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The Shifters of Garoureve #1
One Night in Garoureve
It was only supposed to be for one night...
Ariana wasn't expecting much when she pulled into the small town of Garoureve. Just a place to sleep for the night, a quick meal, and maybe a drink. What she found instead was a man with a smile who spent the night worshiping her body like it was his religion.
When morning came, she left with unexpected regret and a mark to remember him by. A mark that meant a lot more than she realized. A mark that meant her one-night stand wasn't going to be her only night with him.
But when his secrets start to impact their new life together, it no longer matters that his touch feels like magic and he feels like her soulmate. Sometimes, the problem isn’t the actual secret being kept. It’s the power that a secret can hold.
The first book in a series of paranormal romances featuring plus-size heroines, wolf shifters, fated mates, and a town that magically appears when it’s needed.
Ariana wasn't expecting much when she pulled into the small town of Garoureve. Just a place to sleep for the night, a quick meal, and maybe a drink. What she found instead was a man with a smile who spent the night worshiping her body like it was his religion.
When morning came, she left with unexpected regret and a mark to remember him by. A mark that meant a lot more than she realized. A mark that meant her one-night stand wasn't going to be her only night with him.
But when his secrets start to impact their new life together, it no longer matters that his touch feels like magic and he feels like her soulmate. Sometimes, the problem isn’t the actual secret being kept. It’s the power that a secret can hold.
The first book in a series of paranormal romances featuring plus-size heroines, wolf shifters, fated mates, and a town that magically appears when it’s needed.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2021
424 people are currently reading
1988 people want to read
About the author
Elle M. Drew
12 books414 followersElle M Drew is an avid writer and reader of spicy fantasy and paranormal romance. Her career began with fanfiction and took off from there. Elle infuses a touch of magic into all of her work.
When she isn’t busy writing, Elle lives with her husband and two children after recently moving to the Upstate of South Carolina from Okinawa, Japan. She always has iced coffee and a stack of bullet journals on hand for impromptu writing and plotting sessions, and she always has instrumental music playing.
After twenty steamy and extraordinary years of writing fanfiction, she’s finally publishing her own books where a magical blend of fantasy and the paranormal mix with dark romance… with an adult, sexy spin, of course.
READER BIO IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING:
I'm a very easy to please reader - I read to escape. I read to enjoy. I'm a mood reader. I'm a binge reader. I love a book if it sparks a little joy and it turns pages.
My Star Chart:
★ I finished it. I wish I hadn't. You will not see this rating very often if ever.
★★ I finished it because FOMO. I'm glad it's over. You will rarely see this.
★★★ It's a read. I'll give the most thoughts on this, to help other readers decide if they want to read.
★★★★ Sparks joy, would not reread.
★★★★★ Sparks joy, gives serotonin, would read again.
When she isn’t busy writing, Elle lives with her husband and two children after recently moving to the Upstate of South Carolina from Okinawa, Japan. She always has iced coffee and a stack of bullet journals on hand for impromptu writing and plotting sessions, and she always has instrumental music playing.
After twenty steamy and extraordinary years of writing fanfiction, she’s finally publishing her own books where a magical blend of fantasy and the paranormal mix with dark romance… with an adult, sexy spin, of course.
READER BIO IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING:
I'm a very easy to please reader - I read to escape. I read to enjoy. I'm a mood reader. I'm a binge reader. I love a book if it sparks a little joy and it turns pages.
My Star Chart:
★ I finished it. I wish I hadn't. You will not see this rating very often if ever.
★★ I finished it because FOMO. I'm glad it's over. You will rarely see this.
★★★ It's a read. I'll give the most thoughts on this, to help other readers decide if they want to read.
★★★★ Sparks joy, would not reread.
★★★★★ Sparks joy, gives serotonin, would read again.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
April 21, 2022
did i download this book from kindle unlimited because i saw the author describe her books as "fat girls getting railed"? yes. did it deliver? also yes. but there was unfortunately a lack of completeness in the story around it.
my main gripe with this book is that the series title--shifters--clearly tells us there's a magical element to this book and yet the main character chooses to ignore the signs until the 80% mark, after which the "plot twist" is accepted with a "i don't care you're a werewolf, i'm just mad you didn't tell me!" which...... ok. interesting.
i wish this book would've been just contemporary because i think the fantastical elements slowed it down. i doubt i'll continue this series but i could see myself reading from this author in the future, especially if all of her books have fat rep!
my main gripe with this book is that the series title--shifters--clearly tells us there's a magical element to this book and yet the main character chooses to ignore the signs until the 80% mark, after which the "plot twist" is accepted with a "i don't care you're a werewolf, i'm just mad you didn't tell me!" which...... ok. interesting.
i wish this book would've been just contemporary because i think the fantastical elements slowed it down. i doubt i'll continue this series but i could see myself reading from this author in the future, especially if all of her books have fat rep!
January 12, 2022
Not me only just finding out I can rate my own book...
Thank you to everyone that has read One Night in Garoureve. I set out to write a book about a fat girl getting railed by a wolf shifter, and finding and loving herself along the way, and having so many people read it and love it as well warms my heart.
The plan for this series is to have six books in total, all of them released in 2022. You're welcome to come find me on other social media platforms if you want to hear more!
It has truly been an honor sharing this book with you all.
Thank you to everyone that has read One Night in Garoureve. I set out to write a book about a fat girl getting railed by a wolf shifter, and finding and loving herself along the way, and having so many people read it and love it as well warms my heart.
The plan for this series is to have six books in total, all of them released in 2022. You're welcome to come find me on other social media platforms if you want to hear more!
It has truly been an honor sharing this book with you all.
August 20, 2022
This one's a bit tricky.
I can definitively say this fell into the category of, "I wanted to like this more than I did."
Before I get into some of the more specific to the story elements, I want to say that as a whole it was...okay. Nice™, I guess. Not a particularly ground-breaking or trope-subverting shifter romance. Neither main has a real tangible personality, there isn't much plot, there's a lot of very repetitive inner dialogue and detail on every single overly similar day, I wasn't feeling the steam, the pacing is off—the story had lost me by the time the "reveal" came (anyone who reads paranormal and shifter fiction will guess it long before it comes up)—and the conflict wrap up left a lot to be desired—it's just over so damn fast and a lot of nothingburger.
Could have easily chopped 20% of this one—all repetitive bits— and had a tighter, more engaging story. It felt like I had spent a month reading by the time it was through.
Does this fulfill the promise of a fat girl getting railed by a shifter? Yes. Absolutely. The smutty scenes are rather long and do a lot of the lifting. Given the main plot premise is , this isn't really surprising.
So the actual tricky bit here... Uh, spoilers ahead.
How I feel about Ariana as a character and is this decent fat rep?
One thing I liked was the attempt to fit a chronic, often-debilitating illness into the story. Ariana has endometriosis, and while it played some part, it could have been explored more and was a missed opportunity for a major conflict point.
I'm nitpicky. 🤷♀️
Up front I want to acknowledge that writing about an Othered Identity is difficult to do.
In fiction in general, it is really hard to find fat protagonists. (Especially in traditional publishing.) However, PNR, AR, and SFR are full of "curvy girls", so this genre has the opportunity to really explore fat characters. Sadly, we get the same sadsack fat girl over and over again: she doesn't have any real friends, everyone keeps her around to look more attractive and thin, she has a really shitty ex boyfriend who verbally and emotionally abused her before cheating on her, and she's unable to think about anything except how fat she is—until she finds a man who gives her the ability to love herself.
Ariana's only real personality trait is Fat and Unhappy About It. There isn't much more to know about her than that, because the story spends a lot of time talking about the tragic fatness of Ariana's existence.
