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Pack Saint Clair #1
Lilacs and Leather
She's safe as long as she's hidden.
Lydia Anderson is an unbonded omega who left her life behind to escape a family more interested in their status than protecting their daughter from an alpha who won't take no for an answer. It took everything, but Lydia managed to break free, running as far as she could. Now she lives with her head down, avoiding attention.
Her past is still on the hunt. And she can't get caught again.
Pack Saint Clair is everything Lydia has been taught to want. They're rich, influential, and beautiful. A chance encounter sets her on a collision course with the three alphas and their beta, and instincts long ignored flare to life, setting fire to all of their carefully laid defenses. But Lydia knows that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Pack Saint Clair has a secret, one that could destroy everything they've worked to create. And that skeleton in their closet has set its sights on Lydia.
When the past comes to call, can the pack keep their omega safe?
Lydia Anderson is an unbonded omega who left her life behind to escape a family more interested in their status than protecting their daughter from an alpha who won't take no for an answer. It took everything, but Lydia managed to break free, running as far as she could. Now she lives with her head down, avoiding attention.
Her past is still on the hunt. And she can't get caught again.
Pack Saint Clair is everything Lydia has been taught to want. They're rich, influential, and beautiful. A chance encounter sets her on a collision course with the three alphas and their beta, and instincts long ignored flare to life, setting fire to all of their carefully laid defenses. But Lydia knows that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Pack Saint Clair has a secret, one that could destroy everything they've worked to create. And that skeleton in their closet has set its sights on Lydia.
When the past comes to call, can the pack keep their omega safe?
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2021
1056 people are currently reading
5367 people want to read
About the author
Thora Woods
12 books461 followersThora has been a lifelong dreamer and creator of stories. From acting out elaborate and daring rescues with her dolls as a child, to putting pen to paper and fingers to keys as an adult, she has honed her voice and craft through years of work and practice.
A romantic at heart, Thora fell in love with the romance genre through books like Lola and the Millionaires, The Devil's Syndicate series, and many more. Now she has taken the first steps toward sharing the stories in her heart with the world.
A romantic at heart, Thora fell in love with the romance genre through books like Lola and the Millionaires, The Devil's Syndicate series, and many more. Now she has taken the first steps toward sharing the stories in her heart with the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 683 reviews
December 15, 2021
The only real thing that I liked about this book was the fact that the pack is led by a female alpha. Its honestly so rare to find paranormal/omegaverse/reverse harem books with an alpha female, let alone a prime alpha female. I'll probably read the next book just for Alexandra's scenes. I'm very curious about her and her relationship with Lydia
Other than this, everything else was just meh
1. I didn't enjoy the sex scenes. I remember skipping over a lot of them, most probably because they always seemed to come out of nowhere. I also didn't understand how she trusted these men so fast after telling us over and over that she couldn't trust alphas
2. The BDSM just didn't cut it. Maybe its because I no longer have a vested interest in BDSM stories or maybe because the BDSM in this book just didn't fit. See.... our girl Lydia has been through some shit with a controlling rapist alpha before. Coming from that, I didn't see why the author thought that hooking her up with a man who liked to be controlling in bed would be a good idea.
3. This was not a TRUE reverse harem. Its more of a poly story and that's definitely not what I was looking for. We spend about 90% of this book with just Lydia and Rhett and their relationship. The rest of the pack just takes a backseat and only pops in once in a while. I like stories where the group just meshes together
4. The time jumps - The story just kept fast forwarding and suddenly people are getting along and have fallen in love. I was denied the chance to see these relationships form and I'm salty about it.
5. Very repetitive -Especially with the abusive ex thing and her family. We get it. The ex was a grade A asshole that doesn't deserve to walk on this earth and her family is full of conservative Bible humping idiots. Now can we get to the action part where her family members are put in their place and the ex gets his nuts ground into a fine paste and brains blown out (hopefully)?
6. Lydia doesn't really have much of a backbone. Yes we see her standing up for herself in some scenes but she quickly falls back into the scared omega role. Hopefully this is fixed in book 2
Other than this, everything else was just meh
1. I didn't enjoy the sex scenes. I remember skipping over a lot of them, most probably because they always seemed to come out of nowhere. I also didn't understand how she trusted these men so fast after telling us over and over that she couldn't trust alphas
2. The BDSM just didn't cut it. Maybe its because I no longer have a vested interest in BDSM stories or maybe because the BDSM in this book just didn't fit. See.... our girl Lydia has been through some shit with a controlling rapist alpha before. Coming from that, I didn't see why the author thought that hooking her up with a man who liked to be controlling in bed would be a good idea.
