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Shifters of Ashwood Falls #5
A Rebel's Heart
Widow and mother of five full grown males, Sarah Matthews lives the best she can—one day at a time. Now that her babies are having babies, she relishes in spoiling her grandkids. But her inner mountain lion is restless and Sarah can’t shake the feeling something is lurking in the woods surrounding her home. The unease becomes a reality when a man she thought died with her mate five years ago comes back into her life with trouble on his heels.
Damian Palmer never considered revealing his existence to his best friend’s widow. Hell he didn’t know how she’d react to knowing that he was alive for the last five years while her human mate was dead. When he got word that Sarah has become Shield’s—a human rebel organization set up to hunt and kill shapeshifters—next victim, he must go to her and uphold his best friend’s dying wish to keep Sarah safe.
Buried pain, old lies, and dangerous secrets aren’t enough to keep the sparks from flying as they try to survive a new threat against their race.
Damian Palmer never considered revealing his existence to his best friend’s widow. Hell he didn’t know how she’d react to knowing that he was alive for the last five years while her human mate was dead. When he got word that Sarah has become Shield’s—a human rebel organization set up to hunt and kill shapeshifters—next victim, he must go to her and uphold his best friend’s dying wish to keep Sarah safe.
Buried pain, old lies, and dangerous secrets aren’t enough to keep the sparks from flying as they try to survive a new threat against their race.
62 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2014
17 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Lia Davis
287 books1,568 followersIn 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 23, 2018
This is Sarah and Damian's story. Sarah is the widowed mother of Nevan and Graham and another who doesn't appear too much because he mated outside the Ashwood pack.
Sarah has been widowed twice and she has had enough of life and is aging despite the fact that she would have a few centuries before that would occur. Damian knows that Sarah is a potential mate for him but stepped back to allow his best friend Carl to mate with the lovely Sarah. He was supposed to have died in the same car crash as Carl. But that is all I am revealing.
I loved this story because it was an older female like myself so I could easily relate to her. I know I will be sad to see this series end because I will miss these cherished friends. I voluntarily read a complimentary copy and have not been compensated in any way for this opinion.
Sarah has been widowed twice and she has had enough of life and is aging despite the fact that she would have a few centuries before that would occur. Damian knows that Sarah is a potential mate for him but stepped back to allow his best friend Carl to mate with the lovely Sarah. He was supposed to have died in the same car crash as Carl. But that is all I am revealing.
I loved this story because it was an older female like myself so I could easily relate to her. I know I will be sad to see this series end because I will miss these cherished friends. I voluntarily read a complimentary copy and have not been compensated in any way for this opinion.
September 16, 2015
I received an audio copy of this book from Barclay Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Here I am again with yet another audio book review of the Ashwood Falls series. I think this book, A Rebel's Heart is another good one. It's about a second chance, a nother shot at love. The hero is the heroine's dead mate's best friend. Up until recently, she thought that the hero died with her mate. The hero stands by his promise to keep the heroine safe.
I kind of like the shifters in Ashwood Falls. They are all peace loving and treat each other like one big family. They may have dangerous enemies, but they always stand together. Their alpha is a good male. Their enforcers are brave people. I think that at first, this series felt just like any other shifter series for me. Eventually, the characters and the story grew on me, and I started enjoying each book more than the one before.
Lia Davis truly knows her craft, especially when it comes to shifters and the paranormal romance genre. Her characters have strength, steam, and appeal. While this series is not one of the most popular shifter series out there, the Ashwood Falls series is still just as enjoyable. Listening to the story on audio, of course, is a treat because I get to really hear how the characters talk. Good job for both the author and the narrator.
Here I am again with yet another audio book review of the Ashwood Falls series. I think this book, A Rebel's Heart is another good one. It's about a second chance, a nother shot at love. The hero is the heroine's dead mate's best friend. Up until recently, she thought that the hero died with her mate. The hero stands by his promise to keep the heroine safe.
I kind of like the shifters in Ashwood Falls. They are all peace loving and treat each other like one big family. They may have dangerous enemies, but they always stand together. Their alpha is a good male. Their enforcers are brave people. I think that at first, this series felt just like any other shifter series for me. Eventually, the characters and the story grew on me, and I started enjoying each book more than the one before.
Lia Davis truly knows her craft, especially when it comes to shifters and the paranormal romance genre. Her characters have strength, steam, and appeal. While this series is not one of the most popular shifter series out there, the Ashwood Falls series is still just as enjoyable. Listening to the story on audio, of course, is a treat because I get to really hear how the characters talk. Good job for both the author and the narrator.
January 26, 2014
Will his broken heart heal... Ashwood Falls novalla to be read between Surrendering to the Alpha and Divided Loyalties. Quick read with danger and desire, love and revenge! And now a bit about the story!
Sarah has been struggling without her mate for 5 years. All her children are grown and with their own families now. She is ready to give up. Until she gets a death threat - go figure. Now she is fighting back for her life and for love. Damian has always loved Sarah, but she mated his best friend, who was more like a brother. Though it hurt, he stayed in their lives knowing he could never have her. Can he save her and get his second chance before it's too late?
Favorite quote: "I'll take my chances. I was you, Sarah. I've always wanted you."
Sarah has been struggling without her mate for 5 years. All her children are grown and with their own families now. She is ready to give up. Until she gets a death threat - go figure. Now she is fighting back for her life and for love. Damian has always loved Sarah, but she mated his best friend, who was more like a brother. Though it hurt, he stayed in their lives knowing he could never have her. Can he save her and get his second chance before it's too late?
Favorite quote: "I'll take my chances. I was you, Sarah. I've always wanted you."
February 12, 2014
I have never read any of the Ashwood books before so this was my first introduction to the series and Lia Davis. I was a little confused with all the characters having not read anything in the series before, but I was happy I got to see Damian & Sarah have their happy ending. From the little back story I got in this novella I imagined that their love was one that was always “the wrong place the wrong time” type of love and I am always a fan of happy ever after.
I wish I would have read the Ashwood series in reading order but since I didn’t I am curious and I want to go back and read the whole series in order. I give A Rebel’s Heart 4 out of 5 and can’t wait to read the whole series.
I wish I would have read the Ashwood series in reading order but since I didn’t I am curious and I want to go back and read the whole series in order. I give A Rebel’s Heart 4 out of 5 and can’t wait to read the whole series.
March 23, 2014
Great short read with interesting things revealed and some steamy scenes. Also interesting learning more about these characters and how they handled situations.
July 1, 2023
This is book five of the Shifters of Ashwood Falls series and the main characters in this one are Sarah Matthews, a puma shifter who lost her mate Walt some five years ago in a car accident, and Damian Palmer, also a puma shifter and Walt’s best friend, who has been working for a group fighting against the actions of Shield, a human group who want all shifters dead! In fact, both Damian and Walt worked for the same group and were in the car accident together and both thought to be dead by Sarah. Sarah had four sons by her first mate but was shunned by the pack when he died, making her decide to leave the pack and raise her children herself. She then mated Walt and became stepmother to his son Nevan, a human. Today, Sarah had a package arrive at her isolated cabin, with a warning and something of Walt’s! When he finds out that Shield is after her and she is in danger, he travels to her cabin and manages to stop an attack on her, but ends up injured himself, with her having to save him in the end, embarrassingly!
She is shocked to see him and wants to know how he is alive, when she had seen is dead body! He didn’t want to reveal he was alive, but he can’t break the promise to his best friend Walt, to keep her safe. Damian has always known she was his possible mate, but when his best friend fell in love with her, he let his friend have her. She ends up looking after him and they stay the night in the cabin, only to be attacked again and lucky to wake up! Lots of memories from the past come back to haunt them both, but their actual enemy is not the one that they thought it was, with the ultimate betrayal coming from someone close. A very short story for this one, but a mating bond and long held desires finally get satisfied. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
She is shocked to see him and wants to know how he is alive, when she had seen is dead body! He didn’t want to reveal he was alive, but he can’t break the promise to his best friend Walt, to keep her safe. Damian has always known she was his possible mate, but when his best friend fell in love with her, he let his friend have her. She ends up looking after him and they stay the night in the cabin, only to be attacked again and lucky to wake up! Lots of memories from the past come back to haunt them both, but their actual enemy is not the one that they thought it was, with the ultimate betrayal coming from someone close. A very short story for this one, but a mating bond and long held desires finally get satisfied. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
July 7, 2017
A Rebel’s Heart is the fifth (or 3.5) short story book in the Ashwood Falls Shifter series by Lia Davis. When I read Winter Eve, the first (or 0.5) book I started to get that tingling feeling that maybe this was going to be pretty good. Even the editing issues didn’t bother me. With nine books in the series I was ready for a week long marathon. This book fell apart for me. I love insta love, low angst and smexy times. And you get that in a Holy Batman! kinda of way. I understand that it’s a paranormal series and fantasy happens, but even I could not keep my eyes from rolling. I will continue this series because every book can’t be 3 to 5 stars, right?
