Den of Paradise

Elite Secrets #1

by Eryn Hawk

As the head of the most prestigious pack in the city, Caine Devereux doesn’t have the time or desire for a mate. That is until a routine visit to one of his “clubs” sparks an encounter with an omega in heat, and his resolve wavers. For the first time in his life, he’s not repulsed by the scent that greets him, so he lets instinct take over. It’s only three nights, after all? Except, what Caine doesn’t expect is for that same omega to show up on his doorstep two years later, begging for his help.

He shouldn’t get involved, he’s not interested in the archaic existence his father expected of him, but he can’t deny how the wilful little thing has captured his attention—it’s been a while since anyone dared to show him their claws.

Dylan Park is down on his luck, a single man with hardly a penny to his name, and after his first heat compels him into the arms of a powerful stranger, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. He quickly realises there’s no escaping the wolf’s den once you’ve ventured in, and he’s given no choice but to seek the leader’s aid. He’s offered a lifetime of protection, and with his baby girl in mind, Dylan signs on the dotted line, forfeiting his freedom and the chance of a bond like his parents had.

One tryst was all it took to flip his world on its axis, to tie him to an arrogant Alpha who barely tolerates his presence. But is security really worth never experiencing a fairytale ending for himself?

DEN OF PARADISE is an MM non-shifter omegaverse romance with mpreg, mafia-vibes, and mating of convenience. It features a morally grey Alpha whose ruthless past has tainted his perception of love, and a feisty omega forced into giving up control of his own future for the sake of his daughter’s. It’s part of the ELITE SECRETS series, where each book focuses on its own pair and their HEA. While these stories can act as standalones, it is best to read the books in order due to world-building.

This novel contains mpreg. If you want to know more about what to expect with this story, visit my website for a full, in-depth content list.

Genres: Omegaverse, M M Romance, Forced Proximity, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Marriage Of Convenience, Fantasy

588 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2026

Reviews

[Rachael Hamilton · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Very first omegaverse, and I went straight for the Mpreg. Bad day, and I just needed something weird and distracting. Definitely got that. I honestly don't know if I hated this or loved it. 😂

This book was definitely very spicy, and I loved how much Caine worships the omega, Dylan. It felt like Dylan had more control in their relationship, which was great. I also really appreciated the ending and the political changes moving toward equality for omegas.

The constant smelling, pheromones, and knotting were more silly than hot. It gave major mating nature documentary vibes. The pheromones are like a whole other supernatural character! They're fogging the windows, waking the baby up, making your nose run, bleaching the walls, and calling your babysitter. I was cracking up.

I did wish the Mpreg was more on page instead of Dylan just showing up two years later with a baby he already had. I was recommended this for the Mpreg, and it didn't quite deliver on that front, but thats not the books fault. Though I will say, you know you really love someone if you'll suck clogged milk out of their nipples for relief. That was entertaining.

It also seems like the emotional connection comes secondary to the primal need to breed. This is probably on me for going in blind, as that might be the whole point of the genre. Breeding and mating. I was expecting more depth. This did eventually come, but not until the last quarter of the book.

This was a silly, goofy time. It's not something I could get into regularly. It’s definitely nice for comedic relief, even if you can't emotionally attach to it.

Questions for the more experienced omega readers. Is there always so much smelling?! Is the initial bond ever formed from emotion, or is it only ever primal needs and smells? Did I pick the wrong book for my first time? I need answers!

[Lola · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up for the nesting

This was my first book by this author and I'd definitely give her another shot. I passionately HATED one of the MCs for nearly the entire first half of the book and a baby was a large part of the plot (something I typically avoid) but I still had a decent time. So, either my mood was just right for this or something about the way the author wrote it must've connected.

For the whole first half of the book I was desperately hoping that Caine would get shot into the sun. He was aggressively sexist, selfish, and cruel, and I decided there either needed to be a big time redemption arc for him or we needed to cut our losses, kill him off, and start over with a new LI at the halfway mark. The author chose to go the redemption route. The change was gradual and he just kept having little epiphanies about what a POS he was. It was great. There was an apology scene but overall it was more one of those "change your behavior over time" situations than a "grand gesture grovel" kind of thing. I will never forget his early on behavior (I truly was disgusted by him) but by the end he was thoughtful and romantic and it happened gradually enough that it didn't feel like a complete personality transplant.

Dylan was great from start to finish! He grew over time as well but his growth was more from gaining a stable environment and not having to live in survival mode. He was able to let his guard down, put his claws away, and breathe. He was still sassy but he didn't feel like he had to go to war every time he spoke to someone. I don't usually like reading about pregnancy and babies but Dylan was such a good fucking dad and I loved that part of him. He really just wanted to be loved and be part of a family and I wanted that for him so badly. The only note I have on him is that, during the apology scene he ended up suggesting that he was part of the problem, too. Ummm no baby boy, no you fucking were not. Don't soften the blow for Caine - that man deserved to do a few more laps on his apology tour tbh and you did not need to share the burden with him! Ah well.

I loved Minseo. She was present the exact right amount for the story imo. She was hugely important to both the MCs and the plot but she didn't overwhelm it. She wasn't only present when convenient and she wasn't overly precocious for her age. Whatever this balance is, I think if more books employed it I might not avoid kids in romances as much.

This wasn't necessarily a second chance romance because they never really had a first chance, but either way I'm never going to love when MCs are able to separate after meeting like it's no big deal. It does not feel romantic to me that these guys shared such an intense moment together and then Caine just walked away. For 2 years. And he never would have sought Dylan out if Dylan hadn't come to him for help. That's just... not romantic to me. Especially since Caine was fucking other people during that time. Dylan wasn't because he was too busy, ya know, having Caine's fucking baby and raising her on his own. Just, yuck for me.