Which, yeah, absolutely is a Thing...
but if we're going to focus on fat pain and tragedy, can it at least be something not aesthetics? Maybe choose the real discrimination we face every day in personal, work, and medical settings? Maybe they did not want to be accused of being political or controversial for choosing a more nuanced characterization than "my thighs touch so everyone's MEAN to me," but this character left me really cold and annoyed that this is what I was being fed again.
This book had the energy of a size 10 Body Positivity influencer's "Love Yourself 😍😍😍" as the answer to the oppression fat people face in life. It felt shallow and dismissive.
There's absolutely room for this character in fiction—I'm not arguing this character can't exist, because "perfect" all the time is really boring too—but when a Sad Fat Person Stereotype is the only representation of a fat person we get, it's just more fatphobia, wrapped in body positivity when what we need is body neutrality and fat activism. There has to be more diverse representation; let us see some fat joy. Maybe future characters in this series will have variety to them, but starting off with SFPS makes me disinterested in seeing if things will get better from there. Sure, she's a safe introduction who will be non-threatening to thinner audiences because she's an expected trope, but if you say you want to do something new and different, you better be bold and actually do something we rarely get to see. Milquetoast, people-pleasing, self-hating fatty wasn't it.
So.
This read was fine. A lot of PNR fans will eat it up with a spoon. But I wish I could say I liked it more—or at least enough to want to try another in the series. I'm perfectly happy leaving here.
I can definitively say this fell into the category of, "I wanted to like this more than I did."
Before I get into some of the more specific to the story elements, I want to say that as a whole it was...okay. Nice™, I guess. Not a particularly ground-breaking or trope-subverting shifter romance. Neither main has a real tangible personality, there isn't much plot, there's a lot of very repetitive inner dialogue and detail on every single overly similar day, I wasn't feeling the steam, the pacing is off—the story had lost me by the time the "reveal" came (anyone who reads paranormal and shifter fiction will guess it long before it comes up)—and the conflict wrap up left a lot to be desired—it's just over so damn fast and a lot of nothingburger.
Could have easily chopped 20% of this one—all repetitive bits— and had a tighter, more engaging story. It felt like I had spent a month reading by the time it was through.
Does this fulfill the promise of a fat girl getting railed by a shifter? Yes. Absolutely. The smutty scenes are rather long and do a lot of the lifting. Given the main plot premise is , this isn't really surprising.
So the actual tricky bit here... Uh, spoilers ahead.
How I feel about Ariana as a character and is this decent fat rep?
One thing I liked was the attempt to fit a chronic, often-debilitating illness into the story. Ariana has endometriosis, and while it played some part, it could have been explored more and was a missed opportunity for a major conflict point.
I'm nitpicky. 🤷♀️
Up front I want to acknowledge that writing about an Othered Identity is difficult to do.
In fiction in general, it is really hard to find fat protagonists. (Especially in traditional publishing.) However, PNR, AR, and SFR are full of "curvy girls", so this genre has the opportunity to really explore fat characters. Sadly, we get the same sadsack fat girl over and over again: she doesn't have any real friends, everyone keeps her around to look more attractive and thin, she has a really shitty ex boyfriend who verbally and emotionally abused her before cheating on her, and she's unable to think about anything except how fat she is—until she finds a man who gives her the ability to love herself.
Ariana's only real personality trait is Fat and Unhappy About It. There isn't much more to know about her than that, because the story spends a lot of time talking about the tragic fatness of Ariana's existence.
Which, yeah, absolutely is a Thing...
but if we're going to focus on fat pain and tragedy, can it at least be something not aesthetics? Maybe choose the real discrimination we face every day in personal, work, and medical settings? Maybe they did not want to be accused of being political or controversial for choosing a more nuanced characterization than "my thighs touch so everyone's MEAN to me," but this character left me really cold and annoyed that this is what I was being fed again.
This book had the energy of a size 10 Body Positivity influencer's "Love Yourself 😍😍😍" as the answer to the oppression fat people face in life. It felt shallow and dismissive.
There's absolutely room for this character in fiction—I'm not arguing this character can't exist, because "perfect" all the time is really boring too—but when a Sad Fat Person Stereotype is the only representation of a fat person we get, it's just more fatphobia, wrapped in body positivity when what we need is body neutrality and fat activism. There has to be more diverse representation; let us see some fat joy. Maybe future characters in this series will have variety to them, but starting off with SFPS makes me disinterested in seeing if things will get better from there. Sure, she's a safe introduction who will be non-threatening to thinner audiences because she's an expected trope, but if you say you want to do something new and different, you better be bold and actually do something we rarely get to see. Milquetoast, people-pleasing, self-hating fatty wasn't it.
So.
This read was fine. A lot of PNR fans will eat it up with a spoon. But I wish I could say I liked it more—or at least enough to want to try another in the series. I'm perfectly happy leaving here.
December 25, 2022
Not what I expected.
I’m new to shifter books. In fact, this is my second and I have to say I was a little disappointed. I was expecting more wolf shifter focus. Instead this was more paranormal with a sprinkle of shifters. Think Brigadoon if there were werewolves.
Also, by the end the heroine was pretty frustrating. She looked away from the problems for way too long. Finally, when she confronted the hero and she was rightfully going to make him pay for continuously lying to her, she left him… for twenty minutes. That ought to show him.
The book was smex heavy which I like but this was a bit excessive even for me. I mean it’s hot but The first time they’re together it goes on for chapters and chapters. Also the positions they’re in are kinda of unnatural and confusing.
The writing was good and I liked Cole a lot but it wasn’t what I expected.
I’m new to shifter books. In fact, this is my second and I have to say I was a little disappointed. I was expecting more wolf shifter focus. Instead this was more paranormal with a sprinkle of shifters. Think Brigadoon if there were werewolves.
Also, by the end the heroine was pretty frustrating. She looked away from the problems for way too long. Finally, when she confronted the hero and she was rightfully going to make him pay for continuously lying to her, she left him… for twenty minutes. That ought to show him.
The book was smex heavy which I like but this was a bit excessive even for me. I mean it’s hot but The first time they’re together it goes on for chapters and chapters. Also the positions they’re in are kinda of unnatural and confusing.
The writing was good and I liked Cole a lot but it wasn’t what I expected.
December 16, 2021
This book needs trigger warnings everywhere. tw // discussion of weight, body image, unhealthy eating habits, etc
dnf. Plot? Nonexistent. Trying to pass off as “body positive” but really has a toxic internal monologue that says plus size women can’t pull hot guys, aren’t worthy of love, and can’t have good sex. The first 5(?) chapters are just smut, not good smut, weirdly written toxic smut that features the main character’s self-deprecating thoughts and a lack of knowledge for female anatomy somehow. How are you going to claim this is plus size positive and then have the main character discuss starving themself???? Absolute bs.
dnf. Plot? Nonexistent. Trying to pass off as “body positive” but really has a toxic internal monologue that says plus size women can’t pull hot guys, aren’t worthy of love, and can’t have good sex. The first 5(?) chapters are just smut, not good smut, weirdly written toxic smut that features the main character’s self-deprecating thoughts and a lack of knowledge for female anatomy somehow. How are you going to claim this is plus size positive and then have the main character discuss starving themself???? Absolute bs.
June 2, 2022
Spicy, sexy, and wolf time.
Bit repetitive in the middle but sexy times with a plus sized gal and her wolf man are always appreciated.
3.5 stars
4.5 on the spice scale
Bit repetitive in the middle but sexy times with a plus sized gal and her wolf man are always appreciated.
