What do you think?
Rate this book
Defy the Ravaged #1
Willow
My name is Willow.
His name is Jason.
He hated me. I hated him— while silently hiding how much all that hate hurt deep down inside me. But all that was before. Before everything changed. Before I woke up to gunshots and screaming and death.
Now he still hates me, along with his Uncle Paulie and their club brothers. But I don’t hate him. I can’t, not after he came for me. Not after he saved me.
Not now that the ravaged are here.
They come at you like you’re nothing. With their feral snarls, and bloodshot eyes. Their decaying mouths salivating for a bite of you. They are hungry for life and we are their meal.
I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to accept it. But I can’t ignore them now that they’re everywhere. Now that the threat of them haunts us every waking moment.
But with Jason standing between them and me— I can’t hate him anymore. I don’t want to.
*This story ends in a cliffhanger*
***Warning. For readers 18 years and older. Contains explicit sexual situations, possible triggers, dark themes, language, and violence.***
His name is Jason.
He hated me. I hated him— while silently hiding how much all that hate hurt deep down inside me. But all that was before. Before everything changed. Before I woke up to gunshots and screaming and death.
Now he still hates me, along with his Uncle Paulie and their club brothers. But I don’t hate him. I can’t, not after he came for me. Not after he saved me.
Not now that the ravaged are here.
They come at you like you’re nothing. With their feral snarls, and bloodshot eyes. Their decaying mouths salivating for a bite of you. They are hungry for life and we are their meal.
I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to accept it. But I can’t ignore them now that they’re everywhere. Now that the threat of them haunts us every waking moment.
But with Jason standing between them and me— I can’t hate him anymore. I don’t want to.
*This story ends in a cliffhanger*
***Warning. For readers 18 years and older. Contains explicit sexual situations, possible triggers, dark themes, language, and violence.***
150 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2019
327 people are currently reading
1300 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Raegan
9 books156 followersErin Raegan is an obsessed reader, a dedicated writer, and a lover of all things fantastically impossible. When she's not plotting her next project, she spends hours on her kindle, though nothing beats a real book in your hands. She writes science fiction romance under Erin Raegan but she also writes fantasy and paranormal romance under her pen name E.M. Raegan. She can be found at home in Connecticut with her chihuahua Minnie, and her German Shepard Odin, waiting with her son for her active duty husband to come home. You can contact her at author.erinraegan@gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
December 23, 2025
Doing a re-read of this series because I was in the mood for some zombie post-apocalyptic action, and I really love this author and series. I've always thought if anyone could survive a zombie apocalypse, it would be a motorcycle club.
Dozens and dozens of crazed and bloodied people sprinted toward us. Jason shoved me onto the front of the bike and climbed on behind me. He jammed his foot down, and the bike roared to life. The wheels squealed, and he peeled out onto the street, dodging people and crashed cars.
The crew of survivors includes mc club members, Willow, her best friend Billy, and his hilarious grandmother, Dahlia. Willow has had a crush on Jason for years but he and his club have treated her like crap ever since his uncle married her mother.
Low and Jay have angry, but good chemistry. Little to no steam here, but a constant race to survive. The intense action never lets up. Highly recommended for fans of zombie apocalypse.
Dozens and dozens of crazed and bloodied people sprinted toward us. Jason shoved me onto the front of the bike and climbed on behind me. He jammed his foot down, and the bike roared to life. The wheels squealed, and he peeled out onto the street, dodging people and crashed cars.
The crew of survivors includes mc club members, Willow, her best friend Billy, and his hilarious grandmother, Dahlia. Willow has had a crush on Jason for years but he and his club have treated her like crap ever since his uncle married her mother.
Low and Jay have angry, but good chemistry. Little to no steam here, but a constant race to survive. The intense action never lets up. Highly recommended for fans of zombie apocalypse.
August 2, 2023
ღ 𝕎𝕀𝕃𝕃𝕆𝕎 ღ Is the first book within the (Defy the Ravaged) series by new to me author E.M. Raegan. Ends in a cliffy.HERO: Jason HEROINE: Willow God what is wrong with me, 🤷♀️ I never ever read this genre, now I'm hunkering down this winter's day and jumping on this!!
New to me genre
New to me author
This kicks off straight away into the action, with Willow waking up having no clue that the world outside of her apartment and even within as she knew it has changed and now is overrun by zombies. And one man is racing like a demon to save her.
Well shit that was embarrassing! Sat down, coffee in hand, opened this book and next minute I’ve finished it! So fans of ‘The walking dead’ will enjoy this one. Not high on romance but it’s simmering and building up in the background.
Obviously it's easy to get into hard to put down going by the speed in which this was inhaled. Definitely a great start to the series, had my palms sweating, my heart racing so bonus bonus.
A city ravaged by biters, a convoy of bikers and family on a race to the border, encountering mishaps along the way, nowhere is safe, it’s a fight for survival.