But for how unromantic it started, there really were lots of good scenes of these guys getting to know each other, understanding each other better, and slowly building affection for each other. There ended up being a lot more romance than I had anticipated and I greatly enjoyed watching Caine slowly realize what an epic twat he was and that he didn't deserve Dylan but he wanted to.

This was spicy and had all the typical omegaverse hallmarks, but for some reason the scenes didn't always hit (some were really hot though). And this is the second book I've read in like a week where there was a sex scene where one MC asks the other about the people he's slept with during the time they were apart and dude fucking answers! I don't know what this phenomenon is but I need it to die a swift death. I absolutely under no circumstance want to hear about how you fucked your assistant's mouth and hole and that his screams were loud while you are literally trying to get your mate off! What the fuck?!!?!?!?!?

I will say though there was some primo nesting going on and I'm crazy into that. It covers for some sins - NOT the "talking about plowing your assistant during sex with your mate" sins but like, some of the other ones, maybe. Plus there was scenting, ruts and heats, Alpha possessiveness, and PURRING.

The plot was pretty good. This had a whiff of mafia/organized crime but it didn't take up a lot of space, and not a ton of time was spent on side characters. The focus was really on Caine, Dylan, and Minseo and I appreciated that. Caine's medical stuff was interesting but I wish we'd gotten a little more clarity on his condition. And I definitely wish we'd gotten more clarity and follow up on his mother. I think it was a mistake not to explore that further. I did like all of Dylan's family history though, and I love to see an East Asian MC.

I won't lie - this book started out rough for me. I really wasn't sure I could ever get over how I felt about Caine. But by the end I guess I was glad the author didn't go with my plan of yeeting him into the sun. Dylan deserved end of book Caine and I'm glad he got him.

Pet name: darling (alright listen, I'm here for this cuz it's a British dude sayin it)

*Fun fact I didn't highlight anything until the 40% mark because everything out of Caine's mouth prior to that was actual fucking garbage.

I wanted to be loved. Truly. Deeply. I wanted companionship. Romance. Respect. Everything my parents had and more. I let myself dream, only for it to be ripped out from under me for a third time. Maybe it was my punishment for being greedy? I’d known from his rejection of my second call the dream was a lost cause. I’d even grown resentful of it, but it was one thing to choose to spurn it and another to have it taken. It was impossible now. I’d signed away any last sliver of chance there might’ve been, so I had to disown the fantasies and harden my heart all over again. Indefinitely this time.

I’d witnessed him with his walls torn down around him, broken because of our daughter. I’d watched him shatter apart in more ways than one, flayed bare, but this was a deeper vulnerability. Significant. It was willing. He was actively exposing his torment, peeking out of his containment in need of comfort, and I found myself opposed to the idea of him retreating again.

Dylan was quiet for a beat. I glanced over at him, noticing his eyes were glistening. It may be the lights. “You’d really do that?” I hummed an assent. “I have the means to give you anything your heart desires, and I’ll do it. No hesitation. Tell me what you want, and it’s yours.”

“I’m not cut out for this. For any of this,” he mused, biting the inside of his cheek. His meaning was clear. “You’re doing fine,” I responded, though it felt insufficient. He lifted his eyes further, studying me intently. “Am I?” “You’re . . .” I exhaled slowly, fighting my usual compulsion to remain silent. My voice was unrecognisable when I finally said, “You’re perfect.”

“What?” Dylan said, peering up at me, his brows creased. “You’re . . . purring.” He blinked, becoming aware of the sound himself. His breath caught, and it ceased, though the soothing effects lingered. “Fuck, I didn’t even realize.” It was the sign of a truly contented omega. Many tried to replicate the sound to please their partners, but the true marvel couldn’t be faked. It was instinctual, like breathing, and I’d never expected to hear it in my lifetime. Never thought an omega would ever feel so secure in my presence they would purr for me. Never wanted them to. Now I’d perceived it, I would yearn for it every day for the rest of my life.

I had a choice. I surrendered. Dylan tensed as my lips captured his, but it was brief. He sighed and circled his arms around my neck, mirroring my roughness, my desperation. Kissing me as if it was his only purpose, his final act on earth. I understood. My fingers threaded through his soft hair, unleashing the wild and rebellious strands from their restrictive knot. Let them see you. Let them see you as I do.

“Tease all you want, but I’d kneel for no one else.”

“Go on, then.” I dropped down to my elbows. “Show me how sorry you are.”

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Safety (may contain spoilers)

SA/rape: It is briefly mentioned that Caine's dad locked him in a room with omegas in heat when he first presented at age 18. He tried fighting his instincts but did succumb to them in the end. It was obviously traumatic for him but there's no details and it's a pretty brief mention.

Other person drama: Caine was the only person Dylan had ever been with. Caine had been hooking up with his personal assistant somewhat regularly in the beginning (not on page), in the 2 years after he'd first been with Dylan. Caine admits it to Dylan later in the book and Dylan does not feel great about it, but Caine says that since he saw Dylan again after the 2 years he hadn't been with anyone else. Istg I don't know why authors need to throw this in. I already hate that Caine was with other people during the separation but to have one of them be a named character that has even one line of dialogue pisses me off even more, especially since it didn't serve any purpose except to make Dylan briefly feel insecure.

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this had no business being this long. it would’ve been amazing without those 100 pages of useless monologues and filler

[Mirian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was honestly such a hard book for me to rate because on paper it has so many tropes I love: mpreg, omegaverse, possessive alpha, mafia dynamics, marriage of convenience—basically a setup that should have been an instant hit for me. But while all of those elements are technically here, it felt like each one was only explored at a very surface level.

