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Deadlier than the Males
She thought she'd seen the last of her dark past.Then it broke into her apartment and tried to get into her pants.Because the pack that destroyed her life needs a new alpha...and it's her.
Briar Faelan was born a wolf shifter alpha, and it’s brought her nothing but a hardened heart, a blinded eye, and a lonely life of exile. After everything she’s lost, she’s sworn to have nothing to do with her kind ever again. Anything seems possible in the city, even rejecting her own nature.
Then her brother’s shocking death leaves her leader of her pack, with no choice but to return her hometown...and face the men meant to become her mates.
Sweet, cheerful Owain, scion of a powerful pack, who seems too good to be true.
Brilliant, tormented Torin, her childhood friend, a shadow of the boy she once knew.
Beautiful, heartless Rye, her first and only crush, whom she hates more than anyone alive.
Briar can’t run from her inner alpha wolf any longer, not if she wants to survive. Because old scars run as deep as passions. A dangerous enemy haunts the town. And her brother’s death might not have been an accident…
This is a reverse harem shifter romance standalone with mature content and dark themes. Content notes will be provided at the start of the book.
Briar Faelan was born a wolf shifter alpha, and it’s brought her nothing but a hardened heart, a blinded eye, and a lonely life of exile. After everything she’s lost, she’s sworn to have nothing to do with her kind ever again. Anything seems possible in the city, even rejecting her own nature.
Then her brother’s shocking death leaves her leader of her pack, with no choice but to return her hometown...and face the men meant to become her mates.
Sweet, cheerful Owain, scion of a powerful pack, who seems too good to be true.
Brilliant, tormented Torin, her childhood friend, a shadow of the boy she once knew.
Beautiful, heartless Rye, her first and only crush, whom she hates more than anyone alive.
Briar can’t run from her inner alpha wolf any longer, not if she wants to survive. Because old scars run as deep as passions. A dangerous enemy haunts the town. And her brother’s death might not have been an accident…
This is a reverse harem shifter romance standalone with mature content and dark themes. Content notes will be provided at the start of the book.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2021
About the author
Teresa Hann
13 books131 followersTeresa Hann writes tales of magic and mayhem where fierce heroines win their hard-fought happy endings. She likes her storylines twisty, her worlds complex, and her romances involving at least a little stabbing. She lives in the Midwest with her family and her excessive number of houseplants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
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July 30, 2021
WHAT a book, you guys.
I finished this two months ago, the day of my first exam (reading it in chunks in between sections of the exam, since it was a 24-hour one) and it was more than gripping enough to distract me. Also, perhaps not coincidentally, that's the exam I performed the best in...
This one has an incredibly unique premise. The heroine Briar is the alpha, who was kicked out of her pack years ago by her feral older brother. When he dies, she's forced to move back - and in the process, she inherits her brother's omegas, a woman named Lisa (quickly vanishes) and Rye, a deeply tortured young man whom her mother first saved from the streets years ago. In the Tortured Character Olympics, Rye would win gold. After being homeless, he developed a crush on Briar's mum, was thrown out, and ended up with her brother, who kept and raped him regularly. He covers up his layers of torment with seductiveness and charm, and keeps pushing at Briar to claim him. Briar meanwhile had a crush on him growing up, but knowing his checkered past (her mum, her brother) is determined to keep her distance.
There's also Torin, a childhood omega friend who now hates her, and Owain, a refreshingly sweet and uncomplicated omega boy from a different pack, so there's no historical bullshit between them. Briar has to learn how to be a good alpha while managing her relationships with all three men. Torin is fairly flat as a character, but fortunately Rye and Owain make up for it.
The book is very short, but it's written in present tense, and that - plus the depth of emotion - makes it feel a lot more intense than you might think. I seriously felt for all the characters, and though it has some elements I generally steer clear of (hero involved previously with heroine's family, etc) this worked for me. I would like to see more in this world. It's fairly dark - there's past abuse, rape, etc - but ends broadly on a HEA.
I finished this two months ago, the day of my first exam (reading it in chunks in between sections of the exam, since it was a 24-hour one) and it was more than gripping enough to distract me. Also, perhaps not coincidentally, that's the exam I performed the best in...
This one has an incredibly unique premise. The heroine Briar is the alpha, who was kicked out of her pack years ago by her feral older brother. When he dies, she's forced to move back - and in the process, she inherits her brother's omegas, a woman named Lisa (quickly vanishes) and Rye, a deeply tortured young man whom her mother first saved from the streets years ago. In the Tortured Character Olympics, Rye would win gold. After being homeless, he developed a crush on Briar's mum, was thrown out, and ended up with her brother, who kept and raped him regularly. He covers up his layers of torment with seductiveness and charm, and keeps pushing at Briar to claim him. Briar meanwhile had a crush on him growing up, but knowing his checkered past (her mum, her brother) is determined to keep her distance.
