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The Fallen Guardians #1
Unforsaken
One choice: save his soul... or her life?
Hidden deep in the Snowy Mountains, lives a brotherhood of immortal Guardians, banished from the Heavens.
After centuries of exile, Head Guardian Raven can taste Hell. One wrong move could destroy his soul. When Fate assigns him a female mortal to protect, his forbidden desire becomes a distraction he can't afford. Giving in to temptation risks plummeting into the fiery pits of Hell, dragging her along with him.
Tayla Eason is on the run, escaping a horrific attack on her life. When she lands in the arms of the sexy, alluring man who saved her, the shadows of her past swiftly close in. But when Fate throws a twist, Tayla's forced to choose between saving Raven's soul or fleeing before the creatures strike again.
In an ultimate test of love, the two must battle against the almighty Fate. But will it be enough to save them both?
Each book in the series features a different main couple with a swoony HEA (no cliffhangers!). But if you’d like to follow along with the baddie’s story, the series is best read in order.
The Fallen Guardians reading order:
1. UNFORSAKEN (Raven)
2. UNFORGOTTEN (Aric)
3. UNSEEN (EJ)
4. UNTAMED (Raine)
5. TBA
6. TBA
7. TBA
Hidden deep in the Snowy Mountains, lives a brotherhood of immortal Guardians, banished from the Heavens.
After centuries of exile, Head Guardian Raven can taste Hell. One wrong move could destroy his soul. When Fate assigns him a female mortal to protect, his forbidden desire becomes a distraction he can't afford. Giving in to temptation risks plummeting into the fiery pits of Hell, dragging her along with him.
Tayla Eason is on the run, escaping a horrific attack on her life. When she lands in the arms of the sexy, alluring man who saved her, the shadows of her past swiftly close in. But when Fate throws a twist, Tayla's forced to choose between saving Raven's soul or fleeing before the creatures strike again.
In an ultimate test of love, the two must battle against the almighty Fate. But will it be enough to save them both?
Each book in the series features a different main couple with a swoony HEA (no cliffhangers!). But if you’d like to follow along with the baddie’s story, the series is best read in order.
The Fallen Guardians reading order:
1. UNFORSAKEN (Raven)
2. UNFORGOTTEN (Aric)
3. UNSEEN (EJ)
4. UNTAMED (Raine)
5. TBA
6. TBA
7. TBA
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2019
30 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
About the author
Cassie Laelyn
16 books207 followersCassie Laelyn is an international bestselling paranormal romance author living in Queensland, Australia, with her husband and their two BMX-crazy boys.
She spends her days writing swoony bad boys in need of redemption and a gut wrenching happily ever after…unless there’s a looming deadline. In that case, she loves binging on TV shows, daydreaming at the beach, and curling up listening to the rain!
Join Cassie’s newsletter (www.cassielaelyn.com) for exclusive content, giveaways, and new release information. You can also stalk @cassielaelyn on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, BookBub and Goodreads.
She spends her days writing swoony bad boys in need of redemption and a gut wrenching happily ever after…unless there’s a looming deadline. In that case, she loves binging on TV shows, daydreaming at the beach, and curling up listening to the rain!
Join Cassie’s newsletter (www.cassielaelyn.com) for exclusive content, giveaways, and new release information. You can also stalk @cassielaelyn on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, BookBub and Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
January 17, 2019
It takes a brave author to sit down nowadays and pen a whole new paranormal romance series in my opinion. This author has done just that so it was with some trepidation that I sat down to read this the first book. With so many readers and indeed authors turning away from this genre it's hard to find something new, original and frankly interesting that doesn't simply rehash others ideas. Yes I've read about guardian Angels and indeed fallen Angels before but I really enjoyed the twist here with Fate seeming to have the upper hand.
Now everyone knows that freewill is what always leads humanity on its merry way so I enjoyed discovering that Angels might not always do what is expected of them. Raven bartered with Fate for a chance to save his brother but for hundreds of years has felt tricked and stuck on the mortal plain. His latest charge is Tayla but the connection Raven has with her is totally screwed up as he struggles to hide that he's slowly losing his faith and he's on a slippery downward slope himself. Tayla hasn't a clue what is going on but one thing she does know and that is that things exist in the world that frankly scare her . So when she has odd dreams about the man who rescues her when she gets lost whilst following a mountain trail can she trust her judgment or perhaps follow her instincts ?