The mpreg itself wasn’t especially detailed, which is fair—not every book wants to lean heavily into that aspect—but it still felt more like window dressing than a meaningful part of the story. The same goes for the omegaverse worldbuilding. The social hierarchy and district system are clearly important to Dylan’s life and identity, but they’re never fully explained. Why are there districts? Who created or controls them? How exactly does this system function? The book introduces these ideas and then mostly leaves the reader to fill in the gaps. Normally I don’t mind a little ambiguity, but when it’s such a major part of the protagonist’s background, I wanted much more context.

Caine is definitely possessive, which I appreciated, but the pacing of the romance was frustrating. We’re nearly 80% into the novel and both MCs are still circling each other emotionally and questioning their feelings. For a 400+ page book, that started to feel repetitive rather than tension-building.

A huge issue for me was that this novel was mostly smut and arguing. And listen—that’s not inherently a bad thing. I love books where the chemistry carries the story. The problem is that the synopsis promises a lot more plot than what we actually get. The external conflict and crime elements that are supposed to drive the narrative take a major backseat to the romance, but then the romance itself is largely built on sex and fairly surface-level bickering. There’s only so much repetitive intimacy a book can sustain before it starts feeling padded, and I really think this would have been a stronger read if it were 100–150 pages shorter.

That said, purely on vibes? I had a genuinely good time.

Dylan absolutely carried this book for me. I loved his defiance, his stubbornness, and the way he never completely folded under Caine’s influence. His chemistry with Caine was fun to read, even when the emotional progression felt stalled. And Caine himself is such a compelling concept: a morally grey gangster prince with a scent disorder who unexpectedly finds real love. That premise is delicious. Unfortunately, like several other interesting ideas in this book, even the scent disorder felt more glossed over than fully developed.

Would I recommend this? Honestly, yes—but purely for the vibes.

If you go into this expecting a fun, trope-heavy, low-depth read with decent chemistry, possessiveness, and mafia-adjacent drama, you’ll probably enjoy it. But if you’re expecting rich worldbuilding, strong character growth, or a tightly executed plot, you may end up disappointed. Even the resolution of the crime plot happens so quickly that it feels almost abrupt after all that buildup.

This is sitting somewhere between a 2.5 and 3-star read for me. Because I’m rating partly on enjoyment and vibes, I’m landing at 3 stars. But if I were rating it solely against my expectations for what could have been an incredible read, this is probably closer to a 2 or 2.5.

[Sona · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first half of the book I was completely hooked.

So we’ve got the feared, powerful Alpha who has spent his entire life repulsed by every omega’s scent. Then enters Dylan, who goes into his first heat at 24 and is basically scratching and biting anyone who dares come near him. Cue the one omega whose scent doesn’t disgust the said Alpha, three unforgettable nights together, and then… the man disappears as soon as the heat does.

Two years later? Dylan is back, with a daughter, nowhere else to turn, and suddenly we’re diving headfirst into protective Alpha territory, marriage of convenience, mating bonds, wealthy Alpha × struggling omega, and a morally grey hero trying very hard not to care. Basically, a trope buffet, and I was happily loading up my plate.

The first chunk of this book had me. It had tension, and that delicious feeling that kept me turning pages. I genuinely wanted to know how these two were going to untangle the mess they’d made.

And then… it kind of lost its urgency.

Not in a dramatic “this went off the rails” way. More like it hit the brakes. The story became much slower than I expected, it really didn’t need to be this long. There were stretches where I caught myself thinking, okay… can we get moving again? It wasn’t bad—just a little too mellow for the setup it had created.

That said, I still had a really good time with it.

Caine was exactly the kind of emotionally constipated, intimidating Alpha I enjoy reading about, Dylan held his own well and was such a fun brat.
A really enjoyable read , lovable characters, and all the omegaverse goodness I signed up for—it just lingered a little too long in the middle instead of racing toward the finish.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caine + Dylan🖤
Omegaverse | Cold alpha | Bratty omega | Rich x poor | Surprise baby

"Fuck, he was so hot. I hated it so much."

This is my first book from Eryn. She took one of my hated tropes (surprise baby) and wrote it well enough that I hate it a little less. I'll be reading more from her.


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






Tropes/content:
Omegaverse
Rich heat club owner and pack leader
Poor omega
Alpha who has a defect in his makeup, scents make him sick, he seeks out betas only because of it
Asshole alpha
Bratty and fiesty omega
Dylan is 24 (turns 25 in the book) and Caine is 35
Dylan has korean heritage, Caine has french heritage
Disability - blind in one eye (wears an eyepatch), damaged fingers
Omega who rejected all other alphas
First heat
"I'll only give him my pheromones to help his heat, thats it"
Tongue piercing
Humps the alphas leg to get off while blowing him
Fisting
Omega goads alpha into coming inside and knotting him - "or are you incapable"
"Little shit"
First time knotting an omega
An alpha who prides himself on not being "so easily consumed" but fails miserably when it comes to this omega
Hand necklaces
Marking - biting and bruising
Nesting
Caine says he doesnt care about Dylan and doesn't want anything to do with him but then throws a beta employee up against a wall and growls 'mine' because he was outside his door to give him a bottle of water
Lactation
Fighting as foreplay
Takes him shopping for expensive clothes
Caine goes feral for Dylan in a dress leading to some dressing room fondling
Little 2 year old girl name Minseo (Minnie)
She calls Caine "A-fa" (alpha)
Contract mating
Rut
Scenting
Boy in a dress
Touch him and die
Belly button piercing
Kisses, licks and worships his c section scar and stretch marks
Baking as a family of 3
Rough housing playing - Dylan throws flour at Caine, Caine cracks an egg over Dylans head, they run around the island counter until Caine dives over it tackling Dylan
Caine helps Dylan's mastitis by sucking it out then drawing him a bath
Exhibitionism via cctv (Dylan isnt happy about being watched on camera so he decides to tease Caine knowing that he's watching)
Everything up to this point is still while they supposedly hate each other
Bowling
Shopping for baking supplies
Dancing
First kiss finally at 74%
Heartfelt confessions
Communication and apologies
Kisses the scars around his eye
Hands free 💦 from ass eating
Face riding
Brought to tears during sex
Mating bites
Purring omega
Possessiveness
Touch him and die
Take a bullet for him
Strict roles
Epilogue 2 years later - Dylan is pregnant again, with a son named Samuel, Caine is signing a law that allows omegas to own property




