But it bound her to a world of wolves—and to a bond she can’t seem to stay away from.
Slashed by the claws of what was once a distant legend, Lenore is transformed into a nightmare she’d never thought to encounter in reality—a werewolf. The line between humanity and her new monstrous identity begins to blur, haunting her as she tries to recover from the wounds of being torn from everything she’s ever known.
Thrown into a pack of strangers deep in the wilderness, she’s forced to live among beasts she was raised to fear—yet not all of them cruel as she was led to believe. Now one of the lowest-ranked werewolves, Lenore must learn to survive in a pack struggling with its own internal strife, while darker secrets fester in the shadows.
In the midst of it all, she meets Edmund, the second-in-command of the Lunavie pack, an infuriatingly guarded werewolf she can’t seem to stay away from. As he teaches her how to navigate this brutal new life, the two grow increasingly entwined on a path tethered to their very souls.
With everything spiraling out of her control, Lenore must find the strength to endure in a world she was never born into.
Perfect for readers who love shy fated mates, gentle heroines, gruff yet protective heroes, and a slow-burn, yearning-filled romance set in a world blended with whimsical magic and looming danger.
Nikki is equipped with Cupid's bow, inking its arrowheads as makeshift pens to craft stories and art filled with romance and adventure in faraway fantasy lands—always weaving light amid the darkness.
She loves spending time with her husband and children, especially over a cozy hotpot meal, and enjoys playing games and drawing whenever she can.
What a sweet story. I loved Lenore and Edmund so much. This is just one of those books where you’re smiling all the way through and kicking your feet at how cute they are. This was the first time reading about both super shy main characters and you could feel their embarrassment and shyness but also the sweet love.
The story started off right in the action where poor Lenore was shipped off and had to take on a whole new life. But it was action packed and I enjoyed the journey and the found family was awesome.
Edmund was special. The grump that was shy but also a super bad ass. It was so sweet how protective he was but also how he crumpled in her presence.
Oh and also special mention to Pip. He was my favorite. The writing style of Nikki was easy to read and flowing and I liked the religious aspect of the book.
I will recommend to paranormal fantasy readers who enjoys a fated mates, clean romance with a slow burn and very cute characters.
I received this book for free and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Tropes: 🌙 Fated Mates 💜 Slow Burn 🌙 Shy MCs 💜 All the Yearning 🌙 Found Family 💜 Light Faith Elements 🌙 Strong Protective MMC 💜 Softly Strong FMC
Ok this is a new favorite! Easy 5⭐️!!
I love Edmund and Lenore’s journey and how their relationship progressed and grew. The adorable thing is they’re both painfully shy introvers and happen to be fated mates 🤭
I love the slow burn and how though Lenore grows and changes throughout the book, she is still a soft FMC and is more than willing to be by her man’s side in a fight but also more than willing to allow him to protect her and to fight to her strengths (chapter 58 😂) and who always wear dresses and happened to be a aesthetician before everything.
Oh and yall will never believe it. NO miscommunication!!! 😆 if there’s any issues or slight thing, it’s immediately resolved or addressed. I can’t tell you how refreshing that was.
There’s a couple characters that I absolutely love that you’ll have to read to find out but I’ll leave a couple of my favorite chapters here incase anyone is interested…
Chapter 23, 32, 41, 42, 47, 57
Also the author is an artist as well, who not only designed the beautiful cover but also creates reels with her characters and certain scenes from the book which I watch way too much but that will never stop me! 🤭
I could go on and on about all I love about it but I’m too tempted to spoil things so I’ll leave it here.
No spice, kisses only, mild language (d@mn, d@mn it), some violence (battles but nothing too detailed or gruesome)
***I have received this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinion are my own***
I was gifted this ARC by the author in exchange for a honest opinion. She has art of her characters in her social media which was what led me to sign up for the arc by the way so check her out! This is a cozy low steam book with werewolves. Perfect for those who love shy fated mates, werewolves good and bad, found family, community and the fight of good versus evil.
This is a story about a girl (Lenore) who was bitten by a werewolf and turned, she has to leave the world she knows in Arkhaven (a city with elves and other humans) behind and join a werewolf pack since she is considered dangerous to all around her. So we get this really shy and soft fmc whose life was turned over one day, who thinks she carries a monster inside her and she is tossed inside a werewolf pack without any knowledge on hunting or how to even pluck a chicken. Not only is she like very low in the pack hierarchy but others in the pack see her as an outsider, different and maybe cursed? Their alpha has been sick and something is not quite right among the pack and some are very superstitious. And despite everything Lenore stays gentle and caring. We all like the stabby feminine rage fmcs that are popular but once in a while it’s refreshening to have a fmc who isn’t a fighter, who isn’t bent on revenge, she just wants to belong and do what’s right.
Then we get to our mmc (Edmund) who is the second in the pack just below the current (sick) alpha and he is also extremely shy and introverted. So we don’t get the typical pushy alpha from the stories, we get a shy and strict protector who just wants the best for his people.
In the romance aspect since both Lenore and Edmund are so shy this leads to them being clueless on how to behave and some funny and cute situations ensue. Very cozy and very slow burn. There are fated mates among werewolves and while these 2 feel the pull from the beginning they just don’t know what to do with it , honestly there are so cute. And while Lenore is a bit clueless at the beginning because she doesn’t know about fated mates Edmund knows and he is down so bad. As the trope says he falls first and harder.
The found family and the community inside the pack is also so wholesome. It doesn’t matter that you are at the bottom of the hierarchy there is a place for you, you don’t need to be strong or a super warrior.
This book at its heart is a romance novel but with a small mystery since evil is among the pack but since Lenore knows nothing of werewolf history, customs and religion we have to learn with her everything to find out what’s wrong. I liked how it was shown that evil can hide behind kind faces and spread fast as a plague and how even those who are not fighters can still do their part and be heroes in their own way. Overall this was a very cute cozy story.
This story throws you right into the action, and I was invested from page one. The author does an excellent job with physical details—the hand placements, facial expressions, and little emotional reactions make every interaction feel vivid and engaging. Combined with the humor woven throughout the writing, the characters felt incredibly easy to connect with. The plot itself was surprisingly strong as well. There were several twists that completely caught me off guard, and they actually enhanced the story instead of feeling included purely for shock value.
That being said- the romance absolutely carried this book for me. The tension between our main characters, Lenore and Edmund, starts almost immediately- so freaking cute!!!Watching their relationship unfold was genuinely so much fun. There were multiple moments where I was kicking my feet and grinning at my book like an idiot. The MMC, Edmund, was especially adorable. Seeing him get flustered over and over again never got old, and his love confession was everything I wanted it to be. and more! Such an adorable boy 🤭. Those softer moments made the romance feel incredibly rewarding.
Beyond the romance, I appreciated how much effort the author put into building the world and establishing the characters’ circumstances. The backstory never felt overwhelming, and it blended naturally into the story.
My one real criticism is that the dialogue occasionally felt a little too modern for the setting. It wasn’t enough to ruin the experience, but it did pull me out of the story from time to time.
Overall, this was exactly the kind of romance I love: strong chemistry, lovable characters, plenty of tension, and an actual plot to support the relationship. Too many romance books focus entirely on the couple and forget to tell a story, but this one managed to balance both. Add in a cute ending, and I was left very satisfied by the time I turned the final page.
Wow, wow, wow!! I have been anxiously anticipating this ARC since I saw Nikki’s work (@ursaphea) featuring her new fantasy novel. And when I tell you, it did not disappoint but delivered 💯💯. (All gorgeous artwork in post is by her other than the raven, lantern, and forest scene).
542 pages Approximately 6+ hrs read time depending on your reading speed, and I stayed up way too late to finish it in a day.
I usually don’t like the shy MMC, tending to gravitate towards books that have bolder leading males but I love Edmund soo much! Yes he’s painfully shy regarding her and emotionally constipated but the care that he has for Lenore is just 🤭🫠. And when he finally gets the courage to speak his mind, ohhh man 🔥🫠😍🤭😏 all the heart eyes and giddy smiles. He also takes great care of his pack even though sometimes he feels less than worthy.
Lenore is just a sweet little bunny (😏) of a werewolf. Soft spoken and kind to those around her, she has somewhat of a hard time accepting her new nature. Even though you wouldn’t think it possible because she’s so shy and soft, I love the way she gently corrects Edmund when he’s being his gruff self with her and advocates for what she needs from him.
The pacing is perfect for moving things along, the world building is wonderful. I really hope she sets more novels within this world to get more information on it and to dive deeper into some of the side characters you meet. I also absolutely love and appreciate how she kept God as the deity in the book. It’s so hard to find good shifter novels that don’t worship the “moon goddess”. There is a battle between light and dark, not only physically but within some of the characters.
Language: a few minor curse words Romance: clean and sweet
This book breaks the boundaries of the romantasy / werewolf genre!! It's super sweet and super clean but also heartrendingly, uncompromisingly romantic. The author has a wonderful gift for description and poetic prose, as well as witty, realistic, and breathtaking dialogue that will melt your heart! I truly think the writing style is a cut above most romance novels these days--give it a try and you'll see what I mean.
I LOVEEE all of the characters in this book. That's really rare for me to say and, as a writer myself, I'm pretty picky about my characters, but i truly adore the whole cast!! Lenore is such a fun and refreshing female protagonist. She's shy and has all the emotions at the right times, but also brave, inquisitive, smart, and bold when she needs to be. Edmund is, of course, strong, dashing, and tries his best to be aloof--but the slow burn between them is SOOOOOOOOOOOO satisfying. I also adore the side plots between the other characters and the overarching storyline is a fierce battle between good and evil within the pack that brings an entire new layer of depth to this exquisite novel. The struggle is real and the self doubt is relatable.
Themes of light and dark, community, belonging, self-worth, and of course, wonderful, sacrificial love are woven boldly throughout this fairytale, making it a story that manages to be both triumphant, cutesy-fluffy, and satisfyingly edifying on multiple levels. It will have you squealing in joy and speechless in shock. It's truly a delightful and worthwhile read!!
I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for this fantasy romance set in a werewolf pack. I honestly didn’t expect to get pulled in the way I did, but once I started I was drawn in and couldn’t put it down. It was such a great read.
Lenore really stuck with me. I just kept hoping things would work out for her as she tried to figure out where she belongs in this new pack, and I really enjoyed following her journey. Edmund surprised me too in a quieter way. I loved how protective and caring he was, and I ended up way more invested in Lenore and Edmund than I expected to be. I loved their moments together so much.
I also liked the pack setting and how it shaped everything going on. There’s an underlying tension that kept me a little on edge while reading, even when things between the characters were softer. The slow burn was done really well and I was basically waiting for them to figure it out the whole time. I truly didn’t want it to end at all.
5/5 stars and would definitely recommend.
Thank you, Nikki Lee, for the ARC! I also loved the artwork you shared on Instagram. It helped bring the characters to life in my imagination and made the story feel even more vivid.
I was given this title as an ARC, and I am so glad I was chosen.
It was a fun read. I really liked the world building for the werewolves and their ranks. It was easy to get sucked into the setting.
Edmund and Lenore are cute. A little mushy after they confess emotions and stuff but very sweet. I like that Edmund was willing to tease himself about it as well.
The side characters had a little depth too which was nice to see. I feel like sometimes they focus solely on the main pairing and everyone else is pretty flat. I liked seeing how Edmund's family treated Lenore and his interactions with them.
I still cant get over the artwork on the cover! The author did them and the screen breaks too!
Can not wait to see what fanart of Charie and Auden's true love's kiss will look like! I wish I could but I fear I do not have the skill to do it justice.
What I struggled with most was the big fight though. It seemed well written I just am not a huge boss battle fight scene fan.
Thank you Nikki Lee for the ARC. I went into this completely blind. I fell for the artwork and the excitement I could see on the Instagram posts from Nikki Lee. So I took a shot and was lucky enough to get an arc. Oh my goodness, this book made me blush! I loved Lenore and Edmund so much! I normally don't do werewolves, but this book might have changed my mind! I like that I learned along the way with Lenore what it meant to be a werewolf. The worldbuilding was really cool! I love how community-based the pack was. I think if you know about basic werewolf heiarchy, you will follow along pretty well. It was a great story and I will definitely be reccomending it to anyone who likes yearning, gruff and protective mmc that compliment their sweet, anxious, and shy fmc!
Received an ARC for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of fantasy with werewolves, but this story was so sweet, especially the romance between the two main characters. Lenore was sweet and shy, but stronger than those around her thought she was. Edmund, despite his pack's high rank, showed strength and tenderness towards Lenore. I loved how the author included faith elements into the story without being overly preachy. It showed that the characters, especially Lenore, relied on her faith to give her the strength and courage for her actions. I look forward to more from this auther. I would love to see more stories from the other characters in this book.
Adorable ✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️ Non jerk MMC ✅️✅️✅️ Adorable, kind, strong and brave FMC ✅️✅️✅️ NO spice ✅️✅️✅️✅️ Action, romance, comedy, suspense, mystery ✅️✅️✅️ Beautiful cover art (never hurts!) ✅️✅️✅️
I feel in absolutely love with this one, it was so cute yet kept me intrigued and couldn't put it down and didn't want it to be over and haven't read many like that this year! I just want to take both the main characters and squeeze they are TOO cute 😭🩶🌕🐺⭐️ The beginning could have had a bit more information of the city the FMC was from and life before her world was turned upside down, but that's nothing to lose any stars over and doesn't change the fact that I LOVEDddddd it SOOOO much. 🖤
I was quite surprised by this book. I was expecting it to be focused on the romance, but what came was a well written plot, a mystery needing to be solved, and tension that had me keep reading. I love Lenore and Edmund, and how slowly their relationship developed. It left the mystery at the forefront of the novel but through the twists and turns we got to read how Lenore and Edmund’s relationship bloomed.
If you read manga or anime I definitely feel these vibes but in novel format. It was so different and refreshing from your typical werewolf romance. I would feel perfectly comfortable with middle schoolers and older reading this. Romance was sweet and clean there was violence or else I would say younger could read this. Definitely a book to buy for the self. 🥰 Nikki Lee has a new fan and follower! Thank you for writing this amazing story!
Such a sweet story! Love the story to bits! Lenore is so darn cute and adorable, you can't help but love her! And Edmund, the very heroic stoic, but a big teddybear underneath! Love them! Love the Christian themes interwoven within! So good!
Disclaimer: I was provided an advance reader copy by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own