There's also Torin, a childhood omega friend who now hates her, and Owain, a refreshingly sweet and uncomplicated omega boy from a different pack, so there's no historical bullshit between them. Briar has to learn how to be a good alpha while managing her relationships with all three men. Torin is fairly flat as a character, but fortunately Rye and Owain make up for it.
The book is very short, but it's written in present tense, and that - plus the depth of emotion - makes it feel a lot more intense than you might think. I seriously felt for all the characters, and though it has some elements I generally steer clear of (hero involved previously with heroine's family, etc) this worked for me. I would like to see more in this world. It's fairly dark - there's past abuse, rape, etc - but ends broadly on a HEA.
May 28, 2021
3 stars
Liked Briar's character. I felt really bad for Rye and Torin
Liked Briar's character. I felt really bad for Rye and Torin
May 26, 2021
I got this as a free ARC, and with that always comes some apprehension for me. On one hand, you don't want to shit on this author's feelings. But on the other... giving a false high score would be shit too.
So luckily this wasn't an issue I had to struggle with this time!
What did I like?
All the characters, but mainly Briar and Rye. Call me cliché, I just love those broken porcupine type characters, what can I say?
I liked the flow of the story - especially in the first half. The pace felt good. The characters are allowed to struggle against each other and disagree. Far too often I read books where a conflict is set up that's meant to keep the characters apart but it falls flat because the author is too eager with the relationship. If you want a story to be angsty, you need to let the characters wallow in their struggles for a while. This story hit that really well for me without dragging it out.
The omegaverse! While nothing groundbreaking, neither did it have a lot of the associated tropes. It felt comfortable and fitting for the story. I liked this focus on the animalistic nature of werewolves. I liked that a lot of shifter culture was shown to the reader instead of being exposition dumped on you.
The writing style was nice. I enjoyed that it could be a little metaphor heavy at times but that worked for me.
Also RYE??? I know I said it already but it needs repeating. Best boy. Let me hold you in my arms. Characters who hide their hurt underneath layers of sarcasm and seductiveness, who self-sabotage at every opportunity because they don't know how to trust, are just what I love.
The role reversal was so great too. It's no secret that I love the trope/dynamic, and it really came out with Owain and Briar. Such a sweet boy. He just wants to please and be the little spoon.
What didn't I like?
I can't hide it. This book is written in present tense, which I am not a super fan of. But after a few chapters I got used to it.
A few more chapters would've done good. I felt like Briar getting together with her guys happened very quickly one af the other. The story dragged it out deliciously but then they almost all came (heh) at once. Tbf they didn't literally all happen at the same time, but it felt really close to me.
More interaction between the guys would've been good too. Briar's relationship to each of them was fleshed out pretty well (some better than others), but besides Torin's and Rye's shared past... not a lot of on page interaction happens. Some is there, more would've been nice.
Torin needed more page time too. He felt the least developed. I wouldn't say underdeveloped because we def get a sense of who he is and what he's been going through, but I'd have liked more on page time spent with him. And more on page time of him and Briar. The story does spend a lot of time with having them think about each other, though. And they have a huge past between them.
Final Rating
Honestly did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Glad I was poked on the shoulder and read it. Would like some more, please and thank you. 4,5 stars rounded up since I had such a great time.
So luckily this wasn't an issue I had to struggle with this time!
What did I like?
All the characters, but mainly Briar and Rye. Call me cliché, I just love those broken porcupine type characters, what can I say?
I liked the flow of the story - especially in the first half. The pace felt good. The characters are allowed to struggle against each other and disagree. Far too often I read books where a conflict is set up that's meant to keep the characters apart but it falls flat because the author is too eager with the relationship. If you want a story to be angsty, you need to let the characters wallow in their struggles for a while. This story hit that really well for me without dragging it out.
The omegaverse! While nothing groundbreaking, neither did it have a lot of the associated tropes. It felt comfortable and fitting for the story. I liked this focus on the animalistic nature of werewolves. I liked that a lot of shifter culture was shown to the reader instead of being exposition dumped on you.
Lisa had been afraid that Briar would take her as a mate - with or without eliminating a potential rival first, killing her predecessor's unborn child. That's the kind of world Lisa is used to. That's the kind of world Briar has returned to.
The writing style was nice. I enjoyed that it could be a little metaphor heavy at times but that worked for me.
What kind of college could he even get in? What extracurriculars can he put on his application? Getting fucked for six years?
He's like a hawk shot down midflight, sent crashing to earth. He'll never soar again.
Also RYE??? I know I said it already but it needs repeating. Best boy. Let me hold you in my arms. Characters who hide their hurt underneath layers of sarcasm and seductiveness, who self-sabotage at every opportunity because they don't know how to trust, are just what I love.
Tonight, he learns that he fears Briar's brutal, gentle decency.
The role reversal was so great too. It's no secret that I love the trope/dynamic, and it really came out with Owain and Briar. Such a sweet boy. He just wants to please and be the little spoon.
What didn't I like?
I can't hide it. This book is written in present tense, which I am not a super fan of. But after a few chapters I got used to it.