Warnings/icks:
"Good little bitch"
Caine knotted and impregnated Dylan at the club and took off before he woke up (he didn't know he was going to end up pregnant but still)
Two year time jump between chapters 4 and 5
Mention of premature birth and ICU stay due to complication of said birth (Dylan's omega parent)
When Caine finds out he has a child he's a total asshole about it at first
Kidnapped child (their child, but they get her back pretty early on in the book, most of the book is them trying to figure out who was behind it)
Stalking via cctv (Dylan doesn't notice it for a long time and is pissed)
Omegas are second class citizens in this world and treated as such, they're expected to be meek and obedient, only speak when spoken to, etc. But Dylan says fuck that
Mastitis
Needles and blood tests
Caine was abused by his alpha father - he had his fingers mutilated with a hammer and refused to let a doctor set them so he now wears a brace, sent him to be poked and prodded for experiments at the hospital to try and fix him, also forced him to be with omegas to try and fix his scent defect (spoiler alert: it didn't work)
Dylan gets kidnapped arouns 80% by the same people who had Minnie
Caine takes a bullet for Dylan
Caine was in a coma for 2 weeks









BIG SPOILERS BELOW
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Aaron (Caine's brother) is the one responsible for Minnie's kidnapping as well as Dylans. He always resented Caine since he was the oldest but was a beta so he couldnt be the leader.

[juljul · Rating 3 out of 5]

enemies to lovers ain’t got shit on me and this book. istg, i had to claw my way through all nine circles of hell before i became even remotely emotionally invested in these characters.

at first it felt heteronormative as hell in the ickiest way possible. like, what do you mean you’re inserting a misogynistic-ass “she’s not like other girls” idea into this (MM!!!!) relationship 🧐 yeah, we get it, other omegas are needy and meek, but THIS one is so unyielding and fierce!! jfc… there’s something deeply misogynistic (not to mention homophobic) about writing a relationship with such aggressivevy heteronormative roles and then ALSO trying to pass it off as some profound commentary on patriarchy. ugh 🙄 and yeah, whatever, it’s omegaverse WITH mpreg, of course it’s gonna lean into some of that by nature, but it felt especially insufferable in this book. maybe because of the mc.

and what an mc caine is! he’s mysterious… he broods… he growls… he’s an alpha AND a mafia boss ⛓️🥀🔪🚬 he’s also a slimy piece of trash. it was genuinely exhausting being inside his head with all his incelish “all these bitches are stupid and manipulative and want to use me” thoughts. i love me some classic asshole mc with a good redemption arc as much as the next person, but this bitch had me rolling my eyes every 5 seconds.

(at the same time, it was kinda endearing because years ago i devoured a million wattpad fics about alpha mafia king jungkook from bts, and that part of me will never die 🥳✌🏻 but unfortunately for caine and for me, he is NOT jungkook from bts, so it could only carry him so far, lol)

and YET. despite all my complaining. despite my suffering… i’m fucking SOLD, okay????? i’m very reluctant to admit this, but they got me. the demons of groveling got me 😒🖕🏻

it’s very strange, but the broad strokes of this book are horrible, while a lot of the smaller details are executed amazingly. the development of the mcs’ relationship is very gradual, compelling and full of tiny moments that quietly build intimacy - small gestures, shifts in behavior, subtle changes in the way they think about each other. and that part was done REALLY well. all the kid stuff is brilliantly balanced with the romance and somehow not annoying at all. starting around the 50% mark, i caught myself shifting from hate-reading to giggling at their push and pull. that first kiss had me kicking my feet and everything!!🥴

overall, despite all its cringeworthy moments, it ended up being far more nuanced, emotionally engaging and well-thought-out book than i expected from the first 30%. it’s also great for when you just want to turn your brain off and have a silly giggly time. cliched as fuck BUT not boring.

wow okay. if anything could pull this much word-vomiting out of my lazy ass, it’s this book 😭

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I've said before that a work of Eryn Hawk's was my favorite so far - but now this knocks it off for the top spot, because this is definitely my favorite by this author so far, I absolutely adored it.

Caine is the Alpha of the Deveraux pack - not an actual pack with like werewolves and such, everyone is human in this universe, but families/groups of people that are tight knit are still called packs - which is the richest and most powerful pack of the top families in the city they live in (somewhere in the UK, it's never specified exactly where).

He he grew up with an abusive father, and he got the worst of it compared to his beta twin brother, because the richer families expect tradition, and tradition calls for Alphas to take over as the head of said family when their parent dies - and so much more was expected of Caine than his brother and so if he "messed up" he got hurt the worst.

Him also having some rare medical condition where he can't stand the scents of omegas - when literally alphas are supposed to be drawn in by omegas and their scent - to the point of him getting literally sick around them doesn't help matters either. As the future head of the family, he is expected to mate with an omega and produce an heir with an omega.

His father also does many other things to fuck Caine up, until he becomes resentful of omegas and judges all of them too harshly, and assumes the worst of them, as well make him come across as a pretty big bastard.

Enter Dylan, who presented 4 years later than people are expected, at 22 years old. Many factors could have happened to make his presenting be delayed, but the fact is he gets his first heat - which is always more intense and lasts longer for omegas the first time they have one - at the Den of Paradise, a pleasure house located in a poorer part of the city owned by the Deverauxs.

