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Wanderer

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Previously released as Cursed at Christmas, Wanderer is the first book in the Greyhaven series, reworked with additional content. Some names and plot details have been changed.

Welcome to Greyhaven, a sanctuary town where supernaturals of all kinds can find a home and love.

For Riley, Greyhaven is not only a sanctuary, it's his last hope. Cursed to wander from place to place until he gives in to his warlock step-father's desire to own Riley for what he is, Riley is looking for a way to break free so he can save his mom and get his revenge. He finds more than he's looking for in Greyhaven. Hope for a better future for people like him, a found family in the people he meets there, and a mate. Can he overcome his fear of what Gareth is to accept his heart?

Greyhaven has always been Gareth's home, but there has been a growing restlessness, a loneliness inside him. As one of the few in the town able to protect it, is he willing to give up the safety of all that he's known for a man he's just met? Torn between his duty to his town and the growing bond with Riley, Gareth needs to break the curse or risk losing Riley forever.

Though Greyhaven promises to be a sanctuary for all beings looking to live in safety, far from prying human eyes, the town is in danger. Even if they can end the curse that stops Riley from finding a home, is a life in Greyhaven too much of a risk?

Wanderer is an MM paranormal romance and is book #1 in the Greyhaven series. There are some instances of violence, some mentions of SA, abuse, and coercion. A full list of potential triggers will be available on my website before release.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2026

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About the author

Jax Stuart

45 books179 followers
Scottish born author. Voracious reader

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
Profile Image for Alex.
1,189 reviews16 followers
November 20, 2023
This book didn't convince me. I understand that it had to introduce the characters for the new series but I only found a bunch of random people and that's it, some of them not pleasant and a little out of place in the story.

a story in my opinion poorly developed, with some lack of explanations, insights, a terrible instalove between the MCs.

and do we want to talk about the end? the bad guy liquidated in 25 seconds after saying two words and the little one who magically appears and who seems to be carried by the stork….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡.
1,631 reviews105 followers
September 29, 2026
"𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍. 𝙼𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌, 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚖𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎."

Wanderer, originally released as the novella Cursed at Christmas, has been expanded and is the first book to introduce us to the Greyhaven Universe created by Jax Stuart. The majority of the story between Riley and Gareth takes place in Greyhaven, which is a town you can only visit if you are meant to be there and mean no harm. There's a reason the town is hidden and that would be because it's a sanctuary for supernaturals. It's a town for those who need a safe place to lay their heads. Some come to stay for good, while for others it's a stop along the way in their journey. No matter the reason, Greyhaven is there for those who need it, and Riley is one shifter who desperately needs it.

Gareth is a lifelong resident of Greyhaven. He was born there and can't imagine living anywhere else. He enjoys his life teaching, even if he sometimes wishes he had someone to call his own. When Riley arrives in town, Gareth is ecstatic to find the man fated to be his. Unfortunately for Gareth, Riley most definitely does not feel the same. In fact, he's utterly terrified of him.

Like many who find sanctuary in Greyhaven, Riley has a past. The problem is that his past is still causing him major ssues in his present. He carries a curse placed on him by his stepfather who is one wretched evil warlock. The fact that fate chose a warlock as his mate is the cruelest kind of joke to a man like Riley. He could desperately use a person in his corner, but he doesn't know if he could ever trust his mate based on his past experience with warlocks.

"𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎. 𝚆𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜?"

Despite their rocky beginnings, Gareth doesn't give up. He works hard to prove to his mate that he is safe with him. Every time I could see Riley letting his guard down a little bit I wanted to cheer! After everything he'd been through I just truly wanted him to be happy and I believed Gareth was the key to making that happen. Well that, and breaking Riley's curse.

We meet so many new faces in this book! I don't know whose book I want next the most! Oh who am I kidding, I want them all! Fen, Pax, Eason, and even Tatsuya, though that dragon is on my shitlist at the moment. He better have a good excuse for his actions, that's all I'm saying. Can't wait for more in this series!
Profile Image for Cynthia M Brow.
1,746 reviews22 followers
Review of advance copy
September 26, 2026
Wanderer is the first book in the Greyhaven series. This book pulled me in from the beginning and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. This is the story of Riley whose family has been cursed for a long time. The curse means Riley can't stay in a place for more than a month. Riley goes to Greyhaven to try to get help with breaking the curse. Gareth is a warlock and Riley's fated mate. I loved watching these two work through their issues to build a relationship. I love the world building and all the characters. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book.
received a free review copy
Profile Image for Becky.
510 reviews12 followers
November 15, 2023
This is the prequel to Stuart's new series. While it does take place around Christmas, it didn't read like a holiday story to me. I think of those stories as being super sweet and light. While this book has plenty of sweet moments, I didn't think it was particularly light. I mean, the main plot arc is about breaking a curse. There's a few holiday festivities, but honestly you could take those out and the story would be completely fine.

We are introduced to a bunch of different paranormals in this book, several of which I had never heard of. I had to look them up, which of course led me down a Google rabbit hole looking at all of the lore. I personally love that, but I know it's not everyone's' cup of tea. I really liked the diversity of Greyhaven, and there are plenty of potential characters for future books (I've already got a couple of favorites I'm hoping to see!)

Riley and Gareth are adorable, and I loved getting to see Oliver again. I'm excited to get to know more of the characters as the series continues. The book has plenty of steam, but we get lots of tender moments too. There is a ton going in the story, and it isn't totally focused on the relationship between Riley and Gareth.

I liked this story, and I'm really excited to dive into this new world. For some reason, this story felt incomplete to me. The characters get their HEA, but something seems to be missing and I can't figure out exactly what it is. I'm hopeful that as the series continues, we will get to see more of the MCs and I'll get that closure I'm looking for.

I received an ARC of this book from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Profile Image for Laura.
389 reviews23 followers
November 16, 2023
This wasn’t so much a holiday read as it was an opening to a whole new world. I loved the concept of a sanctuary city for paranormals and the plethora we’re introduced to in this book is spectacular. Riley & Gareth are such sweet characters and I loved how Gareth worked to get Riley to trust him. However, I was disappointed in how anticlimactic the end of Riley’s curse was and the book felt too all over the place to be satisfying.
Profile Image for Amanda Winter.
1,355 reviews26 followers
October 15, 2026
I really enjoyed this one! Jax Stuart has created such a fun paranormal world, and I was immediately pulled into Greyhaven and its wonderfully chaotic crew of supernatural misfits.

Riley arrives in town hoping to break a cruel curse that has prevented him from settling anywhere for years. The last thing he expects is to find his fated mate, Gareth, who just happens to be a warlock! Considering Riley’s history, this definitely complicates things.

I loved how patient and caring Gareth was with Riley, giving him the space he needed while helping him work through his trauma and break the curse. Their relationship was so sweet, and watching Riley slowly learn to trust again really got me.

There’s plenty happening with curses, danger, attacks on the town, and a villain you’ll love to hate, keeping the story fast-paced and entertaining. Add in the supernatural community, fated mates, and a little Christmas magic, and I was completely sold!

A fantastic start to a new series. I can’t wait to return to Greyhaven and get to know more of its residents!

Tropes:
Paranormal Romance
Fated Mates
Warlock x Paranormal
Hurt/Comfort
Trauma & Healing
Protective MMC
Found Family
Supernatural Community
Curses & Magic
Small-Town Paranormal
Christmas Romance
HEA
Profile Image for Molly Otto.
1,728 reviews39 followers
November 15, 2023
What a way to introduce a new series!! Get ready to fall for each of these characters, and okay, maybe you want to smack some over the head a little. So many emotions to be had in this hurt comfort novella. Gareth is so beautifully understanding why Riley needs to work through his past to be able to even be friends.
Cannot wait to see what Jax has in store for us next from the Greyhaven universe. For those not wanting to read an overly Christmas story, this isn't that it just happens to take place around Christmas.
Profile Image for Heather Duff.
2,233 reviews42 followers
September 29, 2026
Loved this engaging, wild world that Jax created.

A paranormal universe, a haven town, and a whole lot of drama!

I absolutely love Greyhaven and its misfit crew of locals. And Gareth and Riley finding their fated mate when Riley is trying to escape an abusive MOFO who's placed some super toxic and cruel curses on him.

While they work through Riley’s problem, they are also trying to keep the haven safe from attacks and figure out how they can be together.