A few more chapters would've done good. I felt like Briar getting together with her guys happened very quickly one af the other. The story dragged it out deliciously but then they almost all came (heh) at once. Tbf they didn't literally all happen at the same time, but it felt really close to me.
More interaction between the guys would've been good too. Briar's relationship to each of them was fleshed out pretty well (some better than others), but besides Torin's and Rye's shared past... not a lot of on page interaction happens. Some is there, more would've been nice.
Torin needed more page time too. He felt the least developed. I wouldn't say underdeveloped because we def get a sense of who he is and what he's been going through, but I'd have liked more on page time spent with him. And more on page time of him and Briar. The story does spend a lot of time with having them think about each other, though. And they have a huge past between them.
Final Rating
Honestly did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Glad I was poked on the shoulder and read it. Would like some more, please and thank you. 4,5 stars rounded up since I had such a great time.
September 20, 2023
Yeah No!
I broke my own rule and didn't go deep into the reviews I just looked at the first page, always go to the last reviews. I was soooo disappointed in this book. I was looking for a good alpha female book. But this had tooo much angus we didn't get any time with them as a family 😕 everyone had a misunderstanding with each other I hate when writers do that why is that the plot of the book just lazy. This book turned me off this author.
I broke my own rule and didn't go deep into the reviews I just looked at the first page, always go to the last reviews. I was soooo disappointed in this book. I was looking for a good alpha female book. But this had tooo much angus we didn't get any time with them as a family 😕 everyone had a misunderstanding with each other I hate when writers do that why is that the plot of the book just lazy. This book turned me off this author.
June 8, 2021
I want to like this more than I actually liked this. Ideas were original and it was refreshing to have men who weren’t trying to abuse/control/manipulate the female heroine.
It just didn’t grab me.
It just didn’t grab me.
January 8, 2022
captivating
It’s not common to have a strong FMC to have a handycap and still come out on top. I like how she’s presented with believable flaws even for a PNR story and the relationships has its work cutout for them to work through. Definitely good read.
It’s not common to have a strong FMC to have a handycap and still come out on top. I like how she’s presented with believable flaws even for a PNR story and the relationships has its work cutout for them to work through. Definitely good read.
Read
August 1, 2021DNF at 86%
Did Not Finish
August 29, 2024DNF - 50% do not care where this was going - yawn
May 1, 2024
j’ai tt lu d’un coup ptdrrrr en vrai c’était un peu bien …. même si c’est bcp trop court du coup les événements et les relations semblent pas assez développées 🚬 ça me rappelle les trucs que je lisais quand j’avais 15 ans la nostalgie
September 30, 2024
Whoa.
I was not expecting that. After reading so many Omegaverse and shifter novels, I didn’t think anything could surprise me. What a clever and passionate book. It could do with a bit of editing, but overall I really enjoyed it. The characters were great, and so was the storyline. I really want to read more about this pack, but unfortunately it looks like this is a stand alone novel.
I was not expecting that. After reading so many Omegaverse and shifter novels, I didn’t think anything could surprise me. What a clever and passionate book. It could do with a bit of editing, but overall I really enjoyed it. The characters were great, and so was the storyline. I really want to read more about this pack, but unfortunately it looks like this is a stand alone novel.
May 17, 2025
I can't thank Goodreads enough for recommending this gem to me. One of the best RH books I’ve ever read and possibly in my top 5 favorite books this year. I didn’t even know I needed a harem full of Omegas, and now my life is complete. I could literally read this book for a year and still cry from happiness. That’s how much I love it.
First, I love the Omegas. They’re not your usual "Breed me, Alpha!" or "Please, Alpha, I’m in heat 🥺🥺" Fuck those heats. The Omegas in this book have CHARACTERS. They’re not just "I’ve been disowned by my family for being an Omega because Omegas are useless anyway." No. Rye, Torin, and Owain have BACKSTORIES. They feel human enough for me, even in a book about shifters.
And I love, love Briar. She’s not your typical toxic femdom character. She’s strong but also vulnerable in her own way. Sometimes she cries, sometimes she spills blood. Talk about balance *chef’s kiss* 😘
Second, the book is plot-driven. You have no idea how tired I am of RH books that are just porn with barely any story. I wouldn’t even call this book smut; it’s just Briar making love with her boyfriends. The author did a fantastic job making the scenes feel poetic and intimate. Each male only gets one scene with the FMC, but they feel enough for me. Personally, I loved Briar’s scene with Rye—it was so beautiful and deep, I want to frame it in my living room. I’d rather have one scene like that than a bunch of dirty words every few chapters.
My only complaint is I just wish the story were longer. I needed more of Torin to truly get to know him, considering he spent chapters avoiding Briar. I needed more setup for Mallory and the monster. I mean, my questions haven’t even been answered—what is the monster, actually?? Where did he come from?? How does Mallory made a deal with Victor?? Also, I would’ve loved flashback scenes of Briar and Conall, and how she survived outside her pack at only 15. It feels like the author was a little shy about writing gore scenes, but come on, this is a shifter book, give me more blood!!
Otherwise, this is an amazing book. I wish there were more like this!
First, I love the Omegas. They’re not your usual "Breed me, Alpha!" or "Please, Alpha, I’m in heat 🥺🥺" Fuck those heats. The Omegas in this book have CHARACTERS. They’re not just "I’ve been disowned by my family for being an Omega because Omegas are useless anyway." No. Rye, Torin, and Owain have BACKSTORIES. They feel human enough for me, even in a book about shifters.
And I love, love Briar. She’s not your typical toxic femdom character. She’s strong but also vulnerable in her own way. Sometimes she cries, sometimes she spills blood. Talk about balance *chef’s kiss* 😘
Second, the book is plot-driven. You have no idea how tired I am of RH books that are just porn with barely any story. I wouldn’t even call this book smut; it’s just Briar making love with her boyfriends. The author did a fantastic job making the scenes feel poetic and intimate. Each male only gets one scene with the FMC, but they feel enough for me. Personally, I loved Briar’s scene with Rye—it was so beautiful and deep, I want to frame it in my living room. I’d rather have one scene like that than a bunch of dirty words every few chapters.
My only complaint is I just wish the story were longer. I needed more of Torin to truly get to know him, considering he spent chapters avoiding Briar. I needed more setup for Mallory and the monster. I mean, my questions haven’t even been answered—what is the monster, actually?? Where did he come from?? How does Mallory made a deal with Victor?? Also, I would’ve loved flashback scenes of Briar and Conall, and how she survived outside her pack at only 15. It feels like the author was a little shy about writing gore scenes, but come on, this is a shifter book, give me more blood!!
Otherwise, this is an amazing book. I wish there were more like this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2024
Loved it!
Rye was such a good character and I adored him every bit of the way because I just KNEW something wasn’t right. His last scenes with Briar were beautiful and o just love the way the hate-love the reader starts to feel between the two turns into secret adoration/obsession (on Rye’s part) and then just straight up loving-worship.
Owain was low-key a badass and I loved him and the clarity he offered Briar.
Torin was just a mess of confusion and I honestly thought he was going to do as he said he was but him making up his mind at the end was just, mwah!
And Briar? Well I loved Briar. She was strong, reasonable, and she always put others first. I think she was admirably loving towards everyone, even when they hurt her or insulted her in a backhanded way, yet she never took anyone’s shit.
Loved this book and the author’s writing! Short page count, yet it felt just as good as reading 500 pages since nothing was rushed and the emotion was so vivid!
Rye was such a good character and I adored him every bit of the way because I just KNEW something wasn’t right. His last scenes with Briar were beautiful and o just love the way the hate-love the reader starts to feel between the two turns into secret adoration/obsession (on Rye’s part) and then just straight up loving-worship.
Owain was low-key a badass and I loved him and the clarity he offered Briar.
Torin was just a mess of confusion and I honestly thought he was going to do as he said he was but him making up his mind at the end was just, mwah!
And Briar? Well I loved Briar. She was strong, reasonable, and she always put others first. I think she was admirably loving towards everyone, even when they hurt her or insulted her in a backhanded way, yet she never took anyone’s shit.
Loved this book and the author’s writing! Short page count, yet it felt just as good as reading 500 pages since nothing was rushed and the emotion was so vivid!
August 13, 2021
Briar lost a challenge to her brother at fifteen and ended up exiled for six yrs. Then she's forced to return to claim his place as alpha after said brother dies in a car accident. I loved the worldbuilding with monsters and such. I liked the original take on male omega being just as vulnerable to abuse as female ones. The writing style was great also. But I had trouble connecting with the characters. The book was too short to form a connection with all of them and I had trouble liking Briar. I'd say Rye was the most developed with his tragic backstory. I'm curious if this will book lays the groundwork for a series down the line.
February 12, 2026
DNF. Clinically written. All these emotions and I don’t feel them. Perhaps one should be a Wolf to understand. Is it YA? It’s insta lust. I wonder if all the drama mentioned from 6 years before is the better story here. Guess I’ll never know, don’t care.
Update: it came up on my TBR list again. As I’m down with the flue, I tried it again. Yes I think it could have been fleshed out better, especially with what happened before. And I feel sorry for the omegas, all of them. Did finish it this time, the title is the best part of the book.
Update: it came up on my TBR list again. As I’m down with the flue, I tried it again. Yes I think it could have been fleshed out better, especially with what happened before. And I feel sorry for the omegas, all of them. Did finish it this time, the title is the best part of the book.
April 1, 2026
Que livro foi esse que livro foi esse??????? sinto que vou passar um bom tempo lembrando dele.
não consegui larga li tudo em menos de 24 horas.
Eu gostei de Briar e meu coração se encontra em frangalhos angustiado pelas história de Rye e Tori, o Owain é tão leve e amoroso sendo essencial para equilibrar. Eu sinceramente queria ler mais sobre eles como matilha se curando. uma mulher e seus 3 ômegas é difícil achar livros parecidos.
“Together they walk towards the light of the sun”
–Juntos, eles caminham em direção à luz do sol—
de certa forma acalento meu coração
não consegui larga li tudo em menos de 24 horas.
Eu gostei de Briar e meu coração se encontra em frangalhos angustiado pelas história de Rye e Tori, o Owain é tão leve e amoroso sendo essencial para equilibrar. Eu sinceramente queria ler mais sobre eles como matilha se curando. uma mulher e seus 3 ômegas é difícil achar livros parecidos.
“Together they walk towards the light of the sun”
–Juntos, eles caminham em direção à luz do sol—
de certa forma acalento meu coração
January 22, 2025
Honestly, I was just confused. I have no idea why I was confused, but nothing made sense to me. I hated the characters development; I just feel like there was little of that. I usually love an insta-love, but this one just didn’t hit right.
Read
October 12, 2024i enjoyed it but i do think two of the relationships were too insta. i always enjoy a standalone that wraps things up nicely.
May 1, 2025
the idea of the plot was good good, but the execution was meh
October 24, 2024
I didn't expect to love this as much as I did!
I was putting off reading this book because I'm usually not a reverse harem reader and the cover looks very old school paranormal romance stock photo. But this was a clear case of "don't judge the book by its cover".
This is a wolf-shifter omegaverse reverse harem romance novella with very pronounced gender role reversal trope. Fmc is an alpha, there are 3 omega mmcs, and there are other female alphas in the story. There was no mention of mpreg, which I know would make people wary against omegaverse novels with male omegas. So if you worry "oh no, will there be mpreg?" - there wasn't.
This is also a medium spice story, I'd rate it at 3, which also surprised me after reading several paranormal / monster novellas where spice dominated over plot and character development. This book definitely reads closer to a romance than erotica, which to me, is a plus. (The licking scene was damn hot tho.)
The characters have distinct personalities, which is often my biggest worry against RH novels. Rye is a "hide the pain with smile" type, Torin is shy and anxious, and Owain is a golden retriever himbo. I must admit I liked Rye the most because I just love a good "sad clown" archetype, a character who pretends to be carefree and funny to cover their pain and trauma, and I swear these are rare, mmcs default to "silent and brooding" rather than hiding behind a mask of a funny guy for some reason.
Briar herself is a wounded bird character, someone who had been hurt, cast out and nearly died in the past (she is indeed blind in one eye as the cover suggests as the result of the past events) and because of that she's mistrustful and struggles with lack of self-esteem. I always enjoy fmcs who are suspicious of others when they have a reason to - she's not pointlessly paranoid, and she's not unreasonably naive, a perfect middle.
There's a lot of wolf-shifter politics going on that give Briar a reason to suspect someone might want to get rid of her.
There are 2 sub-plots except the main romance, one related to explaining what happened to Briar's dead brother and another with a suspicion someone will try to take over the pack and get rid of Briar. In the end, it all wraps up nicely.
The only downside I feel was that the ending was a bit too rushed, and I really wanted Briar and Rye have a heart to heart where she clears up the issue that she's not a replacement for her mother.
Oh, and it's in 3rd person present tense rotating pov between the 4 main characters. Idk if this is a thing because I'm also reading another omegaverse novel that's in 3rd person present and I swear before I've only seen 3rd person past or 1st person present. 3rd person present takes some time to get adjusted to.
I really liked the gender role reversal elements where Briar was more blunt, stoic and aggressive when needed, while the omegas were seductive or bashful.
I regret waiting this long to pick it up because I simply devoured the last 50 pages of it and I swear I always get bored midway books and rarely I feel this rush to finish! Truly, good job. Such a shame that gender role reversal stories are rare and even rarer for them to be also written well. This one was great. Among sloppily edited self-published novels, this one stands out: reads smoothly, no visible typos, no pointless content padding with fluff. Fully recommend if you are into the trope or want something that is different instead of just pretending to be.
I was putting off reading this book because I'm usually not a reverse harem reader and the cover looks very old school paranormal romance stock photo. But this was a clear case of "don't judge the book by its cover".
This is a wolf-shifter omegaverse reverse harem romance novella with very pronounced gender role reversal trope. Fmc is an alpha, there are 3 omega mmcs, and there are other female alphas in the story. There was no mention of mpreg, which I know would make people wary against omegaverse novels with male omegas. So if you worry "oh no, will there be mpreg?" - there wasn't.
This is also a medium spice story, I'd rate it at 3, which also surprised me after reading several paranormal / monster novellas where spice dominated over plot and character development. This book definitely reads closer to a romance than erotica, which to me, is a plus. (The licking scene was damn hot tho.)
The characters have distinct personalities, which is often my biggest worry against RH novels. Rye is a "hide the pain with smile" type, Torin is shy and anxious, and Owain is a golden retriever himbo. I must admit I liked Rye the most because I just love a good "sad clown" archetype, a character who pretends to be carefree and funny to cover their pain and trauma, and I swear these are rare, mmcs default to "silent and brooding" rather than hiding behind a mask of a funny guy for some reason.
Briar herself is a wounded bird character, someone who had been hurt, cast out and nearly died in the past (she is indeed blind in one eye as the cover suggests as the result of the past events) and because of that she's mistrustful and struggles with lack of self-esteem. I always enjoy fmcs who are suspicious of others when they have a reason to - she's not pointlessly paranoid, and she's not unreasonably naive, a perfect middle.
There's a lot of wolf-shifter politics going on that give Briar a reason to suspect someone might want to get rid of her.
There are 2 sub-plots except the main romance, one related to explaining what happened to Briar's dead brother and another with a suspicion someone will try to take over the pack and get rid of Briar. In the end, it all wraps up nicely.
The only downside I feel was that the ending was a bit too rushed, and I really wanted Briar and Rye have a heart to heart where she clears up the issue that she's not a replacement for her mother.
Oh, and it's in 3rd person present tense rotating pov between the 4 main characters. Idk if this is a thing because I'm also reading another omegaverse novel that's in 3rd person present and I swear before I've only seen 3rd person past or 1st person present. 3rd person present takes some time to get adjusted to.
I really liked the gender role reversal elements where Briar was more blunt, stoic and aggressive when needed, while the omegas were seductive or bashful.
I regret waiting this long to pick it up because I simply devoured the last 50 pages of it and I swear I always get bored midway books and rarely I feel this rush to finish! Truly, good job. Such a shame that gender role reversal stories are rare and even rarer for them to be also written well. This one was great. Among sloppily edited self-published novels, this one stands out: reads smoothly, no visible typos, no pointless content padding with fluff. Fully recommend if you are into the trope or want something that is different instead of just pretending to be.
November 30, 2021
The book begins like so many other werewolf novels, with the dead alpha’s exiled sibling being invited to take charge of the pack. The characters felt real—they had different voices and perspectives.
I liked reading about Briar’s possessiveness. The biggest difference between Briar and Gloria (from Humanity for Beginners) is how much attention was paid to Briar’s superior physical strength (especially when she was hunting). I actually really loved the depiction of a female alpha who could hold her own in a melee. And Briar was soft too.
I liked how Rye took charge and handled things and protected the other omegas. I liked the depth of his character, how he gives away so much of himself. He had free reign over finances and the pack was used to seeing him in charge, which is a bit refreshing for an omega character. I wish the stupid age-gap wasn’t there though. That was super weird.
Torin and Owain were cute too. Owain reminded me of the symbiont who joined Shori at the Gordons’ (in Fledgling). I liked reading about Torin and Briar’s struggles to deal with the past and their unexpected mutual attraction.
I lowkey wish Lisa had stayed though, for the Sapphic romance and a little baby. *sigh*
I liked the trickle of backstory. There were so many female alphas!!! I loved that very much. And Jaz is married to a woman, and there wasn’t a hint of complaint about bloodlines or some nonsense like that. And I liked the tradition of exchanging prepared and seasoned meat.
My only major complaint is that we did not see enough of pack politics—no feasting before the full moon, not even one pack meeting.
I liked reading about Briar’s possessiveness. The biggest difference between Briar and Gloria (from Humanity for Beginners) is how much attention was paid to Briar’s superior physical strength (especially when she was hunting). I actually really loved the depiction of a female alpha who could hold her own in a melee. And Briar was soft too.
I liked how Rye took charge and handled things and protected the other omegas. I liked the depth of his character, how he gives away so much of himself. He had free reign over finances and the pack was used to seeing him in charge, which is a bit refreshing for an omega character. I wish the stupid age-gap wasn’t there though. That was super weird.
Torin and Owain were cute too. Owain reminded me of the symbiont who joined Shori at the Gordons’ (in Fledgling). I liked reading about Torin and Briar’s struggles to deal with the past and their unexpected mutual attraction.
I lowkey wish Lisa had stayed though, for the Sapphic romance and a little baby. *sigh*
I liked the trickle of backstory. There were so many female alphas!!! I loved that very much. And Jaz is married to a woman, and there wasn’t a hint of complaint about bloodlines or some nonsense like that. And I liked the tradition of exchanging prepared and seasoned meat.
My only major complaint is that we did not see enough of pack politics—no feasting before the full moon, not even one pack meeting.
February 27, 2026
This is the most fun I've had reading a romance book in months if not years. I've been looking for an alpha FMC with an omega MMC for so, so long, it's hard to express how ecstatic I was reading this. It was like being injected drugs straight into my bloodstream. It was like finding an oasis after days in the desert.
In all honesty, is it a 5 stars read when it comes it the writing and story? Not really. Do I care? Not really.
Nothing can bring down my high from finding and reading a female alpha/ male omega romance.
Briar was a great FMC, she was powerful and fierce but she still had her flaws. The male love interests were incredibly likeable. My usual feelings on romance MMCs range from "he's alright, I guess" to "I hope he dies" so this was a huge welcome change for me.
Ok, I will just say I wish there had been more.
- the world-building is minimal, it could have been expanded upon.
- there's very little interactions between Briar and the rest of the pack. We don't see her role as alpha other than her killing enemies. I wanted that dynamic with the pack to be explored more.
- often it was hard to tell where the characters were during a scene. There was no indication of location change. One second they're in the house, next they're in the woods, but you only realize that later on. Very confusing.
- I was very disappointed that [SPOILER] Rye and Briar only got together at the very end of the book. Rye was my favorite LI yet I barely got to see him in his relationship with Briar. I could've used an epilogue at least.
Anyway, sure it wasn't perfect but, I cannot stress this enough, it's a female alpha/ male omega romance!! 😭😭 Thank you dear author, you have my undying gratitude. I loved Owain, Torin and most of all Rye. I liked Briar. I loved their alpha/omega dynamic.
And finally I have been cleansed from the inescapable dom MMC/ sub FMC dynamic that every romance book I try to read have. Life is good 😌
In all honesty, is it a 5 stars read when it comes it the writing and story? Not really. Do I care? Not really.
Nothing can bring down my high from finding and reading a female alpha/ male omega romance.
Briar was a great FMC, she was powerful and fierce but she still had her flaws. The male love interests were incredibly likeable. My usual feelings on romance MMCs range from "he's alright, I guess" to "I hope he dies" so this was a huge welcome change for me.
Ok, I will just say I wish there had been more.
- the world-building is minimal, it could have been expanded upon.
- there's very little interactions between Briar and the rest of the pack. We don't see her role as alpha other than her killing enemies. I wanted that dynamic with the pack to be explored more.
- often it was hard to tell where the characters were during a scene. There was no indication of location change. One second they're in the house, next they're in the woods, but you only realize that later on. Very confusing.
- I was very disappointed that [SPOILER] Rye and Briar only got together at the very end of the book. Rye was my favorite LI yet I barely got to see him in his relationship with Briar. I could've used an epilogue at least.
Anyway, sure it wasn't perfect but, I cannot stress this enough, it's a female alpha/ male omega romance!! 😭😭 Thank you dear author, you have my undying gratitude. I loved Owain, Torin and most of all Rye. I liked Briar. I loved their alpha/omega dynamic.
And finally I have been cleansed from the inescapable dom MMC/ sub FMC dynamic that every romance book I try to read have. Life is good 😌
February 4, 2022
This book was a mixed bag for me, an emotional rollercoaster.
Chapter 1 I was thinking “This is great! Why did I avoid this book for so long!?”
A chapter or 2 later I was like… “Oh no. These poor people. Everyone is so damaged. Horrible things have happened to them, including sexual slavery at a young age. This is terrible. This is not what I like to read. I do not want any sadness in my books.”
But then she is having sex with a virgin omega and I was saying “Yes! This is how male virgins should be written! You stroke them outside the pants and boom! They come in 10 seconds.” As long as they have no refraction period (like a lot of teen boys) there is not a problem.
You may notice noticed this book is on my “virgin hero” shelf and my “he is not a virgin shelf”. If you haven’t figured it out from the cover, that is because we are dealing with a female alpha and more than 1 omega man. (Love it!)
Virgin rating:
Innocence of virgin hero: 3/5
Innocence in losing it: 5/5
Build up to losing it: 3/5
Hotness of losing it: 4/5
Busted touching himself: not busted
Losing it POV: female
Chapter 1 I was thinking “This is great! Why did I avoid this book for so long!?”
A chapter or 2 later I was like… “Oh no. These poor people. Everyone is so damaged. Horrible things have happened to them, including sexual slavery at a young age. This is terrible. This is not what I like to read. I do not want any sadness in my books.”
But then she is having sex with a virgin omega and I was saying “Yes! This is how male virgins should be written! You stroke them outside the pants and boom! They come in 10 seconds.” As long as they have no refraction period (like a lot of teen boys) there is not a problem.
You may notice noticed this book is on my “virgin hero” shelf and my “he is not a virgin shelf”. If you haven’t figured it out from the cover, that is because we are dealing with a female alpha and more than 1 omega man. (Love it!)
Virgin rating:
Innocence of virgin hero: 3/5
Innocence in losing it: 5/5
Build up to losing it: 3/5
Hotness of losing it: 4/5
Busted touching himself: not busted
Losing it POV: female
May 27, 2021
Wow... I really loved the emotions in this book. When Briar returns to her pack after the death of her brother she needs to deal with a lot of hurt from the past, but she also has to face what happened to the people she left behind. While Briar deals with physical scars from the past, two of her men have to deal with a lot of emotional scars. I liked the concept of a female alpha and male omega's, and the way they struggle through the hardships they had to face. This is a book that deals with some darker themes, and not all of them were easy to swallow. Luckily she meets Owain who is an absolute cutie and brings some light in the lives of the main characters. He manages to bring some balance, which was an absolute plus for me.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. I don't know if it is meant to be a standalone or the start of a series, but I would really like to get to know the characters better, learn more about their developing relationships, ...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely enjoyed this book. I don't know if it is meant to be a standalone or the start of a series, but I would really like to get to know the characters better, learn more about their developing relationships, ...
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 28, 2021
The New Alpha of the Pack . . .
Briar Faelan is an Alpha wolf shifter who walked away from that life, intending to have nothing further to do with it. But when her brother’s death in a car crash makes her the leader of the pack, she cannot run again. She needs to return to the pack and accept the men who will be her mates. Owain Howell is sweet and cheerful. Torin is her childhood friend, but not the boy she used to know. Rye Kouris was her first and only crush, but she hates him now, and it seems many others do as well.
Not only has a dangerous enemy arrived in town, but it’s likely her brother’s death had been intentional. Is she ready for the fight to come?
Briar Faelan is an Alpha wolf shifter who walked away from that life, intending to have nothing further to do with it. But when her brother’s death in a car crash makes her the leader of the pack, she cannot run again. She needs to return to the pack and accept the men who will be her mates. Owain Howell is sweet and cheerful. Torin is her childhood friend, but not the boy she used to know. Rye Kouris was her first and only crush, but she hates him now, and it seems many others do as well.
Not only has a dangerous enemy arrived in town, but it’s likely her brother’s death had been intentional. Is she ready for the fight to come?
October 21, 2025
I was told this book was *iconic*, and you know what? It kinda is! It’s not the holy grail female alpha story I’ve been questing for and I felt like the pacing was a little wonky, but I was locked in the whole time. I chuckled several times, and also highlighted some truly lovely sentences as I was reading. The worldbuilding was impressively thoughtful and detailed for a standalone. Rye is an especially great character. Definitely some quality shifter trauma, and it was nice to read something a little different in the genre. I have no regrets!
June 10, 2021
When Rye turns up to bring Briar home when her brother dies in a car accident things start to become crazy for her.
With Rye, Torin and Owain who each have a different reason for either trying to stay away from Briar, or wanting her to mate them things get a little steamy.
Whilst also going through some twists and turns the book comes to a great ending for them all.
I would totally recommend.
With Rye, Torin and Owain who each have a different reason for either trying to stay away from Briar, or wanting her to mate them things get a little steamy.
Whilst also going through some twists and turns the book comes to a great ending for them all.
I would totally recommend.
January 30, 2022
The writing was a little off at the beggining of the book but picks up quickly!
The plot and the resolution were nicely done but I was expecting an Alpha female due to the list where I found the book. Briar is only Alpha by her designation, nothing like the other book in the list Bad Alpha's Eve.
Briar and most of her love interests are very young and trying to figure things out. This leads to a lot of miscommunication and angst. Not for me.
The plot and the resolution were nicely done but I was expecting an Alpha female due to the list where I found the book. Briar is only Alpha by her designation, nothing like the other book in the list Bad Alpha's Eve.
Briar and most of her love interests are very young and trying to figure things out. This leads to a lot of miscommunication and angst. Not for me.
May 28, 2021
3.5 stars
This was an okay read. I liked the characters and the storyline but there just wasn't much to it. There was no action or suspense and the romance was just off. The emotions of the characters themselves was written well and seemed genuine but felt forced and awkward with each other. Almost fake.
This was an okay read. I liked the characters and the storyline but there just wasn't much to it. There was no action or suspense and the romance was just off. The emotions of the characters themselves was written well and seemed genuine but felt forced and awkward with each other. Almost fake.
May 20, 2023
Alpha Female and Omega Males
I love the role reversal of alpha male with omega females to alpha female with omega males. This book has very sexy intimate scenes. Each character has very different personalities and thoughts. Warning for the reader, the backstories of both Rye and Torin are heartbreaking. I love how Owain and his innocence fit into the group.
I love the role reversal of alpha male with omega females to alpha female with omega males. This book has very sexy intimate scenes. Each character has very different personalities and thoughts. Warning for the reader, the backstories of both Rye and Torin are heartbreaking. I love how Owain and his innocence fit into the group.
December 18, 2024
Omegaverse
Reverse Harem
Alpha FMC x three Omega MMCs
Second Chance
Plot Summary
Six years ago Briar's brother killed her mother, mauled Briar and took over their pack. Briar left the pack behind and built a life for herself, until now. Her brother is dead, and now she is next in line to lead the pack - and take his omegas.
(Proper review incoming once I'm free)
Reverse Harem
Alpha FMC x three Omega MMCs
Second Chance
Plot Summary
Six years ago Briar's brother killed her mother, mauled Briar and took over their pack. Briar left the pack behind and built a life for herself, until now. Her brother is dead, and now she is next in line to lead the pack - and take his omegas.
(Proper review incoming once I'm free)
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