When Caine is there, he goes to Dylan's room where he is by himself - he's rejected any other alpha so far - to give his pheromones to help Dylan out a bit. Turns out, his scene smells wonderful and doesn't repulse Caine, and Caine can't help but be pulled into the room, in Dylan's orbit, and they end up spending 3 days together during Dylan's heat.

Caine leaves after, though, and they go 2 years with no contact. As the head of such a powerful, rich family, Caine has Dylan followed during those years, but he never finds out that Dylan got pregnant from their encounter and that he had their child, a girl.

When she ends up kidnapped, Dylan tries to contact Caine through Den of Paradise and it works, and he asks Caine to help him find their daughter, because he has no other options.

He personally thinks Caine abandoned him, as he asked the Den of Paradise to call Caine twice in two years, and he never answered. Turns out, he never got those messages. And it turns out, he's got a mole in his pack, and they're most likely working with another of the big families that are below the Deveraux family and might be sneakily trying to take over and be the number one family in power.

Caine takes Dylan to his big mansion during the time they're trying to find their daughter, and once she's found, that's where they live. And Caine proposes that they pretend to be mates to the outside world for their daughter, Minnie, as she's now Caine's heir and as is tradition, they need to seem like they're together and a united front so no one thinks to oppose the Deveraux family, to oppose Minnie in the future.

Dylan has been struggling most of his life to get by, and with Minnie the past two years it was a struggle, so adjusting to all the sudden getting everything he or their daughter needs is a lot for him, and his independence. And dealing with Caine, who is cantankerous on a good day.

Caine, it's obvious, doesn't believe in love, but only because he was never shown love. He has another parent, his omega father (or well, mother, as apparently omegas, regardless of their gender, can choose whether to be called mother or father in this world) who does love him and was on the gentler side, but his alpha father never permitted it for long, and his omega parent would be kept away from him a lot because of that.

So Caine struggles to let his guard down. But Dylan is different, and also he can't help but loosen up around his daughter either.

But as they two start to slowly fall in love over months, Caine is continuing to try to figure out which family it is who is trying to hurt him and the entire Deveraux empire, and who in his own organization has betrayed them.

I love love loved how this book the time to get these two from apparent "hate" (or well, annoyance really) to love. From it just being an "arrangement" to being in love. It really took its time, too - these two didn't just fall in love out of nowhere. Seeing Caine gradually warm to Dylan more and more, and Dylan towards Caine...it was wonderful.

Also seeing these two settle into parenting their daughter together was wonderful too. And the more these two got to know each other, the sweeter they became together. When they bake together - because Dylan loves baking and Caine joins him in the kitchen - with Minnie....gosh was that whole scene swoon worthy and delightful. Them almost kissing too...gah, the UST was delectable!

They also, as an agreement to being mates to the outside world, agree to spend their heats and ruts together, and they do that twice - once with Caine's rut and once with Dylan's heat - which is was fun and hot, but once they got to the stage of having sex outside of those, just with them and their attraction and love for each other pulling them into it, that was the best part.

Also before I forget - the only reason I tagged dubious-consent is really for their first time together two years prior. Dylan has enough capacity to send away other alphas so I think he still is able to consent to the best of his ability, and Caine goes into rut while with Dylan, so they're both a bit out of it, so they both don't give consent prior to either of them going into a heat or rut that time, which is why I tagged dubious consent. Dylan later on recollects that he doesn't even really remember his first heat much at all, so clearly he wasn't in his right mind for a lot of it. There was still consent at the beginning, but them both being in such an altered mental state could be seen as dubious.

They agree of sound mind for their arrangement to spend subsequent heats and ruts together, so there's consent for every time after that first time. That first one is just a bit so-so on consent, is all. So just know that going into this. It does warn for this at the beginning as well, but I just thought I'd go into more detail about it to let you guys know.

Also, the plot to hurt Caine and Dylan, their daughter, the whole Deveraux pack, comes to a head at the end, and I was genuinely surprised by who the betrayer was. Maybe I shouldn't have been, looking back, but I genuinely was guessing on who it could be the whole book and was still surprised when it was finally revealed, so that's a huge plus for me. I always absolutely love when books get one over on me for a mysterious plot point. Like oh that's clever writing, because I had no inkling of that!

Seeing these two get their HEA was the icing on the cake. This was just marvelous, and well worth a read, especially if you love omegaverse/mpreg books. The mpreg isn't crazy prominent in this - like the actual part of Dylan being pregnant is next to nothing in his - but the omegaverse is heavy and their daughter as a result of the mpreg is a big part of it too.

I just absolutely loved this, and absolutely can't wait for more from this author. She honestly just gets better and better the more she writes.

So until the next book, can't wait! 😍

[NOUR | نور ☘️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first experience with a male pregnancy story, and I won’t lie, it was pretty weird for me because the whole time I kept wondering how the birth even happened 😭
Did I like it? I honestly don’t know if I’m a fan or not, so I’ll give myself another chance in the future and see what happens.

As for Dylan, I really liked his character. He had a strong presence around Kane and wasn’t a coward or someone driven purely by his sexual desires. 💙🤍

[acalithas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh I was soooo excited for this book to come out and I loved it SO much!!! I thought Dylan and Caine were such fun characters and I loved them together. I loved this version of omegaverse and while I don’t normally love when a child of mpreg is in the story, Eryn wrote Minseo so well that I actually loved her being in the storyline! Very realistic! And the duct clog???? Omg so real, I was in shock that this was in the story! I loved the storyline and everything about it. Also the smut was hot as hell!!! Great book, def one of my faves this year!!!

[-`♡´- · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

mafia x omegaverse? yes, plz. I didn't think i'd be into mpreg (I am not into pregnancy story lines) but it works in the omegaverse, at least for me. i didn't see the twist at the end coming and was quite shocked tbh. I really enjoyed this one!