It’s fast-paced with all the action, but also super sweet, and a little chaotic!
Profile Image for Sue Milkovich.
1,766 reviews20 followers
January 29, 2024
This is the first Book in a new series. GREYHAVEN is going to be ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. Riley has a curse to deal with. Tired of running he makes it to Greyhaven. Gareth has met his fated mate. These two are wonderful. Their mating ceremony was fantastic. I can't remember ever reading one like this and I loved it. JAX STUART always does the unexpected. If you love Shifters you'll love this. It has ones I've never seen before. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS INCREDIBLE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
2,653 reviews22 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
September 26, 2026
Greyhaven is a supernatural safehaven and Riley, a metamorph with a wicked warlock stepfather is in need of that. There he finds his fated mate, a warlock named Gareth and besides protecting Greyhaven, they have to find a way to break the curses Riley's stepfather put on him. It's steamy and full of magic and danger but fated mates win out over all. I received a copy of this and this is my voluntary opinion.
Profile Image for Latecia Jennings.
2,494 reviews14 followers
November 16, 2023
What a bittersweet romance but definitely a delight to read. Riley and Gareth had challenges and struggles but were able to overcome the evil and be together. I enjoyed this introduction to this series and hope to get to read more.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Profile Image for Teresa.
4,166 reviews44 followers
November 24, 2024
I loved Greyhaven!

Things move quickly in the book, but I loved the characters and the town. The tone was light despite the trauma Riley suffered. Perhaps a tad too much sex considering the length of the book, but I liked that they were verse. I look forward to more in the series.
Profile Image for Xanthe.
2,660 reviews55 followers
November 19, 2023
An enjoyable new series from Jax Stuart bringing several of my favourite tropes together - differeant paranormals within one community, fated mates, and Christmas!
Riley is in a really tough spot and has been from a few years, never able to settle in one place after being cursed by a warlock. Arriving in Greyhaven is a way of looking for help in a town that is purely for the supernatural community, hidden away to keep those who can't hide in plain sight safe. Hoping to get help to break the curse, the one thing he can't deal with is warlocks, and one man who is just happens to be his fated mate. Gareth is shocked to meet and the be left by his fated mate. Once he understands a little more, he is so sweet going out of his way to make Riley comfortable whilst also helping him with possibly breaking the curse.
Riley's history is painful as he has been forced to do things against his will and see his family suffer. Meeting so many friendly and helpful people in Greyhaven puts him off kilter but he puts effort in with that as much as learning to trust Gareth. They become a really great couple with Gareth giving Riley all of the space he needs, as he settles in the town and they work towards breaking curse on Riley and his family for good. There is a very good bad guy to dislike though I was a little surprised with how quickly that bit finished in the story but it had a great outcome for Riley and his loved ones.
I'm looking forward to more from the rest of this series and getting to know more of the paranormals in the community.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Profile Image for True Loveislovereview.
3,047 reviews1 follower
November 13, 2023
Riley is a rare creature, and people have taken advantage of his magic, he has a hard life. Above that he’s cursed, an enemy warlock cursed his family. He’s traveling for over a decade to get rid of the curse. He can’t stay anywhere longer than a month.
He arrived at Greyhaven, a friendly town with only supernaturals. Just as in all the other places he hopes to find a way to break the curse and destroy the warlock who cursed him.

The mayor of the city wants to help him and assigns Gareth to help Riley.
Gareth is thrilled when he meets Riley, he can’t believe his eyes, Riley is his fated mate.
The joy is short, he’s left heartbroken when Riley flies away from him and wants nothing to do with him, Gareth is a warlock ffs.

Only, Riley’s time is precious and ticking. When the time is up, he must leave Greyhaven and can’t return.
I’ll leave it at this, you really need to read it yourself!

This story is the start of a series, can’t wait to read more about Greyhaven and its citizens!
There are all kinds of stunning creatures, some I googled to see what they were.
At some point there’s a ceremony, ahh, I loved it 😍!
The ending of a certain creature could have been, for me, a bit more spectacular, it was satisfying but a bit soft, I granted him a more painful end. (I’m bad I know).
There are some surprising turns, the promise of more is just great!
Overall a wonderfully written story, full of magic and magical creatures, it was entertaining and had enough interesting open endings that screamed for more of this world.

Ps: There’s a Druid named True!! Isn’t that awesomeness!!
Profile Image for Demian Grimm.
336 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
September 26, 2026
I read Cursed at Christmas when it was still a short story meant to serve as a prequel for a new series, and I remember really liking it and seeing a lot of potential in the world and characters. At the time, I gave it 4.75 stars because, while I knew it wasn't completely fleshed out, I expected that some of those things would be expanded in the full-length book. So I was happy to see it become Wanderer, with more room to develop the story and characters.