3. This was not a TRUE reverse harem. Its more of a poly story and that's definitely not what I was looking for. We spend about 90% of this book with just Lydia and Rhett and their relationship. The rest of the pack just takes a backseat and only pops in once in a while. I like stories where the group just meshes together
4. The time jumps - The story just kept fast forwarding and suddenly people are getting along and have fallen in love. I was denied the chance to see these relationships form and I'm salty about it.
5. Very repetitive -Especially with the abusive ex thing and her family. We get it. The ex was a grade A asshole that doesn't deserve to walk on this earth and her family is full of conservative Bible humping idiots. Now can we get to the action part where her family members are put in their place and the ex gets his nuts ground into a fine paste and brains blown out (hopefully)?
6. Lydia doesn't really have much of a backbone. Yes we see her standing up for herself in some scenes but she quickly falls back into the scared omega role. Hopefully this is fixed in book 2
November 14, 2024
✅ Characters
✅ Healing journey
✅ Reverse harem and smut
✅ Sweet romance
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ Some flashbacks that didn’t bore me
✅🆗 Overcomplicating things at times
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of past physical and sexual abuse, manipulation, stalking, threats, BDSM, and car accident
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Despite the dark themes present in the MC's past, it's light, and the characters are easy to love.
Lydia Anderson escaped her abusive boyfriend and toxic family 4 years ago and now lives a quiet life. She works at a flower shop with her best friend and tried dating a few times, but she understandably struggles to trust alphas. When she meets Rhett, she is forced to admit that what her family taught her about alpha-omega relationships might have been a load of crap, because he doesn’t try to take advantage of her, instead, he respects her and shows her what true love and partnership means. Before long, she is also introduced to the rest of Rhett’s pack, and the more time she spends with Mateo, Lex, and Lucas, the harder it is to resist them.
It was easy to get sucked into this story from the beginning. The pace is good, and while the plot is not the most elaborate, as this is a character-driven book, it is still an enjoyable and engaging book.
Lydia is a good omega protagonist. She is sweet, kind, and caring, scarred from her traumatic past and vulnerable at times, but she is also a badass and will not hesitate to defend her loved ones or herself when her fight or flight mode engages and she decides to fight. She is sassy and confident, but we can see that underneath is a lot of insecurities and wounds, and I loved seeing her healing journey. I know many readers complained that she lacked a backbone and was too weak at times, but I still admire the strength she showed in this book, and I think she will only grow stronger and more confident as the series progresses.
Her past is dark, and some flashbacks depict scenes of domestic abuse, but despite that heaviness, the book as a whole feels light and fast-paced. We can also see how Lydia’s family is part of the problem here, as they are very religious with a conservative mindset, and they are trying to manipulate Lydia to get her back with her ex so she can marry him, bond with him, and have the life they planned for her. It was a relief to see that she at least had a brother on her side, willing to fight for her and protect her from her toxic family.
Amen to Rhett and his way of making sure consent is given every. Single. Time.
The way he cherishes Lydia and makes her feel seen and heard is adorable, as is the way Mateo makes her feel carefree and free of her past whenever he takes her out. We can already see how every member of the pack will be able to help Lydia in their way, and how she will make them happy and complete too.
This series is a reverse harem, that will expand in the future books. For now, Lydia started a romantic relationship with two alphas from the Saint Clair pack, but we can see that she is also attracted to Lucas, their beta, and Lex, the prime alpha. I am intrigued and excited to see how the relationship between Lex and Lydia will develop, as this is my first RH series with a female love interest. In this omegaverse series, being polyamorous or queer is not the norm in packs, so it adds some “extra” tension since the Saint Clair pack is a big deal, but their life choice is not understood and accepted by everyone.
There is smut in this book, but while I am open-minded and don’t mind dom/sub dynamics in the books I read, it felt weird that Lydia would enjoy it after all her trauma and her fear of alphas, or not being in control. But that's a minor detail, and more of a personal opinion than a critique...
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I will read the second one right away because of the cliffhanger at the end of this one. It’s a good book if you are looking for an ABO series with lovable characters sharing deep bonds and having a complex dynamic, and don’t mind it if the plot is not the most elaborate (the plot is still good though).