There's a strong feeling of redemption permeating this book which will appeal to many readers. I wanted to like Raven but at times found him weak and thought he let down those who supported him. Tayla I actually wanted to shake at times as no matter what she's told she still goes her own, sweet and often dangerous way ! Yet I stuck with it and in spite of occasionally wanting less navel gazing and more action this story did perk up with supporting characters that clearly have back stories the author is itching to tell. It sets up the world building quite well and as I love a bad boy I'm actually quite interested to find out what happens next because I suspect the fallen have quite a lot more planned.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Now everyone knows that freewill is what always leads humanity on its merry way so I enjoyed discovering that Angels might not always do what is expected of them. Raven bartered with Fate for a chance to save his brother but for hundreds of years has felt tricked and stuck on the mortal plain. His latest charge is Tayla but the connection Raven has with her is totally screwed up as he struggles to hide that he's slowly losing his faith and he's on a slippery downward slope himself. Tayla hasn't a clue what is going on but one thing she does know and that is that things exist in the world that frankly scare her . So when she has odd dreams about the man who rescues her when she gets lost whilst following a mountain trail can she trust her judgment or perhaps follow her instincts ?
There's a strong feeling of redemption permeating this book which will appeal to many readers. I wanted to like Raven but at times found him weak and thought he let down those who supported him. Tayla I actually wanted to shake at times as no matter what she's told she still goes her own, sweet and often dangerous way ! Yet I stuck with it and in spite of occasionally wanting less navel gazing and more action this story did perk up with supporting characters that clearly have back stories the author is itching to tell. It sets up the world building quite well and as I love a bad boy I'm actually quite interested to find out what happens next because I suspect the fallen have quite a lot more planned.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
January 20, 2019
ARC received for review
A great debut book from Ms. Laelyn. A whole new paranormal series with angels and demons (aka Fallen). Make sure you have a box of tissues handy.
The beginning was slow, very slow but it picked up after Raven and Tayla met at about 25%. I enjoyed the interactions between Raven and his team. They are on Earth to save Raven's brother, and can't return to heaven until they do. Raven is assigned to Tayla to protect her, but instead of just protecting her they fall in love. Of course, he takes forever to admit and commit. I keep having to blink the tears out of my eyes near the end, so I could keep reading.
I can't wait to learn more about Aric, EJ, River, Raine, Cole, Gabe and hopefully Blaine.
A great debut book from Ms. Laelyn. A whole new paranormal series with angels and demons (aka Fallen). Make sure you have a box of tissues handy.
The beginning was slow, very slow but it picked up after Raven and Tayla met at about 25%. I enjoyed the interactions between Raven and his team. They are on Earth to save Raven's brother, and can't return to heaven until they do. Raven is assigned to Tayla to protect her, but instead of just protecting her they fall in love. Of course, he takes forever to admit and commit. I keep having to blink the tears out of my eyes near the end, so I could keep reading.
I can't wait to learn more about Aric, EJ, River, Raine, Cole, Gabe and hopefully Blaine.
February 28, 2019
Discovering debut authors can be a great thing – and Cassie Laelyn is proof of that. When I stumbled across “Unforsaken” I directly felt compelled to read this book.
Let me throw my thoughts right out as they hit me …
Reading the plot I was reminded of something that resides in the neighborhood of the Immortal Guardians written by Dianne Duvall. And I was not wrong – while the author (and I confirmed that with her) did not know anything about this book series – she managed to create a series so different – yet so fitting for that genre.
If this imaginary world would be a town – Dianne Duvall’s Immortals would live on one side of the mountain while Cassie Leelyn’s Fallen Guardians would call the other side their home. And Ravens new best friends would probably be called Roland and Zach.
I loved the world she created even if it took me a while to get into it as you are thrown directly in the middle of it from the first page on. But hey – I had to start the Black Dagger Brotherhoods first book by JR Ward three times until I could finally make myself finish it – and that was just because the world was too complex to get into at the beginning. (I almost gave up and just went into it again because people kept telling me how good it was) SO – don’t give up on a book just because the complex new world takes a minute to get used to.
After I allowed the story to form pictures in my mind – it was easy – the plot unfolded and I loved what I read. The series has great potential and the secondary characters we were introduced to all have great prospects of becoming the next leads in further books. I especially hope a certain “Fallen” gets his book and it works out like I hope – if I am allowed to cross reference to Ms. Duvall again I would say one word “Bastien”.
The only thing stopping me to give 5 stars was that I had no heart stopping moment. If you follow my reviews, you know that my 5 Star Books all need to make me cry or laugh and Unforsaken left me hanging there. Not sure why as all the ingredients were present – my only suspicion is that I could not fully connect with Tayla.
While we heard a lot about Raven and his background / motivations and it made him falling for her believable. Tayla’s motivation and her falling for Raven felt like it was only based on his looks and I even thought she only felt sorry for him.
Do not misunderstand – this is a great storyline and beautiful developed especially for a debut – but I will remain true to myself – if it does not squeeze my heart , makes me tear up or laugh out loud – I can not give that last star.
On the other hand I have no doubt that the writing of this author will develop further during the course of the series and most probably already the next book in that series could hit that spot. There was not much missing and with further books the background of the series will deepen and leave more possibilities to the character development. But even if it doesn’t this series is worth exploring as other readers might totally feel different about my last Star issue.
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UPDATE: Feb 22nd - Unforsaken is back on my reading list - thank you Cassie Laelyn ...... ...