And I enjoyed Wanderer too! 😊
I really liked both Riley and Gareth, as well as the quirky little community they’re part of. Riley has been through so much, and the curse he’s carrying has made his life incredibly difficult. He’s spent so long unable to stay anywhere or get close to anyone that it makes sense he’s wary, slow to trust, and especially afraid of warlocks. Finding out that his fated mate is a warlock naturally sends him into a bit of a spiral. 🥺💔 Despite everything, though, Riley is loyal, resilient, and brave, and I really liked that he’s still willing to do the right thing even when he has every reason to be scared. ❤️
Gareth, meanwhile, has had a very different life. Greyhaven is his home, and he’s deeply committed to protecting the town and the people who live there. He’s grounded and responsible, but he’s also kind and generous, always willing to help where he can. He’s patient with Riley’s fear and distrust, and he makes it very clear that he isn’t going to hurt him or give up on him. They’re very different characters with very different experiences, but I liked how well they worked together. 🥰❤️

Some things definitely have been fleshed out, but there were still a few areas where I found myself wanting more. Riley’s curse in particular left me wanting more. We get an explanation of it, but I never felt like I fully understood how it worked or exactly what it could and couldn’t do. 🤔🤔
There were also a few moments where I found myself confused because it felt like I had missed something. For example, Gareth refers to Fen’s “damaged” leg, and shortly after Fen is mentioned as having a limp, but as far as I could tell, those are the first and only times it’s mentioned. We never find out when or how Fen actually got hurt, so we can only guess. 🤔 There was a similar issue with some of the side characters. At one point, True and Dawn are mentioned as coming over for lunch, and I had to stop and think, “Wait, who the h3ll are True and Dawn?” They appear only very briefly earlier in the book, so it felt odd to suddenly have them mentioned later as though they were already established parts of Riley and Gareth’s lives. I found myself wondering when they had become important enough to be mentioned so casually. 🫤🤔

That said, I really liked the world of Greyhaven and the idea of a sanctuary where supernaturals can find a home and build a community. I also enjoyed the found family that they have there. 🤗❤️

The story moves quickly, and despite some pretty heavy things in Riley’s past, the overall tone stays fairly light. I think that worked for the most part, although there were moments when I felt the emotional weight of certain things could have been explored a little more.

Still, I enjoyed this expanded version of a story I already liked, and I definitely see the potential I noticed in Cursed at Christmas being developed further here. I’m curious to see where the Greyhaven series goes and will happily return to this world for the next book. 😊

I received a copy of this book from the author, and this is my unbiased review.
1,302 reviews18 followers
November 13, 2023
4.5

I love all things that are paranormal romance, so to put that alongside Christmas? I knew I had to read this book!

I'll start off with what I enjoyed. I liked both of our MC's, Riley and Gareth. Even though Riley has had a traumatic past with warlocks, he eventually let himself get to know his mate for who he is, not what he is. Which I liked. Great character development happened with Riley, once he knew no one in Greyhaven was out to cause him harm, he slowly started to trust people, Even other magic users. What I really loved about this book is the surprise of what type of shifter Riley is! I won't say, cause I don't want it to be spoiled for you, but just know it's really unique. And out of all the paranormal books I've read I haven't come across it before. So that was unique, and was one of many things that made this book stand out.

The place setting that this book took place in was described well, I like the idea of a town that only lets in people who needs help, and who has good intentions. The side characters were excellent additions to the storyline! They not only added that friendship element, but they also helped move the story along. I appreciated how Jax wrote Riley and Gareth's romance, she didn't make them instantly fall in love just cause they are mates, she had them take their time. They slowly got to know one another which I quite enjoyed.

I thought that the bonds Riley built with Longwei and Oscar was sweet, I liked reading about them becoming friends.

I will say that the Christmas aspect of this book is pretty low-key, it isn't a Christmas forward book. Christmas just happens to be what holiday occurs in the timeline this book has. Which isn't a negative thing at all, I was just under the impression that Christmas would be more of a focal point than what it ended up being. That being said, the magic that happens after Christmas passes is so, so sweet. Overall a really excellent start to a brand new series that I'm eager to read more of!

I cannot wait for Longwei and Dax's story, I really hope it's the next book in this series!!
Profile Image for Mandy (MP Book Reviews).
5,553 reviews51 followers
October 10, 2026
Riley escapes to Greyhaven, a sanctuary for supernaturals, hoping to break a curse and escape his abusive warlock stepfather. There, he finds a mate in Gareth, one of the town's protectors. As their bond grows, they must fight to break the curse and save Greyhaven from a looming threat.

This was such an enjoyable paranormal romance set in the hidden supernatural town of Greyhaven, a sanctuary protected by its residents. Riley had suffered so much at the hands of his stepfather, and the curse forcing him to keep moving felt like one cruel blow after another. My heart ached for him throughout the story. Gareth was a wonderful hero, both strong and gentle, and it was heartbreaking to see how the curse affected their potential relationship as mates. I especially loved that they took the time to truly get to know each other and build a solid connection before committing to something that could not be undone. The story was packed with emotion, and every feeling felt genuine and easy to connect with. Alongside the romance, there was plenty of danger and drama as threats to both Greyhaven and Riley had to be confronted. A fantastic start to the series, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book. This was an MM story with mature content.

** Please note this book was previously released as Cursed at Christmas; Wanderer is the first book in the Greyhaven series. It has been completely reworked with more than 15k in additional content. Some names and plot details have been changed.
519 reviews6 followers
November 15, 2023
From reading my first short story in a multi-author holiday novella collection as a teen, there’s always been a special place for me with holiday romance books. Now decorating for the holidays is another story but reading gives me all the holiday feels. I absolutely loved this start to a new series from Jax Stuart. It’s a paranormal series focusing on the sanctuary town of Greyhaven and those shifters and magical beings looking for safety from the outside world. There’s a special magic about the town that the main character Riley is hoping will finally free himself from this curse that’s taken over his life. It takes place during the holidays and gives that winter weather holiday vibe.

This book focuses on Riley and Gareth but also sets up the town and introduces readers to the various characters in the sanctuary. I really enjoyed this pair of MCs as characters and loved their dynamic as Riley learns to trust the people of the town, trust his fated mate and finally hope there is help for him and his family from his curse.

I also enjoyed the setup for the other characters in the series as well. Jax did a great job of focusing on the main characters of the story while mixing in bits and pieces teasing you as to what’s to come. I am definitely looking forward to reading their stories and learning more of the town of Greyhaven. I read a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and fair review.
Profile Image for Marion.
2,141 reviews
January 28, 2024
This book is a prequel to a new series and I enjoyed it a lot. We are introduced to the town of Greyhaven and all its wonderful residents. Greyhaven is safe haven for shifters and magical beings. The guardian of the town lets you in only if he knows that you are not a danger to them or yourself. This story focuses on Riley and Gareth. Riley has come to town desperate to find a way to break his curse and save his mom and brother. An evil warlock has cursed him so that he can only stay somewhere for one month. This makes relationships and friendships impossible to form. Gareth is a warlock and has lived in Greyhaven his entire life. When the two first meet, they immediately know that they are fated mates. Unfortunately, that discovery is not met with happiness. Riley immediately runs away. This is their story. The book is well written and easy to read. I enjoyed meeting the various characters of Greyhaven. I can't wait for future stories to come. My only sense of confusion is Riley's little brother. I don't fully understand everything about how he came to be. But it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. I am looking forward to reading Dax and Longwei's story.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for wordsandblankspaces.
875 reviews7 followers
January 21, 2024
Ok read

This was just ok for me. There were some consistency issues like Gareth's eye color always being different. Also a few typos and/or wrong name being used. In some other reviews, I have seen lots of complaints that this isn't "Christmassy" enough. I don't really get that. There is nothing in the blurb that says this is some fun, holiday romp so that's on the person making assumptions on what they think the book should be. As far as the actual story goes, it was ok to me. It started out fairly well and then just sort of fizzled out for me. I understand Riley's resistance at first to mating with Gareth but then once they start spending time together, it feels odd for him to be like 'I need space', especially when they had plans already. It was odd. The curse and dealing with Boyce were sort of anticlimactic after a lot of build up. I think Dax and Longwei would make a good story so I will at least read the blurb to see if it will be for me or not. This is actually the first book I've read by this author and I haven't decided yet if their style is for me or not.
987 reviews8 followers
September 29, 2026
massive magical cornerstones, pizza ablaze, blech no liver!, leaf water, tan lines, AirTag, dragon roasted meal, Valentine's Day dinner takeaway, pale & sweaty

Wow. **sigh** Author Jax Stuart has written another wonderful and excellent book. It's part paranormal, part fantasy. Reading it didn't feel labored, and I can't find anything bad or wrong with it. It left me with my heart completely warmed and satisfied. There are subplots that are easy to keep track of. It managed to surprise me at times, keeping my interest all the way through. I didn't realize I have the series prequel and *gasp* hadn't read that yet.

Bobcat shifter Riley is cursed and complicated. He's horrified his fated mate is a warlock. Warlock Gareth is smitten by fated mate Riley. Riley is new to paranormal sanctuary Westhaven, so Gareth doesn't know anything about him. He's bewildered by Riley's reaction to him upon their meeting. If that happened to me, it would've triggered my feelings of inferiority. lol

I'll stop my review before I inadvertently reveal anything. I tremendously enjoyed reading this book, and enthusiastically recommend it.
Profile Image for Amy.
246 reviews6 followers
November 11, 2023
Cursed At Christmas by Jax Stuart was an unputdownable read for me! I recently started reading paranormal romance in between my usual genres of historical romance and contemporary MM romance.

Stories like Gareth and Riley’s are the reason why I find myself reading more paranormal romances. They, along with the community of Greyhaven, captured my heart and my imagination. I love getting lost in the pages and not catching myself wondering if one detail or another is historically accurate.

Gareth and Riley are so magnetic they caused me to be naughty at work and read instead of working nonstop. I just couldn’t set their story aside. I guess it’s a good thing I work at home and no coworkers follow my bookstagram account 🤷🏻‍♀️

Greyhaven sounds like a place I’d love to be. There’s such a sense of community and supporting one another that seems to be missing from everyday life nowadays. The supporting characters are vividly described, and I can’t wait to read their stories!

I received an ARC from the author. The opinions expressed above are mine.
Profile Image for Gina.
4,058 reviews58 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
September 23, 2026
The book is a good read.

Previously released as Cursed at Christmas, Wanderer is the first book in the Greyhaven series, reworked with additional content. Some names and plot details have been changed.

Welcome to Greyhaven, a sanctuary town where supernaturals of all kinds can find a home and love.

For Riley, Greyhaven is not only a sanctuary, it's his last hope. Cursed to wander from place to place until he gives in to his warlock step-father's desire to own Riley for what he is, Riley is looking for a way to break free so he can save his mom and get his revenge. He finds more than he's looking for in Greyhaven. Hope for a better future for people like him, a found family in the people he meets there, and a mate. Can he overcome his fear of what Gareth is to accept his heart?


Wanderer is an MM paranormal romance and is book #1 in the Greyhaven series. There are some instances of violence, some mentions of SA, abuse, and coercion. A full list of potential triggers will be available on my website before release.
Profile Image for Yvonne.
896 reviews13 followers
October 25, 2026
Riley was tired of running, tired of being lonely, so finally finding Greyhaven, he wanted to find a home. Gareth has always lived in Greyhaven, having no family he spends all his time between the college where he teaches and the greenhouse tending the plants, but when he finds his fated mate, he thought it could not get any better. But fate was laughing when it turned out that his mate was scared of warlocks.
I never read this when it was first released. so I went in blind. Riley and Gareth were both likeable characters and as more was revealed that Riley went through, had me despising his so called family.
The drama between MCs was low angst and whilst I enjoyed reading about them, I was invested in the secondary characters as well, as I do have a few questions about a certain character which I hope will get answered in further books and I so want Oscar's story
I loved the world building and the many unusual supernatural, along side ones that are more popular. How each person played a part to keep Greyhaven the safe place it is.
An enjoyable read which I want to carry on reading about
Profile Image for Belinda Zamora.
3,111 reviews8 followers
November 29, 2023
Magic and fated mates

Riley has been cursed and traumatized by an evil warlock who also has his family captive.
He can never stay in any place for too long so he's never been able to have a home, friendship or love.
He comes to Greyhaven seeking sanctuary.
He's welcomed with open arms.
He also meets his fated mates, Gareth who is a warlock.
Immediately his defenses are up and he runs.
It's a painful blow for Gareth but he tries to help anyway.
He slowly goes about proving that he has no intentions of hurting Riley.
I loved how patient and kind Gareth was with Riley.
They took their relationship slowly and Gareth never pushed for more than Riley was willing to give.
I'm glad that Riley's brother Daxton was able to get help.
Their mother Molly needs a lot of help and time to heal so I'm really happy that their younger brother Jayden has been settled with Riley and Gareth.
There are plenty of wonderful side characters that I'm looking forward to learning about.
Profile Image for Kendra Patterson.
1,101 reviews12 followers
September 29, 2026
This is the revised version of Cursed at Christmas. There are many changes besides people's names. The dragon brothers, Tatsuya and Ryuu, are jerks to Fen (Longwei). Tatsuya is especially mean and it's never explained why. He even ends up running Fen off. Riley, Paxton and their mother Molly have planned to escape Boyce and finally be together as a family but when they do, Paxton and Molly go off to another town because conveniently Molly can't be helped in Greyhaven. The change in how Molly and a young boy come to Greyhaven isn't better and is just bad. Riley is now the boy's father and he had no idea. There's a lot of changes but it doesn't make the story better IMO. There's just no excitement. I wanted to feel something for this revised edition but it did nothing for me. It's still an okay book and everyone else seemed to like it. I really like Jax's Sweetwater Pack and Northanger Coven series but this one left me wanting. 🤷‍♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sheena.
867 reviews17 followers
November 9, 2023
This is the first in a new series set in a sanctuary town where all manner of supernatural creatures and people live together, with the idea being you can only get in if you mean no harm to others. I love the idea of that, it's not a new idea but I love reading books set in sanctuary settlements. This is Gareth (Gar) and Riley's story. Gar has lived in Greyhaven all his life, and Riley is a new arrival, coming to Greyhaven as his last hope to break a curse that's had him running for years, never settling.

I liked both Riley and Gar, I could understand Riley's wariness and fear when he met Gar for the first time, and the shock on realising they were fated mates. Riley has been through a lot when we meet him, but I liked that he was still hopeful about breaking his curse and about being happy with his fated mate, even if said mate was a warlock, same as the one who cursed him. I liked Gar and Riley together too, and the scene where they test Gar's magic against Riley was great.

I'm all for fated mates, even if it does make things move fast - sometimes that's not a bad thing and it worked for these two as time was against them. I liked the rest of the cast of characters in the town too, there's lots of stories that can be told here and I'm looking forward to meeting them and reading their stories.

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for K-Me.
3,279 reviews
November 8, 2023
This is our sneak peek into the Supernatural Sanctuary town of Greyhaven, and it is a wonderful, but still challenging finding of mates for two very lonely souls. Gareth is a warlock in the town and has lived for a long time and is feeling very lonely. He longs for a mate to share his life with. When wandering Riley arrives with his curse and all his wariness, Gareth still has so much hope! Gareth is determined to win over his mate so they can both feel and share the intimacy they have longed for and needed for all this time. There is no meet cute here with Garth being a warlock and Riley being cursed, so the most wonderful moments for me were the small ones where you can see and feel Riley start let his walls for Gareth! Well-deserved and hard-fought romance for these two.
Profile Image for Jeanette Waters.
2,564 reviews8 followers
November 12, 2023
Stuart creates a new world where paranormals that can't fit into the human world have safe havens across the world. Riley, a rare shifter able to take many forms, comes to Greyhaven seeking to undo a curse set on him by an evil warlock. Here he meets Gareth, his mate. Unfortunately, Gareth is a warlock and Riley is repelled and fearful of him. And attracted. They overcome Riley's fear and work together to break the curse and save his family.
A little bit of enemies to lovers, age gap, and suspiciously grumpy/ sweet sunshine tropes. A fun, quick read. Great worldbuilding. Lots of characters introduced (hopefully means, more stories in the future). A little bit of angst. A lot of sexy times. Sweet ending.
I received an advance copy of this book, this is my review.
Profile Image for Marta.
461 reviews1 follower
November 13, 2023
Loved this book, even presenting a new place and a entire set of characters Jax Stuart is able to tell a wonderful story.
Riley goes to Greyhaven in search of someone to break the curse he is suffering. Gareth is the one chosen to try but he is a warlock and Riley can´t trust him because he was cursed and abused by a warlock. To make the situation worse, Gareth and Riley are fated mates and everything feel hopeless.
Riley with help of new friends learns thar Gareth is worthty of his love and together they fight to break Riley`s curse.
This book is very well written, the characters are developed and they work together to their well earned HEA, there`s a full cast of secondary characters wating to tell us their story.
I heartily recommend this book.
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