Ends on a cliffy but luckily for me the next book is sitting and waiting for me to dive back into this world.
May 18, 2020
The first book in this series and this one start’s with a bang jumping straight into the action when Willow wakes finding herself trapped in her apartment with her mums boyfriend Rick who is currently making a meal out of her mother.
Trapped her only hope is Ricks nephew Jay who upon realising her current situation rides to her rescue forever earning her gratitude.
Jay drops Willow off at his MC club while setting out again to meet up with his Uncle.
But poor Willow feels like a lamb to the slaughter as she is now surrounded by people including Jay who hate her and make no secret of it all because of her mother and her actions.
They quite judgementally tar her with the same brush when she is absolutely nothing like her selfish parent.
I actually felt so sorry for her having to face all that unearned animosity it really was uncalled for and unfair to be judged by the actions of others and I wanted Jay to actually apologise profusely for his uncalled past behaviour.
We also have Dahlia and Billy thrown into the mix and these two grandmother and grandson were such great characters and I was so glad that Willow at least had these in her camp supporting her.
So this was jam-packed and manic and a really easy read.
Genre-wise this is zombie apocalypse romance and certainly doesn’t pull its punches.
Where we left things here at the border it was just starting to get interesting.
Jay has also started to redeem himself in regards to his past treatment of Willow though he does need to apologise and pull up others for there unreasonable actions towards her.
Really excited about this one and where it’s heading and this was a fabulous start.
A big thumbs up from me.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Willow (Defy The Ravaged).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
May 18, 2020
It’s a little scary and seems we are inside the book!! Great, I liked!!!
December 2, 2023
I swear my default setting at this point is 3 stars, but I am honestly struggling to find something really wrong with this book. Which for me is absolutely shocking.
It is probably the best apocalypse book I have read to date. This may be largely contributed to the length of the book as well, as it is quite a short read and my attention span can be non-existent.
There were so many instances where the MMC was so protective of her and would get so distressed when she was in harms way. He is just … a much better adjective than ‘amazing’. I can’t currently think of one that encompasses all his attributes.
The only point of the plot that annoyed me was his family having a vendetta against her and treating her quite badly (basically her mum had an affair with the MMC uncle and so the whole family hates her). Talk about irrational, she didn’t do anything, but I think we needed that divide.
As it is an Apocalypse book the dramatic moments and action scenes are very frequent, but not overly so. They didn’t last longer than they needed to and each traumatic moment marked a key point of growth in their relationship.
The only triggers I can currently think of for this book is d*ath & an implied reference to previous SA, in regards to a character. No extensive details were given. I really liked the lack of triggers that were included in the storyline. I feel like some apocalypse books can be very explicit when trying to show the depraved nature of humanity, but this hinted at a line that was never crossed. I’m not trigger sensitive, but I enjoyed reading the content warning at the start and knowing exactly what to expect.
There wasn’t really any spice, but the tension, the suspense, the storyline … it was just carried it. I most definitely judged the book by its cover, because I didn’t like the cover. I got over this however, read it and loved it.
This review has been edited and the rating updated, as I have just re-read it and felt 4 stars was too low.
Definitely recommend. Especially if you fancy a quick action packed read.
It is probably the best apocalypse book I have read to date. This may be largely contributed to the length of the book as well, as it is quite a short read and my attention span can be non-existent.
There were so many instances where the MMC was so protective of her and would get so distressed when she was in harms way. He is just … a much better adjective than ‘amazing’. I can’t currently think of one that encompasses all his attributes.
The only point of the plot that annoyed me was his family having a vendetta against her and treating her quite badly (basically her mum had an affair with the MMC uncle and so the whole family hates her). Talk about irrational, she didn’t do anything, but I think we needed that divide.
As it is an Apocalypse book the dramatic moments and action scenes are very frequent, but not overly so. They didn’t last longer than they needed to and each traumatic moment marked a key point of growth in their relationship.
The only triggers I can currently think of for this book is d*ath & an implied reference to previous SA, in regards to a character. No extensive details were given. I really liked the lack of triggers that were included in the storyline. I feel like some apocalypse books can be very explicit when trying to show the depraved nature of humanity, but this hinted at a line that was never crossed. I’m not trigger sensitive, but I enjoyed reading the content warning at the start and knowing exactly what to expect.
There wasn’t really any spice, but the tension, the suspense, the storyline … it was just carried it. I most definitely judged the book by its cover, because I didn’t like the cover. I got over this however, read it and loved it.
This review has been edited and the rating updated, as I have just re-read it and felt 4 stars was too low.
Definitely recommend. Especially if you fancy a quick action packed read.
July 13, 2022
Literally like The Walking Dead but with Fear The Walking Dead season one vibes but with romance/smutty goodness and they are a biker club so extra badass zombie apocalypse energy 🤤
March 20, 2024
Some spoilers
Heroine never hated the hero, hero may have previously hated the heroine, but he sure doesn't in this book. So, not enemies to lovers like I thought it was. Also, everyone in the MC club hated the heroine for something her mother did, for a long time too, just to all of a sudden change how they feel about her in like 2 days. Doesn't make sense.