April 10, 2023
H/h- Damian and Sarah
POV- 3rd person
Genre- Paranormal Romance
Length- Novella
Heat level- medium-high
Standalone?- N
Cliffhanger?- N
HEA/HFN- Y
Triggers- violence, explicit erotic content
Tropes- Shifters, Friends to Lovers, Midlife Romance
What I liked- feeling of family, world building, HEA
What I didn’t like- the book could have used more character development. I don’t know what the heroine is like beyond her love of family, her grief for her late mate, and her attraction to Damian, really. But not bad for a novella.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
POV- 3rd person
Genre- Paranormal Romance
Length- Novella
Heat level- medium-high
Standalone?- N
Cliffhanger?- N
HEA/HFN- Y
Triggers- violence, explicit erotic content
Tropes- Shifters, Friends to Lovers, Midlife Romance
What I liked- feeling of family, world building, HEA
What I didn’t like- the book could have used more character development. I don’t know what the heroine is like beyond her love of family, her grief for her late mate, and her attraction to Damian, really. But not bad for a novella.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 26, 2021
Damian was Sarah's best friend and mate. He watched his best friend marry a human.
He was a glutten for punishment. Walton Sarah we're meant to be married and then they raised for beautiful sons. What had happened was Damien was Sarah's true mate. He couldn't tell her and all these years later , He wanted to have her back. A car accident killing Walt and leaving Damien badly injured, He didn't think Sarah wanted to see him; Not alive. Fate would have it that Damian needed to save and protect Sarah. The bad guys were coming after her.
He was a glutten for punishment. Walton Sarah we're meant to be married and then they raised for beautiful sons. What had happened was Damien was Sarah's true mate. He couldn't tell her and all these years later , He wanted to have her back. A car accident killing Walt and leaving Damien badly injured, He didn't think Sarah wanted to see him; Not alive. Fate would have it that Damian needed to save and protect Sarah. The bad guys were coming after her.
February 25, 2023
A short,heartwarming,steamy with a bit of action,lies,secret and suspense second chance shifter romance story of Sarah and Damian..Sarah is a widow a mountain lion shifter and a mother of five full grown males but her inner mountain lion is restless and she felt someone is out there wanted to harm her and when it happened someone of her past that is supposed to be dead along with her husband is a live and saving her, her best friend Damian.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 4, 2023
Sarah and Damian's story is a twisted one. She's a widow and Damian was thought to have died in the same accident as her mate. Damian is Sarah's true mate and now he's back in her life and ready to take back his fated mate. This second chance love story held my attention from beginning to end. The storyline was a bit twisted but I was cheering Sarah on to get her happily ever after. A Rebel's Heart is book five in this series and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
September 20, 2018
I have to say I was kinda disappointed in this short story, which makes me sad because I'm a total sucker for second chances at love story. This book just didn't do it for me. I'm all for insta love, low angst and sexy times. I just felt like this was a unnecessary story. Overall a meh read I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I voluntarily read and review this ARC no monetary compensation was received the opinions I have expressed are my own.
February 22, 2023
Damien watched his best friends mate but didn’t interfere. Sarah and watch were in love and that was enough to make Damien back off but when Walt was killed in an auto accident and Sarah thought Damien was also she grieved for the two. Sarah has been getting threatening letters from a rebel group and it was just about to be attacked by a rebel when Damien came back from the dead to intervene. Fate has given Sarah another chance at love with Damien but will she take it?
