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The Weavers Circle #1
Broken Warrior
Clay Green
A brotherhood? Monsters? Goddesses? Magic?
The world has become a strange place.
After a life on the run, Clay Green is rescued by a crazy old lady with a shotgun and an even crazier story about monsters, goddesses, and a secret brotherhood.
Gifted with the power of the earth, Clay must locate his missing “brothers” before invading monsters can destroy everything.
As if that’s not enough to contend with, Clay can’t keep his hands off the man trying to rebuild the plantation house he’s temporarily living in.
Dane Briggs
Something strange is going on…
Dane knew restoring the old plantation house wasn’t going to be an easy job, but at least none of the clients were going to be underfoot. Since losing his wife and child, the only way Dane can keep going is to focus on the work.
But that focus crumbles the second Clay appears covered in blood and barely hanging on to life.
Mystery and danger cling to Clay and the other men who suddenly show up. A smart man would walk away.
Dane chucks smart out the window in favor of hungry kisses and the silken slide of skin against skin. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but there’s no question that Clay needs him.
He’s just not sure his heart can survive being broken again if something happens to Clay.
Broken Warrior is the first book in The Weavers Circle series. It includes fast-paced action, explosions, hurt/comfort, sexy times, animal shenanigans, wounded hearts, three crazy old ladies, and magic!
A brotherhood? Monsters? Goddesses? Magic?
The world has become a strange place.
After a life on the run, Clay Green is rescued by a crazy old lady with a shotgun and an even crazier story about monsters, goddesses, and a secret brotherhood.
Gifted with the power of the earth, Clay must locate his missing “brothers” before invading monsters can destroy everything.
As if that’s not enough to contend with, Clay can’t keep his hands off the man trying to rebuild the plantation house he’s temporarily living in.
Dane Briggs
Something strange is going on…
Dane knew restoring the old plantation house wasn’t going to be an easy job, but at least none of the clients were going to be underfoot. Since losing his wife and child, the only way Dane can keep going is to focus on the work.
But that focus crumbles the second Clay appears covered in blood and barely hanging on to life.
Mystery and danger cling to Clay and the other men who suddenly show up. A smart man would walk away.
Dane chucks smart out the window in favor of hungry kisses and the silken slide of skin against skin. He doesn’t understand what’s happening, but there’s no question that Clay needs him.
He’s just not sure his heart can survive being broken again if something happens to Clay.
Broken Warrior is the first book in The Weavers Circle series. It includes fast-paced action, explosions, hurt/comfort, sexy times, animal shenanigans, wounded hearts, three crazy old ladies, and magic!
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2020
582 people are currently reading
1294 people want to read
About the author
Jocelynn Drake
141 books2,899 followersNew York Times Bestselling author Jocelynn Drake loves a good story, whether she is reading it or writing one of her own. Over the years, her stories have allowed her to explore space, talk to dragons, dodge bullets with assassins, hang with vampires, and fall in love again and again.
This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her husband. Recently, they’ve settled near the Rockies.
When she is not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can be
walking her dog Ace, or playing video games. She loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.
She is the author of the urban fantasy books: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. For gay romance, she has completed The Exit Strategy and Shadow Elite series, and is now working on a spin-off of her MM paranormal series, Lords of Discord. She has also co-authored with Rinda Elliot the following series: Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, Pineapple Grove, the Weavers Circle. In addition, she has co-authored with AJ Sherwood the following series: Scales 'N' Spell and Wings 'N' Wands. She can be found at JocelynnDrake.com.
This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her husband. Recently, they’ve settled near the Rockies.
When she is not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can be
walking her dog Ace, or playing video games. She loves Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.
She is the author of the urban fantasy books: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. For gay romance, she has completed The Exit Strategy and Shadow Elite series, and is now working on a spin-off of her MM paranormal series, Lords of Discord. She has also co-authored with Rinda Elliot the following series: Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, Pineapple Grove, the Weavers Circle. In addition, she has co-authored with AJ Sherwood the following series: Scales 'N' Spell and Wings 'N' Wands. She can be found at JocelynnDrake.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
April 29, 2020
Well, that was a fun fantasy read and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.
After having only read Drake's "Ice and Snow Christmas" books, I was happily surprised to see what she could do with a non-contemporary story line and wasn't at all disappointed.
Some of the magic and goddess details felt familiar from past reads by other authors, but a lot of the twists and turns felt entirely new and unique, helping me enjoy the story even more.
I do have to admit that for a whole lot of this book, it felt very much like "The Series Setup Book", although it did manage to avoid any big info dumps, instead slowly revealing details about the decades-old, previous attempts (and failures) that the Weavers had when trying to save the world from creatures from another dimension.
Also, the romance initially felt slightly forced, to me at least, instead of Clay and Dane feeling as though they were destined to be. The attacks by the pestilents felt like one story and the romance felt like an entirely different one, just kind of mashed up together.
[Clay]
However, as the book progressed, the story and the romance both came into their own and I was hopelessly glued to the pages, dying to discover what was about to happen next.
One of my favorite parts of the story was when the first three Weavers, tired of feeling helpless, went on the offensive and decided that it was time for some asses to get kicked -- asses other than their own.
And the huge twist that was revealed, post-battle, wow. I wasn't expecting that, but it instilled me with hope for their success that I hadn't previously felt. Like, at all.
The powers of the first three "brothers" were intriguing, but still left them outmatched against their powerful, otherworldly foes, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what magical abilities the remaining three Weavers will add to the mix in the upcoming books to help level the playing field.
I wouldn't exactly say that this book ended with a cliffhanger, but the setup was definitely in place for the next book to hit the ground running, hopefully with the almost-immediate discovery of more of the brothers.
One card that I did feel was greatly overplayed here was the frequency of the steam. The amount of pene felt a bit excessive for a magic/fantasy story, to the point where I began skimming until everyone was zipped back up again.
Overall, this was a great, exciting start to this new series and I'd rate it at around 4.25 stars, and I'll be anxiously awaiting the release of the next books.
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September 28, 2020
*3.5 stars*
A promising start to a new series by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott, though the romance elements felt rushed and I think the world-building needed more work.
I'm a huge, huge fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance books, and I'll admit that my standards are ridiculously high. Though my feelings about Broken Warrior might seem a tad bit harsh to some, I really want my M/M urban fantasy to live up to its potential.
I enjoyed the basic plotline and concept of Broken Warrior, and I found parts of it to be very exciting. The ending was especially great, with the last 30% being a highlight for me. However, I had a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of loose ends that didn't feel tied up. The goddesses were too cryptic for no apparent reason, and a lot of things seemed too coincidental. Really great urban fantasy can connect seemingly inconsequential details to mean something bigger and it can blow your mind (see books by Jim Butcher and Ilona Andrews), and this book wasn't quite up to that level.
Though I dug the romance and the bisexual, widower character, Dane, matched with the weaver Clay, I found the romance to be WAY too rushed and the sex to be OTT. I was even skimming through the sex scenes by the end. Sex for sex purposes gets old in a urban fantasy book, especially when I wanted the page time to be spent giving extra layers to the plot.
The ending made me happy, and I think the series has huge promise. Though this book was enjoyable, I hope the world-building continues to grow with each subsequent book in the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
A promising start to a new series by Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott, though the romance elements felt rushed and I think the world-building needed more work.
I'm a huge, huge fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance books, and I'll admit that my standards are ridiculously high. Though my feelings about Broken Warrior might seem a tad bit harsh to some, I really want my M/M urban fantasy to live up to its potential.
I enjoyed the basic plotline and concept of Broken Warrior, and I found parts of it to be very exciting. The ending was especially great, with the last 30% being a highlight for me. However, I had a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of loose ends that didn't feel tied up. The goddesses were too cryptic for no apparent reason, and a lot of things seemed too coincidental. Really great urban fantasy can connect seemingly inconsequential details to mean something bigger and it can blow your mind (see books by Jim Butcher and Ilona Andrews), and this book wasn't quite up to that level.
Though I dug the romance and the bisexual, widower character, Dane, matched with the weaver Clay, I found the romance to be WAY too rushed and the sex to be OTT. I was even skimming through the sex scenes by the end. Sex for sex purposes gets old in a urban fantasy book, especially when I wanted the page time to be spent giving extra layers to the plot.
The ending made me happy, and I think the series has huge promise. Though this book was enjoyable, I hope the world-building continues to grow with each subsequent book in the series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
May 31, 2020
I love fantasy and I think it is a bit underrepresented in m/m, so I totally dived into this captivating story about a group of selected few who are meant to save the world from an otherworldly threat.
Clay is the main hero in this story and although we get to meet two out of five of his fellow 'Weavers', Clay and his romance with handyman Dane is the center of this book.
I liked the romance between Clay and Dane a lot, although I found Dane's incredibly tragic past didn't resonante as heavily with me as I hoped it would.
Still, it's a solid fantasy romance with a set of quirky characters, cooking goddesses and a bunch of gay men who are meant to save the world from certain doom.
What's not to like about that?
4 stars!
Clay is the main hero in this story and although we get to meet two out of five of his fellow 'Weavers', Clay and his romance with handyman Dane is the center of this book.
I liked the romance between Clay and Dane a lot, although I found Dane's incredibly tragic past didn't resonante as heavily with me as I hoped it would.
Still, it's a solid fantasy romance with a set of quirky characters, cooking goddesses and a bunch of gay men who are meant to save the world from certain doom.
What's not to like about that?
4 stars!
May 31, 2020
DNF @36%
I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it other than it's another stamp print of a subgenre. It simply didn't hold my attention. I felt all kinds of deja vu when I started it, then it all faded to nothing. Ok---bottom line---I was bored. When you've read as many great PNR as I have, it's impossible to like these shallow copies.
I said with the Marcus book it would be my last with these authors, then I just had to go try one more time. My reading and their writing do no mesh well.
I don't suppose there's anything wrong with it other than it's another stamp print of a subgenre. It simply didn't hold my attention. I felt all kinds of deja vu when I started it, then it all faded to nothing. Ok---bottom line---I was bored. When you've read as many great PNR as I have, it's impossible to like these shallow copies.
I said with the Marcus book it would be my last with these authors, then I just had to go try one more time. My reading and their writing do no mesh well.
July 6, 2021
Audio - 5 Stars
Story 3.5 Stars
Now that the grieving widower has been covered (ugh!), I think I'll enjoy the romances in the rest of the serious....hopefully!
Story 3.5 Stars
Now that the grieving widower has been covered (ugh!), I think I'll enjoy the romances in the rest of the serious....hopefully!
April 21, 2020
If the rest of this series lives up to the opener then it's going to be an absolute triumph.
Everything I love about a good urban fantasy paranormal was included:
1 Just enough of a twist on our existing world to make everything familiar but with an edge of danger.
2 A solid idea of how the magic is going to work within this alternative world.
3 Clear lines between heroes and villains and a great pacing of plot which drives the narrative towards its conclusion.
On top of that, it has two gorgeous men who meet under the strangest of circumstances and find a profound connection.
As is ever the case with these two writing together, the sex is hot but backed with plenty of emotions.
There's humour to lighten the feelings of oppression and enough hooks are left to entice you into wanting more without an obvious cliffhanger.