I also didn't like the development between the heroine and hero. They are all touchy feely right off the bat which didn't make sense. I think I wanted a little more build up. And heroine not thinking how odd it was that he was all touchy feely with her all of a sudden was weird. They also start doing sexual things with each other pretty fast too, and it was annoying how we never got like a dilemma or confusion or anything from the heroine Abt why everything changed all of a sudden. She just went along with it like it's always been like that, even though she would talk abt how much he hated her and treated her. Makes literally no sense. She was such a a pushover. He treats her bad for awhile and she just basically forgives it with no apology nor conversation and let's him touch her and stuff. Ew.
Lastly, something that bothered me and kinda led up to my DNF. The whole club including the heroine and hero, were going through a really bad crowd of people in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, to try to go to the safe area. Crowd of people = literally anything can happen. Heroine saved a small child previously, and was taking care of him. When about to go through this crowd, hero had heroine get on the back of his MC, with the child in her arms. As they started leaving, his uncle, the MC pres, who also hated the heroine for no reason, told hero he had to bring his cousin instead of the heroine. Hero gave no argument, but had heroine get off, got his cousin on and told heroine to give the baby to the cousin, and let the heroine basically fend for herself with her friend to go through the crowd while he drove off. Heroine was hurt multiple times, almost trampled and whatnot, and when they arrived, hero acted like he barely cared what happened to her. Very odd behavior from someone who supposedly cares abt the heroine so much and not really a hero that I'm rooting for. The friend of hers would have been a much better hero. Ruined the romance for me and haven't been able to pick the book up since
Heroine never hated the hero, hero may have previously hated the heroine, but he sure doesn't in this book. So, not enemies to lovers like I thought it was. Also, everyone in the MC club hated the heroine for something her mother did, for a long time too, just to all of a sudden change how they feel about her in like 2 days. Doesn't make sense.
I also didn't like the development between the heroine and hero. They are all touchy feely right off the bat which didn't make sense. I think I wanted a little more build up. And heroine not thinking how odd it was that he was all touchy feely with her all of a sudden was weird. They also start doing sexual things with each other pretty fast too, and it was annoying how we never got like a dilemma or confusion or anything from the heroine Abt why everything changed all of a sudden. She just went along with it like it's always been like that, even though she would talk abt how much he hated her and treated her. Makes literally no sense. She was such a a pushover. He treats her bad for awhile and she just basically forgives it with no apology nor conversation and let's him touch her and stuff. Ew.
Lastly, something that bothered me and kinda led up to my DNF. The whole club including the heroine and hero, were going through a really bad crowd of people in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, to try to go to the safe area. Crowd of people = literally anything can happen. Heroine saved a small child previously, and was taking care of him. When about to go through this crowd, hero had heroine get on the back of his MC, with the child in her arms. As they started leaving, his uncle, the MC pres, who also hated the heroine for no reason, told hero he had to bring his cousin instead of the heroine. Hero gave no argument, but had heroine get off, got his cousin on and told heroine to give the baby to the cousin, and let the heroine basically fend for herself with her friend to go through the crowd while he drove off. Heroine was hurt multiple times, almost trampled and whatnot, and when they arrived, hero acted like he barely cared what happened to her. Very odd behavior from someone who supposedly cares abt the heroine so much and not really a hero that I'm rooting for. The friend of hers would have been a much better hero. Ruined the romance for me and haven't been able to pick the book up since
July 23, 2019
4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ARC provided by BookSirens and the author in exchange for an honest review!
I was promised zombies, bikers, and romance- and that's exactly what I got!
Willow by E. M. (or Erin) Raegan is the first in an all new paranormal romance series! Total transparency- I decided to pick this one up because A; I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead- and I needed something to fill the void in-between seasons, and B; There's something about bikers + romance that really does it for me, and this book did not let me down!
I've lost track of all of the different names I've heard used for an infected person or zombie, but the ravaged is a personal favourite of mine! This wasted absolutely no time jumping straight into the action, and I grew pretty fond of some of the characters even though this was such a short novel!
All I can say is thank god there's going to be a sequel, because that cliffhanger was really something! Don't mind me- I'll be here patiently waiting for any news!
ARC provided by BookSirens and the author in exchange for an honest review!
I was promised zombies, bikers, and romance- and that's exactly what I got!
Willow by E. M. (or Erin) Raegan is the first in an all new paranormal romance series! Total transparency- I decided to pick this one up because A; I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead- and I needed something to fill the void in-between seasons, and B; There's something about bikers + romance that really does it for me, and this book did not let me down!
I've lost track of all of the different names I've heard used for an infected person or zombie, but the ravaged is a personal favourite of mine! This wasted absolutely no time jumping straight into the action, and I grew pretty fond of some of the characters even though this was such a short novel!
