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At Ljómur, surrounded by mates, we saw firsthand how fate could rewrite lives in an instant. We never thought it would claim us too.

Everything was perfect. Bash was my peace, my home, and the one person who saw through every layer I hid behind. Until the day I shattered it all. Four years ago, I sent him away without explanation and forced him to believe our love had been a lie.

Now our group needs Bash’s brilliant mind, and since the military believes I’m dead... I'm the perfect ghost to retrieve him.

When I agree to find him, I brace for hatred, rejection, protest, and tears. But all my practiced detachment and unbothered smiles don't prepare me for facing him again.

The Fates have dragged us back together, tearing open old wounds in a world on the brink of fallout. With the scars I bear and the secrets I keep, is it too late to reclaim what we lost? Or can a broken mate find his way back to the only heart that ever made him whole?

536 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2026

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About the author

G. Eilsel

21 books355 followers
G. Eilsel started writing under this pen name in early 2024, publishing works in two genres she loves: eccentric novellas and MM romance.

Her writing puts a focus on sarcasm, snarky humor, sometimes horrible puns, and steamy scenes that'll make your momma blush. Expect heavy spice, in any sort of variety you're looking for-sweet, emotional, depraved, or downright questionable.

Some of her books are one-handed reads with minimal plot, others are more intricate stories that weave themselves through her brain and demand to be put on paper. Angsty and emotional, light and giggle-inducing, and everything in between can be found between the covers of her books.

She doesn't take herself too seriously, throwing pieces of her humor and quirky personality in her writing. If she can't live up to her title of a One-Handed author, then maybe she can at least make you smile.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
Profile Image for Kati *☆・゚.
1,461 reviews814 followers
March 7, 2026
4.5***** stars


Yesss, baby. Gimme me all the hurt feelings, the anger, the yearning, the desperation, passion and second chances. My kind of romance.

“I don’t want you to go,” he whispers back, and I tuck him into my arms. “Not even to grab our food. I can’t stand the thought of not touching you right now.”


I wanted Xeni’s story since he was introduced in book two. And damn did I get it. Xeni’s background story was heartbreaking. All the things he hid. So strong, so loyal. Damn.


It was really cool to go to a big city this time but I must say I had hoped we would return to the village a bit sooner. I missed all the guys there. And I can’t wait to see where “Aryn” is taking us next. The author promises another wild ride and I’m here for it!

*************
Mate's Mark Series

Book 1 - Ronan - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - Elas - 4.5 stars
Book 3 - Nyx - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - Xeni - 4.5 stars
Book 5 - Aryn - 4.5 stars
Book 6 - Rhael - tbd
Book 7 - tbd
Profile Image for martina (the life of a chaotic reader).
861 reviews529 followers
February 24, 2026
oh my fucking wow.
it’s not a secret that i’m in love with this series, but 5 perfect books out of 5? now that’s a feat.
this author is definitely going into my trusted babies shelves after this.

i do love me a prickly, slightly antagonistic character that gets their redemption and we discover that they’re amazing underneath that protective armor, so i was ready to love xeni. no surprises there.
but no one prepared me for bash!!! wish i could be half as strong as him tbh.

at first, i was getting slightly unnerved about the detour we took from the overarching plot and i was scared that it was just filler, but damn once i got to 50% it perfectly made sense. we needed some time with these new characters and they all got together in the most amazing way.

this book is absolutely perfect from start to finish.

i only have one problem now and that problem is that i need the next book immediately.

also, if you’re my friend and you haven’t started this series, what the fuck are you doing. pick up ronan and start reading.

i read an arc blah blah blah
Profile Image for patrícia.
847 reviews248 followers
September 21, 2026
I was very excited to read Xeni and Bash’s story and damn, G. Eilsel DID NOT disappoint! This was very emotional, and seeing Xeni finally getting his redemption was DELICIOUS to read. When we start, you kind of want to hate Xeni for what he did, but when the curtain falls… POOR BABY. 😭😭 We finally get to see what is underneath all that cockiness, attitude and chaos, and yeah… my heart was NOT prepared for that. 🥹

Delicious groveling and yeah, my heart is FULL of romantic AF declarations, sweetness overload and swooning like it’s nobody’s business! ❤️🥹🫠 These two have so much history and so much hurt between them, and I really loved that this wasn't just about falling in love, but about finding their way back to a love that was already there. The angst was REAL, but the payoff??? WORTH IT. 😭❤️