Got my approval from NetGalley on 31st Jan - only to find out they archived it on 31st so I was never even able to download it (and I am pretty sure when I applied there was no archive date set as I always mark them on my schedule) I hate when publishers do that...
I mean I am a fast reader and all but even I am no miracle worker
December 25, 2018
What a fantabolous debut from Cassie Laelyn.
I was hooked from the beginning, the opening line caught my attention immediately and I could not put it down.
The sizzle between Raven and Tayla is a slow burn but at the same time off the charts hot. It’s forbidden and delicious.
Aric, EJ and even Blaine are great supporting characters, I want more from each of them.
I cannot wait for more from this talented author.
I was hooked from the beginning, the opening line caught my attention immediately and I could not put it down.
The sizzle between Raven and Tayla is a slow burn but at the same time off the charts hot. It’s forbidden and delicious.
Aric, EJ and even Blaine are great supporting characters, I want more from each of them.
I cannot wait for more from this talented author.
December 26, 2018
Nobody pisses off Fate, not mortals, not the Fallen and especially not angels. A pity Raven made that discovery a little too late and was subsequently banished from the Heavens along with two of his brothers, Aric and EJ. Now Fate, cunning manipulator that she is, has just given him his first mission in centuries – protect a Chosen one, a woman who will one day make a huge difference to the world. He must protect her from the Fallen, angels who have forsaken the Heavens for darker, twisted purposes and want nothing more than to corrupt those Chosen and ruin Fate’s plans. But Fate must still be angry with him for while he knows it’s forbidden for an angel and a mortal, especially a Chosen one, to be together, what Raven feels for Tayla may threaten his very soul.
Tayla Eason’s life hasn’t been easy. Losing her parents in a terrible accident was devastating, but she always drew comfort in the knowledge they were soulmates and their love for each other and for her knew no bounds. That comfort vanished the night she was attacked by some ‘thing,’ and God only knows how she managed to escape. Perhaps she has a guardian angel after all? Then she meets two men. One who ignites passions Tayla thought no longer existed, and another she can’t help feeling she’s met somewhere before, if only she could remember where. When Tayla is attacked by more of the strange ‘things’ she’d paid a therapist a fortune to convince her didn’t exist, Raven saves her and Tayla learns this isn’t the first time he’s come to her aid. He confesses he knows who the other man is and warns her to keep away from him. But now she knows she’s in danger not only from the Fallen as Raven reluctantly reveals, so is her heart.
Ms Laelyn’s debut novel is an action packed, mysterious, saucy, thrilling ride from start to finish. The emotions felt by the main characters are deep and evocative, and in one point you might well shout at the author as I did before I realised I still had several pages to go. This book is sexy, romantically indulgent and promises to captivate the reader not only in this story, but in the books to come thanks to the fleshing out (and teasing hints) of the supporting characters. I’m already looking forward to the next in the series."
Tayla Eason’s life hasn’t been easy. Losing her parents in a terrible accident was devastating, but she always drew comfort in the knowledge they were soulmates and their love for each other and for her knew no bounds. That comfort vanished the night she was attacked by some ‘thing,’ and God only knows how she managed to escape. Perhaps she has a guardian angel after all? Then she meets two men. One who ignites passions Tayla thought no longer existed, and another she can’t help feeling she’s met somewhere before, if only she could remember where. When Tayla is attacked by more of the strange ‘things’ she’d paid a therapist a fortune to convince her didn’t exist, Raven saves her and Tayla learns this isn’t the first time he’s come to her aid. He confesses he knows who the other man is and warns her to keep away from him. But now she knows she’s in danger not only from the Fallen as Raven reluctantly reveals, so is her heart.
Ms Laelyn’s debut novel is an action packed, mysterious, saucy, thrilling ride from start to finish. The emotions felt by the main characters are deep and evocative, and in one point you might well shout at the author as I did before I realised I still had several pages to go. This book is sexy, romantically indulgent and promises to captivate the reader not only in this story, but in the books to come thanks to the fleshing out (and teasing hints) of the supporting characters. I’m already looking forward to the next in the series."
February 4, 2019
I received an ARC from NetGalley for this and it was the best book i have read so far this year. KUDOS! I hope to develop a nice relationship with these characters. I am reminded of a similar series of books that i cant live without and these are right up there with my new top five favorite authors! A love story involving an angel and his chosen is too good to pass up!
January 23, 2019
The debut novel by this author has us jumping into the world of angel, fallen angels and Fate. What control do we all have over what happens to us? Well, Fate and her Guardians may have something to say about it.
A bulk of the book is spent on world building. We meet the Guardians, they battle the Fallen and we run across the super baddie himself--Blaine. Mixed up in it all is Tayla. She has been chosen by Fate for a special purpose. The Guardians protect her until that purpose is complete.
Raven has spent hundreds of years on earth, guarded many Chosen but Tayla is something more. She is his soulmate. He fights the connection for a long time, but when he finally gives in, his world and soul are complete.