January 22, 2024
Sarah has quietly given up since her mate and best friend died. Then she’s attacked and her supposedly dead friend saves her. Damien has been working for a rebel group that hunts humans trying to destroy shifters this whole time. Now that they’ve reconnected, maybe Sarah can begin to see a future with Damien.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 21, 2024
A Rebels Heart is the fifth book in the Ashwood Falls series. I was kinda sad that this one is quite short. However, I still throughly enjoyed the story of Damian and Sarah. I thought the book is quite well written. I’m not going to give out details because I don’t want to spoil the story for future readers. I would recommend this book though.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2018
This is a very short book. I liked it but wish that there was more. It shows us a glimpse into Sarah's life.
Sarah is Nevan and Graham's mother. She has already lost two mates and is ready to give up. But when someone she thought dead reappears in her life to save it. She gets a third chance at happiness.
Sarah is Nevan and Graham's mother. She has already lost two mates and is ready to give up. But when someone she thought dead reappears in her life to save it. She gets a third chance at happiness.
February 22, 2023
This is book five in this series Shifters of Ashwood Falls. This is the story of Sarah and Damian and their journey to their happily ever after. The story will hold your attention all the way through. The connection between these two is sizzling. I am looking forward to the next book.
I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 7, 2021
This was way too short and rushed! Also wasn’t feeling the romance between both characters it felt like they became mates just because they had to, out of convenience and Sarah was still in love with her ex-mate which made it less genuine.
February 8, 2023
Sarah has lost two mates and thinks it's time to let go. But Damian isn't about to let that happen. This is a poignant tale with a happy ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 2, 2023
This fifth addition to Shifters of Ashwood Falls was well written and kept me reading in one sitting. A job well done for Lia Davis.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 15, 2023
A Rebels Heart is book 5 of the Shifters of Ashwood Falls series from Lia Davis. This series can be read as standalones. Rebels Heart was an action packed story from start to finish.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 30, 2017
Fun series.
October 10, 2018
Another great read. It is a short book but I enjoyed Damien and Sarah’s story.
January 20, 2019
What a quick read!
August 2, 2022
Enormous number of typos and grammatical errors. Very disappointing.
November 30, 2023
A Rebels Heart
Book 5 of Shifters Of Ashwood Falls
Lia Davis
Amazing book. Well written and developed. Great characters, Damian and Sarah, chemistry and story.
Book 5 of Shifters Of Ashwood Falls
Lia Davis
Amazing book. Well written and developed. Great characters, Damian and Sarah, chemistry and story.
December 14, 2022
Sarah Matthews still feels the pain from losing her mate five years ago. But then comes Damian Palmer back into her life after thinking he was dead along with her mate.
Damian has come back to protect Sarah and finally claim her as his true mate. He has loved Sarah for years but stepped aside for his best friend. Sarah doesn't think there is anything to live for anymore and had started the aging process a year she lost her mate. But now that Damian is back, he is stirring intense feelings again and he is determined to help her and see that life is worth living with love and a true mate by your side.
I enjoyed reading A Rebel's Heart. It was short and sweet, but very hot. I can't wait for the next book.
Damian has come back to protect Sarah and finally claim her as his true mate. He has loved Sarah for years but stepped aside for his best friend. Sarah doesn't think there is anything to live for anymore and had started the aging process a year she lost her mate. But now that Damian is back, he is stirring intense feelings again and he is determined to help her and see that life is worth living with love and a true mate by your side.
I enjoyed reading A Rebel's Heart. It was short and sweet, but very hot. I can't wait for the next book.
May 29, 2014
I just love being transported to Ashwood Falls every time this author takes me. This time it is not a long trip but long enough to wet my whistle. Trouble comes to Sarah's door because she seems to be the target of a group that hunts and kills shifters. But right behind that trouble comes a shifter she thought had long since died along with her mate. As they get past the initial confrontation they rediscover each other also. Damian knew she was his mate but journey along and find out if she too wants that connection once she feels the pull in the midst of danger.Danger does keep coming to the point they both most go to Ashwood Falls but thankfully one of the dangers is revealed. Excitement and heat at your fingertips enough to satisfy your thirst for this author until her next novel.
January 31, 2015
While some characters have detailed stories this short story brought to life a part of the family the reader had only briefly heard of before. This story ties in well with the series & keeps the reader ready for the next book in the series.
August 10, 2020
Kind of short. I like her full length stories in this series a bit more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews