I've noticed Romy's work for a while now and I'm so happy to say that I've finally managed to read one of her books. Hybrid Rejected is a multiple point-of-view rejected mate reverse harem. The story follows Amanda as she gets rejected by one mate only to find a few more who have been waiting all their lives for her.
Amanda is a hybrid, she's half-wolf and half-witch and in this world hybrids while there a plenty of them, hybrids don't get treated well. They are the lowest ranking pack members, often excluded, abused, and forced to ignore one part of who they are. Ever since her parents died Amanda has been raised in a pack by her Aunt Maria who does only the basics to take care of her, she doesn't show any empathy towards Amanda, and she doesn't stick up to her niece when it comes to the pack. Amanda has to deal with a lot, she takes the insults, practices magic on her own in secret, takes what she can get, and puts up with the pack's bad behavior, she has learned not to make waves. She only has one true friend, Jillian, who seems a little wild, is one of the pack's golden kids and twin sister to Jake, Amanda's crush.
So you can see why Amanda is beyond ready to leave the first chance she gets and that chance comes in the form of Gemini Academy, it's a school full of all kinds of hybrids like Amanda and it's never more needed when it turns out that Jake is her mate and rejects her in front of the whole town. Jake is a jerk, he wants her but doesn't want her all because she's a hybrid, ugh. I'm glad that Amanda got the chance to start her life over at the academy, that she wasn't willing to stick around a place so toxic.
When she gets to the academy she discovers that she has a weird connection to three wolf shifters, Sean, Parker, and Dante. Sean is an alpha and is kinder and more patient than anyone Amanda has ever met. Parker while hot tempered has had past relationship issues and has a bit of damage because of it. While Dante is the most skittish out of everyone, he was in the foster system and has been manipulated and abused for most of his life, he has trouble trusting anyone, or anything good. However, each guy put aside whatever issues they have and they truly want a connection with her, they want to protect her, and make her happy. I like all the guys but I have to say Sean is my favorite, he's the sweetest, the most understanding and he cares, not just about Amanda but the others as well, he's a great alpha.
This is the second book I've read recently that I've come across a type of shifter I haven't read about before. In this book, there are gator shifters and it was really interesting to learn about them, their personalities, their matings, and how they are in society overall. I will admit from the example I got, I don't like gator shifters but another story might change my mind. Another thing I like about was the mention of hybrids, usually, they don't mention a lot of hybrids it's like one and that's it but seeing a whole school for them was interesting. Since Amanda's story was set during the summer and she didn't have classes there wasn't any classroom experience but I would love to see what classes for hybrids would have been like. It would be so cool if Amanda had another story so I can see the academy in action, but this is a standalone with a HEA.
Hybrid Rejected was a steamy paranormal reverse harem that was filled with hot shifters, mating bonds, rejected mates, crazy witches, and more. I can say I highly enjoyed my first Romy Lockhart book and I am looking forward to reading more, especially more books in this world. Romy has a whole group of these books that are connected and have familiar characters, in fact, her next book is centered on a character went meet in this book. I gotta make sure I pick up more of Romy's work soon.