Malek

Whitfell Brothers #1

by Skye R. Richmond

Running from his problems might just lead Axel to his future. 

Axel has done the stupidest thing ever. He kissed his straight best friend at the guy’s stag do and now he’s run away to the Lake District to lick his wounds.

All he wants, in fact, all he's ever wanted is a Prince of his own. 

Who knew running would lead Axel straight to his very own fairytale? No really. His new mate, yeah, that’s a thing, lives in a magical valley and there’s a castle and he’s telling Axel it’s going to be the two of them forever. 

Did Axel mention in this fairytale he can have babies and his mate turns into a wolf? Only it's not a fairytale, it's really happening.

Malek has travelled the world searching for his mate, and now he’s actually here, in Malek’s family’s forest. It’s turning out to be the best day of his life. 

No angst, and lots of fluff.

An MM Shifter Mpreg Romance.

Genres: Shapeshifters, M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Omegaverse, Fantasy, LGBT

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2019

About the author

Also publishes as Rheland Richmond.

For as long as she can remember Skye had her nose stuck in a book, getting lost in the world of someone else's creation (She still does). Her love for writing came from her love for reading. She could never have one without the other.

Writing was always a hobby and a cathartic experience for her. There are many stories lost to the never to be completed or published pile but needed to be written at the time.

Just a girl that loved stories so much she decided to write hers.

She would love to hear from her readers and learn more about Y'all. So if you get a chance... Get in touch.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkyeRRichmond/
Twitter: @RhelandRichmond
Instagram: @RhelandRichmond
Newsletter: https://www.rhelandrichmond.com/newsl...
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/skye-...

Reviews

[Beth doesn't write enough reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

A sweet, fluffy wolf shifter story with m-preg.

Everyone is a little too perfect, no worries or drama but I want to find the hidden valley. It would be a dream to live in a place like that.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, enjoyable premise but also could have used another sweep of edits. The commas were kinda all over the place.

Would give the next book in the series a try to see if there is improvement.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is pure fluff, with a bit of steam. There is no world or relationship building. The Whitfell brothers all read like the same person.

Axel meets Malek when Malek, in wolf form, stumbles upon him. Axel kissed his straight best friend and is regretting his life choices. He doesn't want to believe shifters exist, but Malek is living proof.

Even considering that Malek and Axel are fated mates, the insta love in this gave me whiplash.

Also, said best friend is never mentioned again. Axel skips out on his wedding, doesn't call, just disappear. Way to be an absolute a-hole, dude.

I needed some tension, some angst, just something.

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh wow this was lightening fast “fall in love, I’m all in for forever”. I think I got whiplash. Haha

[S a n d r a · Rating 1 out of 5]

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¿Qué acabo de leer? ¿Y cómo tiene tanta puntuación?

Cuando vi que era una historia corta ya imaginé que este título no sería santo de mi devoción. ¿He mencionado ya cómo los relatos e historias cortas no suelen apasionarme? Sí, pues aquí tenemos el ejemplo de por qué.

Los comentarios que leo lo valoran positivamente por ser una lectura amena y ligera; solo faltaba que fuese pesada con lo corta que es... ¿Qué hay de la historia? Pues qué queréis que os diga, parece un fanfic de hombres lobo. Tal cual. Me parece más algo que me puedo encontrar en fanfiction.com que en un título publicado...

Los primeros capítulos, que nos narran el encuentro entre Axel y Malek, son interesantes. Y luego ya va en picado al suelo y es un no parar de situaciones poco naturales y nada creíbles. Básicamente, estamos ante un humano y un hombre lobo cuyo destino los lleva a encontrarse y, nada más verse, saben que están hechos el uno para el otro. Aquí todo correcto...

Luego llega el momento en el que son inseparables; se aman hasta el infinito y más allá; Malek le desvela todos los secretos de su existencia y Axel lo acepta todo con una facilidad imposible de creer; entremos en un ir y venir de capítulos en los que Malek describe todas las cosas maravillosas de su existencia como su compañero... y de verdad, es todo tan perfecto que no es creíble. El libro no tiene ningún tipo de giro argumental, no hay un problema que solucionar ni una trama interesante que te engache. Básicamente porque no hay tiempo. Es un sucesivo de cosas "bonitas" que, como digo, se aplica más a un fanfic que a un libro decente.

Entiendo que si es lo que estás buscando, adelante. A mí no me ha aportado nada. Pero nada, la verdad. Para triturarlo de mi memoria y hacer como si no lo hubiese leído.

[Elyse · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a lot of shifter books and I found often that the “blame it on fated mates” is an excuse to rush things and use insta love.
This book is a good example: Axel leave before his best friend wedding (who he has a crush on) and decide to go hiking alone to lick his wounds. He meets Malex, a wolf shifter who claimed to be his fated mate. They just met and talked about having babies in the future even if they know nothing about each others.
Then Axel tell his mom he is moving with him, that he is the love of his life, and she is totally ok with it.


This was also too fluffy & perfect for my taste, there was no conflicts what so ever.
I will not continue this series, I am not interested enough.

[Moonlight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well...

It started well enough, axel make me a lot. However, in the middle to the end i stared skipping, it went down hill. It have to much stuff that I felt the story didn't need.

[llv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 stars
You get just what is advertised in this book a non-angst story of two fated mates. I think that is the main problem with this story. Everything is just too easy. Axel is confronted with wolf shifters and male pregnancy and has absolutely no qualms about either. I would have liked a just a little bit more struggle between Axel and Malek. So overall, the story was okay. Not sure I want to continue the series.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent

A fairly typical omegaverse. Nothing really outstanding or dramatic. I kept waiting for that extra punch of drama or plot. But alas this was pretty bland. Maybe a good beginner's read into the genre.

[Barbara➰]

Tapping out at 50%. I'm all for fluffy, sweet and easy mate stories but this is almost too sweet and fluffy for even me. I think it's my mood though.

Note: ILY's within hours....yeah...

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and quick! I found Axel just a tad whiny especially in the beginning, and a lot of things were repeated repeatedly which bugged me! But, once the author hit her stride it was all good!
On to the next book in the series! Recommended...

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awww....

We have fated mates, instalove, shifters, getting changed into an omega, and a 4 month pregnancy.

Yall, if this had been given a good editing, it would have been perfect.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/23/2022)! 🎁

[Hugo #freepalestine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like a pure catnip to me
Insta love, no angts and possessive love interest

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this.. it is sweet and amazing.. the way they get together.. the way they interact and their love.. it is amazing.. and i cannot wait to see what is next.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malek is a fated mates/mpreg story. Axel Baines’ life implodes when he kisses his straight best friend at the best friend’s stag party. He escapes the city to get away from the shame he feels. Although he is not an outdoorsman he heads into the woods where he finds himself in trouble. Luckily werewolf Malek Whitefell is running in the same woods. I am a sucker for a fated mates/insta love story and this definitely fits the definition. I fell in love with both characters right away. Axel is adorable and his inner dialogue is so funny. Malek is the epitome of a territorial alpha in love. I am not a big fan of mpreg, but this story focused more on the relationship than the pregnancy and birth. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I recommend this book to everyone who likes a good low-angst fated mates and mpreg story.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Malek by Skye R. Richmond is the first book in the Whitfell Brothers series. This book has a good story plot. Had some good bones to it. The problems those are a lot.
Info Dumping : there is a ton of this in this ARC copy I received for review. It is really like what it sounds, you are dumping information at a high rate to the reader. There is a ton of this in this story. I wished the author could show more than tell me everything they wish to convey. I felt like the author was in a rush to give me as much information as possible, there for dumped in chunks in this book.
Insta Love: I like insta love. But this is insta love times ten. They see each other and love happens. Okay… I like a good insta love as the next girl, I live for it actually. But I have to believe it. This one was good in places and I felt the heat, then it went to a very odd place. Where I was like okay this is insta love really turned up.
Knows who mates are: in this book where Malek basically is telling Axel how the world of wolves work. Malek mentions mates. I loved the play on the word. Yes Axel knows what a mate is but I am not sure he knows the scope of it. Cute inter play here.
Also, in this segment in my ARC copy there is no punctuation. I normally do not mention it in an ARC copy but breathing became essential to life for me.
I loved the wishing for Prince charming that Axel does. He get Alpha wolf charming instead that was beyond cute and sweet.
I keep stressing this but I did read an ARC copy the grammatical errors were a ton. Anyone who has ever read one of my reviews knows I am not a grammar person. I noticed them all over the place in this book. It actually took me out of this story many times. I think before it is published it would need major edits, major re-reads, and a lot of work. If it went out like this I can see people getting confused.
You will see on our site I did not give this any stars. Or any rating. I felt this book needed a great beta reader and editor before final publication. Therefore, I could not give this book a rating as is. Cause it is a two for me. Needs some more work. And needs a fresh set of eyes on it. Then this story can really shine and work. Great ideas, good humor, just a lot of rough edges that make it hard to read and comprehend.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad I gave it chance

Really glad I took a chance on it. Axel was a cute character, I loved his rambly style and malek was so sweet. There wasn't much to this book at all and I do wish there was SOMETHING in the way of angst. Very very fluffy. Kinda too fluffy honestly.

