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Protector. Boogeyman. Hellhound. Meshaq has been called it all. As alpha of the hellhounds, his goddess has tasked him with protecting the secrets of the supernatural world. He’s the police of other creatures and the enforcer of the goddess’s rules. If his duty leaves him lonely and longing for a mate and a larger pack, well, the goddess knows the secrets of his heart and she will grant them if it is her will.

Drew Metcalf is a man on the run. When he finds himself in a biker bar surrounded by leather wearing giants, he thinks he’s a goner. But there’s something different about the man slinging drinks. He makes Drew feel safe, something he hasn’t felt in a long time.

When Drew and Shaq’s worlds collide, a different kind of magic happens. Shaq doesn’t understand why he’s so drawn to the human whose life is shrouded in mystery and danger. What Shaq does know is that Drew needs his protection. Magical forces are at work, beginning a battle that will require all of Shaq’s skill as the goddess’s champion. With a terrifying threat looming, Shaq and Drew are in danger of losing more than their hearts.

219 pages, ebook

First published October 23, 2018

483 people are currently reading
849 people want to read

About the author

Macy Blake

55 books702 followers
Macy Blake believes in unicorns and fairies, in moonbeams and stardust, and that happily ever after comes in all colors of the rainbow. When she’s not busy at the day job, she loses herself in paranormal romance, living vicariously through her favorite sexy fictional heroes. These days you can often find her pounding away at the keyboard, trying to capture the magic of her own worlds.

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5 stars
1,204 (44%)
4 stars
909 (33%)
3 stars
444 (16%)
2 stars
93 (3%)
1 star
27 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
Profile Image for ☆ Todd.
1,441 reviews1,583 followers
August 2, 2020

Read, read, read. Okay, Drew's in trouble, but he seems fun.

Read, read, read. Uncle Meshaq, cool, cool.

Read, read, read. Yeah, mates, as I expected.

Read, read, read. Hmm, romance is kinda light, but sex isn't OTT either, cool, cool.

Read, read, read. Oh. My. Goddess! You a NASTY HO!
“Shaq! You didn’t!”

Shaq laughed and leaned down again. “I did.”

“I’m never going to be able to see her again. Ever. Not ever again.”

“Why? Because I asked my goddess to provide us with lube and she responded?”

“Exactly why! Shaq! The goddess put lube in my ass!”
Read, read, read. Ollie, Ollie, OLLIE! Thank you, Goddess (even if you are a nasty ho).

Read, read, read. Krispy Kreme, because... who the hell doesn't love a damn good donut?

Read, read, read. Wait... WHUT? Possible *MPREG*???

The End.

3.5 stars.

** NOTE: I searched books 2 & 3 and it doesn't 'seem' that Drew was going to start pushing out ASS BABIES in those next books, so I'm going to proceed. With caution. While tightly gripping the rip cord on my parachute.

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Suggested Reading Order:

https://macyblake.com/series/chosen-u...

1.) Sweet Nothings - Prequel - The Chosen One
2.) The Trouble With Love - Nothing But Trouble, Book 1
3.) Santa Trouble - Nothing But Trouble, Book 2
4.) All or Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 1
5.) Nothing Ventured - The Chosen One, Book 2
6.) Hell on Earth - Hellhound Champions, Book 1
7.) Double or Nothing
8.) Next to Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 3
9.) Hell To Pay - Hellhound Champions, Book 2
10.) Give Him Hell - Hellhound Champions, Book 3
11.) Nothing Gained - The Chosen One, Book 4
12.) Stop at Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 5

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Profile Image for Barbara➰.
1,661 reviews459 followers
February 18, 2024
Reread February 2024

Still love these two.

Reread May 2021

I loved this one a lot this time. Good story for mates.

Reread March 2019

Yes I just read this a few weeks ago 😬. I read this before reading The Chosen series and since the sequel to this one just came out, I decided to refresh my memory. I enjoyed it just as much this time. Glad I’ve got a new author to stalk follow 😳

Originally read February 2019

This is a sweet mate story that is a spin-off of the The Chosen series, which I will be reading next.

I loved Meshaq. He's the big-bad alpha of the paranormal world...top dog. Lol get it...he's a hellhound. All paranormals are scared of him but he is really a good person at heart and just wants to do the right thing. Drew is on the run from "something". He's not sure what but he's scared when he runs into Meshaq's bar. The attraction is instant.

I'll definitely be going back and reading The Chosen series so I can get more of the backstory with the kids etc.
Profile Image for ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~.
3,578 reviews1,118 followers
November 16, 2020
What did I just read? I tried. I really did, but I made it to 50% before throwing in the towel and skimming the rest. This book has no plot, no world building, no relationship or character development.