Looking forward to finding out more about the rest of the Weavers and who their soul mates will be.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Everything I love about a good urban fantasy paranormal was included:
1 Just enough of a twist on our existing world to make everything familiar but with an edge of danger.
2 A solid idea of how the magic is going to work within this alternative world.
3 Clear lines between heroes and villains and a great pacing of plot which drives the narrative towards its conclusion.
On top of that, it has two gorgeous men who meet under the strangest of circumstances and find a profound connection.
As is ever the case with these two writing together, the sex is hot but backed with plenty of emotions.
There's humour to lighten the feelings of oppression and enough hooks are left to entice you into wanting more without an obvious cliffhanger.
Looking forward to finding out more about the rest of the Weavers and who their soul mates will be.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 13, 2025
3.5 Stars
With Broken Warrior we get a solid intro to this M/M paranormal-fantasy series by long-standing co-authors Drake and Elliott. This time, they delve into an epic five-part series, featuring themes of reincarnation, brotherhood, fated mates, elemental magics, demons and goddesses, and the dawning of another eternal, world-threatening battle between good and evil.
This was super easy reading for me, already as a long-time fan of this duo and the cohesive, effortless way they co-write their M/M worlds into vivid and oftentimes exciting existence. I keep returning for the strong, likeable male leads, who are always surrounded by interesting, frequently scene-stealing support characters—most of whom leave me desperate to read their own stories (often told within sequels).
Here, MCs Clay and Dane find themselves wrapped up in a mind-boggling new reality, where they learn about past lives and soul bonds, as Clay discovers his dormant magical abilities and his grander role as one of the chosen ones in a centuries long fight against demon-type beings who are intent on draining our world for its resources.
The initial world-building was interesting and the intermittent action was exciting, and I enjoyed following nomad Clay as he discovered this hidden world of magic and danger, while meeting new (old?) friends and finding his soulmate in Dane, the widowed handyman.
Their romance was pretty standard stuff. I was invested but not overly enthralled by their connection or their individual personalities. But I’m also well aware of my own habits of generally preferring later couples in series such as this, usually taking a few stories and larger arc buildup to land on a series book couple that truly wins my heart. Clay and Dane were nice and all, and their romance was lovely to read, unfolding amongst the rising chaos, but they will undoubtedly be overshadowed by future characters as I read on, and that’s okay.
I’ve had my eye on this particular series for a while now and I’m glad I finally gave it a shot. From what this first instalment delivered, I’m fairly confident this will become quite the memorable little PNR/fantasy romance series in Drake’s and Elliott’s bookish backlogs.
With Broken Warrior we get a solid intro to this M/M paranormal-fantasy series by long-standing co-authors Drake and Elliott. This time, they delve into an epic five-part series, featuring themes of reincarnation, brotherhood, fated mates, elemental magics, demons and goddesses, and the dawning of another eternal, world-threatening battle between good and evil.
This was super easy reading for me, already as a long-time fan of this duo and the cohesive, effortless way they co-write their M/M worlds into vivid and oftentimes exciting existence. I keep returning for the strong, likeable male leads, who are always surrounded by interesting, frequently scene-stealing support characters—most of whom leave me desperate to read their own stories (often told within sequels).
Here, MCs Clay and Dane find themselves wrapped up in a mind-boggling new reality, where they learn about past lives and soul bonds, as Clay discovers his dormant magical abilities and his grander role as one of the chosen ones in a centuries long fight against demon-type beings who are intent on draining our world for its resources.
The initial world-building was interesting and the intermittent action was exciting, and I enjoyed following nomad Clay as he discovered this hidden world of magic and danger, while meeting new (old?) friends and finding his soulmate in Dane, the widowed handyman.
Their romance was pretty standard stuff. I was invested but not overly enthralled by their connection or their individual personalities. But I’m also well aware of my own habits of generally preferring later couples in series such as this, usually taking a few stories and larger arc buildup to land on a series book couple that truly wins my heart. Clay and Dane were nice and all, and their romance was lovely to read, unfolding amongst the rising chaos, but they will undoubtedly be overshadowed by future characters as I read on, and that’s okay.
I’ve had my eye on this particular series for a while now and I’m glad I finally gave it a shot. From what this first instalment delivered, I’m fairly confident this will become quite the memorable little PNR/fantasy romance series in Drake’s and Elliott’s bookish backlogs.
April 26, 2020
5 Stars!
The ladies have come together and done it once again. I absolutely loved this and can not wait for the next book.
Clay has been traveling since he turned 18 never settling down, always feeling the need to keep going. He has these pretty horrible headaches that he only seems to get relief from the further south he goes. Thanks to these men who smell like rotting flesh and who have claws he's making his way there quite quickly. He doesn't know why they keep following him or why they are trying to kill him. Still heading south he finds himself in Georgia and his headaches gone. He finds a motel and settles in for the night. But even being behind a locked door doesn't keep him from being attacked by these creatures/men. He's saved by an older woman with a shot gun. He's swept off to this plantation house where he is told a story about goddesses, immortals, and alien being's that are from a different dimension who are destroying Earth. He's told him and his 5 brothers are their only hope at literally, saving the world.
Flo, Jo, and Willie are the three goddesses that hold 2 powers each and will transfer 1 to each brother. Clay is Earth and Flo holds his power. She is a no nonsense character. Jo is more of a mother hen with soft words and warmth. We meet Willie later in the book and although we didn't get much of her, she seemed to be more of a free loving hippie type.
We meet 2 of the five brothers and get to know and adore them. I love Baer and can't wait to get his story. Grey is an introvert who is a hard character to get to know because he seems to keep a lot to himself. I can't wait to get in his head (get it? those of you who have read the book will, lol).
Dane.. Dane is they handyman who has been bringing the plantation house back to life. He is there when Clay is brought to the house a bloody mess from his attack. But even a mess both men look at each other and feel an instant connection and attraction. Their bond is important. I won't say more. No spoilers here!
This was a really strong start to a new series and I am thrilled these ladies are doing what they do best. Bringing a brotherhood of men together to make a great series with strong bonds and love. I can't wait to get the next book.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review from IndiGo Marketing&Design.
The ladies have come together and done it once again. I absolutely loved this and can not wait for the next book.
Clay has been traveling since he turned 18 never settling down, always feeling the need to keep going. He has these pretty horrible headaches that he only seems to get relief from the further south he goes. Thanks to these men who smell like rotting flesh and who have claws he's making his way there quite quickly. He doesn't know why they keep following him or why they are trying to kill him. Still heading south he finds himself in Georgia and his headaches gone. He finds a motel and settles in for the night. But even being behind a locked door doesn't keep him from being attacked by these creatures/men. He's saved by an older woman with a shot gun. He's swept off to this plantation house where he is told a story about goddesses, immortals, and alien being's that are from a different dimension who are destroying Earth. He's told him and his 5 brothers are their only hope at literally, saving the world.
Flo, Jo, and Willie are the three goddesses that hold 2 powers each and will transfer 1 to each brother. Clay is Earth and Flo holds his power. She is a no nonsense character. Jo is more of a mother hen with soft words and warmth. We meet Willie later in the book and although we didn't get much of her, she seemed to be more of a free loving hippie type.
We meet 2 of the five brothers and get to know and adore them. I love Baer and can't wait to get his story. Grey is an introvert who is a hard character to get to know because he seems to keep a lot to himself. I can't wait to get in his head (get it? those of you who have read the book will, lol).
Dane.. Dane is they handyman who has been bringing the plantation house back to life. He is there when Clay is brought to the house a bloody mess from his attack. But even a mess both men look at each other and feel an instant connection and attraction. Their bond is important. I won't say more. No spoilers here!
This was a really strong start to a new series and I am thrilled these ladies are doing what they do best. Bringing a brotherhood of men together to make a great series with strong bonds and love. I can't wait to get the next book.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review from IndiGo Marketing&Design.
May 20, 2020
2.5 stars
I'm not sure if it was the book or me or some of both, but I was mostly just bored.
I'm not sure if it was the book or me or some of both, but I was mostly just bored.
April 30, 2020
3.5 stars. Solid start to a new series, I look forward to seeing where this goes.
May 31, 2020
I love this writing team but this book was just...off somehow.There was simply no spark.
I struggled through the slow pacing and trickling-in of information (which made for boring reading) till about 50% when I decided to start skimming to more interesting parts. The writing did not flow and our heroes went through about 99.9% of the book woefully unprepared and not even aware of the full extent of their powers. Three weavers so far and only one got to understand their powers at the extreme end of the book.
Usually in a PNR like this, I worry it might get info-dumpy but this was the complete opposite. The information on anything, and I mean anything was barely given. It was hinted at or basically pushed aside all though out the book which left me frustrated.
Also, I don't buy this romance between Clay and Dane. It seemed a bit forced. Dane had too much baggage, and Clay was too much of a drifter in spirit for the level of involvement/commitment and life choices they made so soon into their relationship. I even skipped their sexy times because it too, felt unnecessary.
As a friend(Helen) said, sometimes the first books in a series don't go so well so I'm going to hold on for book two and the other 3 weavers. Here's to hoping its better.
I struggled through the slow pacing and trickling-in of information (which made for boring reading) till about 50% when I decided to start skimming to more interesting parts. The writing did not flow and our heroes went through about 99.9% of the book woefully unprepared and not even aware of the full extent of their powers. Three weavers so far and only one got to understand their powers at the extreme end of the book.
Usually in a PNR like this, I worry it might get info-dumpy but this was the complete opposite. The information on anything, and I mean anything was barely given. It was hinted at or basically pushed aside all though out the book which left me frustrated.
Also, I don't buy this romance between Clay and Dane. It seemed a bit forced. Dane had too much baggage, and Clay was too much of a drifter in spirit for the level of involvement/commitment and life choices they made so soon into their relationship. I even skipped their sexy times because it too, felt unnecessary.
As a friend(Helen) said, sometimes the first books in a series don't go so well so I'm going to hold on for book two and the other 3 weavers. Here's to hoping its better.
April 22, 2020
4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this. It's new and interesting and exciting.
This is the start to what I suspect is going to be a wonderful series.
We start off with Clay on the run from people who are trying to kill him, and have been doing so for at least the last year.
Clay is 29, been on his own since he was 18, always moving, always adrift, always having a feeling of wanderlust.
He's also been having headaches that get better the farther south he goes. When he's in Georgia, he has the latest run in with these people - or beings, as they smell very weird and very gross - and an old lady with a shotgun saves him and then takes him to an old plantation house, with interesting things to tell him.
Also, he meets Dane there, the handyman of the property who has been fixing it up, since it's been unused for decades. Clay is instantly attracted, and Dane is as well.
Only, things are complicated, because the old lady, Jo, is actually a goddess and she has two sister goddesses, Flo and Willie. Flo appears alongside Jo and gives Clay powers, and they tell Clay about these creatures that have been attacking him, and that he is part of 6 men who the goddesses give their powers to to try to defeat these creatures that are trying to hurt and destroy their world.
We meet two of the other six in this first installment, Baer and Gray, who are interesting character in their own right, and I have a feeling with get their own book. I wonder if Baer will be next since he was the second one found.