The book ends with the current story arc complete but it was hard to tell whether Raven and Tayla will continue to be the lead characters in the next book or if the focus will move on to another of the Guardians. No breadcrumbs on that! There is still work to be done. Excited to see where the author will take us!
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
A bulk of the book is spent on world building. We meet the Guardians, they battle the Fallen and we run across the super baddie himself--Blaine. Mixed up in it all is Tayla. She has been chosen by Fate for a special purpose. The Guardians protect her until that purpose is complete.
Raven has spent hundreds of years on earth, guarded many Chosen but Tayla is something more. She is his soulmate. He fights the connection for a long time, but when he finally gives in, his world and soul are complete.
The book ends with the current story arc complete but it was hard to tell whether Raven and Tayla will continue to be the lead characters in the next book or if the focus will move on to another of the Guardians. No breadcrumbs on that! There is still work to be done. Excited to see where the author will take us!
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
December 22, 2018
I adore PNR and "forbidden-love," and this book has BOTH plus tons of hot angelic beings AND some delicious sexy-times. UNFORSAKEN, centers around beleaguered, guardian angel Raven and the mortal woman he is assigned to protect WHILE working on fulfilling his deal with Fate and returning his brother to the "good side."
I love the way the book plays with the ideas of free-will verses destiny, brotherly love, hope, redemption. Also there is a maybe-not-so-villainous-hot-villain who hopefully gets his own book at some point.
The mythological world building is great and sets-up the series really well. The story is super satisfying with some great trips and turns that stays true to the book's core message. I'm so excited to see who gets the next book and what questions will be answered.
I love the way the book plays with the ideas of free-will verses destiny, brotherly love, hope, redemption. Also there is a maybe-not-so-villainous-hot-villain who hopefully gets his own book at some point.
The mythological world building is great and sets-up the series really well. The story is super satisfying with some great trips and turns that stays true to the book's core message. I'm so excited to see who gets the next book and what questions will be answered.
December 30, 2018
The cover of the story drew me in to read it. I loved how mysterious and brooding the male hero Raven looked.
This has a unique world building storyline with angels, the fallen and Fate. Raven and Tayla had great chemistry. He goes to great lengths to protect the woman he loves. Everyone will fall in love with Raven, and Tayla is relatable.
I also enjoyed the secondary character Raine - an expensive-stiletto-wearing badass female fighter.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
This has a unique world building storyline with angels, the fallen and Fate. Raven and Tayla had great chemistry. He goes to great lengths to protect the woman he loves. Everyone will fall in love with Raven, and Tayla is relatable.
I also enjoyed the secondary character Raine - an expensive-stiletto-wearing badass female fighter.
Looking forward to reading more in the series.
April 13, 2019
I couldn't put it down! What a great debut!
January 26, 2019
This is a new paranormal romance with some new twists. The loyalty of a brother to save his forsaken sibling leads to his banishment from heaven. Raven has spent his cast out time battling the FALLEN while leading his team of fellow guardians on Fate's mission. When his Chosen mission is to keep Tayla protected; Raven struggles with his desire for her. Lots of guardians in this novel that should carry through nicely as this series continues. "A copy of this book was provided by Wild Rose Press via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." ALWAYS ENJOY STORIES WITH WINGS!
January 31, 2019
A new take on the paranormal romance genre. This book is full of world building. The mythology is different than other stories out there, a compelling take on Angel's, Fallen, Fate, Heaven and Hell. Tayla and Raven are great characters and their intense connection and steamy romance is well worth the read. There is so much to delve into in this new series and I can't wait!
February 6, 2019
A deeply gripping story that quickly had me engrossed. The bond between Raven and Tayla was amazing, sensual, and contained breath-catching emotion. Looking forward to more in the Fallen Guardians series!
January 19, 2019
Received and arc from netgalley. REALLY enjoyed this paranormal. Definitely recommend it! Great start to a promising series!
February 5, 2019
Loved this book! Missed it when I finished reading it. Can't wait to read the next one!
February 9, 2019
A great debut novel and an enjoyable set-up for an ongoing series. Cassie Laelyn has a wonderful writing style and ability to plant the reader in the middle of a scene. Her skill with dialogue, specifically with the smoking hot male characters, is excellent. Unforsaken is based on a unique and interesting mythology that I'm excited to see expand over the following books in the series. I would have loved to have seen a little more depth to the characterisation, a little more about the Raven and Tayla's backstories, but this may come in the following installments.
January 21, 2019
I love this book!I knew I will from the first time I saw it!!🤩🤩🤩
The author made such an interesting and great story, so magical and refreshing, the rare one that doesn't let you go untill the very end.
I can say for sure that Unforsaken has an
original baseline with a story that is so fluent and goes under your skin and in just a blink of an eye takes you among it's heroes and their inner and outside battles.
I adore Raven, the leader of the Fallen Guardians, the angel that is on the edge of losing his faith in Heavens and the one with the most complexed inner battles, tearing him apart. A blue eyed cuttie that falls on his Chosen one, a girl he must protect from the evil Fallen, but at the same time from himself, too..