Drew, the human mate, is as bland as a cracker. Shaq, the Alpha of the hellhounds, is as badass as a puppy.

There is no tension to the story, no angst, no real climax, no heat. There are references to secondary characters that I'm assuming are from the author's other series. None of it gelled or formed a coherent storyline.

I'm in the minority, but this is one of the worst books I've read in a long while. It's my first book by this author and definitely my last.
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,994 reviews435 followers
June 1, 2021
Ooooh things are kicking off now

This first book in the Hellhounds series gives us Meshaq's romance with Drew and it's really sweet and packed full of info about what's happening in the Chosen universe.

It's surprisingly slow burn but once Drew gets his head around his overwhelming attraction to Shaq, it's game on and some very hot smexy times ensue.

These books are as funny as they are packed with action and I'm thoroughly enjoying the lot.
Profile Image for Steph ☀️.
702 reviews32 followers
November 4, 2018
Well, that was 🤔

This story was too nice to be titled, “Hell on Earth”. For one, Shaq, the alpha hellhound, is too nice and tame; no bada**ness here. Then there is Drew, the human omega (yes there is a reference to Mpreg at the end), that seems to accept anything and everything. Like the supernatural is just a regular occurrence. Imo, the story wasn’t well developed at all, and by no means does it live up to the title.
Profile Image for ricecake.
37 reviews8 followers
August 17, 2024
5⭐

Aahh, why are they so cute! (●´∀`)ノ♡

description

The plot
Meshaq is the alpha of the hellhounds and his goddess has tasked him with protecting their secrets so the supernatural world won't be revealed to humans. He has an important duty but it has let him longing for a mate and a larger pack. Drew Metcalf meets Meshaq in a biker bar and he starts to feel safe around him. Meshaq doesn't understand why he's so drawn to the human but what he does know is that he needs to protect Drew. There's a terrifying threat looming and Shaq and Drew need to prepare themselves.

The story
I’m glad I already read some of the Chosen One books so I had a better understanding of the characters and the world around them. And I really enjoyed this one! I was sucked into the story from the first page and I just couldn't wait to read more. Their interactions were super cute and it was obvious how much they liked each other. This was just so fluffy and lovely. <3

Shaq growled and his eyes flamed.

Drew’s smile slipped and he bit his lip instead. “Your eyes. I can’t handle them. So beautiful.”
(✿˵•́◡•̀˵)━✧.*

The characters
Okay I loved both Drew and Meshaq. Drew was kind and adorable. Meshaq wanted to protect him which was sweet. He was protective and just so cool. I also liked Walt. He was all grumpy but you could tell that he cares. I’m so happy that we could see Natasha and Ollie again! And I just couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that they had grown up. I think I’ll always see them as those little kids that Sam and Vaughn had taken to their care. (*´▽`*)

description

:')
Profile Image for Gerbera_Reads.
1,684 reviews154 followers
October 28, 2018
The book was cute. I liked some parts of it. I definitely liked the MCs. Shaq is the alpha hellhound but he is still kind and compassionate, in fact, I would call him a gentle giant. He helps anyone in need. He does have an angry side when someone is in danger but mostly he is very likeable and approachable. Drew is a feisty human with lots of sass and a backbone of steel. He is caring and attentive, he sees underneath the surface and tries to help. These two men are perfect for each other.

I liked that it was not insta romance, they kind of explored things slowly. And the pack members were fun to hang around. All in all, this was a sweet romance with paranormals of all kinds. That's where I didn't like how things were. There were so many of them coming and going, wolves who are relatives but not, many names thrown in that made it a little confusing to follow the relationship tangle among all these creatures. I really expected more intensity from this book - I mean hellhounds! I wanted more heat, angst but all was so mellow most of the book. The culmination of the story should have been epic but felt like it was made to fit. It was slightly mechanical, just put together to create some sort of trouble. I didn't like it much.

There was the hint of mpreg in the end, but nothing was certain. Everything was just so easy and a bit colorless, that I don't think I will be continuing with the series.
Profile Image for Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈.
1,726 reviews435 followers
January 17, 2022
This really worked for me on every level. I loved every moment. I upsets me that I didn’t give these books a chance sooner.

11/27/2019 ETA: I thought I’d add the author’s suggested reading order for this universe. Each book connects the dots to the next book.

AUTHOR’S SUGGESTED READING ORDER

Sweet Nothings- Prequel - The Chosen One
The Trouble With Love - Nothing But Trouble, Book 1
Santa Trouble - Nothing But Trouble, Book 2
All or Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 1
Nothing Ventured - The Chosen One, Book 2
Hell on Earth - Hellhound Champions, Book 1
Double or Nothing
Next to Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 3
Hell To Pay - Hellhound Champions, Book 2
Give Him Hell - Hellhound Champions, Book 3
Nothing Gained - The Chosen One, Book 4
Stop at Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 5
Sweet Spot
All Kidding Aside - Magical Mates, Book 1
Stop Kidding Around - Magical Mates, Book 2
Hell Breaks Loose - Hellhound Champions, Book 4
Logan - Chosen Champions, Book 1
Gideon - Chosen Champions, Book 2
Cosmo and the King


Reread 1/2/2021 Someone said they may read these books this year. *I’m looking at you Meags* It made me want to continue the series reread I started while quarantined last month.
reread 3/7/2021 I really should be reading one of the multitude of unread books on my iPad, but I just can’t. 😕
Profile Image for Cæsar.
273 reviews31 followers
September 21, 2025
Mesmerising!!!

Absolutely enthralling story, I was completely hooked, the action scenes were great, the romance was spectacular and the intimate scene was squeezed!!! I loved every second of it! Congratulations to Macy Blake!!!



I fell from my seat with the revelations!!! Astonished I was!!!

On Audible, Michael Dean gave a marvellous performance, fully engaged, impressive job!! Congrats!!!

5⭐️
Profile Image for JenMcJ.
2,608 reviews325 followers
October 28, 2018
2.5 stars. Could have been a 4 star. **MPREG alert** I was really loving this book even though I was worried from the beginning that this would be mpreg. When Drew was described as "ripe" early on, I cringed so hard I got a cramp but I let it go and hoped for the best. Alas, it still ended up an MPREG universe so chances are I'm done with this series and I hope to all their goddesses that this doesn't trickle over to the Chosen series and ruin that one too.

Meshaq had fabulously adorable courtship instincts and Drew was wonderfully likeable, as well as Walt and the others.

Tons of plot head scratchers in this one though. He runs out of gas but then has enough gas to drive... the goddess' daughters are in charge but the mom is in charge? I don't know. I'm just not sure what the long term plan is here. Seemed like it wasn't very well thought out and contradicts itself a lot.

And like the last book, frankly, Meshaq seems like an ineffectual champion too often. As a hellhound he just doesn't seem as dominant and violent as he should be for the role he plays. It wasn't portrayed well enough.
Profile Image for Jennifer☠Pher☠.
2,970 reviews273 followers
November 8, 2019
Good, good, good!

As I mentioned in my review of The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard, I discovered this book at the end of that one and knew I had to get the back story on the Hellhounds.

I am so glad I did because I really liked this. Enough that I think I can go read the first series even if it is not my thing.

So, I'll be back to finish this series after that.

This is all a lot of fun.

Profile Image for Kaity.
1,982 reviews24 followers
July 7, 2022
4-4.5 stars

Something about this book just clicked with me. I loved pretty much all of it! I wished there was some more explained or some more back story with Shaq and Drew but overall great addition to the “Chosen Universe”!

Can’t wait for more audiobooks to come out for this world!

Ps with the Ollie cameo, I want his book sooner rather than later haha
Profile Image for ~nikki the recovering book addict.
1,248 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2018
2.5 stars

Okay so, I liked bits of it and I scratched my head at bits of it. The hellhounds bit was different, although it’s just like wolves except bigger. I expected something different but nope, just got a super large dog instead. The bits with the goddesses were...somewhat different and the portals and stuff.

I liked most of it until Drew panicked at hearing “hellhound”. I mean, why would anyone panic at hearing hellhound if they know nothing about it. If I were Meshaq and were given a law that should never be broken where humans were to never know about the supernatural world, I’d just say hellhounds were a biker MC. It’d work as an explanation because bikers and bars and he’s a big dude? But nooooo... Drew goes into shock and Meshaq spills “the secret” and has to go report to the goddess. That bit didn’t make sense to me.

The rest of it kinda went meh for me. In that, it was both simultaneously cliche and yet left me scratching my head wondering what just happened.

