Saved by a Barbarian

Not-So-Savage Barbarians #2

by Amy Padilla, Kirt Graves (Narrator), Jonathan Lake (Narrator)

I should've known better than to trust my childhood bully.

I was too soft-hearted for my own good. Thanks to another one of his cruel tricks, I end up on the run through a monster-filled forest to avoid the noose. When I'm found by the local barbarian clan, I figure I'm done for. I'm injured, exhausted, and have no hope of fighting back. But the barbarian who rescues me from certain death isn't what I thought he would be. And maybe the fear I had for them was misplaced. Maybe the only thing I should be afraid of is falling for someone I can't keep.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, LGBT, Forced Proximity, Found Family

Audible Audio

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saved by a Barbarian is book two in the Not-So-Savage Barbarians series by Amy Padilla. This book focuses on Rath’s (from the first book) best friend and fellow hunter, Verus.

Patrick is a baker. He has always preferred men instead of women. But in his town, it is strictly forbidden and an offense that is punishable by death. But, when his childhood bully convinced him that he was secretly in love with him and tricked him into admitting his true self, he only has one option, run into the forest. But the forest is full of dangers he can’t even imagine and he is now the prey of wild animals instead of the town’s people.

Verus is hunting when he comes across an injured, frightened stranger. He brings him back to his clan so the healer can take care of him. He’s instantly drawn to the man and feels protective of him. Could this finally be his dream come true, someone that could potentially be his bond mate?

“You are safe here, my Patrick. I will keep you safe.”

Patrick realizes immediately that the Barbarians have him so he is scared to death. Verus works slowly to prove that he is his protector, not his jailer. Trust soon grows and eventually, that grows to more. But, Patrick isn’t a tribute, he’s merely an outsider who ended up in their camp. The rules are different. Will they allow him to stay or will he be sent back to the town that wants to execute him?

I liked this one. Patrick was so sweet and it was easy to see how easy it was for the bully from his home town to trick him. I also liked seeing how well Finn from the first book was doing. He has truly found his place in their clan. This one ended strangely, though, very abrupt. Now I’m on to the third book in the series, Seducing a Barbarian. This one sounds quite different.

“It turned out running away from my home was the best decision I ever made.”

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
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[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is simplistic and the world building nonexistent, but I don't have it in me to complain. Because this book is super cute, okay?

And not just cute but sexy too.

Verus, fierce hunter that he is, falls in love with slightly chubby, freckled, red-headed Patrick the moment he saves Patrick from a shadowstalker (a large, vicious, persistent cat-like creature who stalks its prey until death - its own or the prey's). Yeah, that's not terrifying at all.

There's less melodrama in this story than in book 1, and we meet the camp cook, Yamileth, who's a hoot.

The ending is a bit abrupt, but there's no doubting the men's HEA.

It goes without saying I'm adding the third book to my TBR.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5**** stars
Patrick & Verus


haha okay, the beginning of this one was bad as well. *lol

Finn had warned me that the barbarians were criminally sweet and would win me over.

I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the first one, mostly bc I think it was too similar in characters and plot. It was still super sweet and swoony. I wanted to take a break after this and read smth else but I don’t think I’m ready yet to leave the the village.

“I’m coming!”
Verus scowled as he jerked his trousers up his legs, muttering under his breath. “No you aren’t. We hadn’t gotten to that part yet.”

***************
Not-So-Savage Barbarians Series

Book 0.5 - The Unexpected Barbarian
Book 1 - The Barbarian's Tribute - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - Saved by a Barbarian - 3.5 stars
Book 3 - Seducing a Barbarian - 4.5 stars ♡
Book 4 - The Barbarian's Claim - 4.25
Book 5 - The Physician's Barbarian - 3.5 stars
Book 6 - Prince of the Barbarians - 4.0 stars

⇢ sequel series: Savagely Sweet Barbarians

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Verus + Patrick 🖤
Clan hunter | "chubby" MC | First times | Found family


"He was everything I needed when my heart hurt too much, his presence and warmth like a balm to my soul."



⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists






Tropes/content:
Barbarian
Clan hunter
Man running from his town for his safety
Hand feeding
"Chubby" MC who feels unlovable
They meet when Verus rescues Patrick from a creature trying to kill him while out hunting
Patrick's first kiss
Lots of other first times
Nightmares and comfort
Patrick becomes clan cook - He had a bakery in his old town.
Flip-rimming session
Found family
Vers roles
Patrick is officially adopted by the clan cook sonce he wasn't a tribute. It was a work around to allow him to legally stay and bond to Verus.


Warnings:
Coercion (not between MCs and before they meet)
Hesitant blowjob turned forced (not between MCs and before they meet)
Humiliation (not between MCs)
Leg injury to MC
Self esteem issues
Verus's mom is dead
Patrick is made fun of and called a cow by clan members

[Linn]

DNF at 57%

I want to be very clear that it's 100% me and not the book. Reading from a perspective of someone who has body image issues thanks to weight (and is being bullied for it) is always a hard pill to swallow for me. In this case it triggered my ED badly enough, that I decided to put it down for my own mental healths sake.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in one sitting. Still reading the out of order, whichever I feel like at the time.
Obviously, they would be best read in orr, as the new characters are introduced, but it's too late for that now.

Again, I really enjoy this series because I can just switch my brain off and escape reality.

[timtam (semi-slump) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars ✨
Very sweet!! I love this series and can’t wait for the next book

[Barbara➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as I did the first but I still liked it. For me it’s the low angst between the two main characters in this series that I love.

I will note again, there’s some modern day terms interspersed that seem misplaced in the setting, and I’d like to see some punishment for the families and bullies of the sweet characters, but I will gladly read more in the series if all the barbarians are as sweet as these two.

[Kay H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than book 1. The side characters shone in this one (though, I was still annoyed with Finn).

[Molly Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

What potentially could be an angsty read turns out to be one of the sweeter reads i have read in some time. Patrick has been taught the barbarians the town sends tributes to are brutal. In reality, they are kind-hearted souls who once they accept you, oh boy, you are in for life. Verus is a sweet hunter who longs for his clan to receive a second male tribute when fates decided to send a hurt Patrick fleeing into his hunting grounds. What starts off with some awkwardly sweet moments turns to heated private moments and a growing connection to a new community Patrick was meant to be a part of. With great cast of side characters you are in for a fun adventure.

[Cee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrick was pretty much Finn, but cried a little less and liked baking. Really hoping we get more variety in this series.

[Carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

esse daqui eu escolhi deliberamente também ler Mais Um Livro Sobre Bárbaros e, sabe? a gente as vezes só quer ler sobre bárbaros sendo gentis e os últimos românticos. esse daqui foi leve igual uma pluma e minha cabeça ficou tão vazia que chega fazia eco, maravilhoso, sabe????

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ha sido más lindo que la primera entrega pero tampoco para tirar cohetes.
Entretenido.

[Aleja · Rating 2 out of 5]

El mes de abril fue un de esos meses en los que estuve muy estresada y con un bloqueo lector horrible, así que apenas y estoy terminando este libro.

Patrick y Verus me gustaron pero no me encantaron. En muchas partes se me hicieron muy tediosos los dos.

Los que sí me llamaron la atención, más al final, fueron Tavik y Saneth, quiero más de ellosss, más sabiendo que Tavik estaba interesado en Verus y por eso no veía a su mejor amigo, Saneth como algo más👀. Indignada de que la autora haya cortado su escena spicy😂

[Jessica S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this three stars, but I was hugely disappointed after loving book 1. I liked we had a plus-sized MC and that our Barbarian warrior was both a giver and receiver when usually in books like this they only top. It just lacked much of a plot. I liked the characters well enough but wasn't truly invested in them.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yamileth my heart!

[Bekka]

I hoped this one would be a bit better than the first book in the series with pacing & world building etc. since it’s a bit longer iirc but it did the pick me up enough to continue with the series.
I found the very quick easy move into sex unrealistic with the MC having run away from a traumatic abusive situation just days prior which caused his whole life to fall upside down…
Characters never quite became “3D”.

[Evelyn220 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I liked this one a lot better than book one. The MC actually had a skill that he used to benefit the community and integrate himself. The romance was sweet and there was just enough tension/drama to keep me engaged. These are great quick-reads when you’re low on brain power but need something entertaining.

[YonnoMaus · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded (although I remember liking the first book more). Another low angst, super fast read. There’s again over-emotioning that’s a little too on the nose, but the book was still fun and the romance sweet in a way. I did enjoy it and it helped pass the time. I’ve already decided that I’ll read the next one when it’s released.

[369Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️
Quick, simple, and easy to consume romance about a softie barbarian and his love interest who joins his clan.

Patrick runs from his homophobic town, into the woods, and basically into the arms of Verus, a barbarian dude from the same clan as our friends from book 1.

You’re getting:
-barbarian / civilian
-plus size MC
-a tribe of (mostly) super friendly and simple barbarians that are very polite and respectful
-insta-luv
-a cranky but sweet grandma

This book is very short, and you can read it in what feels like minutes. The plot and characters are basic, and the writing has absolutely no depth to it. But you know what? Sometimes it’s fun to read a quick and dirty story where people can just be in love and find happiness.

This book felt extremely similar to book one, but I’ve heard book 3 is something a bit different, so I’m excited for that!

For me, this was the perfect quick read to reset after reading a very long novel.

I have to mention this though — something that killed me while reading these books is the language barrier thing. When first introduced, the characters struggle because they can’t speak each other’s languages. But then, after a few days of study, the language barrier is broken because one of the characters can miraculously now speak the other’s language at a conversational level 😂 Language barrier tropes are so fun, because they force characters to communicate in unconventional ways. It seemed like such a waste to just magically have Patrick learn the language.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y la autora lo hizo de nuevo: otra pareja adorable que me hizo derretir más de una vez y no pude soltar hasta el final.

Los libros de esta serie son súper rápidos de leer, así que si no tienes mucho tiempo y quieres leer una historia bonita con personajes completos y donde las cosas se desarrollan a su ritmo sin que todo pase demasiado rápido aquí tienes mi recomendación, en mi opinión estos libros tienen, de forma general, casi todo lo que me gusta: poco drama entre los protagonistas, hurt/Comfort, size difference (al menos en estos dos que he leído), tipos enormes y protectores que caen fuerte y rápido y harían cualquier cosa por su pareja...¿necesitas más?

Patrick y Verus enfrentaron sus propios retos como pareja, tenían sus propios daños y aún así, fueron todo lo que el otro necesitaba.

Me gusta mucho la unión que hay en el clan, la hermandad, y ver a los personajes anteriores seguir con su vida y relacionarse con los personajes actuales no tuvo precio.

Yamileth fue otro punto brillante en esta historia, aunque ella misma lo negaría🤭, la forma en que acogió a Patrick y lo unió a su familia....no, no voy a llorar🥹

En caso de que no lo hayas notado, sí, recomiendo mucho este libro, estoy deseando leer los demás de la serie porque estoy impaciente por saber más sobre cierto cuidador de caballos alborotador🤭

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hurt / comfort romance, featuring Patrick and Verus, and is book two in the Not-So-Savage Barbarian series.

Patrick’s old bully sets him up, leaving him injured and on the run through a monster-filled forest with a noose waiting if he’s caught. Instead of death, he’s saved by a barbarian named Verus, who isn’t at all what he expected.

This story is tender, full of hurt/comfort vibes, and the tension of knowing it might not last and that perfect mix of danger and tenderness. Definitely a sweet read.

Things to expect in this book are:
Book 2 in series
MM romance
Check CW
Hunter x Baker
Hurt / Comfort
Childhood bully
On the run / rescued
Protective MC
Spicy times
Marking
‘I choose you’ vibes
Bondmates
Found family
HEA

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! I wish we got to spend a wee bit longer in the “getting to know each other” phase, but this book is quite short so it’s fairly fast paced overall. I think there was also an improvement in the writing from book one. Or at least this book was edited better.

A nice quick, easy read. The barbarians were very sweet (well most of them hehe) as they were in book one. I also loved Patrick’s struggle with body image and learning to love himself. He’s a very sweet and relatable character.

[Rombutan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love me some barbarians

[Jess Grayson (bookspastbedtime) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly, cute, fun, quick read!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book of this series and I liked it as much as the first one.
The plot isn't very different to the first one, but I didn't care. It was a sweet and cute story with two MCs that I loved. Patrick and Verus were great and I also liked seeing more of the couple from the first book.
I'm really enjoying this series. It's very low angst, entertaining and Finn MC from book 1) can't stop crying LOL He is such a gentle soul, but he becomes good friends with Patrick and I thought that was lovely.
Yep, great series if you are looking for something easy to read that have loving MCs.

[Dark Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a good, fun and quick read 😄

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love me some kindhearted barbarians. Why is it so adorable to read about giant men with pure hearts? Verus being obsessed with Patrick the entire time is just the cherry on top. I did really like this book, it was just pretty average in my opinion. Verus and Patrick are cute tho and seeing Finn and Rath being happy was nice.

[Flick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet addition to the series and a bit of a twist on the concept so far

So far in the series (a prequel and book one) we've had couples made up of tributes and barbarians. This book was a little different with Patrick more stumbling onto the barbarians having run from his home town. In a series like this it was great to have something that broke up the standard pattern - sometimes the same concept over and over can start to feel stale and this has kept things fresh! I felt awful for Patrick; he's a sweet guy and was badly abused by either indifference or outright cruelty by those who should have taken care of him. He was a little naïve but that should never be a reason for being treated poorly. Verus was a sweetie. Oblivious at times and like a bull at a gate at others but his heart was absolutely in the right place. They had a lovely back and forth once they actually got to a point where they understood each other better. There some drama in terms of a protagonist but generally it was pretty low angst. It'll be interesting to see if we see other clans (like we did in the prequel) and get to know the different traditions though I'm hoping we also get to see more male tributes coming to this clan!

[Clara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute but Boring

These books are total fluff and that can be really fun but I just didn’t feel very drawn to either of the MMCs which made the story pretty boring in the end. The couple was cute and the drama was nearly nonexistent but the whole thing just felt pretty meh to me. I get that these books are just meant to be fun and low angst but I wish they had a bit more actual plot.

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Caretaker, First Times, Language Barrier, Found Family
Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5
Spice: 🌶️ 1/5
Relationship: MM