3.5 stars
4.5 on the spice scale
March 21, 2022
In the beginning, I wasn't really liking One Night in Garoureve. Mostly because of the main characters inner conflict. Or maybe it's just the conflict surrounding her weight in general. Either way, I really disliked how she viewed her body and the eating habits she went through. It wasn't really helping her in any way, but eventually she started to see herself in a different light. A much better light and that made me happy. Eventually.
Throughout the book she realizes that the negativity towards her body definitely started with how she was treated by other people. Those harsh vibes made things very toxic and relatable to people who deal with this every single day.
So, yeah, I ended up liking the main character towards the end of the book. I also liked how she was able to get rid of all the toxic things surrounding her and adding more positivity. Whether it was the right people, romance, or just falling in love with her own body.
In the end, this was an enjoyable book. One that was never on my radar until I randomly came across it on KU. Not sure if I will jump into the sequel right now but I might if the timing is right.
Throughout the book she realizes that the negativity towards her body definitely started with how she was treated by other people. Those harsh vibes made things very toxic and relatable to people who deal with this every single day.
So, yeah, I ended up liking the main character towards the end of the book. I also liked how she was able to get rid of all the toxic things surrounding her and adding more positivity. Whether it was the right people, romance, or just falling in love with her own body.
In the end, this was an enjoyable book. One that was never on my radar until I randomly came across it on KU. Not sure if I will jump into the sequel right now but I might if the timing is right.
August 30, 2022
The best part about this book is the character representation. Ariana is a plus size female chronically ill who struggles with her appearance and how people see her. First off, I really liked the plus size representation and I liked that it wasn't over romanticized, she is the way she is and there's nothing wrong with it. I liked that she felt real and I could totally relate to her, her character growth and how she comes to accept herself at the end was really satisfying.
Colburn, on his part, is a wolf-shifter, an alpha and I'm underlying alpha because I've never read a male character as sweet and considerate as him specially since he's supposed to be all possessive and domineering which he was don't get me wrong, just in the right situations and with the right amount.
Now, the thing that I struggled the most with is the plot. I think the mystery around the town had all my attention so I couldn't focus on Colburn and Ariana's relationship and it was frustrating because there were all this signs that something was wrong with the town but Ariana kept ignoring it and putting looking into it off for the next day and the next and the next until the last 50 pages of the book where everything was revealed and that it was lightening fast is an understatement.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the other books of the series now that I know the world and how it works.
Colburn, on his part, is a wolf-shifter, an alpha and I'm underlying alpha because I've never read a male character as sweet and considerate as him specially since he's supposed to be all possessive and domineering which he was don't get me wrong, just in the right situations and with the right amount.
Now, the thing that I struggled the most with is the plot. I think the mystery around the town had all my attention so I couldn't focus on Colburn and Ariana's relationship and it was frustrating because there were all this signs that something was wrong with the town but Ariana kept ignoring it and putting looking into it off for the next day and the next and the next until the last 50 pages of the book where everything was revealed and that it was lightening fast is an understatement.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the other books of the series now that I know the world and how it works.
November 20, 2021
I just finished this wonderful book. This book has the ability to quiet down my scrambling mind. It is written in such a inviting, addictive and wonderful style. I just couldn't put it down at all.
Before I dive into my review I want to thank the author for sharing her book with me in exchange for an honest review. It means the world to me. And I am definitely gonna purchase this book in paperback in the future! It deserves to be on shelve. Absolutely loved it.
The book is about Ariana who is on her way driving back home. She stops in the town of Garoureve to spend the night there and eat something. When she enters the bar, she is immediately drawn to the bar tender. Her soul and skin comes alive. At first she thinks he ignores her. But once he approaches her sparks fly and he takes her to apartment above the bar.
After a HOT night she leaves, but after a week she returns because she can't get him out of her mind.
Colburn and Ariana are just pure FIRE together. I LOVE the intimate scenes. I felt their connection, the hotness flew off the pages and totally grabbed my own soul. I felt every touch in my core. And I just couldn't stop reading.
What I love most is that the relationship is fully consensual. He never forces her, and puts her first every single time. I love that there is no cheating, no third parties. It was just a hot and magical journey of two people finding one another. I will definitely read this book multiple times.
I admire and adore the fact that Ariana is a plus size woman. She has stretch marks, she struggles with insecurities that society gives plus size people. I love that Colburn just sees her, he sees a gorgeous hot woman, who turns him on in each and every way. I loved that she can eat just as much as him, loves going to the bakery. And during the story she fully has her confidence back and that just adds to the story. I love how confident she is taking of her clothes. How she feels the power of her body over him.
It truly is perfectly written!
But even though Ariana is swept of her feet. She soon realizes that there is more going on in this town. She only spots two older woman. And a few men. Where are all the young people? And what is all that howling at night?
I love how she gives Colburn a chance. But also takes control of the situation. Their whole dynamic is just wonderful.
SPOILER ALERT!
At some point he gives her the chance to leave, after she discovers who he is. And I loved that scene. I love how much he loves her, trusts her, gives her a true choice. That was such a powerful scene.
And the whole writing style is just perfect. It has such a nice flow, I kept on reading and reading.
5 well deserved stars from me!
Before I dive into my review I want to thank the author for sharing her book with me in exchange for an honest review. It means the world to me. And I am definitely gonna purchase this book in paperback in the future! It deserves to be on shelve. Absolutely loved it.
The book is about Ariana who is on her way driving back home. She stops in the town of Garoureve to spend the night there and eat something. When she enters the bar, she is immediately drawn to the bar tender. Her soul and skin comes alive. At first she thinks he ignores her. But once he approaches her sparks fly and he takes her to apartment above the bar.
After a HOT night she leaves, but after a week she returns because she can't get him out of her mind.
Colburn and Ariana are just pure FIRE together. I LOVE the intimate scenes. I felt their connection, the hotness flew off the pages and totally grabbed my own soul. I felt every touch in my core. And I just couldn't stop reading.
What I love most is that the relationship is fully consensual. He never forces her, and puts her first every single time. I love that there is no cheating, no third parties. It was just a hot and magical journey of two people finding one another. I will definitely read this book multiple times.
I admire and adore the fact that Ariana is a plus size woman. She has stretch marks, she struggles with insecurities that society gives plus size people. I love that Colburn just sees her, he sees a gorgeous hot woman, who turns him on in each and every way. I loved that she can eat just as much as him, loves going to the bakery. And during the story she fully has her confidence back and that just adds to the story. I love how confident she is taking of her clothes. How she feels the power of her body over him.
It truly is perfectly written!
But even though Ariana is swept of her feet. She soon realizes that there is more going on in this town. She only spots two older woman. And a few men. Where are all the young people? And what is all that howling at night?
I love how she gives Colburn a chance. But also takes control of the situation. Their whole dynamic is just wonderful.
SPOILER ALERT!
At some point he gives her the chance to leave, after she discovers who he is. And I loved that scene. I love how much he loves her, trusts her, gives her a true choice. That was such a powerful scene.
And the whole writing style is just perfect. It has such a nice flow, I kept on reading and reading.
5 well deserved stars from me!
June 14, 2022
The things is... this isn't the best shapeshifter romance out there, and it was way too long, and the twist could've been revealed way sooner, but y'know what?
It is the only shapeshifter romance in my experience to acknowledge THAT FATED MATES ARE FUCKING WEIRD! 😳
Like... you're born and there's just some random person out there that smells the right way and at some point you're gonna meet and probably fuck a lot, and maybe fall in love, but you get no say in the matter?
...
WEIRD.
Usually pretty hot in a my feminist card is judging me and I can't seem to care kinda way, but still weird.
And I've never seen it addressed, aside from this story, and I LOVED that.
The heroine is fully, absolutely, FUCKING UNDERSTANDABLY losing her shit over it and questioning whether it's just magic or actually love BECAUSE YEAH, and the hero's not some growly douchebag asshole who tries to lock her in his bedroom until she sees sense.
...
Loved it. Love allllll of that.
And I know, from looking at the reviews, some readers are bummed out by the h's constant internal dialogue of fat-shaming herself, but I, personally, just found it really relatable.
I've been all sizes, chubby since childhood, overweight, starved myself sick, currently levelling out at soft and trying to be happy because FUCK SOCIETY AND INTERNAL MISOGYNY! But shit, that's stuff's ingrained, so Ariana's struggle felt very personal and real, and I'm grateful for it.
And having a muscly cinnamon roll not fetishising her size but just being really into her and respecting her was basically a gallon of icing on top.
Some of those sex positions, though... my joints ached in sympathy. Yeesh.
Long story short: This was stupid sweet, big on representation, a little slow, but sexy as hell, totally gonna read the next.
Bonus points for Endometriosis rep.
So little of it. Needs to be way more.
It is the only shapeshifter romance in my experience to acknowledge THAT FATED MATES ARE FUCKING WEIRD! 😳
Like... you're born and there's just some random person out there that smells the right way and at some point you're gonna meet and probably fuck a lot, and maybe fall in love, but you get no say in the matter?
...
WEIRD.
Usually pretty hot in a my feminist card is judging me and I can't seem to care kinda way, but still weird.
And I've never seen it addressed, aside from this story, and I LOVED that.
The heroine is fully, absolutely, FUCKING UNDERSTANDABLY losing her shit over it and questioning whether it's just magic or actually love BECAUSE YEAH, and the hero's not some growly douchebag asshole who tries to lock her in his bedroom until she sees sense.
...
Loved it. Love allllll of that.
And I know, from looking at the reviews, some readers are bummed out by the h's constant internal dialogue of fat-shaming herself, but I, personally, just found it really relatable.
I've been all sizes, chubby since childhood, overweight, starved myself sick, currently levelling out at soft and trying to be happy because FUCK SOCIETY AND INTERNAL MISOGYNY! But shit, that's stuff's ingrained, so Ariana's struggle felt very personal and real, and I'm grateful for it.
And having a muscly cinnamon roll not fetishising her size but just being really into her and respecting her was basically a gallon of icing on top.
Some of those sex positions, though... my joints ached in sympathy. Yeesh.
Long story short: This was stupid sweet, big on representation, a little slow, but sexy as hell, totally gonna read the next.
Bonus points for Endometriosis rep.
So little of it. Needs to be way more.
November 11, 2021
UNSPEAKABLY HOT And a How To manual essential for EVERY man!!
There are so many things I love about this book. First let me say that I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review and honest is what I've got for you. May contain mild spoilers.
I am not exaggerating when I say I want to buy every man I've ever met a copy of this book and make them memorize it line for line. Colburn is the perfect balance between savagely sexy and deeply caring.
First let's address our FMC. She is plus size and has realistic and deeply relatable issues from this. Her emotional needs connected to her issues are so spot on and easy to connect with. I also love that she isnt perfect in her plussiness and has endometriosis. It's so rare that we encounter chronic illnesses in romance novels and even rarer that it is dealt with in such a gentle and kind manner. Loved it.
Let's talk about our MLI: Colburn is a lesson in modern masculinity. He's an absolute ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air. Hes a KING of consent settling for nothing less than AN ENTHUSIASTIC YES but also seamlessly navigates the implied retraction of consent. Don't get it twisted though, hes no push over. And while he will absolutely destroy you in bed and leave you gasping for more, he'll also challenge and empower you too.
I LOVED so many scenes in this book. The entire book was an absolute treat from start to finish. After being disappointed by 2 books in a row this was exactly what I needed to refresh my palette. I cannot WAIT for Scarlett and Mardoc!!
There are so many things I love about this book. First let me say that I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review and honest is what I've got for you. May contain mild spoilers.
I am not exaggerating when I say I want to buy every man I've ever met a copy of this book and make them memorize it line for line. Colburn is the perfect balance between savagely sexy and deeply caring.
First let's address our FMC. She is plus size and has realistic and deeply relatable issues from this. Her emotional needs connected to her issues are so spot on and easy to connect with. I also love that she isnt perfect in her plussiness and has endometriosis. It's so rare that we encounter chronic illnesses in romance novels and even rarer that it is dealt with in such a gentle and kind manner. Loved it.
Let's talk about our MLI: Colburn is a lesson in modern masculinity. He's an absolute ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air. Hes a KING of consent settling for nothing less than AN ENTHUSIASTIC YES but also seamlessly navigates the implied retraction of consent. Don't get it twisted though, hes no push over. And while he will absolutely destroy you in bed and leave you gasping for more, he'll also challenge and empower you too.
I LOVED so many scenes in this book. The entire book was an absolute treat from start to finish. After being disappointed by 2 books in a row this was exactly what I needed to refresh my palette. I cannot WAIT for Scarlett and Mardoc!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2022
3/5 ⭐️s
**Trigger Warning**
I normally put TWs at the end of reviews, but I want to make sure and highlight that the FMC, Ariana, is a plus size woman with a lot of body issues. This is a big part of her character, and while no other characters fat shame her, she does fat shame herself a lot while trying to work through these issues.
I really liked the premise of this book, and I’m interested in learning more about Garoureve! The town and how that magic works was more intriguing than the actual mystery in this book, and I hope it’s explored more in the rest of the series!
Ariana and Colburn started off as a really great couple to cheer on. The spice was STEAMY, and I loved their one-night stand. I even loved how they fell back into that once Ariana returned to Garoureve…
What I didn’t love was how Ariana knew something was going on, and the plot stalled there for 70% of the book. I loved the sex; it was empowering to see a fat girl be adored like that, but I wish we’d gotten that with more moments in between with Ariana actively searching for answers…or learning about the townspeople…or something. The blurb makes it clear Colburn is a wolf shifter. I don’t understand why that needed to be a huge mystery that’s not solved until almost 80% into the story. I wish Ariana would’ve found out sooner, and the rest of the story could’ve been her coming to terms with this new world. Since that seems like what the rest of the series will be for, I’m definitely sticking around to learn more.
Spice: 4/5 🌶s
**Trigger Warning**
I normally put TWs at the end of reviews, but I want to make sure and highlight that the FMC, Ariana, is a plus size woman with a lot of body issues. This is a big part of her character, and while no other characters fat shame her, she does fat shame herself a lot while trying to work through these issues.
I really liked the premise of this book, and I’m interested in learning more about Garoureve! The town and how that magic works was more intriguing than the actual mystery in this book, and I hope it’s explored more in the rest of the series!
Ariana and Colburn started off as a really great couple to cheer on. The spice was STEAMY, and I loved their one-night stand. I even loved how they fell back into that once Ariana returned to Garoureve…
What I didn’t love was how Ariana knew something was going on, and the plot stalled there for 70% of the book. I loved the sex; it was empowering to see a fat girl be adored like that, but I wish we’d gotten that with more moments in between with Ariana actively searching for answers…or learning about the townspeople…or something. The blurb makes it clear Colburn is a wolf shifter. I don’t understand why that needed to be a huge mystery that’s not solved until almost 80% into the story. I wish Ariana would’ve found out sooner, and the rest of the story could’ve been her coming to terms with this new world. Since that seems like what the rest of the series will be for, I’m definitely sticking around to learn more.