I want to say it’s a good start to a series but even the mysterious bits weren’t enough to probably keep me reading this series. I might try the next book but I might skip it. Will see how the blurb goes maybe *shrug*
Profile Image for Achim.
1,297 reviews86 followers
June 6, 2021
Seems I'm in the mood for a cute and easy escape, nothing challenging or emotionally exhausting, a nice pastime without the risk of catching a reading diabetes. At other times it wouldn't work for me because Ms. Blake obviously believes everyone read the original series, so world building isn't really necessary anymore and the easy acknowledgment that a paranormal world is existing wouldn't sit well. The story structure itself feels also more like the 2nd part of a trilogy but in my current mood I don't care.

I get a big teddy bear of a hellhound and a pack that is more found family than supposed enforcer unit, especially because of the human additions and even more so after Drew felt secure enough to turn into mama bear and starts to strengthen the connection. I also get to reconnect with Ollie and his family and meet a goddess who's more fairy godmother with a liking for doughnuts. There's also a nice threat to keep the necessary distance to the saccharine border and the sex is not that story-defining like for the original series. So everything's fine to deliver the easy escape I didn't know I was looking for … I just hope that the hint about mpreg is only a misunderstanding.
Profile Image for Janet (iamltr).
1,224 reviews85 followers
November 5, 2022
Le sigh

The instalove in this one was set to max. These two were hooked up by day two. Which was awesome.

Ok so Shaq is the Super Alpha of all otherworldly beings on earth and Drew is a human running from guys who have been stalking him. Cause you see Drew is "Super Special" and has a scent that is very attractive to non humans. Im gonna spoil this and tell you that he smells like doughnuts. He becomes even more special as the story goes on.

Anyway, Shaq realized that Drew is his mate, which is very rare. They get together and start making the hellhound pack better. Serious things happen, fights occur, the goddess makes them mates permanently.

This was my second time reading this. When I first read this I knew nothing about omegas. This time I read about Drew making a distressed omegan sound and I squealed. The maybe baby at the end was the cherry on the sundae.
Profile Image for Tammy.
1,245 reviews35 followers
June 28, 2020
3.5 🌟’s very interesting pack of both paranormal and humans! Shaq was a caring alpha with everyone and Drew totally competed Shaq. Drew was quite the nurturer and had a bad bone of steel when it came to protecting his family, this seems like a really good start for a new series for me 😊.
Profile Image for SJ.
2,020 reviews32 followers
August 8, 2022
Disappointed, because this could have been good if it was written with mature dialogue and situations. Shaq was a good character and Drew started out as likable, but devolved very quickly into an inane,simplistic character and his dialogue was cheesy and his actions, too. He was bossy and had a sharp tongue. Walking over to a laughing friend and kicking them in the shin? Dumb. Shaq had some cheesy reactions to realizing that he had a mate. It made him less hot. A lot of juvenile dialogue and writing in this book.
I realized this is a spin off from the paranormal orgy books, which were a DNF for me.
I’m at 51% and no heat, no nothing. I’m out.
Profile Image for LaShonta.
457 reviews43 followers
June 16, 2019
OMG

I wasn't going to read this at first because the only books out by this author we harem books per se. I don't read those but I do love hellhound shifters so I gave it a go. I'm glad I did. This new series has already become one of my favorites and this is just the first book. Looking forward to reading the next one.
Profile Image for Mimi.
2,448 reviews
August 2, 2019
4.25 stars

Somethings are slotting into place from the other books. More of the backstory that was left out. Even though this book doesn't really reference "The Chosen One" it does full in some gaps.
Profile Image for Xiomara.
183 reviews
August 17, 2025
Walt

Walt deserved to be a hellhound. I am glad that he became a hellhound and I almost cried when he was asked. It was a beautiful and touching, I’m not even mad that the story ended the way it did. I would had preferred a different ending to story thought.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews132 followers
Want to read
May 19, 2021
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/19/2021)! 🎁
Profile Image for Cris.
530 reviews10 followers
September 3, 2023
If you want to read this book, don't start here, there is a reading order, don't fool yourself thinking this is book one, it's a lie!

1. Sweet Nothings - Prequel The Chosen One
2. The Trouble with Love - Nothing But Trouble, Book 1
3. Santa Trouble - Nothing But Trouble, Book 2
4. All or Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 1
5. Nothing Ventured - The Chosen One, Book 2
6. Hell on Earth - Hellhound Champions, Book 1 (this book)
7. Double or Nothing
8. Next to Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 3
9. Hell to Pay - Hellhound Champions, Book 2
10. Give Him Hell - Hellhound Champions, Book 3
11. Nothing Gained - The Chosen One, Book 4
12. Stop at Nothing - The Chosen One, Book 5

And even though it is understandable (I only read this one, that's why I recommend reading it from the beginning if you are really into the story) there are a lot of characters from previous books mentioned here and some kind of, let's call them easter eggs, all over the book. I didn't hate it but I felt like there was some inner joke that no matter how much I tried I just didn't get. Also to me, the story was just ridiculous, Drew has been stalked over and is scared out of his mind but he completely takes everything that is happening with Shaq as if it was an everyday event in just a couple of days (as in, 2 or 3 days of meeting the guy). He even has this snarky attitude that I really love but was really unbelievable given the circumstances.

