it, and I can't wait for the next one.
21 reviews
November 9, 2025
I'm almost positive this book was written with AI. Having played around with it myself with writing (for fun only!) I've spotten several issues I've run into with it in the past.

Continuity issues for one. The first half of the book, she talks about being an Omega who has never had a heat. Once she's in the cabin with the guys, it's suddenly "she's never reacted to any Alpha's before". Then she mentions to one of the guys that she's just learned she's an Omega. Like... what? I was already struggling with this book but was going to push through to finish but after that...

I mean, there's continuity issues and then there's THAT. That seems to me like she started a new AI chat without reminding it of the basic foundation of the story, so it filled in that information. Something I myself have seen it do.

The biggest red flag that tells me it's AI is how the characters respond to one another. Sometimes character B will respond to character A in a way that doesn't make much sense at all with the context of the conversation. It's not something you'd notice if you weren't engaged in the dialogue because surface level it sounds plausible, but put an ounce of thought into what's being said and you'll see it. This happens several times and it's an issue I've run across many times myself.

AI suspicions aside - the FMC is annoying as hell.

Spoiler: She meets the first MMC through a wrong number text and they just keep the conversation going. They text over six weeks until he disappears. When her sister finds out she's been texting a stranger, she manages to easily convince her sister that the stranger she's texting is probably in jail (he is). Like.... what? How did she immediately know that?

The FMC is incredibly judgemental. Even after they meet, before she even knows his story, she's calling him a criminal and an ex-con.

He explains how he came to be in jail (he was set up by his friend-cousin - another continuity error) and that he ghosted her because he'd been caught with a cell phone and had to fight the threat of an extra year in prison. He also explains that everything he ever told her was the truth, but he waited to tell her about prison because it wasn't something you drop into text. He told her he already planned on finding her and explaining to her in person.

Was that good enough for her? of course not. she spends the next however many chapters making him suffer, calling him a liar, and basically being snotty about it. "A lie by omission is still a lie." she tells him, yet later in the book when she finds out the reason her sister (whom she owns a bakery with)has been sneaking around and going on trips is because she's planning to leave the business and start something new, it's totally fine. No lies there.

Also, if I had to hear one more time about how she likes true crime I was going to scream.


If you can look past the glaring inconsistencies, the occasional weird dialogue, and insufferable nature of the FMC you might enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Adreanna.
159 reviews6 followers
September 28, 2025
Harley Knight does such a fantastic job of balancing heat, tension, and genuine emotion that I found myself completely hooked.

The chemistry between the characters was electric: raw, messy, and addictive in the best possible way. What I really loved was that it wasn’t just about the spice (though trust me, it get pretty bang hot), but also about the way vulnerability and connection were woven into the story. It gave the book so much depth and made the characters feel real, even in the wildest of situations.

I devoured this in one sitting and was left with that “I need more right now” feeling. If you’re looking for something that’s bold, intense, and unforgettable, this book delivers all of that and then some
Profile Image for Lemon .
652 reviews12 followers
July 7, 2025
Plot: 4/5 • Smut 4/5 ———> This was a cute contemporary omegaverse. She texts the wrong number and continues a conversation with him for weeks. Little does she know, he’s in prison. After getting snowed in with three alphas one of which is her mysterious texter. Feelings are had. We get a HEA. And an unexpected pregnancy which is why this didn’t get 5 stars.
The smut. It was really good. I was here for it. Separate scenes with each of her alphas. No group scene, but that’s okay.
Profile Image for Sam.
506 reviews15 followers
December 25, 2025
I liked this book, genuinely. But for a book that's whole premise is based around text messages and therefore the first probably quarter of the book is chalk full of text conversations, the formatting of them in dreadful, and incredibly hard to follow, due to the formatting. Maybe I'm spoiled from my years of chat fics, and seeing what HTML can do but I know there has to be something better.

But besides that it was a fun romp, with whitty banter.
Profile Image for Sarah.
776 reviews15 followers
April 8, 2025
Elements that make up this omegaverse:
🧁baker FMC
🏔️wrong number banter
🧁stranded in a snowstorm
🏔️forced proximity
🧁why choose
🏔️treasure hunt shenanigans
🧁scent match/fated mates
🏔️sudden heat
🧁age gap

Set in the same small town as Knot Under the Mistletoe, this was a delightful (and fairly spicy) addition to the small town of Whispering Grove.
Profile Image for Kalie.
198 reviews
May 11, 2025
A well written omegaverse! Lots of good banter and it was a slow burn which I loveddddddd! I think the only thing keeping it from being higher is that it could have used a little less treasure hunting and a little more character or plot development related to the omegaverse tropes. Overall, super well done and I’m impressed.
Profile Image for Luna.
196 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2025
Sugar and Spice

If you’re not into RH, then this isn’t something you’d like. However, no swords cross nor are they ever in the same room, so I don’t know if that changes things for you. It *IS* super cute though, and I’ll definitely be rereading this if I need a pick-me-up.
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