[Abigail | mooretoread | · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the pleasure of Beta reading this and the pleasure of giving it the first 5 stars! I cannot wait for everyone to meet Caine and Dylan! Full review to come <3

[ella, is probably asleep · Rating 5 out of 5]

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭

"I wanted to consume him, thoroughly and completely, just as he had consumed every part of me. I wanted to infuse myself into every fibre of his being, as he had done for two fucking years. I wanted him. I needed him."

I, like most Americans I assume, often think to myself, "Wow, wouldn't it be better to just quit your annoying ass job and go live under a waterfall? but then you find things that make it all worth it. Like not being homeless, shitty, expensive healthcare and books like Den of Paradise. This book was perfect. If you're wanting to go in for a lot of smut or a very quick love story, this will not be perfect for you, but if you're looking for some angst, a weird political system no one explains, the literal best omega ever and an alpha that's like okay, not great but he's good, than this is the perfect book for you.
Yes, there is smut, but it's interwoven with two people trying to fall in love with each other and making it their own problems. Would I have liked more dates? Maybe, but it was definitely a lot more than I usually see in stories like these. And did it drag? For me, no, I wanted long dramatic love and that's what I got. The only downside I saw was that the smut often took the place of the more talking I thought both characters should be doing and I thought what's his name was a very obvious villain. (I'll give you the three endangered pennies in my pocket if you guess who it is.) But it was a fun ride. The vibes were there.
Seriously what more do you want from anything at this point? Also the banter! The banter! It is the banter other stories (*cough* romantasys *cough*) wish they could create!
A whole 5 stars, (take one off because I wanted the chase through the woods scene but add one because all the other reviews were right, the baby was in here the correct amount.)

Crawling underneath my skin, sweet talk with a hint of sin
Begging you to take me
Halsey - Not Afraid Anymore

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I was gonna DNF this half way through but just decided to finish it. I skimmed a lot honestly, there was so much internal yapping.

I didn’t like Caine much, he wasn’t very likeable especially the start. The language he used to talk about it his secretary was so degrading, but I’m actually confused on whether the secretary is actually a trans man or not.

At first I assumed it was just the author making Caine seem like a dick by referring to Torin’s ass as a cunt (I know some people are into this but the way Caine was speaking about Torin in general just made it all sound so degrading), but he did it again at the end and specially said someone had their tongue in it which made me think “wait does he actually have a vagina?” So either it’s part of Caines asshole behaviour, or the character is trans and the only clues we were given were his anatomy being described in female terms (which can be done for cis gay men too). Either way even if Caine didn’t use the word cunt, the way he spoke about the secretary still would’ve make me dislike him.

(Edit: the author has now confirmed Torin is trans! And he’s getting is own book.)

Anyway, aside from that I didn’t like how he would just kill anyone. Yes I am more open to book murder than irl murder, but most of his murders weren’t justified. He would kill people associated with the bad guys even if they hadn’t actually done anything. He even killed someone who technically helped his family. There was just nothing pleasant about him.

He did obviously change by the end, as they all do. It only took the power of loving an omega to make him realise they’re not all wonton sluts who just want to take advantage of alphas power and money 🙄

I liked Dylan and Minnie, I actually which there had been more scenes with Minnie, but Caine kinda dragged the vibes down.

[Vanessa V · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Oh, how I love Omegaverse when it’s done right. And wow, this one absolutely gets it right.

You get all the good stuff: knotting, heat, mating bonds, rut, possessive alphas… But what really made this stand out for me was the mystery woven into the story.

And the tropes?? Enemies to lovers, arranged mating/marriage, and a hidden child??

Dylan breaking through Cain’s walls felt like watching something unyielding finally crack. Cain, who had never truly known love, transforms into something fierce and devoted… a mate, a father, a man reshaped by connection he never thought he deserved. It had me tearing up a bit.

There’s also a darker undercurrent running through the story about how prejudice can cage a mind, twist perception, and hold people captive.

Omegas are diminished, mistreated, and forced into submission simply for what they are.

And then there’s Dylan, anything but the quiet, submissive omega the world expects. He’s defiant, unyielding, impossible to ignore. Watching him force Cain to confront the truth…the cracks in the hierarchy, the pain it causes, the lives it breaks was so well done.

But let’s face it Minnie was the real 🌟in this story!

Omegaverse lovers go read this!

🖤 Non-Shifter Omegaverse
🩵 Mating of Convenience
🖤 Mpreg
🩵 Only One Bed
🖤 Mansion
🩵 Emotionally Constipated Idiots
🖤 Morally Grey MC
🩵 Nesting & Knotting
🖤 Stalking (ish)
🩵 Age Gap
🖤 Shirt Thief
🩵 Rich Alpha / Poor Omega
🖤 Forced Proximity
🩵 Fighting or F*cking?

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y’all I knew I was going to love this book before I even began. I adore anything Eryn writes at this point. This book right here might be my favorite so far though. It tugged at the heart strings at times, the banter had me giggling AND blushing, the way Dylan advocated for omegas to have better rights and Caine listened and made it happen?! This book was freaking everything. I was a little iffy on Caine at first but as we learn more about his character you start to realize he’s a product of how he was raised but is willing to change as he learns and takes more information. He’s a beautifully flawed character and I love it! And precious Dylan…he was such an amazing character and match for Caine, he didn’t take anyone’s shit unless it was in the best interest of Minnie. I’ll definitely be adding this to my shelves upon release. Such an amazing story!