This is me through the whole book:


If you're like me and are here because of that little reference from The Prince and His Bedeviled Bodyguard then you could read this one, or maybe Hell to Pay because that's the book of the couple that appears in Charlie's book.
Profile Image for Myriam.
378 reviews67 followers
March 18, 2019
Two stars because at least it is written well?

I think us Germans need to take it upon ourselves to invent another compound word for those books who have sooo much potential and yet frustratingly can't live up to it at all.

This book feels incomplete and the structure is a MESS. It's basically all dialogue and interpersonal connections with bits of plot and abysmal world-building thrown in. It took me way to long to figure out that this is part of a larger ongoing series apparently. Don't count on the author OR the publisher providing this vital information. But honestly? Even background knowledge would not have saved this book. The infodumping is off the charts. But the worst thing about it is that it STILL only explains maybe a third of what is going on.

The relationship between Meshaq and Drew is cute and since they're mates insta-love. Don't go expecting anything more than the most basic character or relationship development though. They go from meeting to honeymooning super couple that functions like a well-oiled machine in a few days.

Both the supernatural worldbuilding and the relationship are chock full of potential. I really wanted to know so much more about both aspects of this story and the author kept frustrating me at every turn.

The reason I finished this was because it was actually competently written. No purple prose, no awkwardness - just plain telling a story that could have been soooo much better.

That's it for me and this author unfortunately.
Profile Image for Nanna Mørk-Sander.
710 reviews43 followers
May 10, 2024
After reading this a second time, I'm bumping this up from 4 stars to 5. I usually never change my original rating or review, but in this case I had to. The review hasn't changed, though.
________________________________________

I like how the relationship builds slowly so that even though Meshaq knows (discovers) he and Drew are mates, he doesn't throw Drew into the world head first.

After reading the sequel to The Chosen One where Meshaq is properly introduced, I was very excited to read his story. His character is perhaps nothing new (ruff exterior, soft heart), but I liked him a lot.

I was also intruiged by the Omega-business that was introduced near the end, and I look forward to reading more about that in future books.

I would have liked more insight into Meshaq's work, and things were in general a little superficial, so that drags it down a bit.

So far, I'm actually liking the spin-off books (the prequel to The Chosen One and this book) better than the series from which the spin off.
Profile Image for Relly.
1,648 reviews28 followers
September 10, 2023
Reread 2023

Best of the two series so far


Reread 2020

Re read 11/03/2019

Review below still stands

Great

4.25 ⭐️

I’m really impressed with this book. I was entertained throughout.
When I picked it up off a recommendation from a friend I was warned that I should read at least the prequel of the Chosen One Series by the same author. I would recommend reading the series before starting this one. You could get away without it, but it helps to know the characters and where they fit. I liked that the story while running its own storyline, kept parallel to the other series.
I loved Drew and how he approached life and everything that happened to him. Shaq was cute especially in his attempts to convince Drew he could provide for his mate. I loved the secondary characters, the family and pack that Shaq has created. I can’t wait to see more from this series.
Profile Image for llv.
2,317 reviews14 followers
October 29, 2018
Rating: 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. I liked Meshaq when he appeared in the Chosen One series and I love him even more now. I loved Drew also. I liked that it took him a minute to digest everything but that when he did he embraced the new world he found himself in completely. I loved the cast of characters that made up Shaq’s pack. Walt especially touched me. There was a scene involving him toward the end that brought tears to my eyes.

The story itself tied in perfectly with the Chosen One series. I think if you came into this story as a stand-alone you might be a bit lost. Also, there is a hint of m-preg at the end of the story so beware if you hate that trope. All in all, it’s one of my favorite reads of the year so far and I highly recommend it. Especially if you liked the Chosen One series.
Profile Image for Claudia.
3,020 reviews109 followers
March 25, 2019
March 2019
I enjoyed it much more this time around and there is definitely an upgrade from 3 to 3,5 maybe even 4 stars

November 2018
This was a nice an quick story ... not really with a lot of depth and with some weaknesses but nevertheless a good book.
I am looking forward to the next book
3 stars
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