Christian Kent has many labels – warrior, protector, friend, lover – but the one label he never wanted was mate. In his lifetime, the only girl he has ever loved, was the one he couldn’t have. He left her to protect her heart, but his own will always belong to her.
As a girl, the one person she believed would never hurt her broke her heart. Now a warrior, she’s loving life and living for the next adventure. She’s put the past behind her, including the man who walked out of her life.
Fate brought them together once, and it’s not done with them yet. When they are suddenly thrown together to battle a lethal new foe, sparks fly and old feelings resurface. Chris will have to work hard to heal the rift between them. But will she be able to let go of the old heartbreak and open her heart to him again? Can they come together before the threat they are facing tears them apart forever?
Karen Lynch is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
She grew up in Newfoundland, Canada - a place rich in colorful people and folklore to which she attributes her love of the supernatural and her vivid imagination. She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina years ago and was immediately charmed by the southern people but she says she will always be a newfie.
Though she loves supernatural fiction, she has a soft spot for Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austin. She is a fan of classic rock, country and classical music but her favorite music is the sound of a good thunderstorm or a howling blizzard. Two of her favorite past times are baking artisan breads for her friends and spending quality time with her two German Shepherds.
Huh. I guess it's the books you're most excited about that have the power to disappoint you the most. I mean, I ended up rating this one 3 stars. 3 stars isn't bad at all. And still I'm feeling oddly sad right now.
There wasn't one big salient issue that ruined the book for me. It was more of an accumulation of little things that didn't fully satisfy me.
Take the female lead, Beth. Beth in warrior mode was amazing. Insecure, lovestruck Beth, however, not so much. All her melodramatic antics regarding Chris and how he'd hurt her in the past, how she could never trust him again, yada, yada, yada, kept grating on my nerves instead of making me sympathize with her. Then there was the plot which, while intriguing, was totally predictable. I was sure of the culprit's identity early on, which was rather disappointing considering how flabbergasted I felt when Lynch revealed who the baddie was in her third book, Rogue. Also, I didn't like how Lynch told quite a few key scenes in retrospect instead of letting the reader experience them by themselves. Chris's reaction, or lack thereof, to finding out about his bond with Beth didn't feel realistic either, considering how he'd avoided any sort of commitment in the past. And don't even get me started on the complete lack of chemistry between Chris and Beth. No butterflies on my part. None. I couldn't have cared less whether the two of them got together or not. Okay, maybe to see Chris happy, but other than that...
... Which takes me to the things I did like about this book: 1. Chris. He's perfect. I needn't say more. 2. Nikolas and Sara. 3. Jordan! 4. Mason, aka Beth's best friend and someone who definitely needs a book of his own.
... so it's basically the characters that totally saved this book for me. Oh, and 5. the grand finale.
So despite its flaws, this book was still very enjoyable. I am still one of Karen Lynch's most devoted fangirls out there (which is kinda embarrassing considering I'm almost 32 years of age). And I will be anticipating anything else she may have in store for us just as excitedly as I did this one.
I was excited for Chris story. He always lightens the mood in the previous books, always making fun of Nicholas about Sara. It was entertaining to see Nicholas now doing the same to him. I enjoyed their friendship.
The friendship between Beth, Jordan, and Sara was cool. Mason was a true friend to Beth. The way he supported and protected her at the beginning was great.
I was suspicious of Adam, I thought the demon might be using him, but when It was revealed Adam is the main villain I was shocked. It was a good twist and made the story good. Otherwise, I was feeling a bit bored in the middle of the book. I was a bit disappointed that Roland, Peter, and Nate didn't make any appearances in this book. They were such important characters in the previous books.
I was so happy when Beth slapped Celine. First of all, it was cute when Beth became jealous and protective over Chris. And second of all, I don't like Celine. She tried to manipulate Sara to break her bond with Nicholas in the second book Refuge. I mean there should be a scene where Sara slaps her. I was glad Nicholas was able to clear the confusion and also Sara talked to him about it. The good thing about the series is that the main protagonist's has enough communication rather than unnecessary drama.
I can't say I enjoyed this as much as the others. It was still delicious and fun, but it was a bit lacking. I think it's because we spent three books developing Sarah and Nikolas' relationship and we only had one book for Chris. I wish we could have gotten more development, and perhaps a longer book. Also, I feel like the conflict was just a repeat of what happened in book 3.