All I can say is thank god there's going to be a sequel, because that cliffhanger was really something! Don't mind me- I'll be here patiently waiting for any news!
December 23, 2019
Willow is the first book by E.M. Raegan I have read but definitely not the last. Although I did start Willow several weeks ago I kind of stalled and put it aside, only to pick it up again last night finish it and start book 2. I'm a big fan of Zombie movies and shows so I really enjoyed this book. Willow did frustrate me a little because she was naïve about the Ravaged but Jay on the other hand was awesome and definitely someone I want at my back. Since I'm a romance reader first the attraction and eventual relationship between Willow and Jay I really enjoyed. Now some my not love how quickly Willow forgives Jay for the past but hey I say go for it it's the end of the world.
May 18, 2025
This book was so good. One of the best apocalypse books I've read. It keeps you on your toes from beginning to end.
The writing was very good, the story was interesting and fast-paced and I liked the main characters a lot.
The writing was very good, the story was interesting and fast-paced and I liked the main characters a lot.
February 8, 2020
Willow by E. M. Raegan is a fast paced zombie story with a little bit of romance thrown in. No, not romance between zombies, but between survivors.
Willow, our main character, is a young adult that has led a tumultuous childhood and follows her moms whims to try to keep the peace with extended family and friends.
Jason, our other main character, does not like Willow from the very beginning. He does what he can to prevent Willow from being accepted in to the family and the biker gang he belongs to.
The books starts right off when the zombies attack. It is action packed the entire time and does not disappoint. This isn't a hardcore zombie book, it is very mild and has an easy flow to read. It does end with a cliffhanger, which for some is irksome and others will find that okay.
I look forward to the second book!
Thank you to #BookSirens and #E.M.Raegan for this ARC copy!
Review also at https://theundeadcrafter.blogspot.com/
Willow, our main character, is a young adult that has led a tumultuous childhood and follows her moms whims to try to keep the peace with extended family and friends.
Jason, our other main character, does not like Willow from the very beginning. He does what he can to prevent Willow from being accepted in to the family and the biker gang he belongs to.
The books starts right off when the zombies attack. It is action packed the entire time and does not disappoint. This isn't a hardcore zombie book, it is very mild and has an easy flow to read. It does end with a cliffhanger, which for some is irksome and others will find that okay.
I look forward to the second book!
Thank you to #BookSirens and #E.M.Raegan for this ARC copy!
Review also at https://theundeadcrafter.blogspot.com/
October 16, 2023
ok. I know there’s more books or parts but im not really interested enough. the hero reminded me of Kristen ashley heroes not sure that’s good but yeah.
Want to read
November 30, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/30/2019)! 🎁
September 14, 2020
Wow!!
Draws you in from the first page!! I love Raegan books, she always has action and love entwined so well together! If you love zombies and love when they’re called zombies you will love this book!
Draws you in from the first page!! I love Raegan books, she always has action and love entwined so well together! If you love zombies and love when they’re called zombies you will love this book!
December 12, 2019
I'm not a fan of zombies in any way, shape or form. So why would I want to read this? Because I really like this author's Galactic Order series and it sounded good. And boy was it. This book starts off with a bang and runs with it, keeping me hooked all the way until the end. The characters were perfect and the world terrifyingly believable.
Jay and Willow have hated each other since the moment they met. And unfortunately, it was thru no fault of Willow's. Her mother is horrible and she basically broke up a marriage to sleep with Rick (Jay's uncle), and eventually marrying him. But Rick was part of an MC and they did not take well to any of this. Taking his ex's side and treating her mom, and Willow by extension, as if they were some of the worst people on the planet. The sad part is that Willow is nothing like her mother and was clueless about everything. So for years, Willow has been silently suffering the cruelness of the club members.
Everything changes at a speed that nobody could have predicted. Home from college, Willow wakes to find her mother dead and Rick a whole lot of raging crazy. Her rescue comes from the very last person she ever could have expected. Jay. I loved him since he first spoke on that phone. Brutal and deadly, but with a heart of gold, Jay rushes to save her and works to keep her protected. Even if the safest place he can think of is his club. Even with Jay's word she'll be safe there, she is still treated with such open hostility that she doesn't know what to do.
The story moves on at a fast pace, but a good one. We follow along as he club and their families are trying to find a safe place and enough supplies to last. Along the way they encounter the infected who attack anyone in sight, but they also encounter some of the worst of humanity. With each day that passes and each experience that Willow is put thru, she finds herself more and more attached to Jay. Who this whole time has been so attentive to her and determined to keep her with him. We got one tease about why Jay's feelings about Willow changed like they did, but we haven't yet had the two of them talk about it. Which is something that I really want to read about.
As warned, the ending is one heck of a cliffhanger and I will be jumping right into the next book.
Jay and Willow have hated each other since the moment they met. And unfortunately, it was thru no fault of Willow's. Her mother is horrible and she basically broke up a marriage to sleep with Rick (Jay's uncle), and eventually marrying him. But Rick was part of an MC and they did not take well to any of this. Taking his ex's side and treating her mom, and Willow by extension, as if they were some of the worst people on the planet. The sad part is that Willow is nothing like her mother and was clueless about everything. So for years, Willow has been silently suffering the cruelness of the club members.
Everything changes at a speed that nobody could have predicted. Home from college, Willow wakes to find her mother dead and Rick a whole lot of raging crazy. Her rescue comes from the very last person she ever could have expected. Jay. I loved him since he first spoke on that phone. Brutal and deadly, but with a heart of gold, Jay rushes to save her and works to keep her protected. Even if the safest place he can think of is his club. Even with Jay's word she'll be safe there, she is still treated with such open hostility that she doesn't know what to do.
The story moves on at a fast pace, but a good one. We follow along as he club and their families are trying to find a safe place and enough supplies to last. Along the way they encounter the infected who attack anyone in sight, but they also encounter some of the worst of humanity. With each day that passes and each experience that Willow is put thru, she finds herself more and more attached to Jay. Who this whole time has been so attentive to her and determined to keep her with him. We got one tease about why Jay's feelings about Willow changed like they did, but we haven't yet had the two of them talk about it. Which is something that I really want to read about.
As warned, the ending is one heck of a cliffhanger and I will be jumping right into the next book.
October 8, 2019
This novella pulled you in the first chapter. I read in one day because I could not put it down. This was a zombie apocalypse book crossed with romance and bit of MC. There is some unresolved stuff going on... part 2, here i come!
My name is Willow.
His name is Jason.
He hated me. I hated him— while silently hiding how much all that hate hurt deep down inside me. But all that was before. Before everything changed. Before I woke up to gunshots and screaming and death.
Now he still hates me, along with his Uncle Paulie and their club brothers. But I don’t hate him. I can’t, not after he came for me. Not after he saved me.
Not now that the ravaged are here.
They come at you like you’re nothing. With their feral snarls, and bloodshot eyes. Their decaying mouths salivating for a bite of you. They are hungry for life and we are their meal.
I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to accept it. But I can’t ignore them now that they’re everywhere. Now that the threat of them haunts us every waking moment.
But with Jason standing between them and me— I can’t hate him anymore. I don’t want to.
My name is Willow.
His name is Jason.
He hated me. I hated him— while silently hiding how much all that hate hurt deep down inside me. But all that was before. Before everything changed. Before I woke up to gunshots and screaming and death.
Now he still hates me, along with his Uncle Paulie and their club brothers. But I don’t hate him. I can’t, not after he came for me. Not after he saved me.
Not now that the ravaged are here.
They come at you like you’re nothing. With their feral snarls, and bloodshot eyes. Their decaying mouths salivating for a bite of you. They are hungry for life and we are their meal.
I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to accept it. But I can’t ignore them now that they’re everywhere. Now that the threat of them haunts us every waking moment.
But with Jason standing between them and me— I can’t hate him anymore. I don’t want to.
September 9, 2019
I would call this a "soft" zombie book/novella. This book would be perfect for someone new to or curious about the genre. I read a ton of zombie books and would have preferred a bit more gore and action, but as it was the authors first foray into zombies I think it was pretty good. And I still plan to read the rest of the series, as I enjoyed the characters and the idea of a badass motorcycle club with a heart. I do wish that the story was a little less rushed, Willow went from being hated by the club to accepted in a matter of a day which, given their lengthy tumultuous history, feels a bit unlikely. Also, when it comes to the "bad men" and Alyssa, while highly plausible and (a bit cliche) for an apocalypse setting, there is no way that they would have already broken her like she was portrayed that early into the disaster. Also there were a few instances where they were riding at what seemed to be a decent speed and yet the "ravaged" were still able to get a hold of them, again kind of a weird/unlikely choice given the traditional trope. Still it was a quick fun read and I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Thanks to Booksirens and the Publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Booksirens and the Publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 10, 2022
Wow...so much happened.
This book starts off running. We are introduced to this world through Willow's eye and know nothing more. Her nemesis of sorts, Jason (Jay) is there to rescue her. Then he is on his way to get his mom and go to the MC.
This book has one speed...go. For this book (and the next) everything is happening to Willow and we are slowly learning about what is going on.
Fast paced story with a slow burn romance.
This book starts off running. We are introduced to this world through Willow's eye and know nothing more. Her nemesis of sorts, Jason (Jay) is there to rescue her. Then he is on his way to get his mom and go to the MC.
This book has one speed...go. For this book (and the next) everything is happening to Willow and we are slowly learning about what is going on.
Fast paced story with a slow burn romance.