I really do love when urban fantasy romance books acknowledge that urban fantasy romance books are a thing, it's always so much fun. That said even though a character feeling the "insta-love" is familiar with the concept due to "reading about it" in fantasy books it came across as too easy.

Realistically (I know, I know) there is no way a guy who was close enough to his family to live with them all in his mother's house for 27 years would be able to avoid contact with them in the 4 months it took to have a baby. Texts and calls would never be enough in those circumstances. I get that the author is setting up the plots to merge these two families but still...

Again and I can seem to stress this enough, there is almost NOTHING to this plotline except fluff and some steamy sex scenes. It's satisfying though, and the characters (though they were very loose) were interesting enough to make me want to read the next in the series.

[Claudia Lezár · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:
A 3,5* is clicked with a 4* but in review marked as 3,5*:

5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-Away-book like ‘Jesse's Smile’ or ‘Joey’ from Angelique Jurd, ‘Save the the kids’ series
from EM Leya, ‘Love’s Tethered Heart’ from C.L. Etta or ‘Liberty’ from Seth King),
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often reread and is a WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises (like most of Andrew Grey books and Davidson Kings 'Haven Hart'-series)
it's like an A

3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few times (most romances where you can enjoy for relaxing and during waiting times in
hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+

3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader (2-3 times a year),
it's like a B

2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-reader (I wouldn't recommend it heartily, but it was ok)
It's like a C-, D

1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too many mistakes, not nice plot, illogical, so an absolute NO-GO). It's like failure in the
whole line, dismissed, repeat the class

[Deb Swietek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lost human & a wolf prince? Fate steps in.

What a great start to a new series! Skye has created a wondrous world filled with intriguing characters. Wolf shifters, an intrepid man, Goddess sent mates, brothers galore, and a baby. Ya gotta love it!
This is Malak and Axel's story. Axel loves romance novels. He dreams of fated mates and his Prince Charming. Getting lost on a hike , Axel is at the end of his strength. Malek, prince of his pack, had let his wolf run free, drawn by the most marvelous scent. Right into Axel. Mate. Mine.
Their attraction is immediate, hot, soul-seeking, and forever. Axel is overwhelmed, but accepting; especially when he learns he is capable of becoming pregnant. Malek is overprotective, loving, and sexy as hell. You are pulled in to their lives as they learn about each other, love each other, conquer their fears, and find their true family. HEA is assured.
Is there sex? Oh yeah! Is there drama? No way. This is a feel good book from the get go. You won't want to put it down. I loved this book. Go. Get. This. Book! Now!
This book contains adult themes and language, mm sex and is intended for mature readers only.

[Gabryel Tobias · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried more than once to finish this book

I am usually a huge fan of shifter m/m romances. I enjoy them, and actively seek out new writers to read. This seemed like a winning combination- a retelling of Beauty and the Beast? Count me in!

Sadly, I just could not get past the first half of the book. The writing was choppy, and constantly made me have to go back and reread to be sure I was getting what the author meant. The relationship between the characters too seems completely unrealistic and out of character. Within moments they are declaring their undying love for one another, again and again. The author constantly has the characters tell each other how handsome or breathtaking the other person is. I enjoy a healthy dose of fluff.... but this was completely unearned, and felt odd, especially given how heart broken the main character is at the beginning of the book. I won’t be finishing this one.

[Mikki James - Peters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Axel is ready for a new perspective on life; so he decides to go on a new adventure, leading him straight into the pathway of a wolf. Malek- an alpha wolf shifter has been searching for his mate for over 70 years. One day he heads out for a walk and smells something so sweet he has to have it; leading him to his fated mate. Axel is not from the shifter world, and he is hesitant to believe anything Malek is telling him about their relationship. Furthermore, with Malek will Axel finally have someone to love?

This is the first book in a four book series. This was my least favorite book of the Whitfell brothers. I would only recommend this book 1) it's a quick read and 2) it does help set up the later books in the series. I just felt this story was too short, very quick romance and it was just so unbelievable because it was all fast paced. I wanted more then a quick glimpse into the shifter life, and Axel just accepting his fated mate. I wanted more conflict and hesitancy because as a human Axel just accepted what he was told.

[Ashley D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Axel is running from a stupid mistake that he made, leading to him soaking wet in a forest that he randomly decided to camp in when he stumbles across a wolf. Malek has traveled over the years trying to find his mate. When he woke up restless, he decided to go for a walk, which turned into a run in his wolf form. When he comes across Axel, he finally realizes why he is so unsettled. Axel is his mate, now to reveal the secret of shifters to Axel.

Axel and Malek had an instant attraction which I've come to expect in shifter stories, so it wasn't unexpected that they would mate within hours of meeting. Axel and Malek were sweet together, and Axel's family took to Malek like he was family, and Malek's family reacted to Axel the same way. The last chapter or so seemed a bit rushed. There wasn't a resolution from the incident that sent Axel running, but it was a good book that had no angst and was sweet.

[G. R. M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I appreciated Unsuitable Omega, another book of this author, a book that had pushed me to read this one, I can't say that I appreciated Malek. Firstly and mainly because it's a "werewolf" story. I read so many werewolf books in the past year that it became beyond impossible to impress me with a werewolf novel, and the word "fairytale" in the blurb cooled me. I don't do fairytales, that's maybe the taboo word in my reading life.

This book was too cliché for me and the storyline wasn't well-tought-out this time, alas, I wasn't disappointed but I am not happy either. The ending was almost boring, not the best way to end the monotonous story on a fresh note. But I will give another chance to this author. I hope there will be more impressive works in the future that I'd want to read :)

[Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skye R Richmond's Malek left me torn. The first book in the Whitfell Brother's series, it's a feel-good shifter romance. It's good, it's enjoyable, and it is devoid of angst.

If you're looking for heat, this one is pretty damn hot. Malek and Alex certainly know how to steam up the pages.

My rating is based solely of the fact that I think I wasn't really in the mood for this one. It seemed too easy, too quick. I think I would have preferred at least a little angst. But, it you want a quick, happy shifter romance, this one is perfect for you.

I found myself interested more in the second half of the tale. I enjoy the family, the home, the background of the shifters, and the pregnancy.

Overall, Malek's just a perfect beach read. It's sweet, tender, and happy all around.

[Meri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great sweet story

We meet our MC Axel as he panics and runs after kissing his best mate at his stag night. He ran all the way to the Lake District. I loved how impulsive Axel was in deciding to go for a hike in such a beautiful place. Really enjoyed having the Lake District as the main setting for this story. The hidden valley idea was kinda romantic and just felt so right for the story

Malek is first seen as a Wolf when he smells his mate and literally runs all the way to him. It was very much insta-love and Instant ease with all the changes this meeting of two people brought about. I love fluff in any book but this seemed way too easy. The two MCs had such great chemistry and the story was just so fluffy and sweet.

[John-Torleif Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story, but I wish it were edited a bit smoother

I liked this story and will definitely be reading more in this series, as it comes out. There were two things about this book that made me choose to rate it as low as I did. First, I would have liked Axel to have maybe had a little less insta-love acceptance of absolutely everything. Second, the editing in this book got progressively worse. At first I just figured that the missing articles/words were simply Britishisms that I hadn't come across before, but then it just became more and more prevalent until they were clearly just typos.

[Mnjones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Malek

I quite liked this book but found it slightly lacking.
I'm not one for a lot of angst but having a little would have been a nice touch and would highlight the fact that Malek is an Alfa and protector.
I also felt there was way too much "thinking" thoughts through this book and not enough verbal dialogue.
Just when you think you have a decent dialogue, back to the thoughts dialogue (so frustrating)
Saying that, l still got a wonderful connection between the two MM characters and felt their emotional bond.
But imagine how exciting having a little angst where Axel is in danger and big bad alfa Malek comes to his rescue *sigh*
I look forward to reading the next one.

[Christopher Daprona · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line in this book is definitely one that I enjoy. I find the two MCs, Axel and Malek, to be extremely likable, especially Axel's ramblings, and the humor interspersed throughout definitely had me chuckling a number of times. Yes, this is an insta-love story, but that's nice to read as a break from the major angst and emotional roller coaster some other stories put us through. The world building was also well done. Recommend giving this book a try. Can't wait for the next installment to come out. :-)

[Violet Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in The Whitfell Brothers Series. A short sweet book the writing was okay. This is more of an insta love story and not much more. I enjoyed it but if your looking for a book with a developed plot that is more than meet & mate. I would wait for when you need an easy and enjoyable book to read this. It is a good book for this type of book though. I found the story and characters wonderful. Malek and Axel are the MC’s of this book and mates. I will be reading the next book. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.