We have Tayla, an ordinary girl with a great purpose, the one only Fate knows.
And we have love, the feeling that is not allowed between the Chosen and her Guardian, that damn emotion that keeps atracting them as the light from a street lamp atracts the butterflies..hurting, but fulfilling..
The author serves us a huge range of emotions, fear, uncertanity, doubts, sacrifice, passion, hurt, but above them all, she gives us love between the lines..the love that is forever..the one that conquers and never lets go..
The author made such an interesting and great story, so magical and refreshing, the rare one that doesn't let you go untill the very end.
I can say for sure that Unforsaken has an
original baseline with a story that is so fluent and goes under your skin and in just a blink of an eye takes you among it's heroes and their inner and outside battles.
I adore Raven, the leader of the Fallen Guardians, the angel that is on the edge of losing his faith in Heavens and the one with the most complexed inner battles, tearing him apart. A blue eyed cuttie that falls on his Chosen one, a girl he must protect from the evil Fallen, but at the same time from himself, too..
We have Tayla, an ordinary girl with a great purpose, the one only Fate knows.
And we have love, the feeling that is not allowed between the Chosen and her Guardian, that damn emotion that keeps atracting them as the light from a street lamp atracts the butterflies..hurting, but fulfilling..
The author serves us a huge range of emotions, fear, uncertanity, doubts, sacrifice, passion, hurt, but above them all, she gives us love between the lines..the love that is forever..the one that conquers and never lets go..
January 17, 2019
Wow! What a fantastic read. I was glued to every page and devoured it. I can't wait for more.
Merged review:
Wow! I absolutely loved this book. This baby kept me glued to the pages and I devoured it whole. I can't wait for more!
Merged review:
Wow! I absolutely loved this book. This baby kept me glued to the pages and I devoured it whole. I can't wait for more!
January 28, 2020
Firstly, be prepared to drool slightly over the cover of this book. Definitely be prepared to swoon a little once you meet the characters. One piece of advice – don’t start this one until you have time to read uninterrupted for a while. I could not put it down and, after starting it near midnight thinking I’d just read one chapter before sleep, I ended up reading fifteen chapters in one go. Book hangover guaranteed!
I have always enjoyed paranormal romance, and I am quite fond of the winged ones. Boys with wings #heavenly. This book did not disappoint.
Tayla has escaped to the mountains after a traumatic event. What she doesn’t know is that she is one of Fate’s Chosen, and there is a whole world in the shadows she knows nothing of. Tucked away in the mountains is the private domain of a brotherhood of immortal guardians exiled from the heavens. Raven, leader of these Guardians, has been assigned to protect Tayla. Can he battle his own demons and prevent a fall to Hell? Can he resist temptation? Can he protect her from the Fallen lurking in the shadows?
Raven is all kinds of awesome. He is quite an intense character, but he also has a hidden vulnerability that makes you want to get to know him better (and maybe give him a cuddle if he’ll let you).
There is plenty of action and the adrenaline fueled moments are very visual and leap off the page.
Being set in the same State that I live in gives the setting a feeling of familiarity for me. But I feel like it is written in such a way it would be easy to imagine it being a woodland mountain region anywhere in the world.
The push / pull between Raven and Tayla is maddening, but in the best possible way. The slow burn between them definitely ratchets up the intensity. I would have liked a little more of the steamy scenes *wink wink*. And I have one unanswered question about Tayla at the end, but that will no doubt be clarified in the next book.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters. It was mild love at first sight for me when Gabe appears on the lawn. I love a good Gabriel, especially one in a tailored 3 piece suit!
I’m interested to discover the other Guardians back stories in the future, especially when it comes to Aric.
Raine is awesome. Nothing beats a bad-ass stiletto-wearing assassin style angel.
Blaine is interesting and I look forward to seeing his character develop as the series progresses. He has this dark-side bad-boy swagger while simultaneously oozing gentlemanly charm.
Fate is intriguing. It is a tangled web she weaves. What does Fate have in store for them next?
A solid debut novel and a great addition to the collection of any Paranormal Romance fan.
I have always enjoyed paranormal romance, and I am quite fond of the winged ones. Boys with wings #heavenly. This book did not disappoint.
Tayla has escaped to the mountains after a traumatic event. What she doesn’t know is that she is one of Fate’s Chosen, and there is a whole world in the shadows she knows nothing of. Tucked away in the mountains is the private domain of a brotherhood of immortal guardians exiled from the heavens. Raven, leader of these Guardians, has been assigned to protect Tayla. Can he battle his own demons and prevent a fall to Hell? Can he resist temptation? Can he protect her from the Fallen lurking in the shadows?
Raven is all kinds of awesome. He is quite an intense character, but he also has a hidden vulnerability that makes you want to get to know him better (and maybe give him a cuddle if he’ll let you).
There is plenty of action and the adrenaline fueled moments are very visual and leap off the page.
Being set in the same State that I live in gives the setting a feeling of familiarity for me. But I feel like it is written in such a way it would be easy to imagine it being a woodland mountain region anywhere in the world.
The push / pull between Raven and Tayla is maddening, but in the best possible way. The slow burn between them definitely ratchets up the intensity. I would have liked a little more of the steamy scenes *wink wink*. And I have one unanswered question about Tayla at the end, but that will no doubt be clarified in the next book.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters. It was mild love at first sight for me when Gabe appears on the lawn. I love a good Gabriel, especially one in a tailored 3 piece suit!
I’m interested to discover the other Guardians back stories in the future, especially when it comes to Aric.
Raine is awesome. Nothing beats a bad-ass stiletto-wearing assassin style angel.
Blaine is interesting and I look forward to seeing his character develop as the series progresses. He has this dark-side bad-boy swagger while simultaneously oozing gentlemanly charm.
Fate is intriguing. It is a tangled web she weaves. What does Fate have in store for them next?
A solid debut novel and a great addition to the collection of any Paranormal Romance fan.
February 20, 2019
Tayla is a chosen, a rare mortal created by fate to fulfill an extraordinary destiny, in the end tipping the scales back in fate's favor. She has no idea that she's a chosen or that she's on the path that fate wants her on but the fallen keep coming after her and she's a bit jumpy because of it.
Fallen were angels who chose to fall and live in hell and all they did was find souls like the chosen and lure them to the dark side. Souls that were lured to the dark side tore apart fate's plans.
Raven is the guardian that fate had chosen to keep Tayla alive so she could fulfill her destiny. But because he's been around her so much, he slowly begun to have feelings for her even though he knows he can never act on them.
Raven has been good about keeping his distance even when he has to save her from the fallen that are after her. But when she almost dies again, he makes the decision to bring her to their home and that one decision changes everything for them. She sees him for the first time that she can remember and finds herself very much attracted to him. Which makes it really hard for him to keep a safe distance from her and not get involved with her.
When Tayla's destiny is finally laid out for us, I had no idea that's what it would be but it made sense. I really liked getting to know Raven and the others who lived with him. Getting some back story into some of their lives and how the fallen are created was interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about fate yet, she seems very devious and under handed in the way she handles things and in the deals she makes. Some of their suffering seems very callous on her part and I didn't care for that. But it made for an interesting story and I'm sure that when each of these characters get their own books, well have a better understand as to why fate acts the way she does.
Disclosure: I received this book for free via NetGalley but all opinions are my own.
Fallen were angels who chose to fall and live in hell and all they did was find souls like the chosen and lure them to the dark side. Souls that were lured to the dark side tore apart fate's plans.
Raven is the guardian that fate had chosen to keep Tayla alive so she could fulfill her destiny. But because he's been around her so much, he slowly begun to have feelings for her even though he knows he can never act on them.
Raven has been good about keeping his distance even when he has to save her from the fallen that are after her. But when she almost dies again, he makes the decision to bring her to their home and that one decision changes everything for them. She sees him for the first time that she can remember and finds herself very much attracted to him. Which makes it really hard for him to keep a safe distance from her and not get involved with her.
When Tayla's destiny is finally laid out for us, I had no idea that's what it would be but it made sense. I really liked getting to know Raven and the others who lived with him. Getting some back story into some of their lives and how the fallen are created was interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about fate yet, she seems very devious and under handed in the way she handles things and in the deals she makes. Some of their suffering seems very callous on her part and I didn't care for that. But it made for an interesting story and I'm sure that when each of these characters get their own books, well have a better understand as to why fate acts the way she does.
Disclosure: I received this book for free via NetGalley but all opinions are my own.
January 19, 2019
Unforsaken is the first in the brand new Fallen Guardians series by Cassie Laelyn, who is also a brand new author. And while Fallen Angels may not be a totally new concept; Ms Laelyn’s interpretation is definitely refreshing. As with any PNR story involving conflict, there are good guys, bad guys and the ones that somehow get caught in the middle. This is the story of Raven, the immortal Fallen Guardians leader, and Tayla, who is a mortal Chosen and Raven’s to protect. Then there’s’ Blaine; he’s a bad guy, who just happens to be Raven’s brother and a smartarse to boot!
Ms Laelyn’s world building is wonderful, with realistic descriptions of the elements and terrain, while her plot ensures reader interest and definitely provides a need to know how everything ends flavour. I did find the story a little slow around the middle, but the desire to continue was never an issue. Queue the cast; Raven is troubled by guilt and failure to save not only Blaine, but his closest companions and return them all to the Heavens. Tayla is trying to start life anew, and escape the crippling fear she has harboured since her attack by an unknown evil. Aric is essentially Raven’s second, and has his own personal demons, while EJ is the class clown and go to tech geek of the group. As the story progresses two additions are added to the trio, but there is some serious mystery surrounding River and Raine’s arrival and the underlying reason for their inclusion in the discarded assembly.
Overall, this was a fabulous start to what is sure to be a rather addictive series, and I’m sure there will be more mystery, mayhem and scorching romance to come in future books by MS Laelyn; well I certainly hope there is!
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for Cassie Laelyn's newsletter at the end of the story (there's a link to follow) as there is a BONUS epilogue you won't want to miss!
Ms Laelyn’s world building is wonderful, with realistic descriptions of the elements and terrain, while her plot ensures reader interest and definitely provides a need to know how everything ends flavour. I did find the story a little slow around the middle, but the desire to continue was never an issue. Queue the cast; Raven is troubled by guilt and failure to save not only Blaine, but his closest companions and return them all to the Heavens. Tayla is trying to start life anew, and escape the crippling fear she has harboured since her attack by an unknown evil. Aric is essentially Raven’s second, and has his own personal demons, while EJ is the class clown and go to tech geek of the group. As the story progresses two additions are added to the trio, but there is some serious mystery surrounding River and Raine’s arrival and the underlying reason for their inclusion in the discarded assembly.
Overall, this was a fabulous start to what is sure to be a rather addictive series, and I’m sure there will be more mystery, mayhem and scorching romance to come in future books by MS Laelyn; well I certainly hope there is!
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for Cassie Laelyn's newsletter at the end of the story (there's a link to follow) as there is a BONUS epilogue you won't want to miss!
December 19, 2018
This was a wonderfully hot and steamy paranormal romance that will be sure to delight readers who adore being swept up in a love story that has the power to change fate. The first in a series that focuses on a group of angels who have been banished to the mortal realm, it features Raven and Tayla. Raven is a Guardian, assigned to protect his Chosen. Tayla is a mortal woman who has a destined path that sets her in the middle of the battlefield between good and evil. After protecting Tayla from afar, Raven’s already complicated life spirals further out of control when she moves closer to his Snowy Mountain base. A perfect example of the tortured leader, he is determined to fulfil his duties and one day lead his brothers back to the Heavens. Caught up in bond that sees both of them consumed with passion, his ability to focus on the job at hand wanes, putting everything he cares about in danger.
While Raven is the perfect dark and brooding hero, Tayla is a strong heroine who isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. I loved that she didn’t just sit around moping for her supernatural hero or meekly go along for the ride. When she figures out something strange is happening she goes to the library to do research to see if she can determine the truth about Raven. The references to popular culture as she crossed out the possibility of him being a vampire made me smile. Of course, she never could have guessed she had been assigned a hot Guardian Angel to watch over her. For Raven, he is struggling with his faith, and rocked by the force of his feelings for Tayla. He has never felt that way about one of the mortals he has been assigned to protect over the centuries and is sure this is a sign he is being punished. He has to learn to trust his instincts, even if they cause him to break the rules where Tayla is concerned, to have any hope of redemption.
The romance is the heart of this story, with smexy times galore. But there is also plenty of action and tension along the way, making it a fast-paced read. In all, it was a great first start to what is sure to be a steamy and exiting series, with hints throughout the story of trouble brewing for the angels under Raven’s command. With many questions left unanswered, it kept me wondering what would happen next long after I finished the last page. One thing is sure, the Fallen are up to something and the angels are going to be in for the fight of their lives to ensure their happily ever afters.
While Raven is the perfect dark and brooding hero, Tayla is a strong heroine who isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. I loved that she didn’t just sit around moping for her supernatural hero or meekly go along for the ride. When she figures out something strange is happening she goes to the library to do research to see if she can determine the truth about Raven. The references to popular culture as she crossed out the possibility of him being a vampire made me smile. Of course, she never could have guessed she had been assigned a hot Guardian Angel to watch over her. For Raven, he is struggling with his faith, and rocked by the force of his feelings for Tayla. He has never felt that way about one of the mortals he has been assigned to protect over the centuries and is sure this is a sign he is being punished. He has to learn to trust his instincts, even if they cause him to break the rules where Tayla is concerned, to have any hope of redemption.
The romance is the heart of this story, with smexy times galore. But there is also plenty of action and tension along the way, making it a fast-paced read. In all, it was a great first start to what is sure to be a steamy and exiting series, with hints throughout the story of trouble brewing for the angels under Raven’s command. With many questions left unanswered, it kept me wondering what would happen next long after I finished the last page. One thing is sure, the Fallen are up to something and the angels are going to be in for the fight of their lives to ensure their happily ever afters.
February 10, 2020
Unforgiven is the first book in The Fallen Guardians series by Cassie Laelyn. The story focuses on head Guardian Raven who was exiles centuries ago and has a sense of foreboding that his time may soon be coming to an end. He is given the task of looking after a mortal, Tayla Easton who is on the run after surviving a horrific attack on her life. The story focuses on Fate and how entwined Raven and Tayla’s life have become and how sometimes life comes down to the hard choices.
This story was slow to start with as Tayla doesn’t really know what is going on and Raven is certainly having a crisis of faith. We see that the story all revolves around Fate and battling the near immortal called that as well as Tayla coming to the conclusion that there is more than just mere mortals in the world. It definitely is a slow burn book and it takes a long while for the characters to get going as well as figure out that they are meant to be.
There are some side characters such as Raven’s ‘immortal’ brothers who I think will have their own side-story in the near future which will be great. This story is very well written and although it takes a little while to get into it, it will keep you hooked and guessing on what is going to happen.
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review 😊
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
This story was slow to start with as Tayla doesn’t really know what is going on and Raven is certainly having a crisis of faith. We see that the story all revolves around Fate and battling the near immortal called that as well as Tayla coming to the conclusion that there is more than just mere mortals in the world. It definitely is a slow burn book and it takes a long while for the characters to get going as well as figure out that they are meant to be.
There are some side characters such as Raven’s ‘immortal’ brothers who I think will have their own side-story in the near future which will be great. This story is very well written and although it takes a little while to get into it, it will keep you hooked and guessing on what is going to happen.
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review 😊
More of my reviews can be found on my blog: https://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
November 1, 2020
4.5 stars
The debut of author Cassie Laelyn is a must for paranormal romance fans - with romance, adventure, sexy heroes, and a gutsy heroine, it's everything you'd want. Some steamy scenes, tender moments, heartbreak and joy with characters, Chosen Tayla and the dashing Guardian Raven. I enjoyed the world-building and the relationships between all the characters. Looking forward to seeing each secondary character getting their turn as the series progresses, and learning more about each of them and their battle with the Fallen.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't affect the star rating.
The debut of author Cassie Laelyn is a must for paranormal romance fans - with romance, adventure, sexy heroes, and a gutsy heroine, it's everything you'd want. Some steamy scenes, tender moments, heartbreak and joy with characters, Chosen Tayla and the dashing Guardian Raven. I enjoyed the world-building and the relationships between all the characters. Looking forward to seeing each secondary character getting their turn as the series progresses, and learning more about each of them and their battle with the Fallen.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn't affect the star rating.
April 2, 2019
This story was so awesome. It took me a but at first to get into it, (sometimes I hate too much info or background, I'm impatient), but when the story picked up, I couldn't put it down. At one point I actually hated Fate and the Angels. I cried so hard my heart hurt. Whenever I read a story that gives me such strong emotions, I know it's a gr8 story. I recommend this
May 12, 2019
Cassie has a fantastic sense of humour that shines through in her writing. I loved the adventure and suspense in this hot novel. Can’t wait to see what she writes next!
December 18, 2018
I was so very lucky to get an early copy of this book. This is the first of a series and a first from this author. If you like paranormal romance I would recommend this. It has all the ingredients to a great read. I even fell in love with the “bad dude”. Imagery is astonishing, could see it all in my mind’s eye and the characters are well fleshed out. Chemistry between the characters is hot. I was reading through my lunch hour and doing the one more chapter last night.
April 13, 2019
I loved this book. A friend recommended it to me, so I thought I would give it a try. I would not normally choose paranormal romance books off a shelf, thus this story worked on my imagination and challenging my thoughts. I really enjoyed the storyline, the characters, and suspense the story created. As a credit to the author, it only took me 1.5weeks to read, as I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Well done on a fantastic novel, Cassie.
January 30, 2019
Give me good angst and I'm a hot mess. So of course I cried, I won't hold it against you when you cry. Maybe I should back it up and explain...
Unforsaken is about a Guardian and his Chosen. (Think naughty guardian angel! ;) ) It is a constant struggle to do what is right and what ones heart is telling them. The battle is fought with every thing he has. It's admirable and romantic. And it made me lose my battle against my tears. I drowned in the slippery little buggers while fighting and pleading with Raven to hold on.
It's funny how easy it is to slip into the story and feel like a supporting cast member. If only...I totally see myself as a Raine type. Well, in reality it would be minus the death defying heels because I'm a total klutz.
I can't wait to see what kind of trouble the Guardians prevent in the future. And what kind of ever after we will get...
Unforsaken is about a Guardian and his Chosen. (Think naughty guardian angel! ;) ) It is a constant struggle to do what is right and what ones heart is telling them. The battle is fought with every thing he has. It's admirable and romantic. And it made me lose my battle against my tears. I drowned in the slippery little buggers while fighting and pleading with Raven to hold on.
It's funny how easy it is to slip into the story and feel like a supporting cast member. If only...I totally see myself as a Raine type. Well, in reality it would be minus the death defying heels because I'm a total klutz.
I can't wait to see what kind of trouble the Guardians prevent in the future. And what kind of ever after we will get...
January 28, 2019
A well delivered and promising first book by Cassie Laelyn. Unforsaken if the first in The Fallen Guardians series with compelling characters and an engaging storyline, I enjoyed this story and will look to explore more in this series and by this author
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