Other than the previous books, I kind of forgot about the similarities with Monstrous, but here, from the cover to even Xeni’s appearance — and YES, even the genitalia 👀😂 — the similarity to Moth is VERY much present. Like… G. Eilsel, I see what you’re doing here! 😂 And honestly, I was NOT mad about it. 😏

This was very spicy! Fates, these guys are INSATIABLE, especially Xeni, who’s got a looooooooooooooot of stamina. Like, a LOT lot! 🥵😂 Sir??? HOW??? And then you add the fated mates, possessiveness and jealousy into the mix… yeah, these two were basically doomed to be feral. 😂🔥

While I loved getting to know the city and meeting all these new characters (Cato and Xeni’s banter was SOOOOO funny ), I missed like CRAZY all the people in the camp. I definitely felt that change of setting, and while I enjoyed seeing more of the city and getting new pieces of the world and the bigger plot, I was constantly thinking about the OG crew. 😂

So the ending totally gave me what was missing here! 🥹❤️ And now we have even MORE characters I need to know about, Cato especially 👀, while the overarching plot keeps getting bigger and more intriguing.

Basically… G. Eilsel took the character I thought I should be side-eyeing, ripped off all his armour, emotionally destroyed me, gave me delicious groveling, made me swoon like an idiot and then left me wanting MORE.

So yeah. I’m happy. 😭❤️

Profile Image for 369Pages.
958 reviews83 followers
February 11, 2026
4.25⭐️
The mysterious and grumpy Xeni gets his story told in book 4 of the Mate’s Mark series!
This book follows Xeni in his quest to get his mate back, after being separated by a tragic event. We dive deeper into Xeni’s past as we embark on a mostly-successful road trip with him. In this book we meet a ton of new characters, and learn a little more about the world!

You’ll also find fun content like:
-yearning
-second chance
-secrets and lies
-sacrifice
-fun anatomy and piercings 👀
-action and revenge

This is such an excellent series, and I was so excited to get into book 4! My favourite part of the book is the deep, aching love that Xeni and Bash have for each other. Their love is established early, and therefore the romantic plot line hits hard. There’s no doubt these two love each other. They’re so tender 🥲

In terms of plot, this book gave us something fresh and new. I feel like this series does a great job of making sure the plots of each book aren’t too similar. This one gave us a peek into a city, which was really interesting. Getting to know a little more about the city’s politics was cool.

Overall vibe? While the previous book was a mix between emotional pain and my heart bursting with warmth, this one had my heard beating with intensity (the angst!!) and piquing my interest more. It also felt like it had a slightly more serious tone than the previous book!

There are a lot of new characters, which was mostly necessary for this book. However, I found myself really missing the already large cast of characters established in books 1-3, and found it a little harder to connect with the new ones. That being said, there were two new characters that I was really curious about, and am excited to learn more about in upcoming books!

The overarching plot seems to be slowly be building in each book, and I can’t wait to get deeper into it! Each character has distinct and diverse personality, and I can’t wait to see how the new and older characters interact. 😍 Love this series!
Profile Image for Jessica Swan.
2,746 reviews30 followers
August 4, 2026
This was really good but not as good as Nyx. Hard to compete with that book honestly. But I still really enjoyed this and the spice was top tier lmfao.
Profile Image for ❀ Jess .
972 reviews114 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 16, 2026
4.5 rounded up

I'd like to thank Florence for immediately putting this on my radar. I don't really use social media so I hadn't known the author was already finished with Xeni's book, I thought it would be out much much later...So as soon as I saw it, of course I had to request an ARC myself.

Xeni was someone I found myself disliking and I was curious to see how the author would turn him into a likable chatacter in my eyes. This had all the makings of things I don't enjoy in my reads - second chance/flashbacks/heavy angst but I was SO pleasantly surprised my opinion of Xeni totally changed and by the end of it I loved him as much as I loved Bash ❤️

Florence was not exaggerating when she mentioned crying about every 5 pages, it was exactly that. The description of longing and pain were so visceral that I was feeling them myself so I would cry, things would calm down a bit and then something else would be said or mentioned to bring the tears right back. I got a headache from all the crying, I needed to rehydrate from all the tears! I was mentally exhausted by the end of if. But it made me really believe in their love and pain for each other.

The romance was great, I missed the OG characters and it took me a bit to wrap my head around all the new characters introduced in this book but i'm already looking forward to the next book


Overall, this was the perfect book to get me back into reading and I can't wait to see what new pairings are in store for us in the future. Hopefully some will be less angsty 😅

I'd also like to mention how nice it was to see " perceived OMD drama" on the TW/CW list, as someone who avoids books with too much of that it was great to know ahead of time. With that being said... I do have a little bone to pick.

Xeni is literally on his way to find Bash and when he needs help getting to the city

But to end this on a sweeter note, the scenes with the are so precious,what they say about each other left my heart feeling full and happy for them. ❤️

I couldn't have posted an honest review without including the spoiler, it has little impact on the whole story and was more of a pet peeve and something that seemed out of place with the rest. The book is a wild emotional ride and definitely worth reading if you enjoyed the other books in this series, just bring your tissues.
Profile Image for Sasha.
151 reviews5 followers
February 18, 2026
Ok, this is officially my favourite in the series so far. This book is INCREDIBLE.

Xeni has been a bit of a sexy mystery since the very beginning of the series. He’s sometimes a villain, sometimes a bit of an anti-hero, but always entertaining. I could not WAIT for his story and to finally get to see what kind of person his mate could be.

Boy, this did not disappoint. I don’t usually love second-chance romance but it was exactly what this story needed. The angst was angsting in the absolute best way and I wanted these two to reconcile soooo badly. G. Eilsel did an absolutely incredible job of writing this one. The emotion is so raw and you can really feel the heartbreak in both characters, but also completely understand their individual motives and feelings. Also I need to mention that the spice is absolute top tier. I had high expectations for Xeni and they were definitely met 🌶️

Lastly I’ll just say that the world-building in this series continues to amazes me. We’re drawn deeper into the world with each book and every new character and I just keep falling more in love with all of it. I can’t wait for the next one!

⭐ 4.75/5
🌶️ 3/5
Profile Image for Rae.
367 reviews9 followers
March 7, 2026
I have LOVED this series so much and this one was no exception!!! This book HURT my heart in places more than the others, even sweet Nyx’s story, but the love between Bash and Xeni is so damn beautiful and worth everything it takes to get there!! And let me just say I am HERE for Cato’s story!!!! 👀👀 Also, I really hope we get the big winged golden boy’s story eventually!!!

HEA, unfinished overarching plot, STEAMY spice…monster/human, second chances, interesting *ahem* anatomy 🥵

I LOVE that outwardly Bash was the nerdier, calmer human but was actually more possessive and dominant and Xeni is the stronger, more take charge on the outside monster but actually Bash takes care of him. It was such a sweet and shmexy dynamic. The dance club scene had me absolutely kicking my feet!!! I LOVE the jealousy and possessiveness that comes with the fated mate trope!
Profile Image for Kim Reads.
300 reviews61 followers
Review of advance copy received from Autorin bzw. Autor
March 4, 2026
The way I anticipated this story ever since I first read about Xeni in this series.. his character immediately hooked me and I wanted to learn more about him so badly.

This read is on the heavier side, and the angst is real, so be prepared for some tears 🤧

Xeni is a monster and Sebastian (Bash) is human, and the both of them have a history together. One that held beautiful memories, but also very, very devastating ones as well 💔

The depths of this book are amazingly done, and the strength of both of these characters is almost endless. They went through so much and I’m just so happy that they have each other 🥹

I'm already excited for the next book 🥰
Profile Image for Emily.
350 reviews
March 7, 2026
4.5 ⭐️

Ahhhh!!! What a wild ride! This series has me in a chokehold. 😞 but now I’m all caught up and have to wait for next book! 😭 sadness.

Xeni is ✨babygirl✨ and I love him so much.
The stuff with his father was crazy!
Love how we continue to add more people to the ragtag found family ❤️
I am sat. 🪑 Patiently waiting for the next book.
Profile Image for Jessica.
295 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 18, 2026
amazing as usual. Xeni and Bash had a long road but I am so glad they had an hea. and that ending? cannot wait for the journey through the portal!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2026
5 Beautiful Mess Stars ⭐️— 4 🌶—
Read:17/02/2026

CONTENTS:
💗 MM Dytopian Monster Romance
❤️‍🩹 Second Chance
❤️‍🔥 High Heat To Slow Burn
👉 Fated Mates
😈 Monster x Human
👉 Forced Proximity
🥵 OTT Possessiveness
👿 MINE
🔥 Jealousy
💅 Touch Him & 💀
🔬Scientist x Medic
😍 Insatiable
🤲 “Needy thing”
❤️‍🔥 Lots Of Begging
🥵 Praise K¡nk
👍👍Horn Handles
🔃 Flip Fųck
😉 Piercings
😳 Lacy Pantiəs
🪞 Mirror Səx
🥹 “Perfect”
✌️ Døuble Pənətratiøn
🔥 Frøtting
💦 Cųm K¡nk
❤️‍🔥 Mark Me
🤧 "Princess" x "Darling"
🫂 Found Family
🤍 Disability Rep
🤫 Secrets
😖 Betrayal/Sacrifice
😭 Angsty
🫂❤️‍🩹 Hurt/Comfort
👉 HEA For The MCs
👉 HFN For The Story

This book is fucking amazing! 🙌
🎤⤵️

I received this ebook for free from the author and I'm leaving this review of my own accord. Thank you, G. Eilsel for this gift. 🥰

Socials: https://linktr.ee/lionelle.swithens
Profile Image for peoniesandmm.
374 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2026
this is the first book i’ve finished in like two months & i loved every second of it. AM I BACK??? I THINK SO
Profile Image for Morgan Sloan.
Author 14 books198 followers
September 18, 2026
eeeeeee

God I’m a sucker for a broken boy and Xeni just 😭😭😭

Each book in this series somehow is better than the last? It’s mind blowing really
Profile Image for Syd.
129 reviews5 followers
September 22, 2026
AHHHHH. That’s it. That’s all I’ve got
Profile Image for paula reads.
350 reviews3 followers
February 21, 2026
5 stars ☆⋆˙

Review:

This book was an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. It’s a story about sacrifice, forgiveness, resilience, and the power of a second chance. No matter what obstacles were thrown at them, their bond never truly broke.

Xeni and Bash completely captured my heart. Watching their history unfold was both painful and beautiful. They’re stubborn, messy, and deeply flawed, but together they make something incredibly strong. The moments when they finally allowed themselves to be honest with each other felt like emotional release after so much tension.

Xeni…wow, beneath the sharp edges and defiance is someone fiercely loyal, protective, and capable of loving with everything he has. Bash, on the other hand, carries a quiet strength that made me admire him. Their dynamic is intense, sometimes frustrating, but deeply tender.

I honestly love how amazing this series has been. Five books in and it still feels fresh, emotional, and unpredictable. If you haven’t started this series yet, you’re seriously missing out. I already need the next book immediately.
Profile Image for Clara.
420 reviews5 followers
March 8, 2026
Here For The Plot, Not The Couple

This series has been a lot of fun to read so far. The world building, plot and huge cast of unique characters is seriously impressive. That being said, the relationships have been hit or miss. Book one and book three have been my favorites so far. The couples and plot were great together and really pushed the story forward. This book though, I had to admit I struggled to finish it sometimes.

Xeni is a complicated character and I did enjoy learning more about his past and why he is the way he is. Bash was tough to get into as a character but his band of friends were interesting. I just never really connected with him and while I get why he was mad at Xeni at the beginning, I thought his push and pull was heartless and cruel. The amount of times we had to read about him longing for Xeni only to say it’s been days since he even acknowledged his existence was frustrating. And seeing as he was a character built up to be a nerdy scientist who will help everyone solve the bigger storyline, we never got to see him in that role.

Honestly I’m surprised I’m going to say this but the smut was too much. Once it started it was constant and by the end I was skimming over it. At least Xeni had a unique snarky personality and some big reveals as part of the story, Bash felt like he was there just to be a jerk at the beginning and hook up with Xeni every five pages.

The only reason this book gets three stars is because I did genuinely enjoy the plot and new characters. Im intrigued where this is going and I’m excited for the next book to move things along further. I just hope the couple is more well rounded and developed as characters with actual personalities.

Tropes: Forced Proximity, Second Chance, Fated Mates, Found Family, Dual POV, Human / Monster Pairing
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ 2/5 (the frequency is insane but the quality was meh)
Relationship: MM
Profile Image for LauraSt.
1,726 reviews66 followers
August 31, 2026
♾️⭐️ INFINITY FREAKING STARS.

I genuinely thought Nyx was going to be the book that emotionally destroyed me the most in this series. HA!
Apparently Xeni took that personally.

I can’t even say “this book made me cry” because that makes it sound like I cried ONCE. No. I cried multiple times. I was emotionally WRECKED. There were moments where my heart physically hurt, moments where I was furious, moments where I wanted to reach into the book and protect everyone, and somehow by the end my heart was also so freaking FULL.

HOW DO YOU DESTROY ME AND PUT ME BACK TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME???

Xeni. MY BABY.
Bash. MY OTHER BABY!

Let’s start with Xeni. We’ve gotten pieces of him throughout the series. The flirting, the cockiness, the attitude, the chaos. I already liked him. I already wanted his story. I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT WAS UNDERNEATH ALL OF THAT.

Learning everything about his beginning with Bash, what happened between them, WHY it happened, the decisions Xeni made, the mistakes he carries, the guilt, the pain, his childhood, and then watching the person he was collide with the person he’s become?

I was in my freaking FEELINGS.

And I think that’s what destroyed me the most. Xeni isn’t perfect. He made choices that hurt people. He made mistakes. There were moments when I wanted to shake him. But understanding why he made those choices and watching his entire journey from who he was then to who he is now was absolutely spectacular.

And then we have BASH.
MY SWEET, WONDERFUL, PERFECT BASH.

I loved him SO MUCH. He’s adorable and sexy and brilliant and strong, and after everything he went through, I just wanted to wrap him in bubble wrap and personally fight anyone who ever made him hurt again.

THE FOUND FAMILY IN THIS BOOK!
I was already emotionally compromised and then you give me these people too?!

AND THEN! As if that wasn’t enough. Bheera. SWEET SWEET BHEERA. 😭 And NELLY! Are you kidding me?!

I need to protect this entire group with my LIFE.

But Xeni and Bash together are what absolutely finished me. This isn’t just a second-chance romance. There is so much history between them. So much love that never actually disappeared underneath all the anger and hurt. Watching them confront what happened and find their way back to each other had me completely emotionally invested.

And then THIS???

“You are my forever, Sebastian. The calm to my chaos, and my shelter from the storms. You’re the only person who ever made me feel safe enough to stop hiding.”

EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO THROW MYSELF INTO THE OCEAN. 😭

The fact that Xeni, of all people, gets to say that after everything we learn about him??? I AM UNWELL.

And somehow, while emotionally beating the absolute sh** out of me with Xeni and Bash, this book is ALSO moving this enormous overarching plot forward.

THE PLOT.
THE REVEALS.
THE TWISTS.
THE ARCHITECT.
THE FATES.

Every time I thought I understood where this series was going, something else happened and I was sitting there like ARE YOU F**KING KIDDING ME?!

Everything is starting to come together. Things we’ve learned in previous books matter. The world keeps getting bigger. We have new characters, new information, more questions, and I am OBSESSED with watching this entire story unfold in front of us.

AND THEN THAT ENDING.
G.
WHY.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME???

You cannot give me THAT and then expect me to calmly wait for another book like a functioning member of society. Thank GOD the next one is coming soon because I need it IMMEDIATELY. I currently have every finger, toe, limb, and available appendage crossed that I get an ARC because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

This series just keeps getting better. I thought Nyx owned my emotional stability. Apparently Xeni came to collect whatever little piece of it I had left.

The romance. The heartbreak. The healing. The family. The friendships. The mistakes. The forgiveness. The world-building. THE PLOT TWISTS. The freaking ENDING. THE HEAT AND DIFFERENT ANATOMY 🔥 you guys already know how much I appreciate the differences.

Everything.
Absolutely spectacular.
♾️ freaking stars.
Xeni and Bash, I love you.
Bheera and Nelly, I would d!e for you.

And G…
I will be sending you my therapy bill.

Soooo READ IT READ IT READ IT.
Profile Image for Zarlina .
273 reviews20 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
February 14, 2026
Oh my heart.

I fell for Xeni from the first time we met him and was dead sure I had once again fallen for a character that would break my heart and then never see again. The author told me he'd get his own book, though, (it wasn't a secret at that point, I was just not caught up on the series yet) and I was so relieved because oh my god yes, I wanted more of him. So much more.

And now I finally did, and what a story he had to share.

I've cried so many tears reading this, the pain almost unbearable at some points, having to remind myself that there will be a happy ending eventually, and that all of it will be worth it.

And it was worth it. And I know it'll be even more worth it when the series comes to an end. The ride there is and will be even more painful, but oh do I love it.

Xeni was full of angst, a dark past, self-loathing, and so much more, but it also had sweet moments, passion, and a lot of laughter, and while my heart was aching through most of it, I loved it so, so much.

My darling Xeni. I don't even have words for how much this book meant to me. It was everything (and more) I had been waiting for and less than a day after finishing it I already miss him.

I hope he'll forgive himself one day. He deserves to be happy and to believe he's loved. Hell, he deserves the world. And I know Bash will do everything to give it to him.

Which brings us to Bash, of course. I loved him. He's been through so much and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for him to finally learn the full truth. He deserved it so much, to know what actually happened, and to have his broken heart mended.

Darlings. Both of them.

Bash's group of friends was a lot of fun, too. I loved getting to know them, and they were such a nice company while I was missing the comfort of the gang still back in the village. I absolutely loved their loyalty and their banter and I think they will be such good people for Xeni to have around.

But yes, I did miss the village a lot. And returning to it together with Xeni in the end felt like coming home, but I also absolutely loved to get to see the life in the city, and to learn more about what's going on there.

Fantastic book. I'm already looking forward to rereading it, and I already can't wait for the next one in the series.

If you haven't read the Mate's Mark yet, now is the perfect time to start. Things are brewing and I think next step in this adventure is going to be something you don't want to miss out on.
Profile Image for Joanie Johnson.
73 reviews6 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 1, 2026
In Xeni, you'll experience some unexpected surprises, get to know and love some new character additions, and find some exciting set ups for subsequent books that I'm very much looking forward to. This series has held me fast since the moment I picked Ronan up, and Xeni did nothing but tighten that hold on my emotions.

These boys. I swear, I knew they'd break me. I knew it would hurt, but their journey was so much more, so much heavier, than I could have ever imagined. The absolute purity of their love for each other and devotion to building a life together despite everything being stacked against them. Then the utter rawness of being torn apart and the subsequent years of having to figure out living without their other half in a world where survival is already far from guaranteed. Xeni 's emotional inner monologues as he finally allows himself to go searching for his mate while knowing he won't be welcomed is gut-wrenching. Bash's confusion and devastation over the past and Xeni's reappearance years later is just as hard. Their commencing fight to try protecting themselves from more pain, while still being utterly devoted to each other and trying so hard to get back to themselves, while also still wrestling through all the outside forces that have never ceased their attempts to rip them apart, makes for an incredibly emotional read start to finish. The pain is so worth it though, because these two are beautiful, inside and out.
Profile Image for WickedRiverReads.
439 reviews20 followers
February 19, 2026
I have been excited about Xeni since he first popped up and intrigued by his story since the end of Nyx. I knew his story was going to hurt a bit but I also knew it would endure me to him more and I couldn’t wait to read this.

The more we learned about Xeni the more his actions made sense. His use of sarcasm to hide, his want to be loved and accepted but always feeling like an outsider and his reluctance to let anyone see the real him, we get a better understanding of where this comes from and his sad story filled with parents who couldn’t be bothered and a father in particular who saw him as an image not a son. Fortunately he had a nanny to show him kindness.

Eventually Xeni learns love and an adult with Bash. Bash is a sweet scientist who blushes at most things Xeni related and loves Xeni wholeheartedly. I hated seeing them both so broken after coming back together. It was clear their pull to one another was strong but they needed that time to mend while being in each other’s orbit. Once they found their footing they were the cutest overly protective mates. I enjoyed the sweet moments like the random date under the stars and the ring.

As sad as some aspects of this story were I had a great time reading it. The side characters were great, especially Ego and I’m excited about what’s next!


Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5

🤍ARC REVIEW💛

☑️ Trigger Warnings

Profile Image for caffeinated.crystal .
603 reviews14 followers
March 1, 2026
Y'all I can not stress this enough - the series is INCREDIBLE. DON'T SLEEP ON THIS UNIVERSE.

I read Xeni yesterday, and honestly I feel like I need 5-7 business days to recover.

I apologize in advance for how scattered this review is going to be.

• fated mates
• monster/human
• second chance
• big time hurt/comfort
• lingerie
• insatiable for you
• ✨️💕princess 💕✨️
• found family
• dystopia world
• cw: patricide & self harm

If you have told me Xeni would become one of my favorite characters I would have told you "Liar." But damned if I didnt fall head over heels for Xeni. He and Bash were absolutely perfect and lord help me I LOVED THEM.

The feelings in this one were off the charts. The love that both the characters carried was all consuming and it practically bleeds off the page.

The story? Stunning. The plot? Engaging. The romance? Perfection. The angst? Angsty as hell.

This story was absolutely a five-star star read for me. And this series is maybe one of my favorites ever, even if each books seems to leave me feeling like I have been run over by a tractor.

Xeni releases 03/05 ✨️💕 you don't have time to read the entire series because these books are chonky. BUT definitely move this series higher up on your tbr! DO IT.

Aryn's book can't come fast enough. I wish I could have shown you my face during the last chapter of this book. G. Eilsel, we gotta talk.
Profile Image for Crystal Maynard.
178 reviews18 followers
March 19, 2026
Everything in this world is so masterfully created, it blows my mind! The characters, the world, the plot - it's just all so amazing!

Each book, each set of fated mates is exceptionally written. I always have to make sure I have a full weekend to dedicate to reading when G. Eilsel has a new book come out. I need a day to read and a day to recover! You go through all of the emotions with the Mate's Mark books - anger, happiness, fear, joy, sadness, love. You name it, and you will feel it.

By the time we get to Xeni's book, we've been with him for a bit and know that he has a story to tell. I'm just never really prepared for it when it's time. Xeni and Bash are the reason second chance romance is a trope. And, of course, the found family is chef's kiss.

Please read this series. They are all so good that you will not be disappointed! I can't wait until Aryn's book next.

Profile Image for The Naughty Booknook.
210 reviews74 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 2, 2026
As everybook before Xeni, his story completely captured me and had me hooked from the first page to the last. I couldn't put it down, not that I tried very hard, too. Ive been so eager for Xeni's story from the first time we got a peek at him in Elas's book and every peek at him after I just knew his story was gonna be one that would not only capture our hearts but show us a said truth and I was right. There was so much pain between Xeni and Bash that needed time to heal, but their love was always there never lost, just waiting to be brought back to life, and we got to read just that. This story will make you smile, bring a tear to your eyes, and help you believe that love can be one of the strongest ties of all.

Im so excited for the next book in The Mates Mark because I know without a doubt it will be an amazing addition to what is already a 5 star series
Profile Image for Sierra.
58 reviews2 followers
March 7, 2026
4* Me repatea lo anteriormente mencionado de la pareja que "traiciona" y el otro que tiene que "perdonar" y solo por eso le bajo, es a título personal.

Hay presentación de muchos personajes nuevos, cambio de fondo por una ciudad en este mundo y los militares siguen siendo los malos, pero siendo este de un tinte mucho más personal lo cual me ha gustado mucho.

Los personajes siguen siendo lo mejor de esta saga, por lo tanto aunque no está siendo una saga de 5* para mí, desde luego que me muero por leer el siguiente libro que va a ser Aryn (más obviamente Cato).
Profile Image for Tonya (novel.tea_books).
90 reviews2 followers
February 18, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨

Oh my word, how my heart has ached reading Xeni and Bash’s story! 🥹 This one definitely leaned on the heavier side of “hurt” in hurt/comfort, but the pain was so worth the HEA these guys fought so hard for and won! 🩷

If you haven’t read the Mate’s Mark series by G. Eilsel yet and you enjoy monster/human romance, a dystopian world, and the most lovable characters, add it to your TBR! 🤩

Reading Order:

💜 Ronan
💙 Elas
💚 Nyx
🩷 Xeni ~ Available March 5th
Profile Image for Holly's Bookshelf.
673 reviews28 followers
April 11, 2026
This was alot better than the others and I enjoyed the plot. Poor Xeni deserves to be protected. Bash was a little mean but I understand.
Profile Image for Natasha Hoffert Groesse.
218 reviews14 followers
March 10, 2026
I absolutely love this series. And this book didn’t disappoint. I loved Xeni and Bash’s story and loved all the spice🌶️!! Can’t wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Barbara Rachel.
Author 3 books25 followers
September 4, 2026
blown away, one book at a time

There’s so much that could be said about this book. First of all, Xeni was supposed to be some kind of villain, but the author did a big sneak and about 5000 tears later I made it through this book and came to understand his backstory, everything he and Bash went through. There’s also more of the story behind all of their worlds.

This series is incredible and if you haven’t read them yet, run do not walk.
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