As Clay and the other two learn more about their powers and what is happening and what has happened in the past, Clay is starting to fall for Dane, who has his own past.
It's been two years since Dane's wife, Katie, and their son, who was 6 months old, died in a home invasion. Dane has bene grieving heavily, but Clay lights a spark in him that has been dead since her passing.
They are both cautious of starting something at first, as Clay has never had a serious relationship and thinks he'll eventually leave, while Dane would like to stay. And Dane doesn't think he can move on from Katie and is too scared to even open his heart in the first place to see if he can. But these two just can't stay away for long and go against what they were telling themselves in their head.
I liked these two together, a lot. Also, I will say that I would have not much liked the if these two hadn't clearly fallen in love before they knew. I just much prefer
I found the story so interesting. And the weavers are the six men, called that because the goddesses "weave" their different types of magic into all six men so that they become one in magical sense. They are all like brothers as well.
This was a great start to the series, my only slight gripe being that Dane and Clay's romance was a tad rushed for my tastes. I would have liked to have seen more friendship before the sex, at least. But I didn't mind too much overall, so I only took off half a star.
Otherwise I loved this, and I can't wait for more. I can't wait to meet the rest of the weavers and get to see (hopefully) Baer's love story next.
Definitely recommended. Two big thumbs up from me!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
I absolutely loved this. It's new and interesting and exciting.
This is the start to what I suspect is going to be a wonderful series.
We start off with Clay on the run from people who are trying to kill him, and have been doing so for at least the last year.
Clay is 29, been on his own since he was 18, always moving, always adrift, always having a feeling of wanderlust.
He's also been having headaches that get better the farther south he goes. When he's in Georgia, he has the latest run in with these people - or beings, as they smell very weird and very gross - and an old lady with a shotgun saves him and then takes him to an old plantation house, with interesting things to tell him.
Also, he meets Dane there, the handyman of the property who has been fixing it up, since it's been unused for decades. Clay is instantly attracted, and Dane is as well.
Only, things are complicated, because the old lady, Jo, is actually a goddess and she has two sister goddesses, Flo and Willie. Flo appears alongside Jo and gives Clay powers, and they tell Clay about these creatures that have been attacking him, and that he is part of 6 men who the goddesses give their powers to to try to defeat these creatures that are trying to hurt and destroy their world.
We meet two of the other six in this first installment, Baer and Gray, who are interesting character in their own right, and I have a feeling with get their own book. I wonder if Baer will be next since he was the second one found.
As Clay and the other two learn more about their powers and what is happening and what has happened in the past, Clay is starting to fall for Dane, who has his own past.
It's been two years since Dane's wife, Katie, and their son, who was 6 months old, died in a home invasion. Dane has bene grieving heavily, but Clay lights a spark in him that has been dead since her passing.
They are both cautious of starting something at first, as Clay has never had a serious relationship and thinks he'll eventually leave, while Dane would like to stay. And Dane doesn't think he can move on from Katie and is too scared to even open his heart in the first place to see if he can. But these two just can't stay away for long and go against what they were telling themselves in their head.
I liked these two together, a lot. Also, I will say that I would have not much liked the if these two hadn't clearly fallen in love before they knew. I just much prefer
I found the story so interesting. And the weavers are the six men, called that because the goddesses "weave" their different types of magic into all six men so that they become one in magical sense. They are all like brothers as well.
This was a great start to the series, my only slight gripe being that Dane and Clay's romance was a tad rushed for my tastes. I would have liked to have seen more friendship before the sex, at least. But I didn't mind too much overall, so I only took off half a star.
Otherwise I loved this, and I can't wait for more. I can't wait to meet the rest of the weavers and get to see (hopefully) Baer's love story next.
Definitely recommended. Two big thumbs up from me!
***ARC generously provided by the Alpha Book Club in exchange for an honest review***
April 26, 2020
The adventure is promising, maybe not always exactly logical and its potential not always realized but enough to be interesting. I'm even okay having goddesses in the mix as they could easily be powerful nature sprites who created their own small warrior brotherhood to defend the earth from being drained by human like aliens from another dimension. That war goes on for quite some time without one side gaining much advantage. The last time lead obviously to a standstill with all brothers being killed after closing the rift between the dimensions and now with this book a new circle is starting again because the rift wasn't closed completely and the brothers are always reincarnated and have to find their way back to somewhere in Georgia without the knowledge of their past or their power.
Nice coincidence that the time it takes for the guys to grow up is also the time it takes the monsters to open the rift but I have a hard time that they don't take their big guns to eliminate the brothers while they're alone, clueless and vulnerable and I wonder why that rift open always only at the same place and why there are only those 3 “goddesses” and why they choose to not to talk about the past attempts. The explanation they're giving is more convenient than convincing.
But my main issue is not about the bumps in the world building, it is sadly about the romance. Yes, there is a big romance part and it has everything necessary for me to enjoy it – it's just that I couldn't feel it. It felt like the authors wanted to convince me by telling me about the feelings and tried to overwhelm me with insta-attraction while the situation is crying for some kind of a slow burn. I have to admit there were sections of their getting-together I read faster so I could get back to the adventure part.
On the one side I like to know about the other guys and what happened in the past maybe even how they are going to win this time but … so I will decide if I'm following this series when the next book is published.
Nice coincidence that the time it takes for the guys to grow up is also the time it takes the monsters to open the rift but I have a hard time that they don't take their big guns to eliminate the brothers while they're alone, clueless and vulnerable and I wonder why that rift open always only at the same place and why there are only those 3 “goddesses” and why they choose to not to talk about the past attempts. The explanation they're giving is more convenient than convincing.