April 25, 2020
For those who've read Jamie McGuire's fantastic novel 'Red Hill', 'Willow' has that same feel. It falls firmly in the 'zombie apocalypse' as well as 'enemies to lovers' genre. It was recommended to me in a book club that frequently reads Kindle Unlimited books. Because of that I didn't have any expectations but was pleasantly surprised. Although I couldn't identify much with Willow's meek nature, Dahlia had me cracking up. Be aware the book ends in a cliffhanger. If that sets you off into a fiery rage you may want to skip it. Overall I enjoyed it and will be starting book 2 'Thrive' tonight.
June 12, 2020
I received an advance review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
From the very first page, we jump right into the action. Now, I am not a zombie fan. Not even a little bit. But this story had me hooked! It was fast paced, action packed, and a slow burn romance. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
From the very first page, we jump right into the action. Now, I am not a zombie fan. Not even a little bit. But this story had me hooked! It was fast paced, action packed, and a slow burn romance. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
March 21, 2025
Above average
‘Willow’ is slightly different from your typical zombie apocalypse romance. It follows the usual theme but avoids the whole insta sex thing. The distinct lack of mentioning how gorgeous the female lead was despite the whole apocalypse thing, was a pleasant surprise. I look forward to book 2.
‘Willow’ is slightly different from your typical zombie apocalypse romance. It follows the usual theme but avoids the whole insta sex thing. The distinct lack of mentioning how gorgeous the female lead was despite the whole apocalypse thing, was a pleasant surprise. I look forward to book 2.
November 7, 2024
Not a stand-alone. Fairly dark zombie dystopian romance.
October 3, 2019
This is really unusual for me, but I am 110% behind this book. Despite being rough around the edges I absolutely fell in love with the story and everything in it. I loved the characters, the drama, the tragedy and while I’m kind of over the whole zombie apocalypse frenzy I still found myself completely obsessed with the plot.
I have actually not ever really been into the whole zombie fan culture, so I had my reservations reading Willow. As I got into the story though I did not mind the main theme at all, mainly because it helped bring out and strengthen the other genres that I like, specifically the romance and drama. It was also really easy to get into the story from the get go since it jumped into the plot right of and showed that beautiful drama that I crave in a story like this.
Willow was a character that was very easy to feel for. I found it so unjust and I was so angry on her behalf of how the world and the people around her treated her like crap solely based on who her mother was. We do not choose our parents after all and I wished I could crawl inside the book and scream that to the characters who hated her for no good reason at all. This aspect of the story was new, for me anyways, and the drama it brought out with her being surrounded by those people was absolutely addictive. I really liked how that hate formed the backbone of Jason and Willow’s relationship, seeing as he was one of the people who had made wrongful assumptions on Willow’s character based on what her mother had done.
The romance was a slow burn, but I did not mind considering the drama compensated for that. It was never fully clear in the beginning where Willow stood with Jason and that made it much more intriguing. Sure, throughout the book we in some ways learned that he did no longer judge her or hate her, but it was attentional, I believe, that we didn’t know how he really felt about her. It put some spark and mystery behind the romance and through all the action and struggles they went through together their relationship built beautifully. I loved Jason’s possessive side and his need to protect her and how that brought forth his edgy and angry behavior. It played perfectly with Willow’s attraction and intrigue of him, but also her confusion and uncertainty as well, seeing as his new behavior towards her after years of hate was uncharted territory for her.
It is always easy to look for and point out flaws in a book, but I really don’t feel the need to do that here since I enjoyed the story to the fullest. The flaws that were did not bother me since I was so invested in what did work. I can really only fault it for one thing and that is that that it ended so quickly, like all the good things do. I would have loved to see some confrontation from Willow’s part about how Jason and many other characters treated her and I would absolutely love to see the romance keep developing like it did in the end. I don’t see this as flaws though since this only makes me more excited to read the next book in the series, especially with the ending we got.
I really hope the author is proud of this book because I know I am. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and for me that means a lot. In fact, it means so much that I am going to break one of my own rules and purchase and read Defy next, even if the full series isn’t out yet. Thank you so much E.M. Raegan for such an amazing story and for letting me read it for free. You and your book deserves all the five star reviews you’ve gotten and hopefully will get in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have actually not ever really been into the whole zombie fan culture, so I had my reservations reading Willow. As I got into the story though I did not mind the main theme at all, mainly because it helped bring out and strengthen the other genres that I like, specifically the romance and drama. It was also really easy to get into the story from the get go since it jumped into the plot right of and showed that beautiful drama that I crave in a story like this.
Willow was a character that was very easy to feel for. I found it so unjust and I was so angry on her behalf of how the world and the people around her treated her like crap solely based on who her mother was. We do not choose our parents after all and I wished I could crawl inside the book and scream that to the characters who hated her for no good reason at all. This aspect of the story was new, for me anyways, and the drama it brought out with her being surrounded by those people was absolutely addictive. I really liked how that hate formed the backbone of Jason and Willow’s relationship, seeing as he was one of the people who had made wrongful assumptions on Willow’s character based on what her mother had done.
