DEFENSELESS

by K.L. Lindsey

Taken. Broken. Bound.
Rescue is coming. Right?

Alongside Misha and Volk, Jessie endures captivity that strips them all down to their rawest selves. Fear, rage, and devotion become the fragile threads that keep them alive.

Dmitri and Rachel won't stop looking for them.

Rachel is sharp and unbreakable on the surface, carrying scars from a past she refuses to let define her. Dmitri is quiet, relentless, and willing to cross any line to protect what’s his. Together, they don’t just pull Jessie, Misha, and Volk out of hell—they refuse to let them face the aftermath alone.

But freedom doesn’t bring peace.
It brings grief. Nightmares. Bodies that remember too much.
What forms between them isn’t simple. Or easy.
It’s messy and intense. Built on shared trauma, loyalty, and a kind of love that doesn’t fit rules.

As Jessie and Rachel navigate recovery, desire, and the terrifying possibility of a future, the danger hasn’t disappeared—it’s only gone quiet. Enemies are still watching. Plans are still in motion. And in a world ruled by violence, choosing love might be the most dangerous act of all.

DEFENSELESS is the second book of a dark, why choose/reverse harem (MFMFM and MF) romance, meaning the female main characters never have to choose between their love interests. It CANNOT be read as a standalone. Book 1, DESPERATE, must be read first. This book contains adult themes, sensitive topics, and is solely intended for mature audiences 18+. It is recommended that readers consult the trigger warnings found in the foreword before reading.

339 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2026

About the author

K.L. Lindsey writes dark romance because it’s cheaper than therapy and way more fun. She has a soft spot for golden retriever men with sharp teeth, traumatized girls who burn the world down, and plot twists that hurt.

No one knows if she’s chaotic-neutral or just caffeine-dependent. Probably both.

When she’s not writing morally questionable characters doing morally questionable things, she’s rereading her favorite scenes and wondering if she should warn her readers… (She won’t.)

She lives in a house full of books and bad decisions with her husband, kids, and cats.

Reviews

[Michelle Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessie, Volk and Misha were gone, leaving Rachel and Dmitri scrambling to find any trace of where they had been taken, and leaving them no choice but to call in the big guns., i.e. Lina’s men. Seeing Nik, Axel, and Johnny again should have felt like relief… but for a long stretch, they could do little more than wait for the storm to break. However, the real story, the one that lingers, that claws under your skin, isn’t the rescue. It’s the captivity. Those chapters are brutal. Suffocating. The kind that leaves you holding your breath without realizing you’re doing it. Hope doesn’t just fade, it rots. What begins as a belief that rescue is coming twists into something hollow as hours bleed into days, and days into something far worse. That slow, creeping realization that no one is coming, not yet, maybe not at all, is devastating. The author doesn’t soften it. You feel everything: the fear, the exhaustion, the quiet unraveling. And yet, in that darkness, there’s something almost defiant in the way Volk, Jessie, and Misha cling to each other. It’s not just survival; it’s resistance against breaking completely. Jessie’s ordeal cuts the deepest. Volk and Misha have lived in violence; it’s carved into them. But Jessie? She’s forced to endure it without that armor, and watching her fight to hold onto herself is both harrowing and awe-inspiring. Still, the longer it drags on, the more the cracks show. Strength has its limits, and this story isn’t afraid to show them. When rescue finally comes, it doesn’t erase what happened, it reshapes everything. The aftermath shifts focus in a way that feels almost intimate compared to the brutality before it. Bonds have been forged in captivity, but not just among the three who were taken. Rachel and Dmitri have crossed lines of their own, and now, thrown back together, the dynamic is charged, complicated, and unexpectedly tender. Volk naturally takes the lead (some things never change) but there’s a balance here, moments of quiet connection woven between the tension. It’s no longer about survival but about what comes after… how people rebuild when they’ve been stripped down to their core. If there’s one lingering frustration, it’s that vengeance was ultimately taken out of their hands, which somehow ruined that sense of closure, although they were now safe. But in the end, what remains is something strangely beautiful: a fractured, unconventional family, all five of them (then six), bound not just by desire, but by shared trauma, loyalty, and a fierce, hard-earned love. And honestly? That might be the most powerful thing of all.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Macy Sigman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defenseless by K.L. Lindsay delivers a reverse harem story with strong character dynamics and meaningful development throughout the book. One of the highlights for me was seeing how much the characters changed and evolved over time—the differences between who they were at the beginning and who they became by the end were significant and added a lot of depth to the story.

The beginning was a bit slow to start, but once the plot gained momentum, the relationships and character growth really pulled me in. My only drawback was the ending, which felt a little scattered and rushed compared to the rest of the story. The wrap-up happened very quickly, and I would have loved a bit more time to sit with the resolution. Overall, though, it was an engaging reverse harem with strong character development that made the journey worthwhile.

While I really enjoyed the character growth and relationship dynamics, the pacing kept it from being a full 5-star read for me. The story took a while to get going, and the ending felt rushed with a very quick wrap-up.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cynthia DeFrancisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

idk what it is about K.L. universe or character, but I can't get enough! I loved the final piece to this dualogy. and the cameo of Lina's men was the cherry on top.

Defenseless is emotional and heavy with trauma.. but the way the guys support Jessie and Rachel.. I didn't even mind it. I knew they were in the BEST hands 😉 I appreciate a mature/possessive man and K.L gave us 3!

This is why choose, but the poly spin to the relationship dynamics bright sums fun to the trope. MMFFM. Every scene was scorching. Volk, Misha and Dimitri bring their own sexy twist to the relationship and I couldn't get enough.

This book sets up a lot of fun questions of what will come next. I can't wait for more!

[Prsongbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I can say was missing, but for some reason this book didn’t pull me in like I was hoping it would and I struggled to finish it but I did make it all the way through. It didn’t make me feel anything for the characters. I did read both books in the duet before posting this review. It seems like a lot of other people love it so I think it just wasn’t for me which is why I’m still giving it 3 stars. I am a lover of dark romance novels so it is not trigger related, just wanted to add that. I felt like the dark in this dark romance was very very mild.

* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shay loves books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely beautiful story! We had to go through a lot of crap to get there but it was so worth it!

I cried a few times reading this book. It had some hard topics with a beautiful outcomes. I seriously cannot get enough of K.L.’s writing. She get you so immersed and involved in each character that you feel like your right their with them. The words just flow so perfectly and makes her books so easy to read and understand.

You need to read all of her books. Start with the damaged series then head on over to the Desperate Duet. You can thank me later!

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fable Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Goodreads Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Genre: Dark Romance
Tropes:
🖤Why Choose
🖤MMFFM
🖤Found Family
Format: ebook
Pages: 359
Spice: 3 🌶️
MCs: Dmitri, Rachel, Jessie, Misha, Volk
S/S: The Desperate Duet
Check trigger warnings for any book

This is the second book in the series. This is not a standalone and must be read after book 1. This is the first book in the series. Thank you to the author and BookSirens for an advanced copy.
Lillian - @lillianbookreviews on instagram

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the first one, Desperate, that characters are really thought-out and not one-dimensional. The storyline was great, with the reverse harem, and steamy sex. The only downfall is it took a while for me to get into it. The pace starts slow for me, but then the ending is BAM!, in your face, wrapped up and done.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[K.L. Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel and Jessie's duet is coming to an end. Hold on tight! You're in for a wild ride, but I promise they get the happy ending they both deserve.

Thank you for reading and supporting this indie author's slightly chaotic imagination!

If you loved the duet, please tell your friends. I'm not above bribery. Or light begging.

[Jules unmuted · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love when a duet series wraps up in a lovely bow!!

This duet is the ultimate found family trope.

I read this in one setting and then reread it because I loved it.

This is a why choose, but instead of 1 woman there are 2. The women are best friends, and not together. But they all seriously love each other.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindsey has become one of my fave authors. I came across her first book on Booksirens and immediately fell in love with it.
I've loved each of them since. I loved the tension and chaos in this. the twists and turns were wild. I loved the bond that all of these guys have. it really brings so much to these books.
I was definitely obsessed with this one. I need more now.

[Justina · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good

Honestly K.L. Lindsey is probably one of the most talented writers, I’ve came across. They are perfect with conveying the right amount of emotion to make you cry or laugh. The spicy scenes are great without being too drawn out. The care placed in understanding SA, trauma bonding and polyamory is well noted. Honestly I can’t wait to see what K.L. Lindsey writes next.

[Danya Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure if I was going to like this series but after reading all her other books I wanted to try it out. Never read a series with 2 main female characters in a poly relationship. Oh man was this perfect!

[Danielle Grayson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book, the twists were heart stopping. I loved this story with the addition of previous characters.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Abigail Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely need more. I was completely hooked. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.