But my main issue is not about the bumps in the world building, it is sadly about the romance. Yes, there is a big romance part and it has everything necessary for me to enjoy it – it's just that I couldn't feel it. It felt like the authors wanted to convince me by telling me about the feelings and tried to overwhelm me with insta-attraction while the situation is crying for some kind of a slow burn. I have to admit there were sections of their getting-together I read faster so I could get back to the adventure part.
On the one side I like to know about the other guys and what happened in the past maybe even how they are going to win this time but … so I will decide if I'm following this series when the next book is published.
March 28, 2022
Picture this. You are being chased by men that are trying to kill you. You get saved by an old woman who takes you to an old plantation home, tells you the men trying to kill you are aliens, gives you powers and tells you that you and your "brothers", who you haven't met yet but are on their way, are tasked with saving the world.
Oh, and she's a Goddess.
What would you do?
Accept it like its truth, ignore your powers, fall in love with the handy man, cook and go fishing? Well, that isn't what I would do, but that's what happens in this book.
I really didn't get Clay. His attitude and overall avoidance was annoying and didn't move the story forward at all. If anything, it kept it stalling out. Add to that two other "brothers" show up during this first book, these two, practice their powers daily. Seem focused on what they've been told. It just made Clay seem like more of a dick.
Dane. Jeez. There was no way that you can hire a handyman to rehab an entire home and expect him to not wonder what is going on when fishy shit is going on! Worse though, he lost his wife and child. And of course he lost them in a very terrible and violent way and he can't let it go. I'm not saying he should let it go, but here, this is the worst set up for romance. There is always a third person in the relationship. But all that aside, Dane was a bigger dick then Clay. Dane acted like a spoiled rotten child who didn't get his way. He was angry, throwing fits, walking away. It was not attractive.
I've been a fan of this author pairing in the past and really looked forward to their take on paranomal or whatever this is.
It just didn't work. It wasn't that good.
I checked the next book to see if any of my friends that felt like me found the next installment any better but they never even gave it a shot. Ugh.
Such a bummer, I was looking forward to digging into a series.
Oh, and she's a Goddess.
What would you do?
Accept it like its truth, ignore your powers, fall in love with the handy man, cook and go fishing? Well, that isn't what I would do, but that's what happens in this book.
I really didn't get Clay. His attitude and overall avoidance was annoying and didn't move the story forward at all. If anything, it kept it stalling out. Add to that two other "brothers" show up during this first book, these two, practice their powers daily. Seem focused on what they've been told. It just made Clay seem like more of a dick.
Dane. Jeez. There was no way that you can hire a handyman to rehab an entire home and expect him to not wonder what is going on when fishy shit is going on! Worse though, he lost his wife and child. And of course he lost them in a very terrible and violent way and he can't let it go. I'm not saying he should let it go, but here, this is the worst set up for romance. There is always a third person in the relationship. But all that aside, Dane was a bigger dick then Clay. Dane acted like a spoiled rotten child who didn't get his way. He was angry, throwing fits, walking away. It was not attractive.
I've been a fan of this author pairing in the past and really looked forward to their take on paranomal or whatever this is.
It just didn't work. It wasn't that good.
I checked the next book to see if any of my friends that felt like me found the next installment any better but they never even gave it a shot. Ugh.
Such a bummer, I was looking forward to digging into a series.
May 2, 2020
2.5 stars. This author is a hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss. The writing was too dramatic, and I got way too much telling for the relationship development.
May 2, 2020
I am a massive fan of Jocelynn Drake so of course I was going to read this new series "The Weavers Circle" even though fantasy / paranormal / magic it not my usual thing. I have read a few fantasy series which I enjoyed.
Going into this I did not know what to expect adventure wise but I knew I was going to meet some great guys and I did, I loved Clay and Dane, these two are the couple in the first book. There is an instant bond between them and the sexual chemistry is strong, the bond is explained later.
I loved Baer he is a hoot (and reminded me of Rowe from UB verse), Grey will grow on me as he is very secretive and he and Clay rub each other the wrong way for a while.
Flo, Jo and Willie are fun and they are my first goddesses I have met. The magic element of the story was different, their powers are cool especially Baer's.
I am excited for the rest of this series and getting to know more great guys in the future.
Going into this I did not know what to expect adventure wise but I knew I was going to meet some great guys and I did, I loved Clay and Dane, these two are the couple in the first book. There is an instant bond between them and the sexual chemistry is strong, the bond is explained later.
I loved Baer he is a hoot (and reminded me of Rowe from UB verse), Grey will grow on me as he is very secretive and he and Clay rub each other the wrong way for a while.
Flo, Jo and Willie are fun and they are my first goddesses I have met. The magic element of the story was different, their powers are cool especially Baer's.
I am excited for the rest of this series and getting to know more great guys in the future.
April 29, 2020
An epic start to a new urban fantasy series with magic and mystery and suspense. To say I'm hooked after finishing this instalment would be an understatement. The character introductions and the world-building is spectacular, and it lays the grounds for a brilliant overarching storyline that will hopefully span several books. I didn't feel lost at all, but rather intrigued and dying to discover more about the Weavers and their world. The pacing was spot on, with just the right amount of mystery, romance, and all the found family feels. And the romance between Clay and Dane was both explosive and sweet. It is a little bit of a slow burn what with them both holding back emotionally and grappling with issues in their past. Everything just works in this book and I devoured it in one sitting. Cannot wait for the next one!
May 29, 2020
2.5 stars
The first chapter sucked me in. I was in the moment with Clay as he ran from the strangers who were after him. But even though there were a handful of great moments here and the bones of the story was interesting, I didn’t love this. And I was skimming the end when the action was actually ramping up and even skimmed most of the sex scenes.
Most of my issues stem from the story. I love being manipulated by a good author. Someone who takes me on a journey to places I never dreamed about and has me questioning what’s happening and has me totally enthralled to the end. But being cleverly manipulated so you don’t know it’s happening is one thing. Here the manipulation is not subtle, it’s clunky. It’s the kind of lazy writing that makes me think the author couldn’t think of a better way to move the plot on and be able to make this into a series.
There’s a whole lot of world building that needs to be done here but instead of having things explained we get a whole lot of characters saying “not now, we’ll tell you later”. It’s all very cryptic for the sake of being mysterious and likely extending the series...and that just pissed me off because it just kept happening. The main angst of the story is that no one seems to be able to tell anyone else what’s happening. There’s some aliens and some magical men with powers and then the Goddesses up and leave them to just figure it out. I get that there’s a “bigger plan” at play but I got frustrated with it.
And the romance went from “no to whoa” within a heartbeat. One minute they’re saying let’s just be friends and get to know each other. The next Dane has had a few drinks and they’re on. I appreciated that his ex-wife and their backstory played a significant part in the story but I really would have been on board with a slow-burn to counter all the secrets being kept and Clay’s own issues with commitment.
All in all I just felt like the balance between the story and romance was a little off. It took me 5 days to read because I just wasn’t a believer.
The first chapter sucked me in. I was in the moment with Clay as he ran from the strangers who were after him. But even though there were a handful of great moments here and the bones of the story was interesting, I didn’t love this. And I was skimming the end when the action was actually ramping up and even skimmed most of the sex scenes.
Most of my issues stem from the story. I love being manipulated by a good author. Someone who takes me on a journey to places I never dreamed about and has me questioning what’s happening and has me totally enthralled to the end. But being cleverly manipulated so you don’t know it’s happening is one thing. Here the manipulation is not subtle, it’s clunky. It’s the kind of lazy writing that makes me think the author couldn’t think of a better way to move the plot on and be able to make this into a series.
There’s a whole lot of world building that needs to be done here but instead of having things explained we get a whole lot of characters saying “not now, we’ll tell you later”. It’s all very cryptic for the sake of being mysterious and likely extending the series...and that just pissed me off because it just kept happening. The main angst of the story is that no one seems to be able to tell anyone else what’s happening. There’s some aliens and some magical men with powers and then the Goddesses up and leave them to just figure it out. I get that there’s a “bigger plan” at play but I got frustrated with it.
And the romance went from “no to whoa” within a heartbeat. One minute they’re saying let’s just be friends and get to know each other. The next Dane has had a few drinks and they’re on. I appreciated that his ex-wife and their backstory played a significant part in the story but I really would have been on board with a slow-burn to counter all the secrets being kept and Clay’s own issues with commitment.
All in all I just felt like the balance between the story and romance was a little off. It took me 5 days to read because I just wasn’t a believer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2020
2.5 stars
I had high hopes for this because I love fantasy MM, but I had to throw in the towel at 30%. Mainly because the book handled world-building with the blunt force of a club to the head. When I start out in a supposedly normal, non-magic world, I need the tiniest bit of subtlety when the supernatural part of the story is introduced so I can suspend belief. Subtle, this book was not.
It starts off with Clay (the MC) on the run from smelly men trying to attack him. He’s saved from their attack by an old lady who takes him back to her house and tells him she’s a Goddess, the world is being overtaken by aliens and oh by the way he’s a reincarnated soul. She then proceeds to inject him with magic that allows him to control nature, so that he can fight aliens and save the world. But first he has to find his magical brothers in arms. Clay takes this news in stride and that very same day he’s crushing on the cute contractor who’s living in the house. ??!!
From what I read, the book felt very much like its only purpose was to set up the rest of the series. Which I don’t necessarily have an issue with, but if you’re not going to take the time to properly set up your series, I’m not going to take the time to read it.
However, I give five stars for the cover!!
I had high hopes for this because I love fantasy MM, but I had to throw in the towel at 30%. Mainly because the book handled world-building with the blunt force of a club to the head. When I start out in a supposedly normal, non-magic world, I need the tiniest bit of subtlety when the supernatural part of the story is introduced so I can suspend belief. Subtle, this book was not.
It starts off with Clay (the MC) on the run from smelly men trying to attack him. He’s saved from their attack by an old lady who takes him back to her house and tells him she’s a Goddess, the world is being overtaken by aliens and oh by the way he’s a reincarnated soul. She then proceeds to inject him with magic that allows him to control nature, so that he can fight aliens and save the world. But first he has to find his magical brothers in arms. Clay takes this news in stride and that very same day he’s crushing on the cute contractor who’s living in the house. ??!!
From what I read, the book felt very much like its only purpose was to set up the rest of the series. Which I don’t necessarily have an issue with, but if you’re not going to take the time to properly set up your series, I’m not going to take the time to read it.
However, I give five stars for the cover!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2020
3.5 Stars
An interesting and exciting start to a new series. Definitely going to start the next one...prolly now.
That said...
(Angry rant below)
An interesting and exciting start to a new series. Definitely going to start the next one...prolly now.
That said...
(Angry rant below)
April 25, 2020
The Weavers
4.5 stars
Flo, Jo and Willie are Goddess who have throughout time, had six champions who had to fight the "aliens" who have been stealing energy from our world. Dane and Clay is our first couple in The Weavers series. We also meet Grey and Baer who are also Weavers.
The storyline is great, six "brothers" who are tasked with saving our world from creatures who want to takeover our world because theirs is dying. Looking forward to see who the next Weavers will be and who will find their soulmate. Grey or Baer???
4.5 stars
Flo, Jo and Willie are Goddess who have throughout time, had six champions who had to fight the "aliens" who have been stealing energy from our world. Dane and Clay is our first couple in The Weavers series. We also meet Grey and Baer who are also Weavers.
The storyline is great, six "brothers" who are tasked with saving our world from creatures who want to takeover our world because theirs is dying. Looking forward to see who the next Weavers will be and who will find their soulmate. Grey or Baer???
April 1, 2021
5 stars audio!!!!
4 stars story!
4 stars story!
September 17, 2020
Great start to this series! 😍
January 1, 2021
Great world development
Clay who have been wondering alone from one place to another has finally found his place in Georgia. He found his brothers and great caring aunts and came to know what he was and what his life mission would be. He had also found his mate who he loves dearly and willing to protect with all his life.
I love the world development and how the story unfold with actions and teamwork to fight against the aliens. But then halfway , I felt Clay was being a teenager and I was frustrated with his level of distrust and especially how he was so addicted to Dane that it became pages of steaminess. I still like the development and would love to see how Baer turns out in the next book in the series.
Clay who have been wondering alone from one place to another has finally found his place in Georgia. He found his brothers and great caring aunts and came to know what he was and what his life mission would be. He had also found his mate who he loves dearly and willing to protect with all his life.
I love the world development and how the story unfold with actions and teamwork to fight against the aliens. But then halfway , I felt Clay was being a teenager and I was frustrated with his level of distrust and especially how he was so addicted to Dane that it became pages of steaminess. I still like the development and would love to see how Baer turns out in the next book in the series.
January 25, 2023
Bookish Books Reading Challenge
May 27, 2022
Okay, first books in series’ are tough. Authors need to get a lot of info out and set up the scene. Plus introduce side characters, etc. But oh my god was this ever boring! It took me six days to finish it! Snoooooooze. The only reason I pushed through is because I do really enjoy fantasy/PNR books and am hoping the rest of the series is better. Even the sex scenes were boring.
This was slow, unsatisfying, with goddesses that seemed to withhold information rather than help…for no reason, and with an extremely forced relationship that was stupid cheesy with no spark. All of a sudden they’re bonded for life and they know literally nothing about each other except that they like each other’s dicks. And honestly, can we retire the dead wife trope? Is there anyone who enjoys it?
Also, a character named Aunt Flo unironically made me die a little inside.
This was slow, unsatisfying, with goddesses that seemed to withhold information rather than help…for no reason, and with an extremely forced relationship that was stupid cheesy with no spark. All of a sudden they’re bonded for life and they know literally nothing about each other except that they like each other’s dicks. And honestly, can we retire the dead wife trope? Is there anyone who enjoys it?
Also, a character named Aunt Flo unironically made me die a little inside.
Read
April 28, 2020Calling time of death at 30%. Think the writing is pretty dreadful, the coming together of the Weavers pretty haphazard and I've already read a much better Weaver/Revenants story than this one...A Brewing Storm which was absolutely brilliant [unfortunately the author seems to have completely disappeared, but the story itself is outstanding]. I do seem to be going off this particular pair's writing though, which is a shame.
May 25, 2020
By all indications I should've loved this book. It has some of my favorite tropes: a second chance at love, fantasy elements and a good ol' house restoration. So yeah, you could say I was pretty excited when I started this book. Unfortunately, as you might've already noticed I didn't like it as much as I'd imagined. Simply put I was slightly disappointed and underwhelmed.
So what went wrong? Here's the thing... I'm not quite sure. The narrative seemmed off for some reason, I wasn't able to connect with the characters as I would've liked. The plot concerning the end of the world and the way it was described felt as if something were missing. The descriptions fell flat although it was enough to capture my attention. Oh, and the romance. For my part I felt that it developed a bit faster than it should've, it was by no means insta-love but
Still though, this book managed to pique my curiosity so I'll definitely be following the series and reading the following books.
So what went wrong? Here's the thing... I'm not quite sure. The narrative seemmed off for some reason, I wasn't able to connect with the characters as I would've liked. The plot concerning the end of the world and the way it was described felt as if something were missing. The descriptions fell flat although it was enough to capture my attention. Oh, and the romance. For my part I felt that it developed a bit faster than it should've, it was by no means insta-love but
Still though, this book managed to pique my curiosity so I'll definitely be following the series and reading the following books.
May 4, 2020
I have to say - I think this is my favourite book so far of this duo. I know they have a lot of faithful followers, and I have to admit I’ve read quite a few of their books... but I’ve found list of them rather... over the top. I enjoy but I also have to say FFS a million times. Broken Warrior though was great.
The two main characters, Clay and Dane had good chemistry and with actual relationship hurdles and not too much unnecessary drama. I liked Clay’s bond with his ‘brothers’ and how that was portrayed in a totally desperate light than his relationship with Dane. Dane’s own issues were also real and I was thankful there wasn’t some stupid connection made between the death of his wife and anything happening in this book. Mostly though, I liked the world building. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy and this was one with a pretty good romance on the side.
The two main characters, Clay and Dane had good chemistry and with actual relationship hurdles and not too much unnecessary drama. I liked Clay’s bond with his ‘brothers’ and how that was portrayed in a totally desperate light than his relationship with Dane. Dane’s own issues were also real and I was thankful there wasn’t some stupid connection made between the death of his wife and anything happening in this book. Mostly though, I liked the world building. I’m a sucker for a good fantasy and this was one with a pretty good romance on the side.
May 11, 2020
5 stars!
Give me a sexy brotherhood, some monsters, goddesses and lots of magic... and I'm a happy camper.
Wow! This book was awesome, loved it. Can't wait for the sequel.
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