[Ashley H · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 mther fking ⭐️ 😭🥹 I loved them so fucking much omg im actually sad i finished this book

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for this early copy. All parts of this review are of my honest opinion.
This book was a great blend of dark romance and omegaverse that kept me invested from start to finish. I couldn't put it down! It has a fascinating world building with an intense, fast-paced plot. The writing style perfectly balances tension withcharacter vulnerability. It made the emotional growth feel just as impactful as the action. The standout for me was the incredible chemistry between the MMCs! The romance was high-heat and featured the perfect amount of spice, with an added bonus of a possessive alpha energy that I absolutely loved. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys MM dark romance with a dash of mafia vibes and protective and obsessed alpha.

[Weronika · Rating 2 out of 5]

smut maksymalnie krindżowy, reszta znośna. bardzo wattpadowe - właśnie tego potrzebowałam

[Eva · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5

First mpreg and I’m not disappointed!

I truly didn't know what to expect. I trusted the cover and the blurb, and I'm so glad I did. Not only was the omegaverse hot, but it was so well developed that it felt real. It was such an important part of the plot that it intrigued me a lot. I appreciated the list of terms to help the reader.

Now, both Caine and Dylan were interesting, had their own thing, and didn't feel dependent on the other to have a personality. This was a more character-driven story with a side of plot, but I'm okay with that.

Dylan was feisty, independent, and wanted to hide his vulnerabilities from the world. His life had been hard and lonely, and then he got abandoned by the ONS that got him pregnant? Way to go... But I liked how he learned to trust, to open up his small pack and make it bigger. His relationship with Cain was more than spice, more than heats/ruts. It had feelings and a unique connection. And he with Minseo was just the cutest.

Caine on the other hand, needed a little chaos added to his very bland and strict life. His pinning and yearning to stalking in his own home was cute. He couldn't get enough of Dylan from away, and having him in his vicinity made it impossible to hold on to his fears of the bond.

I loved that they didn't bond until they felt their feelings fully, otherwise it would have always made them question if it was real or not.

But the plot was easy to see from the beginning. I almost wish the author had dropped no hints until the very last moment to make the reveal truly a twist.

Thank you, TAA and Eryn, for the arc!!

[Dayana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad overall; there were some nice scenes. The downside was the excessive narration, and I felt I didn't connect with either of the characters as much. Even so, I recommend it.

[369Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
A slightly dark and exciting, yet also lowkey wholesome omegaverse MM romance. Dylan meets Cain in the middle of a heat, not knowing that he is basically king of all the districts. Things heat up fast, and after that, Cain doesn’t think he’ll ever see Dylan again (though he does keep his own tabs on him). But despite keeping those tabs… it’s a shock to big Alpha Cain when Dylan finally turns up 2 years later with Cain’s baby in tow. What starts with animosity and a mating of convenience turns into more as the two uncover a dark mystery of who has it out for their family.

This book has:
-a/o omegaverse (with mpreg and a baby)
-dark mafia/boss vibes
-a grouchy and badass alpha with vulnerable sides he tries to hide
-a strong-willed and dedicated father omega (he’s Korean! Love the Korean rep!)
-a mysterious B plot
-a lot of biology-induced spice

This book was over 500 pages, but I surprisingly never found myself bored. Could it have been cut down based on the content? Yeah. But I still had fun through the whole story. And as someone who doesn’t usually like mpreg stuff, it didn’t bother me. I liked the characters and found their interesting traits to be the main draw of the story for me. I found myself really rooting for Dylan and Cain.

The pacing was a little weird, and the villain reveal was a little scooby-doo villain monologue-y, but it was still fun! Normally I don’t really like babies in stories, but this one didn’t really bother me. She was kind of a plot device, and she was charming with her dads 😂

Even though I had some complaints about the execution, I loved the story overall. The impression was good, I was entertained, and I had fun! It didn’t FEEL long, even though it was. And that means it was a good book, if you ask me :)

[Layy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say without a doubt, I enjoyed this book. This was such a fun and different twist to omegaverse, while still keeping true to certain aspects we all know and love.
I absolutely love when an author can put their own spin on things and make it uniquely their own. That’s what Eryn did here.

This book is most definitely fast burn spice, and slow burn on the emotional romance, but you know what? It worked. I loveeeeee to see the romance on page, I love to watch the characters fall in love, and slowly start to break down their walls and barriers.

I would also like to say that I am a sucker for a mafia romance where he becomes a dad 🤣. When done well, it has me kicking my feet, squealing. Caine was so enjoyable, even with his grump alpha persona, you could tell there was more beneath the surface. This poor man grew up in a mafia home, that you can imagine…. Wasn’t conducive to love. The things this poor man endured… I would shoot his daddy if I could.

Dylan is a refreshing take on an omega. I understand their instinct being submissive but to watch him fight back, and not be a mindless sl*t, be able to make his own choices and own them, was so refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, he can be a mindless sl*t in the bedroom LOL but he didn’t allow his designation to be used against him outside of it. Dylan, much like Caine in different ways, is a survivor.

I really loved watching these two navigate parenting, mafia shenanigans, and learning one another. It was one of those romances that when the epiphany happened, I was like “hell yeah you do love that man 🤣”.

I truly hope Eryn continues to expand this world and gives us more stories. It was a great time!!

[❀Laiz❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8⭐

Tenía días buscando un Omegaverse que me enganchara y en el cual poderme perder unos días, y este me cayó del cielo...

Aclaro que es la primera obra este autor que leo.

Fue refrescante, amé a los personajes, sus interacciones y dinámicas. También los pequeños elementos añadidos a la historia.

Quiero acotar también que estoy un poquito obsesionada con Caine. Pero hey, tiene demasiadas similitudes con Salvatore Allejo. Solo que francés y gay... ¡No me pueden culpar! Desde sus discapacidades hasta sus actitudes para nada intensas y totalmente obsesivas-compulsivas. Incluso sus tendencias acosadoras. Mientras leía siempre fue Tore a quién imaginaba. Totalmente comprensible😂

Dylan? Minnie? Los amo.

Admito que llegó cierto punto dónde pensé que la historia se iba a estancar. Se pudieron omitir muchas paginas, había narraciones demasiado largas y conversaciones innecesarias. Pero para mi dicha, se arregló sobre la marcha.

Aunque la historia carece de contexto en cuanto a su mundo (cosa a la que normalmente le prestó mucha atención y es imprescindible para mi a la hora de calificar las historias) no me importó tanto como debería, lo voy a dejar pasar porqué es una novela independiente. Pero reitero, la construcción del mundo es demasiado importante para poder entender las circunstancias de los personajes, SIEMPRE. Eso no debe ser prescindible bajo ninguna circunstancia, en ninguna historia.

[ameliabetweenrealms · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely adored this book!

We started off with a bang (quite literally 😏) and then the book took us on a journey of Caine and Dylan learning to care, trust and love one another. I loved how we saw their relationship in real time and we didn’t just skip to them being one happy family. It felt like such a natural progression and I loved that. 🫶🏼

Caine came from a family that valued tradition over everything else but I loved how it didn’t make him unwilling of change. As soon as Dylan entered his life he adapted and learnt and I just adored him! He definitely had his hang ups but the love he showed Dylan in the end was so pure and genuine it made my heart sing 🤍

Dylan oh my sweet Dylan 🥺 what an absolutely wholesome character!! I loved how he was headstrong and proud of who he was. It broke my heart knowing how much he had suffered, all he longed for was love and a family 🥺 I’m so glad he got that come the end of the book, he truly deserved it!

Don’t get me wrong there were times I wanted to smack their heads together and scream YOU LOVE EACHOTHER in their faces 👀 but overall this book had hot AF spice, an abundance of cute moments, mystery, found family and sadness but so much love 🤍🤍

[Queenbeereads_sugarandspice · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Really enjoyed this take on an omegaverse with a marriage of convenience. There’s something addictive in the writing I swear, because once I got into it, I zoomed through it. I loved these two. They could not be more different in backgrounds, but they work so freaking well.
 
Caine's such a complicated character. I loved seeing his growth in this book; he comes so far from the cold, unfeeling man we meet at the beginning, and it was really lovely to see him open his heart. I wanted to sob for the alpha every time we learnt more about the cruelty he had to endure from his father, and the struggle he has to live with everyday due to his condition.
 
Dylan has got such a spark to him; our defiant, feisty, genuine omega. He’s done so much to survive, and to look after his daughter; I so admired him for his strength to keep going even when though life didn’t make it easy. I adore how much he challenges Caine. Underneath his sharp wit and quick comebacks, Dylan is desperate for real love, longing to be a part of a pack again, and that made my heart pang for him so much. 
 
And Minnie, well, she’s a little delight. I adored how much she has Caine wrapped around her little finger, and aww-ed at all her interactions with him, melting when we saw the alpha go all soft for her. And when he started calling her ‘princess’ *sigh* Yep, definite goner for him after that!
 
I loved how protective Caine is of Dylan and Minnie, and how he wants to do right by them, even when his heart is closed off. Spending more time with them, Dylan makes Caine question everything he thought he knew about omegas and about love.
 
I had so much fun with their verbal spars. As things change between these two, I really enjoyed seeing how Dylan’s defensive go-to response to Caine, ‘F- you’, gradually becomes said with fondness to reflect how much their feelings have evolved. And from Caine’s side, I loved that he begins to tease Dylan and make jokes as we start to see a more contented side to him. 
 
I'm eager to read more from this author as I really enjoyed this writing style, including the touches of humour that made me chuckle. 
 
I really enjoyed the plot of this and how it fits around their romance. The guilty party was one of the few I suspected, but there were a couple of red herrings along the way that threw me off a little. 
 
One of my favourite scenes, as well as the family scenes, is the day Caine and Dylan spent together for the omega’s birthday. I also loved chapter 21. 
 
This isn’t just your typical OV story, it’s much more. I loved seeing these three become a proper family.

-----

Some of my favourite quotes

It should be illegal to be so handsome but also the biggest twat alive.

“You’re not my Alpha yet,” “I’ve been your Alpha since the day we met.” 

“If you don’t want the cheek, don’t give me ammunition.”

I wanted him because life was incomplete without him.

It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t effortless. It was us.

“I don’t deserve you, I know it, but I want you. I want you to be mine. Not for a contract. Not for convenience. Wholly, and by your own will.”

“… you still gave me a choice. And now I choose to be by your side. I choose to be yours.” 

“I want to love you, Dylan, primally, unconditionally, every day until the day I die.”

“You have captivated me, Dylan. My heart. My soul… I’m a fool for not recognising it sooner. For not seeing what was right in front of me.” 

“I know you now. Better than I know myself.” “You always have.” 

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Den of Paradise is an ultra-spicy omegaverse romance and involves two characters who could not be more different. I enjoyed the slow burn relationship between Dylan and Caine, though the book tended to have some pacing problems. I felt I understood Caine’s character slightly more than Dylan’s, but overall the book was an enjoyable, moderately angsty romp.

Most of the novel is spent exploring the connection between Dylan and Caine. They clearly click on a physical level, but they clash frequently outside the bedroom.

I enjoyed Den of Paradise. I had a few niggles here and there with the pacing and Dylan’s character, but on the whole, the plot and the romance held a lot of appeal. I think most fans of the alpha/omega trope will find plenty to appreciate here.

Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.

[Jessica Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD. the character development was outstanding. phenomenal. the storyline was entertaining. the smut was addictive. the characters were to die for. I loved this very much.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Amanda]

I'm very very sad that this book unfortunately did not work for me. I have many trusted friends who have put this as one of their top books of the year, so I know it is a me thing, not a book thing. I still love Hawk and can't wait to see what comes next.