Despite all this, I really want a book for Jordan!!!!!!!!!! And Desmund!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2,5 stars skipped some chapters because I was bored which is so sad as I loved the first four books of the series this is the different leading couple with the hero who appeared in previous books and it was a lovable character ...
I love it. This book have what I was missing from the books I was reading. The humor between all the action makes it worth our time. Can’t wait for Jordan next.
I wasn't as excited about this as I'd been about the original Relentless trilogy. It was focused mainly on the romance and less on the action and the whole thing felt just meh. 3 stars, because we met all my favorite characters. :-) I have to say this was one of my most anticipated releases, because Relentless trilogy is my favorite, but sadly I felt like this book didn't deliver. I know, right? How is that possible? I love Dimples! But I could do without the angst (yeah, he hurt you, Beth, we get it) and the bad guy was soooo predictable... I'm quite sad I have to give this book 'only' 3 stars, but just can't give it more.
Early read for fun copy from my dear friend, Karen Lynch.
Fans of the series are going to love this exciting new installment!
Nonstop thrills, fun, and romance. Having the Relentless gang back together feels like reuniting with treasured family members—ones who know just how to tickle my funny bone. Team Mohiri has a kickass new addition . . . and Chris is about to get more than he bargained for. Not only is their love fated, it’s smoking hot!
I love Karen's books. I have read the first three books of the Relentless series many times. Because of a challenge I finally read the fifth book of this series (Roland's story) and decided to try to read the next two book this year. But in between a new book was published. And the blurb recommended to read the other books of this series before. So I started Chris's story this month.
I enjoyed that Chris has to cope with finding his solmi. And he and Beth had a long way ahead of them and I enjoyed every step of the way. It's a great book.
Some brutal honesty here. I’m very disappointed in this book. I absolutely adored the first 5 books of this series! Like they took over my life because I loved them so much.
Since the original four were so amazing, I fully expected this book to be just as good. Not don’t get me wrong, I love this series and this world, but this story almost felt like an easy way out. The fans had been demanding more stories from Lynch, and it almost feels like she just threw one together without putting in the same effort. Maybe this was due to deadlines, or a lack of material, I don’t know. I’m just really underwhelmed. Also, I feel like the editing team really dropped the ball on this one, just after the halfway point, I was finding noticeable spelling errors through the book. Pretty frequently “Night” was “might”, or the other way around, just as an example. Personally, I understand grammar mistakes, but I feel like spelling should always be correct.
In a sense, I feel as if we just got a mild, muted version of Sara and Nikolas’s story over again. Yes, part of the story is Chris going through what Nikolas had gone through, but it just didn’t hit home. Through out the first four books and especially in Warrior, we have Chris adamant that he wants nothing to do with a mate or the bond, but then he gets a mate and accepts it within one page. What happened to the brooding, loveable, lonely warrior?!
I don’t want to post any spoilers because I do believe everyone should rush to read this series, but don’t stress out too much about fitting Fated into your reading schedule. It can wait.
I think from the start this book was going to lack potential. It's hard to write a book that engages the audience that has the same plot as the previous four books, just with different characters.
In all fairness to the author, the writing was really good and I probably would have enjoyed this more if I had not read the first four books first. That was the problem. The plot is exactly the same in this spin-off.
However, if you have not read Sara and Nikolai's story, it's a very good series and recommend it highly. But once you've read that it's a bit pointless to read the spin-offs. Well, this one anyway.
I love these two. They are so perfect together. It makes my heart melt, and the plot is interesting.
PREVIOUS REVIEW: I never expected Christian's series to be so sweet and emotional, but it's also full of fierce warriors and crazy demon escapades, which keeps the story hopping along.
Haha I liked this book. I always did like her characters. Her men may be a little cavemanish when they find their mates, but her females are always strong, independent warriors. Even when they're traumatized, they stand up and make stuff happen. I like a story where the female is kicking butt.
Again I've been reduced to a blubbering mess of happy tears. Thanks Karen.
I was so excited to read Chris' story to see how his future would play out, and I was not disappointed. I loved Beth immediately, Mason too.
The twists and turns in this story had me on edge throughout. It was a nice mixture of action packed intensity and Chris finally pulling himself together. I don't know which of the Mori boys in a rage frightened me more, Chris or Nikolas.
I like that we still get a little of everyone in this story, it's not just Chris and Beth but almost everyone else we've grown to love throughout the series.
I laughed, cried and swore repeatedly while reading this book. The bombshell of the Lilin still has me shaken. I'm left unsure of what to do next because once I read Hellion, that's it, and I'm not prepared for that.
I LOVED the bonus scene at the end, that's what reduced me to tears. I guessed where it was going when she was humming while setting the table, and that made me so happy oh my gosh.
Below are some of my favourite moments from Fated.
‘“Do you think it's safe to let the three of them out in the city like that?” Raoul asked as we climbed back into the SUV. “They can take care of themselves.” I said. Then I thought about a club full of men staring at Beth in that dress, and an unpleasant burn started in my stomach. Raoul scoffed. “I'm worried about the city, not the girls.”’
‘A laugh slipped from me. Only in our house would you see an imp wearing actual clothes and flipping the bird at a cat.’
I seriously cannot get enough of this series. I don't know what I'm doing to do when it's over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Sometimes you read a book and love its side characters so much you wish they'd have their own book. And sometimes when that finally happens you wish it didn't. This is one of those times. I'm a huge fan of this series, but sadly this one didn't work out for me as I hoped.
I loved Chris in previous books, he had so much personality but here he was just a shadow of his former self. The chemistry between him and Beth - the heroine, was nonexistent in my opinion.
Beth, Beth, Beth. "shakes head" She had 4 scenes were she was a badass, but unfortunately all her feeling sorry for herself and being insecure for most of the book made her unconnectable.
Again the story lacked the suspense, mystery and action from the previous books. You immediately guess who the culprit is.
Safety:
Will I read the next book? Most definitely. I find my highlights in seeing the 1st MCs, I enjoy the writing style and I look forward to read Jordan's book. I hope it will be more badass than this one.
Karen Lynch has created another masterpiece which has drawn me in to the world she's created. I've been enchanted from the very first book she wrote in this series and Fated is no different. The characters and the stories and the world that this author has built is just so amazing and realistic that I've really felt I'm right there alongside the characters experiencing everything they do. I've fallen in love over and over again with each book she's released.
Fated was just amazing and I loved reading Chris's story and the dynamics of all his relationships with past characters we know and new characters we don't, from his POV. I also loved meeting Chris's mate (and no I'm not going to spoil anything by telling you their name!). Like all of Karen Lynch's main characters, they're strong, independent and kick ass. This person was the right mate for Chris and vice versa.
I really loved reading Fated, this is another Karen Lynch book that is being added to my yearly re read pile (along with all her other books too). I was so excited to read this book and am still excited after finishing it. I loved every minute of it and am glad we got to read Chris's story. A fantastic read that gets five stars from me (and trust me if I could give it any number of more stars then I would) I loved it!
This is the weakest book in the whole series (which I love) in my opinion. The whole thing felt quite rushed when compared to Roland’s story in the last book which I loved. I’d agree that the story was a bit predictable as soon as certain characters appeared. Beth annoyed me at times with how she reacted to certain situations but I suppose at least it elicited a reaction! Overall even with the above I did enjoy it but it won’t be one I read again like the other books. The bonus scene I did enjoy and I hope Karen continues that story line!!
Goodness I don't even know where to start.... I love the relentless series You could say i'm slightly obsessed just borderline unhealthy obsessed...each book gets better and better and sucks you right in. Karen is a true master of her craft... I want to go to every place described in her stories and interact with all the people. She out did herself yet again. Fated was just out standing... I've waited for Chris's story since we were charmed by his dimples in relentless. I had no idea what to expect with his book but it was everything I could hope for and more. Not only is the gang back together and we get to see almost everyone we love interact again .we get to meet and fall in love with new characters who fit into this series seamlessly. we also get to see inside Chris's mind and his Mori. My goodness did that boy make me swoon. Give me an alpha warrior any day! The threat in this book was so new and original as soon as I thought I knew what to expect I'd turn the page and be thrown with how unpredictable it was. That's very refreshing when you're 6 books into a series. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire read. This book is added to my permanent read again and again file. Just like always I am so excited for the next book.
Awe, I love all this world! I hope this isn't the last book. I'm so glad we got to see Chris paired up, and I have to say that while where she came from wasn't even a little bit of a surprise... the rest was. As for the relationship/romance v Sara & Nikolas? These two are good, but Sara & Nikolas still win ;)
And the book worked... BUT, I don't remember so many 'hint and skip' style of scenes in the first few books. By that I mean the characters would say 'oh, we are so going to go/see/do that' and then the book would move on, just noting that they had done what they had decided on. So - minor spoiler - first time h meets Jordan, Jordan does her mouth off thing, h fires back, Jordan decides they are going to run along and get to know each other... but we don't get to see it, cause it skips to the next day where they have had a great new besties night and the story is moving on. So, it's not detrimental to the story, but we miss seeing the fun. There are lots of skipped scenes like that. Some are far more story involved that just characters meeting.
And I have to say that I HATE how the end completely skipped everything IMO. Again, yes, we know 'enough' to make it work and realise that pages haven't been left out, but it was like we walked out five minutes before the credits and we'll never quite know how that movie wrapped up cause we were so focused on beating the rush to the car park... and then it epilogue done year later. I really wish we could have seen NY... Then again, I really wish we could have seen Russia too. Fingers crossed for novellas?
THE BONUS STORY - Great Again, we skipped time to get to 2 years post HAVEN. It had some pretty cute snippets in there, and we got the see or hear what was going on with everyone.
3.5, but I will round up because all of Karen Lynch’s books are a cut above the rest. Fated, while likable, just doesn’t have quite as much chemistry as its predecessors.
Plot: Chris develops a bond with Beth, a girl he rescues as a child.
Characters: A lot of people don’t like that this is not the Chris we remember from the previous books. He didn’t have that special quality that made him such fun. He was actually very serious and pushy. Beth could have been a great character. Like Jordan, she was an excellent warrior, but she was less relatable (likeable?) because she whined so much about things that happened in the past.
The book wasn’t bad though. Jordan was around to provide some comic relief. And for readers going through Sara withdrawals, the bonus scene reveals what she and Nikolas have been up to.
Writing: I really like Lynch’s writing. She gives some hints as to whom the villain might be but still manages to maintain a feeling of suspense throughout the book. Her books are also well-edited (very few typos compared to most of the YA fiction these days). I’m an English major, so that is always a joy for me. Readers should note that there is a lot of cursing and a little bit of violence. There is some semi-adult content, but nothing graphic.
The Bottom Line: Fated is missing some of the things that made the previous books so exciting, but it’s still a good book. Most of us have gotten to know all the characters so well that we miss them when they’re gone, so Chris’ book was a nice “tide me over” until we get to read about Jordan.
Soaring Up High I FREAKING LOVED Fated. Karen Lynch is one my all time favorite paranormal/urban fantasy authors. I throughly loved reading her Relentless series and the following companion books, but each books of hers keeps on getting better. And, Fated was my favorite.
Chris has always been my favorite character in the initial trilogy and throughout the series. He so laid back and friendly. Plus, he is the best friend of Nikolas Danshov. And with the introduction of a female character we never met before now, I was thoroughly intrigued by this story and jumped the chance when I finally saved it for an awesome weekend.
Chris in this novel just made me swoon. Ladies, you better watch out, because this Mohiri knows how to swoon and make you go all dreamy. I loved Chris as a character. He’s known for his outgoing and chill personality. I loved his sense of humor. However, in this novel we get to see his tenderness. I loved how he was with Beth. Yes, he made stupid mistakes in the past, but his actions make up for more than his mistakes. Aand, his rage and possessiveness OMG!
Beth was a really cool heroine. I loved how she is kickbutt like all of Karen Lynch’s heroines, but there is an underlying vulnerability beneath her. Beth has been deeply hurt by Chris in the past. And, her distrust for him really does not help when they bond. What I probably most enjoyed from Beth is her inner confidence. I love how she is confident and a highly skilled fighter. Her fighting style is just plain amazing, and her character growth is phenomenal.
The romance in this novel was super sweet and sizzling. I loved how Karen focus on the chemistry and the emotion. There were so many tender moments between Chris and Beth that I rooted for them as a couple. In addition, what I really loved was the pacing. There was a lot of mistrust between Chris and Beth. I loved how they actually cleared up things before they got together and started progressing their relationship. Karen did an amazing job weaving in action and the sweet moments between them. And, when they finally get together I really got pumped up.
Another thing I loved in this novel, was seeing the secondary characters and more of the Mohiri world. I loved Mason Beth’s best friend. He isn’t cliched. I like how he is there for his friend and never added in extra OTT drama. Also, the extra scenes and side characters such as seeing more from Sara, Nikolas, Jordan, and etc. were an amazing blast from the past. It’s cool to see the initial crew all happy. And, we now have Jordan getting her own story. In addition, the extra additions of the main antagonist and the Liliths was pretty cool. I loved how there were amazing fight scenes. There was real suspense coupled in with amazing romance. Man, some guys are super evil.
All in all, this is just an AMAZING novel! And, that bonus scene featuring Sara and Nikolas really made my day, no year. I just had an amazing time reading Karen Lynch’s latest book. EVERYTHING IN this novel was perfect and on pointe. I DEFINETLY, no demand, you read this book and get your hands on this baby. Great job, Karen!
I was so excited for this book and the waiting was worth it. Fated by Karen Lynch is about Chris (finally!), who saved Beth from a fire when she was a young girl. When Beth grew into a beautiful woman, she fell in love with him. But Chris left her heartbroken. Years later they meet again and both have to work closely together so save young women from their deaths. But their feelings for each other can't be ignored that easily.
Editing this review as I am currently re-reading this series, because there is a new release coming up. My overall opinion about this book did not change.
Oh my, I still can't get over how much I love Karen Lynch's books. Her writing is a dream. I'm always a little scared when authors publish spin-off books, because I fear that they aren't that good or just don't fit. But with these books I definitely can say that they all fit and are the perfect addition. I never had the feeling that something didn't belong, but some things were quite predictable. I'm so glad I enjoyed this book.
It was so lovely to meet lots of characters from the other books again. I really missed them. Chris is a wonderful warrior (and our favourite one ;) ). I loved him from the moment he appeared in Relentless. And he is still the same awesome man: loving, caring, protective, funny and a lot more. I'm glad he settled and found his girl. What I started to not enjoy fully is that all the men in the series are so super protective and jealous. They don't like when another male comes near their woman. The girls are no different. And I don't like such kind of behaviour, but I guess it works here. The guys are not doing it because they are toxic, but that's how their chemistry works. Beth is such a cutie. She is so lovely, but also a badass. She cares a lot for other people. I'm glad we met her in this book. She is fabulous addition to the gang. Sadly, our wolf-boys weren't present. The special chapter at the end of the book about Sara and Nikolas is just perfect.
I can't get over how good these books are. I want more. I would love to have a story about Jordan, because I really love that girl. But I want to read more about all the others too! I think I need to calm myself down a little bit and just enjoy the sensation of the book. I highly recommend this series.
2.5 stars Bland and kinda boring because I just couldn't bring myself to care about Chris or Beth or their relationship. I wanted to cause I loved books 1-3 and Emma & Roland's story but I just DID NOT CARE. Chris' POV felt incredibly generic. There was nothing about it that made Chris' personality stand out. And Beth. Oh Beth it maybe my age but your constant wailing about how Chris done you wrong & broke your heart was annoying. It made me feel she still hadn’t matured enough to actually be in a long term relationship - she was still stuck in silly little girl with a crush land. At least Sara had the maturity required. I debated between rounding up & round down but in the end went with rounding down because i struggled so hard with finishing it - wanting to give up on multiple occasions because i was so bored. Pissy Beth was annoying, pushy Chris was annoying. Beth - I like Chris. I am having fun with him. We run into an old gf he slept with one weekend 4 YEARS AGO. I am so devastated at this reminder that adult male Chris had sexual relations with another woman years before we bonded that i immediately decide i cannot have a relationship with him. Honestly i dont know why Chris is so dead set on overcoming her objections.
I wasn't exactly nervous to read this book, but Chris is my favorite and you always get a little anxious when an author decides to give you an entire novel on what is a secondary character in a series. But, this was an unfounded anxiety, because just like she did with Warrior, Karen Lynch gave us a whole new side to our man! I really enjoyed the banter of course, but getting more history was maybe my favorite part. And more Chris. Hello he's the best! I'm so glad I took a chance to continue this rad series!
I enjoyed Chris's story, I kind of knew where it was headed in the story line though. I was just expecting something different. I still loved the book. Even the extra part. 😍😍😍 No spoilers here. 😂😂