Spice: 4/5 🌶s
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2021
One Night in Garoureve is a paranormal romance about a magical town that appears when it’s most needed, wolf shifters, fated mates and a women who’s lost and is just looking for someone to help her find herself.
Overall I really loved it and struggled putting it down once I got into it. While I would have loved to have seen more actual paranormal/shifter aspects in this book, it didn’t deter me from quickly finishing this one. I hadn’t read a physical book or ebook in over a month before picking this up, but Garoureve pulled me in and kept me reading until I finished. I loved the hero, Colburn. He was such a complex guy, cocky and all alpha one moment, shy and vulnerable the next. His utter devotion towards the heroine, Ariana was everything. I loved the chemistry between the two and phew, this book got S T E A M Y! That man worshiped the ground Ariana walked on and it made all the scenes that much more delicious. I also loved how clear he was over consent. It was crucial to Colburn that he received clear, verbal consent which was quite hot.
Ariana herself was great as well. She is a plus sized woman, who has really been down on her luck. She finds her fiancé cheating on her with her supposed best friend, she looses her job and all this really puts her in a place to reevaluate where she is in life and where she wants to go. On the way home from a wedding, she sees a sign to a town where she decides to stop for the night before continuing on. There, she meets the sexy bartender and has her world flipped upside down after a unforgettable night together.
I loved the aspect of a paranormal town that appears to people when they most need it. I would love to have learnt more about the town’s history and pull, so I’m hoping more of that comes in future books. I also want to see more of the pack dynamic and understand more about the history of the shifters. We learn Colburn is the alpha, but don’t see a lot of him in this role or get a ton of back story on him and how it came to be. I didn’t mind too much because the relationship between Colburn and Ariana distracted me just fine, but I’m so curious about the paranormal aspect and hope to see it have a bigger role in the next books. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will certainly be picking up the next when it’s out! If you want a super steamy romance with some shifter/paranormal aspects check this out! I love the direction it’s going and can’t wait to get more!
Tw: emotionally abusive relationship, cheating (not by the hero or heroine), body image struggles
Overall I really loved it and struggled putting it down once I got into it. While I would have loved to have seen more actual paranormal/shifter aspects in this book, it didn’t deter me from quickly finishing this one. I hadn’t read a physical book or ebook in over a month before picking this up, but Garoureve pulled me in and kept me reading until I finished. I loved the hero, Colburn. He was such a complex guy, cocky and all alpha one moment, shy and vulnerable the next. His utter devotion towards the heroine, Ariana was everything. I loved the chemistry between the two and phew, this book got S T E A M Y! That man worshiped the ground Ariana walked on and it made all the scenes that much more delicious. I also loved how clear he was over consent. It was crucial to Colburn that he received clear, verbal consent which was quite hot.
Ariana herself was great as well. She is a plus sized woman, who has really been down on her luck. She finds her fiancé cheating on her with her supposed best friend, she looses her job and all this really puts her in a place to reevaluate where she is in life and where she wants to go. On the way home from a wedding, she sees a sign to a town where she decides to stop for the night before continuing on. There, she meets the sexy bartender and has her world flipped upside down after a unforgettable night together.
I loved the aspect of a paranormal town that appears to people when they most need it. I would love to have learnt more about the town’s history and pull, so I’m hoping more of that comes in future books. I also want to see more of the pack dynamic and understand more about the history of the shifters. We learn Colburn is the alpha, but don’t see a lot of him in this role or get a ton of back story on him and how it came to be. I didn’t mind too much because the relationship between Colburn and Ariana distracted me just fine, but I’m so curious about the paranormal aspect and hope to see it have a bigger role in the next books. Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will certainly be picking up the next when it’s out! If you want a super steamy romance with some shifter/paranormal aspects check this out! I love the direction it’s going and can’t wait to get more!
Tw: emotionally abusive relationship, cheating (not by the hero or heroine), body image struggles
December 7, 2021
I’d like to thank the author for giving me an eARC of One Night In Garoureve.
This story is really cute and if you’ve grown up enjoying paranormal romances on Wattpad, this will for sure be to your liking (I read it in about 5-6 hours). It is heavily graphic when it comes to the sex scenes so if you’re hoping for a clean romance, this is not the book for you (please don't read it and then complain about the amount of smut, it's called erotic romance for a reason).
I particularly enjoyed how the heroine remained herself and didn’t get lost in the relationship with Colburn which is a thing that many stories with the fated mate trope struggle with. I loved how strong she is and how she doesn't back down from difficult decisions.
I was worried about the portrayal of a plus-sized heroine because at times it is done so poorly. But I can happily say that I was pleasantly surprised. Despite her having initial doubts about her beauty she learns to love herself as she is. I found the way it progressed, despite it being very quick, to be very realistic and I appreciated that. I really don't like it when girls are told by their man "You're beautiful" and all of a sudden it fixes their insecurities which is also something that doesn't happen here. She learns to love herself with time which I absolutely loved.
Overall I really liked this book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
This story is really cute and if you’ve grown up enjoying paranormal romances on Wattpad, this will for sure be to your liking (I read it in about 5-6 hours). It is heavily graphic when it comes to the sex scenes so if you’re hoping for a clean romance, this is not the book for you (please don't read it and then complain about the amount of smut, it's called erotic romance for a reason).
I particularly enjoyed how the heroine remained herself and didn’t get lost in the relationship with Colburn which is a thing that many stories with the fated mate trope struggle with. I loved how strong she is and how she doesn't back down from difficult decisions.
I was worried about the portrayal of a plus-sized heroine because at times it is done so poorly. But I can happily say that I was pleasantly surprised. Despite her having initial doubts about her beauty she learns to love herself as she is. I found the way it progressed, despite it being very quick, to be very realistic and I appreciated that. I really don't like it when girls are told by their man "You're beautiful" and all of a sudden it fixes their insecurities which is also something that doesn't happen here. She learns to love herself with time which I absolutely loved.
Overall I really liked this book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
December 16, 2021
There is a real gap in the market for plus sized female leads in romance and I was quite excited to see where this went, but within the first chapter it was just so disappointing. There is just so much self-loathing from the main character and every other sentence is how big she is, how uncomfortable she is, how shocked she is that this beautiful man could possibly find her attractive and it just makes me sad.
I am here for female leads having insecurities, that is realistic and refreshing to read when they come up in books! However for this it just felt more like fat-phobia than anything else and it was so strange reading it in this book that I thought was meant to be a positive representation of fat women! I ultimately had to dnf it because it just was making me sad and angry reading how much the character seemed to loathe themselves.
I believe this is meant to be a series and I hope for the future books there is more dimension to these women than just how big they are. Fat people are more than just their weight, they are sexy and beautiful and can pull gorgeous men and don’t need to rely on having sex with buff shifters to realise those things about themselves.
I am here for female leads having insecurities, that is realistic and refreshing to read when they come up in books! However for this it just felt more like fat-phobia than anything else and it was so strange reading it in this book that I thought was meant to be a positive representation of fat women! I ultimately had to dnf it because it just was making me sad and angry reading how much the character seemed to loathe themselves.
I believe this is meant to be a series and I hope for the future books there is more dimension to these women than just how big they are. Fat people are more than just their weight, they are sexy and beautiful and can pull gorgeous men and don’t need to rely on having sex with buff shifters to realise those things about themselves.
March 14, 2023
||3.5 stars||
this book was a big fuck fest, with a really cutee romance which was super light on the plot
we begin with Ariana who is fed up of her monotonous life, with her stupid job, jerk boyfriend and backstabbing best friend
so one day after getting fired and finding out her boyfriend cheated on her, she packs up her stuff and drives away
somehow she ends up in garoureve where she meets the enigmatic cole…..
plus size heroine🥰
wolf shifters🐺
mates✨
friends to lovers💛
“consent is sexy”🤩
adorable ml🫶🏼
h realising she’s good enough🥹
protective/possessive hero🤌🏻
taking care of the fl during her periods💍💍
inner conflict🥲
loads of sexy times🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
something that might trigger some, is the blatant disrespect and negativity the h had towards her body while no one in the book body shames her, she constantly does it to herself but ofc by the end learns to love herself (the ml lead also played a part in helping the fmc accept herself)
i was kinda scared that the author made all the heroines in her series insecure with their body image but i went ahead and checked and thankfully that was not the case, on the contrary the other heroines in this series were really proud of themselves and loved their body.
Safety
no virgins/manwhores
no cheating
no om/ow drama
body shaming oneself
low self esteem h
💌💌💌
“You’re going to have to get me a dresser and make space in the closet for me,” she said with a grin, nodding as she spoke.
“Fuck, I’ll burn all my clothes and stay naked if I have to, so you can have your own space,”
“And you’re mine,” she repeated again. She wanted to hear him say it. Wanted him to confirm it.
“You’re made for me,” he murmured. “Just like I’m made for you. Two parts of a whole. Never felt complete until you, my beautiful m—”
He had gone and purchased another hot water bottle, so that she always had a warm one.
He fixed her all of the comfort food. When she had stained the sheets, he had washed them and changed the bedding.
He had rubbed her back and her feet and her hands, had held her up in the shower, had washed her hair, and even washed her clothes.
He had done everything she could have ever asked of him, and more. Things she never would have dared to ask. Things she never would have even considered were a possibility.
All of her needs were met. All of her desires were exceeded. He was taking excellent care of her and she didn’t know how to handle it.
this book was a big fuck fest, with a really cutee romance which was super light on the plot
we begin with Ariana who is fed up of her monotonous life, with her stupid job, jerk boyfriend and backstabbing best friend
so one day after getting fired and finding out her boyfriend cheated on her, she packs up her stuff and drives away
somehow she ends up in garoureve where she meets the enigmatic cole…..
plus size heroine🥰
wolf shifters🐺
mates✨
friends to lovers💛
“consent is sexy”🤩
adorable ml🫶🏼
h realising she’s good enough🥹
protective/possessive hero🤌🏻
taking care of the fl during her periods💍💍
inner conflict🥲
loads of sexy times🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
something that might trigger some, is the blatant disrespect and negativity the h had towards her body while no one in the book body shames her, she constantly does it to herself but ofc by the end learns to love herself (the ml lead also played a part in helping the fmc accept herself)
i was kinda scared that the author made all the heroines in her series insecure with their body image but i went ahead and checked and thankfully that was not the case, on the contrary the other heroines in this series were really proud of themselves and loved their body.
Safety
no virgins/manwhores
no cheating
no om/ow drama
body shaming oneself
low self esteem h
💌💌💌
“You’re going to have to get me a dresser and make space in the closet for me,” she said with a grin, nodding as she spoke.
“Fuck, I’ll burn all my clothes and stay naked if I have to, so you can have your own space,”
“And you’re mine,” she repeated again. She wanted to hear him say it. Wanted him to confirm it.
“You’re made for me,” he murmured. “Just like I’m made for you. Two parts of a whole. Never felt complete until you, my beautiful m—”
He had gone and purchased another hot water bottle, so that she always had a warm one.
He fixed her all of the comfort food. When she had stained the sheets, he had washed them and changed the bedding.
He had rubbed her back and her feet and her hands, had held her up in the shower, had washed her hair, and even washed her clothes.
He had done everything she could have ever asked of him, and more. Things she never would have dared to ask. Things she never would have even considered were a possibility.
All of her needs were met. All of her desires were exceeded. He was taking excellent care of her and she didn’t know how to handle it.
June 11, 2022
Oh boy...
One Night in Garoureve was nothing like I was expecting and at the same time, it kind of was. Did this book deliver on what it said it was? Yes. Do I still feel like I am missing something? Absolutely.
I am finding it hard to write this review because while I couldn't put it down there were some parts of this book that bothered me. I felt like Ariana didn't give nearly as good as she got. Colburn was sweet, almost over the top but I kind of liked it. Fated mate and shifter stories always progress faster because of the bond there. Yet, I felt like he was entirely in with her and even at the end she wasn't ever truly invested in him or Garoureve.
Then the "body positive" aspect of the story really bothered me. Ariana was struggling, I get that. I really do. And yet I felt like it was too much? Like, she was constantly harping on her size but in the end, she truly did love herself? I get everyone's journey is different, but I felt like after reading this book I came out of it kind of hating my body. That has never been me.
For the most part this book was exactly what it said it was and I didn't hate it, far from it. I loved the town, the magic, and the way it almost pulled Ariana back. Even when she wasn't sure what she was going to do the pull was still there. I would have liked more of the shifter aspect, but it is a start of a new series so that is forgiving.
Not sure if I will continue this series or not. I had some high hopes for it, but it just didn't deliver in the way I had hoped.
One Night in Garoureve was nothing like I was expecting and at the same time, it kind of was. Did this book deliver on what it said it was? Yes. Do I still feel like I am missing something? Absolutely.
I am finding it hard to write this review because while I couldn't put it down there were some parts of this book that bothered me. I felt like Ariana didn't give nearly as good as she got. Colburn was sweet, almost over the top but I kind of liked it. Fated mate and shifter stories always progress faster because of the bond there. Yet, I felt like he was entirely in with her and even at the end she wasn't ever truly invested in him or Garoureve.
Then the "body positive" aspect of the story really bothered me. Ariana was struggling, I get that. I really do. And yet I felt like it was too much? Like, she was constantly harping on her size but in the end, she truly did love herself? I get everyone's journey is different, but I felt like after reading this book I came out of it kind of hating my body. That has never been me.
For the most part this book was exactly what it said it was and I didn't hate it, far from it. I loved the town, the magic, and the way it almost pulled Ariana back. Even when she wasn't sure what she was going to do the pull was still there. I would have liked more of the shifter aspect, but it is a start of a new series so that is forgiving.
Not sure if I will continue this series or not. I had some high hopes for it, but it just didn't deliver in the way I had hoped.
December 30, 2021
I dnf’d at 30%. I kept reading to see if it would get better and it just wasn’t doing it for me. The first 5 chapters were just smut, and imo poorly written smut at that. I could have done with a little less, or consolidated. It felt like too much. A big thing that drew my attention was the advertisement of plus size heroine romance. It’s not everyday you see that. I was immediately disappointed there too. The main character is so self deprecating and is constantly fat shaming herself. There is even a comment on how she was STARVING HERSELF. why? Literally why? I just wish we could have had even a little bit of body positivity but I didn’t see any. If the trope here is, I can’t possibly be confident in my body unless a hot man tells me so? Absolutely not. Pass. But I’ll never know 🤷♀️
I stuck around to see if post sex, we’d have some plot. And apparently the only plot I got to see was her toxic ex boyfriend, the MC proving she had a one night stand by dropping her pants (DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO THIS? WHY?), and the obvious “mystery” of the town being that it’s basically a room of requirement but in town format. Again, there could be more but I stopped.
I stopped at the end of chapter 9, I decided not to waste my time anymore.
Also, if you don’t like the term of endearment “kitten” it’s in there, immediately.
I stuck around to see if post sex, we’d have some plot. And apparently the only plot I got to see was her toxic ex boyfriend, the MC proving she had a one night stand by dropping her pants (DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO THIS? WHY?), and the obvious “mystery” of the town being that it’s basically a room of requirement but in town format. Again, there could be more but I stopped.
I stopped at the end of chapter 9, I decided not to waste my time anymore.
Also, if you don’t like the term of endearment “kitten” it’s in there, immediately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2021
I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
First things first, I DEVOURED THIS BOOK! Every free moment I had I was reading it until I was done. I loved the electric chemistry between the MCs and the spice was IMMACULATE. Like omg every curvy girl needs this book. And the actual romance 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 I loved them together.
Above and beyond this SIZZLING romance was the amazing touch points of living with endometriosis, life as a plus size woman, and being in an emotionally abusive relationship. I really appreciated how Elle was able to weave this in without bringing readers down to a low. I will admit there were times I struggled with Ari’s internal struggle and at times it frustrated me. However, I really liked the commentary Elle made and the way it was handled ( I don’t want to give any spoilers bc I think it’s an important part of the journey).
All in all this book is HOT HOT HOT! Love Ari, Colburn is a new book bf, and you can bet I’ll be reading the next books in the series!
I already ordered myself a paperback copy bc I know I’m going to need to refer back to some of those scenes 😏.
First things first, I DEVOURED THIS BOOK! Every free moment I had I was reading it until I was done. I loved the electric chemistry between the MCs and the spice was IMMACULATE. Like omg every curvy girl needs this book. And the actual romance 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 I loved them together.
Above and beyond this SIZZLING romance was the amazing touch points of living with endometriosis, life as a plus size woman, and being in an emotionally abusive relationship. I really appreciated how Elle was able to weave this in without bringing readers down to a low. I will admit there were times I struggled with Ari’s internal struggle and at times it frustrated me. However, I really liked the commentary Elle made and the way it was handled ( I don’t want to give any spoilers bc I think it’s an important part of the journey).
All in all this book is HOT HOT HOT! Love Ari, Colburn is a new book bf, and you can bet I’ll be reading the next books in the series!
I already ordered myself a paperback copy bc I know I’m going to need to refer back to some of those scenes 😏.
May 4, 2022
This wasn’t for me. I did finish it, but it was a bit of a slog. I found myself skimming sometimes because nothing seemed to be progressing the story forward.
The sex scenes were unrealistic and fell flat. There were a few times when I had to go back and reread a paragraph or two because I missed the finish, so to speak, and had to figure out why all of a sudden the heroine was falling asleep.
The heroine’s inner monologue got very old, very quickly. She was either asking herself questions over and over again (but completely missing every clue about what was going on) or she was second guessing herself.
She talks down about herself constantly. There is a lot of internalized fatphobia there. She comes to realize that she doesn’t actually hate herself, she loves her body, she just hates how others have always treated her - only that, to me, doesn’t match how she thinks about herself in her own head. I think (hope) that the author’s intention was to write something body positive, but it doesn’t come across that way to this reader.
I don’t think I will continue with this series.
The sex scenes were unrealistic and fell flat. There were a few times when I had to go back and reread a paragraph or two because I missed the finish, so to speak, and had to figure out why all of a sudden the heroine was falling asleep.
The heroine’s inner monologue got very old, very quickly. She was either asking herself questions over and over again (but completely missing every clue about what was going on) or she was second guessing herself.
She talks down about herself constantly. There is a lot of internalized fatphobia there. She comes to realize that she doesn’t actually hate herself, she loves her body, she just hates how others have always treated her - only that, to me, doesn’t match how she thinks about herself in her own head. I think (hope) that the author’s intention was to write something body positive, but it doesn’t come across that way to this reader.
I don’t think I will continue with this series.
November 4, 2021
I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review, so here it is.
Did I start reading this book last night at 10 thinking I'll read a few chapters and go to bed? Yes
Did I finish it and go to bed at 3 am? Also yes
Am I in severe withdrawal thinking I can't read the rest of this series because it's not written. Definitely
This was written very well, the mystery surrounding the town was well done, the romance/sex was on 🔥
I love reading about a plus size woman who get worshipped by a strong alpha man!
Now my first language is French so the name of the town made sense and it was cute!
I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
For fans of paranormal romance, you need to read this book. Just don't start it thinking you won't finish it in one sitting.
Did I start reading this book last night at 10 thinking I'll read a few chapters and go to bed? Yes
Did I finish it and go to bed at 3 am? Also yes
Am I in severe withdrawal thinking I can't read the rest of this series because it's not written. Definitely
This was written very well, the mystery surrounding the town was well done, the romance/sex was on 🔥
I love reading about a plus size woman who get worshipped by a strong alpha man!
Now my first language is French so the name of the town made sense and it was cute!
I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
For fans of paranormal romance, you need to read this book. Just don't start it thinking you won't finish it in one sitting.
January 24, 2022
DNF: Just boring!!
July 13, 2022
This is for the 18+ crowd 🌶
3.5 stars but rounding up 🤷🏽♀️
Ariana is fed up with her life and it’s in shambles as she was fired from her job, she found her boyfriend cheating with her ex-bestfriend and she’s not happy with herself. Colburn is the main man in Garoureve and runs the local bar. One night after a wedding Ariana finds herself in Garoureve and met Colburn sparking a whole a chain of events lol
I enjoyed this book for what it is, which is a fun, schmutty read. However, it’s not my typical type as it did have insta-love type vibes and normally I’m not the one for these types of romances, but I really enjoyed the small-town magic and I felt like it wasn’t focused on enough and I so wish it did. I also appreciated the endo rep and plus size rep in this. Yes, Ariana is often self-depreciating and self loathing so if you want a plus size character that doesn’t have these qualities, definitely look for another book.
But otherwise if you want a schmutty, fated lovers, insta-love, monster romance - I say go for it! It was a fun read and it got me out of a book slump. The 🌶 scenes are very extended - so be warned if that’s not for you.
I’ll probably read the next couple in the series because I do like the plus size rep and the small-town magic vibes ✨
CW: self-depreciation, eating disorders, cheating, negative body image, etc.
3.5 stars but rounding up 🤷🏽♀️
Ariana is fed up with her life and it’s in shambles as she was fired from her job, she found her boyfriend cheating with her ex-bestfriend and she’s not happy with herself. Colburn is the main man in Garoureve and runs the local bar. One night after a wedding Ariana finds herself in Garoureve and met Colburn sparking a whole a chain of events lol
I enjoyed this book for what it is, which is a fun, schmutty read. However, it’s not my typical type as it did have insta-love type vibes and normally I’m not the one for these types of romances, but I really enjoyed the small-town magic and I felt like it wasn’t focused on enough and I so wish it did. I also appreciated the endo rep and plus size rep in this. Yes, Ariana is often self-depreciating and self loathing so if you want a plus size character that doesn’t have these qualities, definitely look for another book.
But otherwise if you want a schmutty, fated lovers, insta-love, monster romance - I say go for it! It was a fun read and it got me out of a book slump. The 🌶 scenes are very extended - so be warned if that’s not for you.
I’ll probably read the next couple in the series because I do like the plus size rep and the small-town magic vibes ✨
CW: self-depreciation, eating disorders, cheating, negative body image, etc.
July 24, 2023
Magic town and mates
There was a lot of back and forth that made the story a bit repetitive. Which I notice happens a lot when a character has a major roadblock mentally and/or emotionally to work through and a new author isn’t sure how to navigate it other than restating the problem different ways. But since this was the author’s first book no big deal. I’m just glad it was still a good story because I really wanted to like this author because she writes plus-size characters. What this book definitely has going for it is detailed and descriptive smut it was so so good. There wasn’t quite enough to make me have to move on to the next book but I’ll make my way through eventually.
There was a lot of back and forth that made the story a bit repetitive. Which I notice happens a lot when a character has a major roadblock mentally and/or emotionally to work through and a new author isn’t sure how to navigate it other than restating the problem different ways. But since this was the author’s first book no big deal. I’m just glad it was still a good story because I really wanted to like this author because she writes plus-size characters. What this book definitely has going for it is detailed and descriptive smut it was so so good. There wasn’t quite enough to make me have to move on to the next book but I’ll make my way through eventually.
July 19, 2022
There’s a lot of criticisms I could level at this book - it was far from perfect - but I’m just going to say it had a fun, carefree vibe that suited my purposes exactly. Loved the fat girl rep, the spice was good and the writing was decent, and overall it was mindless and refreshing for a sad, tired girl such as I.
Heads up to anyone going in: this is definitely one of those smut-with-a-small-side-of-plot stories. It is the sprinkling of cracked pepper on a bowl of pasta, the mint leaf garnish in a cocktail equivalent of a plot-to-smut ratio.
Heads up to anyone going in: this is definitely one of those smut-with-a-small-side-of-plot stories. It is the sprinkling of cracked pepper on a bowl of pasta, the mint leaf garnish in a cocktail equivalent of a plot-to-smut ratio.
Want to read
May 8, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/7/2022)! 🎁
January 7, 2022
Rating even though I had to DNF. My DNFing was a me thing not an author thing.
First we hit on what everybody wants to know with romance:The sex was hot - like 3 chapters of pure meltdown right off the bat hot - but I didn't like quite how much the author commented on the MCs concern over body type. It made sense for the character with her backstory. Her model-esk lover made it clear that he enjoyed her size. I wasn't in a place where it was ok for me to have that in my head.
Positive note for how committed the author and characters were to consent and communication!
The story had great small town vibes, woodsy werewolf territory, and the setup of a good pack structure for as far as I went in. Overall good for anyone hungering for a new were/shifter series.
Could it have used a pass through by an editor for repetitive words and phrasing? Yeah, but I know this was a self-pub, first book, on a limited budget. Structure and plot were strong enough to ignore nit-picky book snobbery. The author shows real promise, has a commitment to body positivity, and will certainly improve as she gets more writing under her belt.
Worth a read. Not my current speed.
First we hit on what everybody wants to know with romance:The sex was hot - like 3 chapters of pure meltdown right off the bat hot - but I didn't like quite how much the author commented on the MCs concern over body type. It made sense for the character with her backstory. Her model-esk lover made it clear that he enjoyed her size. I wasn't in a place where it was ok for me to have that in my head.
Positive note for how committed the author and characters were to consent and communication!
The story had great small town vibes, woodsy werewolf territory, and the setup of a good pack structure for as far as I went in. Overall good for anyone hungering for a new were/shifter series.
Could it have used a pass through by an editor for repetitive words and phrasing? Yeah, but I know this was a self-pub, first book, on a limited budget. Structure and plot were strong enough to ignore nit-picky book snobbery. The author shows real promise, has a commitment to body positivity, and will certainly improve as she gets more writing under her belt.
Worth a read. Not my current speed.
June 14, 2022
What a great discovery of a book! And what a wonderful representation on non-toxic masculinity. Not to mention it tackled a question I've always had about Fated Mates "Do you love me or is is nature?" This book is like a long warm hug. Lots of feelz and smoking hot sexiness. I'm so diving into thecrest of this series.
Read
May 24, 2022I found this one as a tiktok recommendation and what sparked my interest was that it was a supernatural romance with a plus-sized main character. I have always been intrigued by supernatural romances and have had many highly recommended to me, but have never seen one with a character I could relate to in that way. Some pros: I managed to read this in two days, so it was definitely able to keep my attention. I also really enjoyed seeing Ariana's journey over the course of the book. However, I do have some complaints that are keeping me from giving this an actual rating. Firstly, the supernatural aspect was not at the forefront of the story until I was about 70% of the way through the book. That was a big selling point to me, so I was a little disappointed that we didn't get a bit more history or background on the town and the people that live there. I imagine there will be more in the following books, but I do wonder if it's too little too late as far as getting me interested enough to pursue the sequel. Also, the spicy scenes are not really the big pull of romance novels for me, definitely not as much as the development of the relationship between the two main characters. I loved the little moments Colburn and Ariana had together, getting to know each other and enjoying each other's company. Those moments, , were gold to me. However, there were not nearly as many of those moments as there were sex scenes and I found myself getting a little bored and not really understanding what was drawing them together I saw some other reviews that talked about the length of those scenes being perhaps a little too long, and I definitely agree on that front. Despite those flaws, I am glad that I read this and am thankful to the author for giving some decent plus-size representation in the genre.
November 22, 2022
3.25 ⭐
🌶️100/10
I was looking for books with FMCs that are plus size and have to deal with bodies that don't necessarily love them back and this was recommended to me. This may contain spoileresqe statements, but I'm not going to blow any major storylines.
I actually enjoyed this book, even though I'm giving it a not so great rating. I read it in 1 day. What keeps it from being a home run for me is two things:
1 - I wanted more story development. I know this is the first of a six (I think) book series, but I wanted to know more about the town, the magic, Cole's background. All of the signs are pointing one way but we're just going to ignore them for 90% of the book and then rush to explain it all in the last chapter. It just left me wanting more.
2 - What did not leave me wanting more was the erotica. Like...wow...don't get me wrong I can handle my erotica, but for some reason this was just a little much for me. I felt like the focus was too much on fitting the story into the erotica instead of the other way around. But that's just my opinion.
I can absolutely relate to Ariana's struggles and pain. People Pleaser? ✔️ Endometriosis?✔️ Friends who aren't really your friends? ✔️✔️ Wanting to like yourself but hating yourself instead?✔️✔️✔️ infinity. Ariana and I are sisters from another mister. I loved her character growth and development and am actually quite jealous of it because I'm not there yet! I dream of the day that I will have confidence in myself like she obtains. I think the biggest take away from this book is that the love of a good man can help fix and heal a lot of the broken parts of a woman. (I have one so I know).
I don't know if I will continue the series yet. I want to know what happens to Garoureve but just not sure if I can hang through 5 more books that might leave me wanting like this one did.
🌶️100/10
I was looking for books with FMCs that are plus size and have to deal with bodies that don't necessarily love them back and this was recommended to me. This may contain spoileresqe statements, but I'm not going to blow any major storylines.
I actually enjoyed this book, even though I'm giving it a not so great rating. I read it in 1 day. What keeps it from being a home run for me is two things:
1 - I wanted more story development. I know this is the first of a six (I think) book series, but I wanted to know more about the town, the magic, Cole's background. All of the signs are pointing one way but we're just going to ignore them for 90% of the book and then rush to explain it all in the last chapter. It just left me wanting more.
2 - What did not leave me wanting more was the erotica. Like...wow...don't get me wrong I can handle my erotica, but for some reason this was just a little much for me. I felt like the focus was too much on fitting the story into the erotica instead of the other way around. But that's just my opinion.
I can absolutely relate to Ariana's struggles and pain. People Pleaser? ✔️ Endometriosis?✔️ Friends who aren't really your friends? ✔️✔️ Wanting to like yourself but hating yourself instead?✔️✔️✔️ infinity. Ariana and I are sisters from another mister. I loved her character growth and development and am actually quite jealous of it because I'm not there yet! I dream of the day that I will have confidence in myself like she obtains. I think the biggest take away from this book is that the love of a good man can help fix and heal a lot of the broken parts of a woman. (I have one so I know).
I don't know if I will continue the series yet. I want to know what happens to Garoureve but just not sure if I can hang through 5 more books that might leave me wanting like this one did.
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