The romance was a slow burn, but I did not mind considering the drama compensated for that. It was never fully clear in the beginning where Willow stood with Jason and that made it much more intriguing. Sure, throughout the book we in some ways learned that he did no longer judge her or hate her, but it was attentional, I believe, that we didn’t know how he really felt about her. It put some spark and mystery behind the romance and through all the action and struggles they went through together their relationship built beautifully. I loved Jason’s possessive side and his need to protect her and how that brought forth his edgy and angry behavior. It played perfectly with Willow’s attraction and intrigue of him, but also her confusion and uncertainty as well, seeing as his new behavior towards her after years of hate was uncharted territory for her.
It is always easy to look for and point out flaws in a book, but I really don’t feel the need to do that here since I enjoyed the story to the fullest. The flaws that were did not bother me since I was so invested in what did work. I can really only fault it for one thing and that is that that it ended so quickly, like all the good things do. I would have loved to see some confrontation from Willow’s part about how Jason and many other characters treated her and I would absolutely love to see the romance keep developing like it did in the end. I don’t see this as flaws though since this only makes me more excited to read the next book in the series, especially with the ending we got.
I really hope the author is proud of this book because I know I am. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and for me that means a lot. In fact, it means so much that I am going to break one of my own rules and purchase and read Defy next, even if the full series isn’t out yet. Thank you so much E.M. Raegan for such an amazing story and for letting me read it for free. You and your book deserves all the five star reviews you’ve gotten and hopefully will get in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 7, 2020
Good start
This is a good start. I liked how there was action right out the gate. We were in the thick of it immediately. I was on her side right from the get go and I was mad at the people for treating her like dirt.
This is a good start. I liked how there was action right out the gate. We were in the thick of it immediately. I was on her side right from the get go and I was mad at the people for treating her like dirt.
July 7, 2019
This is one of the best zombie apocalypse romance books I've read! They call the infected, Ravagers, in this series. This is the first book that ends in a to-be-continued moment. I hope this will be followed by many others. I loved Jay with Willow. Jay's best friend, Ren allong with Willows best friend, Billy and his grandmother Dahlia were incredible too.
I was literally glued to my seat waiting to read what happened next. Willow is so kick ass, I love her, she is sweet and caring, but so damn strong and adaptable. She has been subjected to scorn and despised because of her mother's home wrecking behavior with Rick, one of the first father figures that have truly cared for Willow in the long line of her mom's sleazy boyfriends. Jay is Rick's nephew and has treated her with contempt in the past, but holy hell when the world erupts into a Zombie wasteland Jay steps up and quickly shows a different attitude toward Willow. I think the situation forces him to finally be able to view Willow separately from her mother's actions. Jay and his family belong to a tightly bonded motorcycle club of current and former military and law enforcement men. The entire club has been frigid and pissed at not only Willows mom, but Willow was unfairly judged and lumped as being a spoiled little princess due to her mom's behavior. Willow learned at a young age she had to appease her mom or the woman made her life hell. Willow had no way to change the club's view and really no stake in even trying.
Jay is a sexy, growly alpha that made my heart flutter at how protective he was toward Willow. Willow's best friend Billy and his grandmother are the only people Willow is close to and they find each other and band together with the MC club members to journey out west. I can't wait to read the next step in this crew's journey. The action, the feels all blended into a book series I plan to follow!
I was literally glued to my seat waiting to read what happened next. Willow is so kick ass, I love her, she is sweet and caring, but so damn strong and adaptable. She has been subjected to scorn and despised because of her mother's home wrecking behavior with Rick, one of the first father figures that have truly cared for Willow in the long line of her mom's sleazy boyfriends. Jay is Rick's nephew and has treated her with contempt in the past, but holy hell when the world erupts into a Zombie wasteland Jay steps up and quickly shows a different attitude toward Willow. I think the situation forces him to finally be able to view Willow separately from her mother's actions. Jay and his family belong to a tightly bonded motorcycle club of current and former military and law enforcement men. The entire club has been frigid and pissed at not only Willows mom, but Willow was unfairly judged and lumped as being a spoiled little princess due to her mom's behavior. Willow learned at a young age she had to appease her mom or the woman made her life hell. Willow had no way to change the club's view and really no stake in even trying.
Jay is a sexy, growly alpha that made my heart flutter at how protective he was toward Willow. Willow's best friend Billy and his grandmother are the only people Willow is close to and they find each other and band together with the MC club members to journey out west. I can't wait to read the next step in this crew's journey. The action, the feels all blended into a book series I plan to follow!
July 3, 2019
I have to say that I walked into reading Willow with a little hesitation because I do not like zombies anything- books, tv shows, movies, etc. It is not my thing. With that being said... OMG this book blew me away! I picked it up on a work night read as much as I could before I was obligated to put it down and then finished it the following night into the sunrise. I literally could not put it down.
While the main premise of the book is that a rapidly spreading unknown virus/disease is turning people into zombies, the book holds so much more with all its multi-layered plots. You have the young female protagonist with low self-esteem (Willow) being rescued by the sexy hot biker/military male protagonist (Jayson) which on its own is a sizzling combination. Add to the mix the fact that he despises her and of course she thinks he is a sex god, makes for a juicy forbidden-like hate/love story. As if that wasn't enough our delicious hot biker/military sex god is an overpowering Alpha male who will make you take several bathroom breaks once he gets the steamy scenes rolling. The main characters are complex revealing amazing character development. There is one particular scene where Jay makes it unequivocally clear who he is to Willow- I have that scene on repeat in my head!!! I can't wait for the next installment, the cliffhanger is a killer but no pleasure without the pain, right? LOVED IT!
While the main premise of the book is that a rapidly spreading unknown virus/disease is turning people into zombies, the book holds so much more with all its multi-layered plots. You have the young female protagonist with low self-esteem (Willow) being rescued by the sexy hot biker/military male protagonist (Jayson) which on its own is a sizzling combination. Add to the mix the fact that he despises her and of course she thinks he is a sex god, makes for a juicy forbidden-like hate/love story. As if that wasn't enough our delicious hot biker/military sex god is an overpowering Alpha male who will make you take several bathroom breaks once he gets the steamy scenes rolling. The main characters are complex revealing amazing character development. There is one particular scene where Jay makes it unequivocally clear who he is to Willow- I have that scene on repeat in my head!!! I can't wait for the next installment, the cliffhanger is a killer but no pleasure without the pain, right? LOVED IT!
September 4, 2022
You can sign me up for pretty much any zombie story - that is a given. And I do have to say that this book was fine. I think calling zombies Ravaged is something new, and the book did try to give it a new vibe to zombies. So that's a nice effort.
My main concern is twofold: On the one hand, I feel like this story is not really well developed. We immediately dive into the action, which would be fine, but we also immediately jump into complex character relationships that really need a bit more of a backstory before we could be at the point where this book begins. I think I would have appreciated a little more backbone before being fed this one.
I am also a bit annoyed at the main character, Willow. She is the typical victim. Literally, the only thing she does in this story, is be a victim. That's either with the club that's taken her in, insisting that everyone hates her because of her mom. Or when she's being chased by zombies or kidnapped by other groups. It's always the same. She is the poor, innocent victim that needs rescuing and there wasn't all that much more to her, which is a pitty, because I think the general setting for this story and the whole character background could have given her a lot more.
My main concern is twofold: On the one hand, I feel like this story is not really well developed. We immediately dive into the action, which would be fine, but we also immediately jump into complex character relationships that really need a bit more of a backstory before we could be at the point where this book begins. I think I would have appreciated a little more backbone before being fed this one.
I am also a bit annoyed at the main character, Willow. She is the typical victim. Literally, the only thing she does in this story, is be a victim. That's either with the club that's taken her in, insisting that everyone hates her because of her mom. Or when she's being chased by zombies or kidnapped by other groups. It's always the same. She is the poor, innocent victim that needs rescuing and there wasn't all that much more to her, which is a pitty, because I think the general setting for this story and the whole character background could have given her a lot more.
September 20, 2019
I am constantly on the lookout for a fantastic zombie read. My one stipulation is it must have romance. I happened to stumble upon this series one night while searching Amazon’s KU books.
I read a few reviews that the book started off with the MC, Willow, being very juvenile. Not once did I think that. Sure she was green to this new world that quickly fell into her lap, but who wouldn’t be. Especially with these crazed as eff zombies that can come charging at you. These are not your slow poke zombies we all have been used to. Oh no. These are WORLD WAR Z zombies. The kind that would have me peeing myself for sure. But Willow handles it all the best way that she can.
The story was a quick read and there is some romance that shows itself at the end after a long, torturous slow burn. But I was ok with that. It was worth it in the end.
I read this one so quickly and then immediately moved on to the next before I even could take a minute to jot down my thoughts. Know this...it was fantastic and had me on the edge of my seat all throughout. 5 Stars!!
I read a few reviews that the book started off with the MC, Willow, being very juvenile. Not once did I think that. Sure she was green to this new world that quickly fell into her lap, but who wouldn’t be. Especially with these crazed as eff zombies that can come charging at you. These are not your slow poke zombies we all have been used to. Oh no. These are WORLD WAR Z zombies. The kind that would have me peeing myself for sure. But Willow handles it all the best way that she can.
The story was a quick read and there is some romance that shows itself at the end after a long, torturous slow burn. But I was ok with that. It was worth it in the end.
I read this one so quickly and then immediately moved on to the next before I even could take a minute to jot down my thoughts. Know this...it was fantastic and had me on the edge of my seat all throughout. 5 Stars!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews