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"An Alpha's loyalty to is pack should be second to only one. His mate."
NOA
Blood stains the walls of my sanctuary, and nothing feels safe anymore. The enemy finally has a face, but every truth uncovered leaves me with more questions.
While danger closes in, I’m rotting from the inside. Dying from my mate’s rejection.
Rennick swears he’ll fix what he broke. But how do I trust the Alpha who already shattered my heart?
RENNICK
I was made to protect her, but I was the one who ruined her. Now I’ll burn every alliance and sacrifice everything to mend what I destroyed.
Noa’s trust doesn’t come easily, not when her heart still carries the scars of my betrayal.
But time is running out. Her body is failing. Our people are being hunted. And the bond I fractured is the only thing strong enough to hold her here.
What to Expect:
-Rejected Fated Mate/Scent Match
-Second Chance/Grovel
-First Heat & Nest
-Protective Alpha
-Rejected Mate Syndrome
-Unique Magic System
-Angst/You Might Cry a Little
NOTE: RAW is not a standalone. It is book two in Rennick and Noa’s duet and must be read afterPRIMAL for the story to be fully understood. This is a slow-burn, second-chance romance where the MMC must fight for his mate’s forgiveness. Their HEA does not come easily, but it is guaranteed.
*All TW/CW will be available on the author's website.
NOA
Blood stains the walls of my sanctuary, and nothing feels safe anymore. The enemy finally has a face, but every truth uncovered leaves me with more questions.
While danger closes in, I’m rotting from the inside. Dying from my mate’s rejection.
Rennick swears he’ll fix what he broke. But how do I trust the Alpha who already shattered my heart?
RENNICK
I was made to protect her, but I was the one who ruined her. Now I’ll burn every alliance and sacrifice everything to mend what I destroyed.
Noa’s trust doesn’t come easily, not when her heart still carries the scars of my betrayal.
But time is running out. Her body is failing. Our people are being hunted. And the bond I fractured is the only thing strong enough to hold her here.
What to Expect:
-Rejected Fated Mate/Scent Match
-Second Chance/Grovel
-First Heat & Nest
-Protective Alpha
-Rejected Mate Syndrome
-Unique Magic System
-Angst/You Might Cry a Little
NOTE: RAW is not a standalone. It is book two in Rennick and Noa’s duet and must be read afterPRIMAL for the story to be fully understood. This is a slow-burn, second-chance romance where the MMC must fight for his mate’s forgiveness. Their HEA does not come easily, but it is guaranteed.
*All TW/CW will be available on the author's website.
700 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 18, 2026
About the author
Kayleigh King
15 books1,616 followersUSA Today Bestselling author Kayleigh King is a writer of contemporary and paranormal romance. She creates love stories that will stick with you, almost like they’re haunting you.
She’s a Diet Coke and cold brew addict, sharing music is her love language, and she seriously lacks a filter. Anything she thinks, she usually says. And if she doesn’t say it, her facial expressions will say it for her. Currently residing in Denver Colorado, you’ll never find her on a snowboard since she avoids the snow like the plague.
Want to chat about books, music, or life in general? Make sure you join her Facebook reader group and follow her on Instagram. Her DMs are always open to her readers.
She’s a Diet Coke and cold brew addict, sharing music is her love language, and she seriously lacks a filter. Anything she thinks, she usually says. And if she doesn’t say it, her facial expressions will say it for her. Currently residing in Denver Colorado, you’ll never find her on a snowboard since she avoids the snow like the plague.
Want to chat about books, music, or life in general? Make sure you join her Facebook reader group and follow her on Instagram. Her DMs are always open to her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 426 reviews
January 21, 2026
Spoilers.
I am unsure why this duet was as long as it was, and the rejection and the aftermath taking almost 2 books to deal with was just overkill.
Want to know the biggest bad guy in this book? Noa. Her mother puts all this in motion and instead of being any sort of intelligent she forces her friends and loved ones watch her waste away and die rather than just bonding. She even goes as far as say yeah we can just wait until I go into heat. She had decided to bond to save her life eventually but selfishly forces everyone to deal with her illness for what? Honestly the worst.
She also doesn't seem to grasp that Ren is also a victim here. She saw the memories where he clearly is torn away from her and lost his memories and she still stays stead fast on the self pity train of death. It was tedious. For half of this duet we just deal with the bullshit and honestly the pay off was not good enough.
The plot was interesting enough, it's not reinventing the wheel and has been done but it's not awful but this duet somehow DRAGS itself out and accomplished what millions of similar books accomplish with half the pages. I can't say anything was gained from the length of this duet. I feel just as connected to characters, I feel like I know the plot just as well, I think truthfully all we get in that added time is pity party time.
overall, I read this because I didn't want another dnf, but I was not into it.
I am unsure why this duet was as long as it was, and the rejection and the aftermath taking almost 2 books to deal with was just overkill.
Want to know the biggest bad guy in this book? Noa. Her mother puts all this in motion and instead of being any sort of intelligent she forces her friends and loved ones watch her waste away and die rather than just bonding. She even goes as far as say yeah we can just wait until I go into heat. She had decided to bond to save her life eventually but selfishly forces everyone to deal with her illness for what? Honestly the worst.
She also doesn't seem to grasp that Ren is also a victim here. She saw the memories where he clearly is torn away from her and lost his memories and she still stays stead fast on the self pity train of death. It was tedious. For half of this duet we just deal with the bullshit and honestly the pay off was not good enough.
The plot was interesting enough, it's not reinventing the wheel and has been done but it's not awful but this duet somehow DRAGS itself out and accomplished what millions of similar books accomplish with half the pages. I can't say anything was gained from the length of this duet. I feel just as connected to characters, I feel like I know the plot just as well, I think truthfully all we get in that added time is pity party time.
overall, I read this because I didn't want another dnf, but I was not into it.
February 22, 2026
⭐ 0/5 Stars (if I could go negative, it would be -1000)
Get ready for the mother of all rants.
I hated this book. I hated this series. And I especially hated the FMC with the passion of a thousand burning suns.
Not only was this duology unnecessarily long (1000+ pages) , the author still couldn’t manage to complete the actual main plot. Let that sink in. After two massive books built around a mystery so basic a third grader could solve it, the only thing that gets properly wrapped up is the main couple’s love story. That’s it.
So you’re telling me these two—the dullest alpha in existence and a “too stupid to live” heroine—needed nearly 1000 pages just to fall in love and work through their feelings? Ma’am. This is not epic romance, this is editorial negligence.
And don’t even get me started on the writing. Endless spelling and editing errors aside, we get the same internal monologue on loop:
* She wants him but she’s hurt and can’t trust him.
* He wants her but he’s drowning in guilt and can’t forgive himself.
Rinse. Repeat. For. Hundreds. Of. Pages.
Honestly, the only reason I even made it to the end was because of the **side characters**, which brings me to the author’s ultimate betrayal:
Roslyn.
My sweet, fierce, brave Roslyn— the only truly amazing character in this entire series —is killed off so the blandest FMC in history can live. She literally sacrifices herself for Noa. For *this* woman. I would’ve preferred the book ended as a tragedy with Noa staying dead. At least that would’ve been emotionally honest.
Not only did this destroy the best relationship in the series (Canaan/Roslyn), it was done purely for cheap shock value. And for what? So the author can keep writing more nonsense about characters who should’ve been laid to rest already?
The final plot was absolute chaos. Noa spends the entire series being a helpless damsel—so helpless that someone literally dies protecting her—then suddenly her inner magic awakens and she traps everyone in their terror, turning the tide of the entire war. Except… she’s done this before. Twice. Including once against her own mate. But somehow it never occurs to her to use it again until Roslyn is already dead. She needed a corpse to activate her brain.
And even then, she doesn’t finish the job.
She lets:
* Talis (the villain’s equally evil daughter) live.
* The most powerful witch escape.
While she literally has them under her spell and could end everything.
Why? Because we need more books, obviously.
Meanwhile, while everyone else is committing mass carnage, our “alpha hero” is still locked in a dramatic battle with the main villain—a fat, weak man he already easily overpowered earlier in the series. But now it takes him the *entire final battle* to defeat this one puny dude, while his mate single-handedly unleashes holy terror. Moments ago she was trembling in fear, but sure—now she’s a goddess of destruction. Totally consistent.
If I could go back in time, I would physically stop myself from ever picking up this series. What an absolute waste of time, money, and emotional investment.
This wasn’t epic.
It wasn’t tragic.
It wasn’t even satisfying.
It was just **1000 pages of badly edited, poorly planned, emotionally manipulative chaos** with one incredible character sacrificed on the altar of a heroine who never deserved her.
Get ready for the mother of all rants.
I hated this book. I hated this series. And I especially hated the FMC with the passion of a thousand burning suns.
Not only was this duology unnecessarily long (1000+ pages) , the author still couldn’t manage to complete the actual main plot. Let that sink in. After two massive books built around a mystery so basic a third grader could solve it, the only thing that gets properly wrapped up is the main couple’s love story. That’s it.
So you’re telling me these two—the dullest alpha in existence and a “too stupid to live” heroine—needed nearly 1000 pages just to fall in love and work through their feelings? Ma’am. This is not epic romance, this is editorial negligence.
And don’t even get me started on the writing. Endless spelling and editing errors aside, we get the same internal monologue on loop:
* She wants him but she’s hurt and can’t trust him.
* He wants her but he’s drowning in guilt and can’t forgive himself.
Rinse. Repeat. For. Hundreds. Of. Pages.
Honestly, the only reason I even made it to the end was because of the **side characters**, which brings me to the author’s ultimate betrayal:
Roslyn.
My sweet, fierce, brave Roslyn— the only truly amazing character in this entire series —is killed off so the blandest FMC in history can live. She literally sacrifices herself for Noa. For *this* woman. I would’ve preferred the book ended as a tragedy with Noa staying dead. At least that would’ve been emotionally honest.
Not only did this destroy the best relationship in the series (Canaan/Roslyn), it was done purely for cheap shock value. And for what? So the author can keep writing more nonsense about characters who should’ve been laid to rest already?
The final plot was absolute chaos. Noa spends the entire series being a helpless damsel—so helpless that someone literally dies protecting her—then suddenly her inner magic awakens and she traps everyone in their terror, turning the tide of the entire war. Except… she’s done this before. Twice. Including once against her own mate. But somehow it never occurs to her to use it again until Roslyn is already dead. She needed a corpse to activate her brain.
And even then, she doesn’t finish the job.
She lets:
* Talis (the villain’s equally evil daughter) live.
* The most powerful witch escape.
While she literally has them under her spell and could end everything.
Why? Because we need more books, obviously.
Meanwhile, while everyone else is committing mass carnage, our “alpha hero” is still locked in a dramatic battle with the main villain—a fat, weak man he already easily overpowered earlier in the series. But now it takes him the *entire final battle* to defeat this one puny dude, while his mate single-handedly unleashes holy terror. Moments ago she was trembling in fear, but sure—now she’s a goddess of destruction. Totally consistent.
If I could go back in time, I would physically stop myself from ever picking up this series. What an absolute waste of time, money, and emotional investment.
This wasn’t epic.
It wasn’t tragic.
It wasn’t even satisfying.
It was just **1000 pages of badly edited, poorly planned, emotionally manipulative chaos** with one incredible character sacrificed on the altar of a heroine who never deserved her.
January 27, 2026
First of all, this book was obscenely long and the plot dragged. I was very frustrated, mostly by Noa (HATE HER NAME).
What I liked:
💔the grovel was solid
🖤the OW comeuppance
💔the setup for other interesting characters’ stories in future books
🖤both MC’s are virgins and each others’ onlys
💔there were some clever, funny zingers from secondary characters
What I disliked:
💩the LENGTH (telling not showing, inner monologues 🥱)
💩she is too selfish/stupid to end her own suffering and let her mate bite her so she dies, YES SHE DIES (is it bad I kind of wanted her to stay dead because she’s basically TSTL???)
💩we don’t get one single good smexy scene. They’re all weird/painful/awkward/interrupted, and she never goes into her actual heat, so wtf
💩the book was so long and drawn out, but with a frantic and tragic ending
💩so much reliance on the amnesia and magical manipulation which the whole plot is basically built around
💩ends on a cliffy with basically a HFN ending (no extended epilogue and no one’s really that happy because there’s still danger lurking and mysteries to unravel… no heat, no pregnancy 🤰 or babies)
What I liked:
💔the grovel was solid
🖤the OW comeuppance
💔the setup for other interesting characters’ stories in future books
🖤both MC’s are virgins and each others’ onlys
💔there were some clever, funny zingers from secondary characters
What I disliked:
💩the LENGTH (telling not showing, inner monologues 🥱)
💩she is too selfish/stupid to end her own suffering and let her mate bite her so she dies, YES SHE DIES (is it bad I kind of wanted her to stay dead because she’s basically TSTL???)
💩we don’t get one single good smexy scene. They’re all weird/painful/awkward/interrupted, and she never goes into her actual heat, so wtf
💩the book was so long and drawn out, but with a frantic and tragic ending
💩so much reliance on the amnesia and magical manipulation which the whole plot is basically built around
💩ends on a cliffy with basically a HFN ending (no extended epilogue and no one’s really that happy because there’s still danger lurking and mysteries to unravel… no heat, no pregnancy 🤰 or babies)
April 9, 2026
Picking up where Primal ended, Noa’s health continues to decline. Yet, stubborn as they come, she hides the pain and deterioration from everyone, and, in particular, Ren.
Loved watching their story unfold and all the truths come to light, and especially how much Thalassa did behind the scenes to protect Noa and Ren before her death. Be sure to have your tissues ready because their HEA and the peace of the pack is hard fought, and not without loss.
I was a little sad to reach the end, but was happy and relieved to learn we won’t actually be leaving the Fallamhain Pack territory behind just yet!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Action, Dark, New Adult, Omegaverse, Paranormal/Fantasy, Suspense
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present • Past}
Emotions: 😩🤩😭😊😍
Darkness: 🖤
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Heat: 🌶️
✨ Tropes: Fated Mate, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Friends-to-Enemies-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Rejected Mate, Second Chance, Shifters
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Forehead Kisses, “Good Girl”, Hand Necklace, It’s Always Been You, Pet Name, Scent Marking, Secrets & Lies, Virgin FMC, Virgin MMC
🔆 Character: Pack Healer, Pack Leader
💋 Kinks: Biting/Marking, Finger Licking Good, Knotting, Praise, Primal
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: MINE!, Touch-Her-and-💀
📍 Setting: Remote, Small Town, Wilderness 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Raw is the conclusion to the Prey Drive duet. This series must be read in order.
⛔️ Safety Squad: Trafficking (Not of FMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page, and in the past and present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Loved watching their story unfold and all the truths come to light, and especially how much Thalassa did behind the scenes to protect Noa and Ren before her death. Be sure to have your tissues ready because their HEA and the peace of the pack is hard fought, and not without loss.
I was a little sad to reach the end, but was happy and relieved to learn we won’t actually be leaving the Fallamhain Pack territory behind just yet!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Action, Dark, New Adult, Omegaverse, Paranormal/Fantasy, Suspense
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present • Past}
Emotions: 😩🤩😭😊😍
Darkness: 🖤
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Heat: 🌶️
✨ Tropes: Fated Mate, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Friends-to-Enemies-to-Lovers, Heroine in Danger, Rejected Mate, Second Chance, Shifters
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Forehead Kisses, “Good Girl”, Hand Necklace, It’s Always Been You, Pet Name, Scent Marking, Secrets & Lies, Virgin FMC, Virgin MMC
🔆 Character: Pack Healer, Pack Leader
💋 Kinks: Biting/Marking, Finger Licking Good, Knotting, Praise, Primal
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: MINE!, Touch-Her-and-💀
📍 Setting: Remote, Small Town, Wilderness 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Raw is the conclusion to the Prey Drive duet. This series must be read in order.
⛔️ Safety Squad: Trafficking (Not of FMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page, and in the past and present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
January 20, 2026
Epic levels of groveling!!!
Genre: Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters)
⭐️ 4.5/5 (Needs another round of editing)
🌶 2.5/5
🧠 5/10
Cliffhanger Pain: 1/10 (Setup for future books)
Noteworthy: Book 2 of a completed duology (more books planned in the series featuring other characters). Dual first-person POV. Content warnings provided. Available on KU.
I really liked book 1 but it felt like a setup book to me since there wasn't much action or advancing of the overall plot. I expected that to be rectified in book 2 and I was not disappointed. This series as a whole is one of the best wolf shifter/rejected mates stories I've read. Despite coming in at nearly 750 pages, it felt like a quick read. This series contains levels of angst rarely seen these days. So much pain and torment. Check the triggers because they are very relevant.
I enjoyed not only the character arcs for the two mains but also the side characters. I found myself wishing for available books for several while I was reading. Cannen, Saren, and Rook (with Siggy???). Fingers crossed for that last one! We could stay in this world that Kayleigh has created for a good long while I think with all the available options.
So if you are a fan of emotional damage, found family, deep overarching plot lines, or fast paced action that pairs nicely with a character driven story, just download this now on your Kindle.
Genre: Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters)
⭐️ 4.5/5 (Needs another round of editing)
🌶 2.5/5
🧠 5/10
Cliffhanger Pain: 1/10 (Setup for future books)
Noteworthy: Book 2 of a completed duology (more books planned in the series featuring other characters). Dual first-person POV. Content warnings provided. Available on KU.
I really liked book 1 but it felt like a setup book to me since there wasn't much action or advancing of the overall plot. I expected that to be rectified in book 2 and I was not disappointed. This series as a whole is one of the best wolf shifter/rejected mates stories I've read. Despite coming in at nearly 750 pages, it felt like a quick read. This series contains levels of angst rarely seen these days. So much pain and torment. Check the triggers because they are very relevant.
I enjoyed not only the character arcs for the two mains but also the side characters. I found myself wishing for available books for several while I was reading. Cannen, Saren, and Rook (with Siggy???). Fingers crossed for that last one! We could stay in this world that Kayleigh has created for a good long while I think with all the available options.
So if you are a fan of emotional damage, found family, deep overarching plot lines, or fast paced action that pairs nicely with a character driven story, just download this now on your Kindle.
January 25, 2026
I wanna cry that this was only a 3 ⭐️ read
I don’t ask for much in a wolf shifter romance so why am I constantly let down!!!??? The first half I was vibing and it was giving 5 stars!! Second half was reallyyyy weak.
Waaaaayyy too long. By 70% I was mentally checked out. Which is a shame bc the bones of the plot were really good!! But I honestly skimmed the ending bc it was so dragged out.
Like the first book, there was too much inner monologue and rambling details that could have been cut. Lots describing things in a very drawn out way that really wasn’t important. I wish some of that energy went into the bigger and juicer parts of the plot.
Ren was a hottie alpha no complaints… but did anyone like Noa? 😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️ help she is so stubborn
I thought this was a duet but now we’re getting a series!?
My toxic ass MIGHT still read it
I don’t ask for much in a wolf shifter romance so why am I constantly let down!!!??? The first half I was vibing and it was giving 5 stars!! Second half was reallyyyy weak.
Waaaaayyy too long. By 70% I was mentally checked out. Which is a shame bc the bones of the plot were really good!! But I honestly skimmed the ending bc it was so dragged out.
Like the first book, there was too much inner monologue and rambling details that could have been cut. Lots describing things in a very drawn out way that really wasn’t important. I wish some of that energy went into the bigger and juicer parts of the plot.
Ren was a hottie alpha no complaints… but did anyone like Noa? 😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️😶🌫️ help she is so stubborn
I thought this was a duet but now we’re getting a series!?
My toxic ass MIGHT still read it
January 21, 2026
In a way, it was sort of cheesy. The 1st book is all about the H rejecting the h. This second book is about the H rejecting his fiancée (not the h) and accepting the h as his mate lol also this book is 700 pages long. Very unnecessary. A lot of inner monologue.
February 21, 2026
Meh. Thats it? Why was it so long?
I held out and finished the whole thing only because I thought book 1 of this duet was fantastic. Book 2 however, went splat - dead on impact.
It’s frustrating because the plot concept is there, but the forgiveness aspect was drawn out too far. It doesn’t quite make sense as to why it was. It seemed like the only plausible reason as to why it was so drawn out was because the author didn’t know how else to create tension. In the process the plot was dropped and it made me not like the FMC anymore. Her thought process was frustrating because she knew that her body was dying but she won’t do what she wants to do because of what? Pride? It was never clear. Her jokes were also juvenile. Not funny. I hoped that once she forgave him, we could get back to the plot. Give the emotional distress a break for a minute please. But it wasn’t until the 85% mark that it made its reappearance.
I also didn’t care for the prose. There were too many adjectives making each sentence overly descriptive and sappy. Not to mention that there were multiple paragraphs to describe one thing; one feeling or moment. Drawing it out way too long causing it to lose its impact. Like get to the freaking point. This isn’t poetry.
The intimate scenes were also drawn out for literal chapters and the quiet small moments that usually reveal intimacy were always summarized after the fact. This sacrificed character development and actual depth in the story overall. This wasn’t written for readers like me. Readers who want actual attachment instead of just heat. Call me a romantic, I don’t care. It’s the reason why I read romantasy. Not to mention that I HAD to skip them because they were icky. Yuck. Just because they are animal shifters, doesn’t mean I want them to behave like animals.
I found it a tad unreasonable or unrealistic that Rennick would abandon his pack and territory to move to Ashdale just because Noa wants to. Not that that happened but it’s something that Noa said. It’s a notion that is pure fantasy and not at all relatable. Noa is not relatable nor is she likable. Selfish under the guise of a selfless person. I don’t think the author realized this.
And then I had some questions about the plot too. If Ren and Noa grew up together, then they’d have the same friends? People who remembered them? Are you telling me that no one remembered Noa and/or approached her about it before she got her memories back? Shouldn’t the healer have memories or the older people in the community? Teachers, classmates, etc. Am I expected to believe that Thalassa manipulated the memories of everyone in the community so that they didn’t remind Ren of how close he was with Noa?
And I’m pretty sure I know the premise for all the possible spin offs that the author set up; not so subtly I might add. Why couldn’t she have their stories in this book instead of the unnecessary emotional dramatics of the FMC?
The end was disappointing. The pack was decimated but the threat wasn’t eliminated. Why did I read this hoping for a good plot to surface?
I am not a fan.
I held out and finished the whole thing only because I thought book 1 of this duet was fantastic. Book 2 however, went splat - dead on impact.
It’s frustrating because the plot concept is there, but the forgiveness aspect was drawn out too far. It doesn’t quite make sense as to why it was. It seemed like the only plausible reason as to why it was so drawn out was because the author didn’t know how else to create tension. In the process the plot was dropped and it made me not like the FMC anymore. Her thought process was frustrating because she knew that her body was dying but she won’t do what she wants to do because of what? Pride? It was never clear. Her jokes were also juvenile. Not funny. I hoped that once she forgave him, we could get back to the plot. Give the emotional distress a break for a minute please. But it wasn’t until the 85% mark that it made its reappearance.
I also didn’t care for the prose. There were too many adjectives making each sentence overly descriptive and sappy. Not to mention that there were multiple paragraphs to describe one thing; one feeling or moment. Drawing it out way too long causing it to lose its impact. Like get to the freaking point. This isn’t poetry.
The intimate scenes were also drawn out for literal chapters and the quiet small moments that usually reveal intimacy were always summarized after the fact. This sacrificed character development and actual depth in the story overall. This wasn’t written for readers like me. Readers who want actual attachment instead of just heat. Call me a romantic, I don’t care. It’s the reason why I read romantasy. Not to mention that I HAD to skip them because they were icky. Yuck. Just because they are animal shifters, doesn’t mean I want them to behave like animals.
I found it a tad unreasonable or unrealistic that Rennick would abandon his pack and territory to move to Ashdale just because Noa wants to. Not that that happened but it’s something that Noa said. It’s a notion that is pure fantasy and not at all relatable. Noa is not relatable nor is she likable. Selfish under the guise of a selfless person. I don’t think the author realized this.
And then I had some questions about the plot too. If Ren and Noa grew up together, then they’d have the same friends? People who remembered them? Are you telling me that no one remembered Noa and/or approached her about it before she got her memories back? Shouldn’t the healer have memories or the older people in the community? Teachers, classmates, etc. Am I expected to believe that Thalassa manipulated the memories of everyone in the community so that they didn’t remind Ren of how close he was with Noa?
And I’m pretty sure I know the premise for all the possible spin offs that the author set up; not so subtly I might add. Why couldn’t she have their stories in this book instead of the unnecessary emotional dramatics of the FMC?
The end was disappointing. The pack was decimated but the threat wasn’t eliminated. Why did I read this hoping for a good plot to surface?
I am not a fan.
January 22, 2026
The FMC has become insufferable. What do you mean that she knows she dying, her only cure is his claiming bite. And for 56% of this fucking book he’s shown you he’s sorry. You have a multi page sex scene where you find out you both waited to have sex with each other, i.e you’re both virgins and after that you STILL aren’t ready for him to cure you? GTFO. And this book is over 700 pages, no thank you ma’am.
Other points: she said she had to hold off on the publishing for editing. I can’t imagine how many edits were needed to hold off publishing since this published version has so many glaring errors.
First one was so good, so disappointed in this.
Other points: she said she had to hold off on the publishing for editing. I can’t imagine how many edits were needed to hold off publishing since this published version has so many glaring errors.
First one was so good, so disappointed in this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2026
DNF - ugh I don't mean to be dramatic but come on.....
Here's what did me in: "A son's father? Does she mean my dad?"
Here's what did me in: "A son's father? Does she mean my dad?"
February 3, 2026
Loved the first book. Second book was about 300 pages too long, needed another round of editing and just dragged. Had to fight for my life not to DNF
February 14, 2026
3.5⭐️ While I did enjoy this book, it had no business being this long. Parts were definitely drawn out that didn’t need to be, but overall the plot, and storyline was great.
Read
February 27, 2026I am finding it a bit difficult to review this book,and it’s taken me two days to collect my thoughts.
I hesitate to write something unnecessarily negative,but I like hearing reader’s thoughts when choosing my own books,so while I won’t mince words, this isn’t meant to be super critical/toxic.
That being said,this particular duet clocked in at just over 1100 pages…and it could’ve easily been 700 pages shorter. No exaggeration. It was INCREDIBLY long-winded,and felt like a chore to read after the initial high of the beginning of its first book.
It’s not as if there was zero plot,but there was very little character development,and WAY too much repetition and inner monologuing that did nothing to further the story. I’d label it predictable,for the most part.
My biggest takeaway:
Rennick is very much a victim of his circumstances,and yet,we see Noa further victimizing/traumatizing both him, and their friends by her refusal to accept the bond and, to put it very simply,not die.
I found her character VERY hard to like and sympathize with,so being in her head was difficult,especially with a book of this length. I didn’t find her stubbornness and need for control, (at the expense of her mate and pack’s emotions) at all endearing,and it was an unnecessary distraction and plot point. This goes on ad nauseam to the point where,to be frank,I no longer cared. I wasn’t invested.
At 55% nothing at all has occurred to move the story along,and my refusal to DNF is the only reason why I pushed onward.
My one sticking point is that,as far as rejected mates stories go,I felt it was a misleading statement and inaccurate description of this book, in many ways.
I’d say it’s shifter-adjacent and more of a romantic suspense.
I won’t be giving a star rating,but I’ll be hesitant to read omegaverse stories of this length and with so little “meat” or substance in future.
I hesitate to write something unnecessarily negative,but I like hearing reader’s thoughts when choosing my own books,so while I won’t mince words, this isn’t meant to be super critical/toxic.
That being said,this particular duet clocked in at just over 1100 pages…and it could’ve easily been 700 pages shorter. No exaggeration. It was INCREDIBLY long-winded,and felt like a chore to read after the initial high of the beginning of its first book.
It’s not as if there was zero plot,but there was very little character development,and WAY too much repetition and inner monologuing that did nothing to further the story. I’d label it predictable,for the most part.
My biggest takeaway:
Rennick is very much a victim of his circumstances,and yet,we see Noa further victimizing/traumatizing both him, and their friends by her refusal to accept the bond and, to put it very simply,not die.
I found her character VERY hard to like and sympathize with,so being in her head was difficult,especially with a book of this length. I didn’t find her stubbornness and need for control, (at the expense of her mate and pack’s emotions) at all endearing,and it was an unnecessary distraction and plot point. This goes on ad nauseam to the point where,to be frank,I no longer cared. I wasn’t invested.
At 55% nothing at all has occurred to move the story along,and my refusal to DNF is the only reason why I pushed onward.
My one sticking point is that,as far as rejected mates stories go,I felt it was a misleading statement and inaccurate description of this book, in many ways.
I’d say it’s shifter-adjacent and more of a romantic suspense.
I won’t be giving a star rating,but I’ll be hesitant to read omegaverse stories of this length and with so little “meat” or substance in future.
January 28, 2026
I think this is going on a pause at 63% in.
There are so many amazing things to like about this book.
Tension
Heartbreak
Fated mates
Wolfy romance
Great side characters
Interesting magic
High stakes
Forced proximity
MMC groveling
But, I think it is just too long. Once I got to the half way point my mind was happy with the story and writing but my brain was detached and was finished if that makes sense? Idk maybe it needed to be 3 books? I also want more out of the MMC. His personality seems very flat? Non dimensional?
With that said I did enjoy what I have read of this book so far and I really do love the writing and storyline! It just maybe seems a little drugged out?
There are so many amazing things to like about this book.
Tension
Heartbreak
Fated mates
Wolfy romance
Great side characters
Interesting magic
High stakes
Forced proximity
MMC groveling
But, I think it is just too long. Once I got to the half way point my mind was happy with the story and writing but my brain was detached and was finished if that makes sense? Idk maybe it needed to be 3 books? I also want more out of the MMC. His personality seems very flat? Non dimensional?
With that said I did enjoy what I have read of this book so far and I really do love the writing and storyline! It just maybe seems a little drugged out?
January 25, 2026
O livro começa no ponto final do anterior, com muita açao e emoçāo. Depois fica bastante tempo na construção dá nova relação do Ren e Noa. E fica bastante tempo nisso… até o momento que muita coisa acontece…. Informações que eu ansiei o livro inteiro, são reveladas. Os últimos 10%, são de tirar o folego. Sim, para mim merece 5 ⭐️, pq ele me entregou emoções!
January 22, 2026
OK… let’s see if I can string my thoughts together in a coherent way because this book absolutely wore me out.
Book 1 was around 300 pages and focused mostly on our MCs, with just enough plot to keep things moving. This one? 700+ pages and everything all at once.
And honestly… less would’ve been more.
I get that the author had a lot she wanted to cover, but it ended up feeling bulky and overdone. There were multiple moments where something big was clearly being built up, the chapter would end, and then—boom—it’s suddenly days later and we get a quick recap instead of actually experiencing the scene. That drove me a little nuts. This really should have been a trilogy so everything could’ve been fleshed out the way it deserved.
But the thing that really turned me off? That death at the end.
So many people in this book could’ve died, and that was the choice? It felt random, convenient, and very much designed to manufacture emotions. I’m probably going to hold a grudge about it, not gonna lie.
That said—our two MCs? No complaints there. Their story is officially complete, and they’re honestly the only reason I pushed through all 700+ pages. I loved them.
The overarching plot will continue in the series, but whether I keep going is going to depend heavily on who the next book focuses on… and how many pages it is. 🤷🏻♀️
Book 1 was around 300 pages and focused mostly on our MCs, with just enough plot to keep things moving. This one? 700+ pages and everything all at once.
And honestly… less would’ve been more.
I get that the author had a lot she wanted to cover, but it ended up feeling bulky and overdone. There were multiple moments where something big was clearly being built up, the chapter would end, and then—boom—it’s suddenly days later and we get a quick recap instead of actually experiencing the scene. That drove me a little nuts. This really should have been a trilogy so everything could’ve been fleshed out the way it deserved.
But the thing that really turned me off? That death at the end.
So many people in this book could’ve died, and that was the choice? It felt random, convenient, and very much designed to manufacture emotions. I’m probably going to hold a grudge about it, not gonna lie.
That said—our two MCs? No complaints there. Their story is officially complete, and they’re honestly the only reason I pushed through all 700+ pages. I loved them.
The overarching plot will continue in the series, but whether I keep going is going to depend heavily on who the next book focuses on… and how many pages it is. 🤷🏻♀️
January 25, 2026
The way I rage called my bestie about how much Noa pissed me tf off in this book. Book one Noa? Like hey girl I get it I’m on your side!!! Book two Noa? Absolutely not throw her off a cliff. She acts like she’s some damn martyr but girl there’s no reason to “sacrifice” (iykyk) yourself.
All this being said, I’m dying to read a spin off ahaha like gimme another couple asap! (Because I do enjoy this author a lot, but this book just wasn’t it)
2/5⭐️
All this being said, I’m dying to read a spin off ahaha like gimme another couple asap! (Because I do enjoy this author a lot, but this book just wasn’t it)
2/5⭐️
February 23, 2026
this story did not need to be two books. so much prolonging of the story, more monotonous internal monologuing, and minimal character development. i found myself bored. i could easily put it down but i’ll admit i found myself coming back to it. i could’ve dnfed but i found myself steadfast in my personal need for closure- even though this story is highly predictable.
January 24, 2026
3.5 ★ but rounding up.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Raw ever since I finished Primal a few months back and was left with that intense cliffhanger. As soon as it launched, I pounced (pun intended).
Raw gets a solid four stars for its entertainment value. The first half, especially, captured me and was responsible for several “just one more chapter” moments long after the sun went down. And while I, overall, did enjoy my reading experience with Raw, its length started to get to me the more I read on.
I think Raw could’ve benefited from a few more rounds of edits, not just in terms of minor spelling and grammar errors (which there were quite a few), but also in paring it down so that it packed more of a punch like Primal did. The second half certainly had its highlight, “oh sh!t” moments, but some parts did drag to the point where I was simply ready for the story to come to its conclusion.
With Raw, I came, I read, they knotted (repeatedly), and we all had a fairly good time. And based on the bread crumbs sprinkled here and the foundations laid, I’m anticipating a spin-off series that I plan to seek out.
Things I Enjoyed:
🐺 The Characters - Though Noa dragging out that specific decision grated on my nerves.
🪄 The Magic - We get more powers and possibilities here which were fun to explore.
✨ The Threads Unraveling - Literally and metaphorically
🩸 The Action - Both early on and in that last 10% or so that had me on the edge of my seat.
🫱🏽🫲🏼 The Continuation of the Nightingale Storyline - This aspect really drew me into Primal and added great depth to the characters and plot.
Things I Struggled With:
📖 The Length - As mentioned above. It felt repetitive at times with some excessive internal monologues.
👄 The Later Dirty Talk - It was just not it for me, and I found it odd that Ren had never been with another woman before because he sounded and came off as rather experienced/practiced.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Raw ever since I finished Primal a few months back and was left with that intense cliffhanger. As soon as it launched, I pounced (pun intended).
Raw gets a solid four stars for its entertainment value. The first half, especially, captured me and was responsible for several “just one more chapter” moments long after the sun went down. And while I, overall, did enjoy my reading experience with Raw, its length started to get to me the more I read on.
I think Raw could’ve benefited from a few more rounds of edits, not just in terms of minor spelling and grammar errors (which there were quite a few), but also in paring it down so that it packed more of a punch like Primal did. The second half certainly had its highlight, “oh sh!t” moments, but some parts did drag to the point where I was simply ready for the story to come to its conclusion.
With Raw, I came, I read, they knotted (repeatedly), and we all had a fairly good time. And based on the bread crumbs sprinkled here and the foundations laid, I’m anticipating a spin-off series that I plan to seek out.
Things I Enjoyed:
🐺 The Characters - Though Noa dragging out that specific decision grated on my nerves.
🪄 The Magic - We get more powers and possibilities here which were fun to explore.
✨ The Threads Unraveling - Literally and metaphorically
🩸 The Action - Both early on and in that last 10% or so that had me on the edge of my seat.
🫱🏽🫲🏼 The Continuation of the Nightingale Storyline - This aspect really drew me into Primal and added great depth to the characters and plot.
Things I Struggled With:
📖 The Length - As mentioned above. It felt repetitive at times with some excessive internal monologues.
👄 The Later Dirty Talk - It was just not it for me, and I found it odd that Ren had never been with another woman before because he sounded and came off as rather experienced/practiced.
January 29, 2026
ARC: 4.25 ⭐️
Kayleighhhh. Goodness. You really made me go through it with this one. Right out of the gate, my heart was in my throat for the first several chapters — no warm-up, no mercy, just instant emotional damage.
When I said Ren had WORK to do after everything he was responsible for in Primal… our boy absolutely put in the work. THIS MAN. I am on my knees for him always. His relentless determination to not just say the right things, but actively show growth, accountability, and devotion was everything I wanted. This man is down bad — and I was right there with him.
Our sweet omega Noa broke my heart. Trust is the hardest thing for her to give, and the pain she carries doesn’t disappear just because she wants to hope again. She has to see it, feel it, and slowly learn how to believe.
I loved the journey back to where it all began and especially the found family — the sisterhood and bonds that formed were easily my favorite part of the book.
That said, this book is incredibly long. While the opening was fast and gripping, the middle did slow down and drag a bit for me. I honestly think this could have been tightened or even split into two books to keep the pacing stronger.
I still have approximately three thousand unanswered questions and at least three side characters I desperately need more of. And yes… I am still unwell about a certain part (Kayleigh knows exactly what she did 😩). That ending has me feral for what’s coming next.
Kayleighhhh. Goodness. You really made me go through it with this one. Right out of the gate, my heart was in my throat for the first several chapters — no warm-up, no mercy, just instant emotional damage.
When I said Ren had WORK to do after everything he was responsible for in Primal… our boy absolutely put in the work. THIS MAN. I am on my knees for him always. His relentless determination to not just say the right things, but actively show growth, accountability, and devotion was everything I wanted. This man is down bad — and I was right there with him.
Our sweet omega Noa broke my heart. Trust is the hardest thing for her to give, and the pain she carries doesn’t disappear just because she wants to hope again. She has to see it, feel it, and slowly learn how to believe.
I loved the journey back to where it all began and especially the found family — the sisterhood and bonds that formed were easily my favorite part of the book.
That said, this book is incredibly long. While the opening was fast and gripping, the middle did slow down and drag a bit for me. I honestly think this could have been tightened or even split into two books to keep the pacing stronger.
I still have approximately three thousand unanswered questions and at least three side characters I desperately need more of. And yes… I am still unwell about a certain part (Kayleigh knows exactly what she did 😩). That ending has me feral for what’s coming next.
January 21, 2026
This book definitely could have used another pass with an editor to clean up the typos, but overall - this was a great conclusion to Noa and Ren’s story.
I was quite intimidated at first by the size of this beast - and then proceeded to inhale all 750 pages in less than 48 hours - it had my attention!
A few parts felt like they were dragging a bit, but at the same time I appreciated seeing some of those quieter moments, especially when Rennick was still grovelling to prove himself to Noa.
No spoilers - but a few parts had me close to tears.
I’m excited to see where Kayleigh King takes this universe - there are so many side characters I’d love to learn more about! And there are still so many unanswered questions (and some baddies still breathing…)
Bonus points for the pack name of Fallamhain, which is the Irish origin of my first name 🫶🏻
I was quite intimidated at first by the size of this beast - and then proceeded to inhale all 750 pages in less than 48 hours - it had my attention!
A few parts felt like they were dragging a bit, but at the same time I appreciated seeing some of those quieter moments, especially when Rennick was still grovelling to prove himself to Noa.
No spoilers - but a few parts had me close to tears.
I’m excited to see where Kayleigh King takes this universe - there are so many side characters I’d love to learn more about! And there are still so many unanswered questions (and some baddies still breathing…)
Bonus points for the pack name of Fallamhain, which is the Irish origin of my first name 🫶🏻
April 6, 2026
(4.5) this duology was an aching slowwww burnnnn all for selfless reasons though. This book was action packed with rivalry and so much death between wolf packs and witches. The ending absolutely gutted me and left me wanting to know more about June and Canaan! What’s crazy is that Noa’s mom had planned this all out to return her to Rennick and undo a wrong she was forced to commit. But at last her ashes were reunited at her mates grave.
***spoilers***
ummm my heart?! I am ABSOLUTELY devastated for Canaan. That is such a huge fear of mine. To lose your fated mate and in such a gruesome way. Ugh I couldn’t stop crying! His howl after he felt there bond break made me ball!
Oh and in the end of the book we find out a little more about Juno and the pack she maybe left?
***spoilers***
ummm my heart?! I am ABSOLUTELY devastated for Canaan. That is such a huge fear of mine. To lose your fated mate and in such a gruesome way. Ugh I couldn’t stop crying! His howl after he felt there bond break made me ball!
Oh and in the end of the book we find out a little more about Juno and the pack she maybe left?
March 30, 2026
Noa’s pride took half of the book it was annoying like girl let that man bite you. Like she was draggggging the whole “dying” thing especially when the solution was so easy. Half of that time could have been spent on the villain shaking things up like they did book 1. The suspense surrounding the kidnappings just didn’t work the same in this book. I was a bit surprised with the ending. The book had potential but fell flat to me.
January 27, 2026
The first 50% of this book was phenomenal, out of this world perfect and held my attention. The last half was a downhill slope. I appreciated giving these characters the time and pages they deserved. On the other hand, it could have been condensed and still impactful.
March 27, 2026
I can’t believe it ended like that 😭
everyone saying this book was too long, yes I can see that but idk I ate the first 60% of it in two days man it was so good. I took my time to savor it after that 🤣 I see everyone hates Noa too but stubborn as she may be throughout this book I still loved her and understood her reasonings. I really enjoyed this duet and loved how it all came together, the plot, her mother’s secrets, Noa and Rennicks relationship and bond. Was it a little slow, maybe, but I quite enjoyed the pacing in the book. I’m going to miss them and their story so much!❤️ my babies!!!
I didn’t realize it was a HFN and so many questions weren’t answered bc it’s gonna unfold in future books so I am bummed about that but regardless it was an amazing story even though it’s a little unfinished. I would’ve loved if it ended with Noa having a few day heat and then getting pregnant ugh that would’ve been so cute but I have a feeling it’s gonna happen in the future books but as a background couple since the other books will be about the side characters.
everyone saying this book was too long, yes I can see that but idk I ate the first 60% of it in two days man it was so good. I took my time to savor it after that 🤣 I see everyone hates Noa too but stubborn as she may be throughout this book I still loved her and understood her reasonings. I really enjoyed this duet and loved how it all came together, the plot, her mother’s secrets, Noa and Rennicks relationship and bond. Was it a little slow, maybe, but I quite enjoyed the pacing in the book. I’m going to miss them and their story so much!❤️ my babies!!!
I didn’t realize it was a HFN and so many questions weren’t answered bc it’s gonna unfold in future books so I am bummed about that but regardless it was an amazing story even though it’s a little unfinished. I would’ve loved if it ended with Noa having a few day heat and then getting pregnant ugh that would’ve been so cute but I have a feeling it’s gonna happen in the future books but as a background couple since the other books will be about the side characters.
February 6, 2026
This biggest let down this year.
Where was all the groveling that was promised?!? This book was marketed as being heavily based on the groveling that rennick does after his brutal rejection of noa but the heavy groveling was nowhere to be found. We got small snippets of it but when a book is 600+ pages long and is marketed as having heavy groveling then I’d expect the groveling to not take a backseat in the story.
All of the over explanation of the scenery exhausted me. And don’t get me wrong, I love me a descriptive scenery to set the mood and make me feel like I’m there but there is a line where it becomes too much. I swear the bulk of the word count of this book was just on descriptions of things/people and very long winded inner monologues about the same thing told in the same way. Not to mention how a 600+ paged book managed to be riddled with tell and not show scenes. With this massive page count why are there so many jump cuts where we are just told what happened instead of shown it.
And what I disliked the most about this book was that fight scene at the end. I’m so dumbfounded by how unprepared noa was to stand a fighting chance against the coven and pack that they knew where coming back for a brutal fight. Noa has ample time to prepare herself with combat skills that could help her hold her own so that she’s not a sitting duck. She even shows up to one of the fighting classes being held but doesn’t actively participate in learning any of it. And when the time comes that the evil coven and pack come for their fight, the grand plan that noa and rennick came up with with was for noa to hide in the shelter at rennicks house for safety while the fight went down. I was so annoyed by this because noa is described as being a selfless and self sacrificing person that fights to the death to protect those she cares for ( specifically, the omegas that have suffered abuse) but yet she never planned on going out there to help them fight. She was just gonna hide away in the shelter while evryone risked their lives when a big part of why the fight was even taken place was because of noa. Even though this shelter plan didn’t pan out so noa was out there in the fight, she was useless and a major liability up until the very end of it when she finally helped out. I was just so enraged by how helpless she was made out to be for so much of this fight scene.
And I still can’t believe that rhosyn died saving noa in that fight scene just for noa to then turn around and spare talis’s life because she says having to live with the ruins of everything and the loss of her dad and her pack will be a worse sentence than dying. Talis was an evil person that was at the fight scene because she was offering a getaway car to the enemies one of which was who killed rhosyn. Living would not be a worse fate than death would be for Talis in this case. I wanted an eye for an eye, a revenge for rohsyn’s death and that should have came with talis’s death. Not to mention the fact that under Noa’s orders, Talis wasn’t even released to live this miserably life without her pack or her dad right away. No, she was housed there until her wounds from the fight/noas magic healed and then she was released to her own defenses because releasing her to fend for herself just weighed too heavy on noa’s soft and caring heart😒. All I could think about during this was how this unworthy mercy shown to Talis was a spit on rhosyn’s grave.
Where was all the groveling that was promised?!? This book was marketed as being heavily based on the groveling that rennick does after his brutal rejection of noa but the heavy groveling was nowhere to be found. We got small snippets of it but when a book is 600+ pages long and is marketed as having heavy groveling then I’d expect the groveling to not take a backseat in the story.
All of the over explanation of the scenery exhausted me. And don’t get me wrong, I love me a descriptive scenery to set the mood and make me feel like I’m there but there is a line where it becomes too much. I swear the bulk of the word count of this book was just on descriptions of things/people and very long winded inner monologues about the same thing told in the same way. Not to mention how a 600+ paged book managed to be riddled with tell and not show scenes. With this massive page count why are there so many jump cuts where we are just told what happened instead of shown it.
And what I disliked the most about this book was that fight scene at the end. I’m so dumbfounded by how unprepared noa was to stand a fighting chance against the coven and pack that they knew where coming back for a brutal fight. Noa has ample time to prepare herself with combat skills that could help her hold her own so that she’s not a sitting duck. She even shows up to one of the fighting classes being held but doesn’t actively participate in learning any of it. And when the time comes that the evil coven and pack come for their fight, the grand plan that noa and rennick came up with with was for noa to hide in the shelter at rennicks house for safety while the fight went down. I was so annoyed by this because noa is described as being a selfless and self sacrificing person that fights to the death to protect those she cares for ( specifically, the omegas that have suffered abuse) but yet she never planned on going out there to help them fight. She was just gonna hide away in the shelter while evryone risked their lives when a big part of why the fight was even taken place was because of noa. Even though this shelter plan didn’t pan out so noa was out there in the fight, she was useless and a major liability up until the very end of it when she finally helped out. I was just so enraged by how helpless she was made out to be for so much of this fight scene.
And I still can’t believe that rhosyn died saving noa in that fight scene just for noa to then turn around and spare talis’s life because she says having to live with the ruins of everything and the loss of her dad and her pack will be a worse sentence than dying. Talis was an evil person that was at the fight scene because she was offering a getaway car to the enemies one of which was who killed rhosyn. Living would not be a worse fate than death would be for Talis in this case. I wanted an eye for an eye, a revenge for rohsyn’s death and that should have came with talis’s death. Not to mention the fact that under Noa’s orders, Talis wasn’t even released to live this miserably life without her pack or her dad right away. No, she was housed there until her wounds from the fight/noas magic healed and then she was released to her own defenses because releasing her to fend for herself just weighed too heavy on noa’s soft and caring heart😒. All I could think about during this was how this unworthy mercy shown to Talis was a spit on rhosyn’s grave.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2026
I’m going to start by saying, this duet is my introduction to this author. I don’t know much about her but her writing style feels fresh. If she is a new author, I can’t wait to see how she progresses. I really enjoy her writing and I liked where she was going with this story but this book could have used a good editor.
Let’s get into it. I think the main issue was that this book was long, way longer than it needed to be. I enjoyed the first half of the book. It was long but I understood the need for the grovel to happen slowly. However, the second half of the book felt like trudging through dry sand. There was too much unnecessary fluff. For example, the first sex scene. It spans multiple long drawn out chapters. It was soooooo slow. So slow that I was actually bored. I could understand maybe two short chapters so you can get each characters POV but it just went on and on and on and on. It wasn’t that there was an excessive amount of spice either, it was just so much introspection between each touch. I feel like a few well placed words can get the point across in a stronger way than detailing ever thought and feeling. (Maybe I should take my own advice when writing this review….nah!)
Also, I think Noa’s resistance to bonding went on too long. She’s literally on deaths door but is asking for time to just be a couple. Come on girl, let’s get real.
When Noa’s heat finally comes, I don’t understand why Rennick doesn’t bite her right away. He knows it’s the cure, he knows she will die without it, yet he’s still slow to do it. Then oopsies, she dies because of his slow ass. Once he realizes she’s dead there are multiple pages of him trying to resuscitate her….brooooooo why have you still not bitten her??? Then like it’s a Hail Mary he bites her…finally. Praise be, it worked. Can you believe it? Actually, yes, I can. Everyone already knows that was the cure….sooooo. That whole scene was poorly thought out. For this to have worked Rennick needed to still be in the dark about how his bite is her cure.
I was also extremely disappointed with how late in the game the claiming actually happens. I was really hoping for more with Noa accessing her wolf and learning about her powers. None of that happens until that last 100 kindle pages or so and that’s ridiculous when the whole book is like 750 kindle pages.
Lastly, the second half does fall victim to quite a few spelling errors.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise. Again, a good editor could fix the major issues. I would also have liked to see more development from the FMC, but I really enjoyed the vibes. Loved that we got a shifter universe that felt more modern. The grovel was extremely satisfying. Loved all the side characters. I hope to read more from this author in the future.
Let’s get into it. I think the main issue was that this book was long, way longer than it needed to be. I enjoyed the first half of the book. It was long but I understood the need for the grovel to happen slowly. However, the second half of the book felt like trudging through dry sand. There was too much unnecessary fluff. For example, the first sex scene. It spans multiple long drawn out chapters. It was soooooo slow. So slow that I was actually bored. I could understand maybe two short chapters so you can get each characters POV but it just went on and on and on and on. It wasn’t that there was an excessive amount of spice either, it was just so much introspection between each touch. I feel like a few well placed words can get the point across in a stronger way than detailing ever thought and feeling. (Maybe I should take my own advice when writing this review….nah!)
Also, I think Noa’s resistance to bonding went on too long. She’s literally on deaths door but is asking for time to just be a couple. Come on girl, let’s get real.
When Noa’s heat finally comes, I don’t understand why Rennick doesn’t bite her right away. He knows it’s the cure, he knows she will die without it, yet he’s still slow to do it. Then oopsies, she dies because of his slow ass. Once he realizes she’s dead there are multiple pages of him trying to resuscitate her….brooooooo why have you still not bitten her??? Then like it’s a Hail Mary he bites her…finally. Praise be, it worked. Can you believe it? Actually, yes, I can. Everyone already knows that was the cure….sooooo. That whole scene was poorly thought out. For this to have worked Rennick needed to still be in the dark about how his bite is her cure.
I was also extremely disappointed with how late in the game the claiming actually happens. I was really hoping for more with Noa accessing her wolf and learning about her powers. None of that happens until that last 100 kindle pages or so and that’s ridiculous when the whole book is like 750 kindle pages.
Lastly, the second half does fall victim to quite a few spelling errors.
Overall, I enjoyed the premise. Again, a good editor could fix the major issues. I would also have liked to see more development from the FMC, but I really enjoyed the vibes. Loved that we got a shifter universe that felt more modern. The grovel was extremely satisfying. Loved all the side characters. I hope to read more from this author in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2026
1.5⭐️, but I feel like I’m being generous
This book took forever to end. It was unnecessary long, too repetitive, a complete drag, and at one point, I just could not care less. In other words, I started skimming through close to half way through.
My problems with it:
1) Truthfully, the duet has promise. It has a good plot, but, it was written in such a way that it made it dull. Like, why are we still repeating stuff already explained in the first book? We are still having the same issue from book one. The book is annoyingly descriptive…can’t believe I’m complaining over such a thing. Didn’t think it was possible, but it is. You don’t have to repeat the same thing over and over again. It just start to make things dull, boring, and like they are dragging for no reason, specially when it doesn’t add anything to the story.
2) The nightingales improve faster from their intense trauma than Noa does from Rennick. Not even a full day in and they are already reacting better and feeling comfortable, than Noa. Everything with Rennick and Noa should have been resolved either in the first book or at the start of this one. Then all the focused should have stayed on the disappearing omegas.
3) A book and a half in and still with basically zero explanations. Which is a major issue for the duet. Some semblance of a resolve should have happened long before hitting the half way mark, but no. Everything was left for when the book was like 80% done. So by close to half way through, a lot of unnecessary narrative is still happening that feels like filler and by this point, I also started skimming through it. Because why are we sitting around making gift basket like if they were in summer camp making friendship bracelets instead of getting things worked out?
4) After Noa accepted Rennick, she started prolonging the bite mark for what reason again? For no reason other than to prolong a plot line that is long over due by this point.
Honestly, I’m glad I “finished” it. Definitely got everything I need to know and it was a shitty ending either way so I’m glad I decided to skim it, instead of powering through.
This book took forever to end. It was unnecessary long, too repetitive, a complete drag, and at one point, I just could not care less. In other words, I started skimming through close to half way through.
My problems with it:
1) Truthfully, the duet has promise. It has a good plot, but, it was written in such a way that it made it dull. Like, why are we still repeating stuff already explained in the first book? We are still having the same issue from book one. The book is annoyingly descriptive…can’t believe I’m complaining over such a thing. Didn’t think it was possible, but it is. You don’t have to repeat the same thing over and over again. It just start to make things dull, boring, and like they are dragging for no reason, specially when it doesn’t add anything to the story.
2) The nightingales improve faster from their intense trauma than Noa does from Rennick. Not even a full day in and they are already reacting better and feeling comfortable, than Noa. Everything with Rennick and Noa should have been resolved either in the first book or at the start of this one. Then all the focused should have stayed on the disappearing omegas.
3) A book and a half in and still with basically zero explanations. Which is a major issue for the duet. Some semblance of a resolve should have happened long before hitting the half way mark, but no. Everything was left for when the book was like 80% done. So by close to half way through, a lot of unnecessary narrative is still happening that feels like filler and by this point, I also started skimming through it. Because why are we sitting around making gift basket like if they were in summer camp making friendship bracelets instead of getting things worked out?
4) After Noa accepted Rennick, she started prolonging the bite mark for what reason again? For no reason other than to prolong a plot line that is long over due by this point.
Honestly, I’m glad I “finished” it. Definitely got everything I need to know and it was a shitty ending either way so I’m glad I decided to skim it, instead of powering through.
April 26, 2026
Nope. You guess the entire book from the beginning, the plot does not arrive until quite literally 80%…..not sure why I finished this but that took awhile. Definitely do not recommend.
April 5, 2026
I’m so disappointed that I actually had to DNF. The author promised a strong FMC but she’s such a martyr, and my GOD do you hear about it. There’s so little dialogue, it’s paragraph after paragraph of the FMC whining about how the MMC can’t be trusted because he hurt her… after he’s clearly demonstrated that he CAN be trusted, several times over. I tried so hard to read this, each chapter I promised myself that if they didn’t move the plot along I’d stop reading… I got 56% of the way through and by that point I was barely skimming the text.. just a nauseating amount of the hemming and hawing. When I got to the part where the MMC and FMC are on the same page about how to fix things and they STILL decide to delay (she’s dying btw, he just has to bite her) because it “doesn’t feel right” I got so fed up I actually threw my hands in the air and walked away. It occurred to me then that the author purposefully stretched the story into two books when she could have just kept it to one. Seriously the amount of time spent reading about the FMC wanting to sacrifice herself for literally no other reason than her pride is ridiculous. The plot hasn’t moved for over 50% of the book!!!! I’m upset I wasted so much of my free time reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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