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✅ Healing journey
✅ Reverse harem and smut
✅ Sweet romance
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ Some flashbacks that didn’t bore me
✅🆗 Overcomplicating things at times
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: mentions of past physical and sexual abuse, manipulation, stalking, threats, BDSM, and car accident
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Despite the dark themes present in the MC's past, it's light, and the characters are easy to love.
Lydia Anderson escaped her abusive boyfriend and toxic family 4 years ago and now lives a quiet life. She works at a flower shop with her best friend and tried dating a few times, but she understandably struggles to trust alphas. When she meets Rhett, she is forced to admit that what her family taught her about alpha-omega relationships might have been a load of crap, because he doesn’t try to take advantage of her, instead, he respects her and shows her what true love and partnership means. Before long, she is also introduced to the rest of Rhett’s pack, and the more time she spends with Mateo, Lex, and Lucas, the harder it is to resist them.
It was easy to get sucked into this story from the beginning. The pace is good, and while the plot is not the most elaborate, as this is a character-driven book, it is still an enjoyable and engaging book.
He’s one more smart remark away from learning that the term “fragile” can describe both glass and bombs.
Lydia is a good omega protagonist. She is sweet, kind, and caring, scarred from her traumatic past and vulnerable at times, but she is also a badass and will not hesitate to defend her loved ones or herself when her fight or flight mode engages and she decides to fight. She is sassy and confident, but we can see that underneath is a lot of insecurities and wounds, and I loved seeing her healing journey. I know many readers complained that she lacked a backbone and was too weak at times, but I still admire the strength she showed in this book, and I think she will only grow stronger and more confident as the series progresses.
Her past is dark, and some flashbacks depict scenes of domestic abuse, but despite that heaviness, the book as a whole feels light and fast-paced. We can also see how Lydia’s family is part of the problem here, as they are very religious with a conservative mindset, and they are trying to manipulate Lydia to get her back with her ex so she can marry him, bond with him, and have the life they planned for her. It was a relief to see that she at least had a brother on her side, willing to fight for her and protect her from her toxic family.
He looks at me for a long moment, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Just because you are an omega in heat, it doesn’t give me the right to your body. Do I want you? God, yes. Every cell in my body is telling me to take you until the only thing you know is me. But it would be such an extreme violation of your trust to take advantage of you like that.”
Amen to Rhett and his way of making sure consent is given every. Single. Time.
The way he cherishes Lydia and makes her feel seen and heard is adorable, as is the way Mateo makes her feel carefree and free of her past whenever he takes her out. We can already see how every member of the pack will be able to help Lydia in their way, and how she will make them happy and complete too.
This series is a reverse harem, that will expand in the future books. For now, Lydia started a romantic relationship with two alphas from the Saint Clair pack, but we can see that she is also attracted to Lucas, their beta, and Lex, the prime alpha. I am intrigued and excited to see how the relationship between Lex and Lydia will develop, as this is my first RH series with a female love interest. In this omegaverse series, being polyamorous or queer is not the norm in packs, so it adds some “extra” tension since the Saint Clair pack is a big deal, but their life choice is not understood and accepted by everyone.
There is smut in this book, but while I am open-minded and don’t mind dom/sub dynamics in the books I read, it felt weird that Lydia would enjoy it after all her trauma and her fear of alphas, or not being in control. But that's a minor detail, and more of a personal opinion than a critique...
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I will read the second one right away because of the cliffhanger at the end of this one. It’s a good book if you are looking for an ABO series with lovable characters sharing deep bonds and having a complex dynamic, and don’t mind it if the plot is not the most elaborate (the plot is still good though).
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November 7, 2021
Warning: This book ends on a cliffhanger!
BUT if you read it, we can excitedly wait for book 2 together.
Which I need because I'm in love with this pack and the omega that instigates the change they all want.
Pick up this book if you're into:
❤️Overcoming trauma
❤️D/s relations along with other kinky themes and toys
❤️MM relationship
❤️Future FF relationship
Lydia is an omega who ran away from her past and has built a new life with friends and independence. She still deals with past fears and trauma but is trying to put everything behind her and embrace what she wants. Enter pack Saint Clair (FMMM)
This pack has its own history they're working through but none of these members seem to be able to keep from courting our omega.
This book does have some darker themes and flashbacks of Lydia's history, but there is a detailed content warning at the start of the book.
I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving an honest review.
BUT if you read it, we can excitedly wait for book 2 together.
Which I need because I'm in love with this pack and the omega that instigates the change they all want.
Pick up this book if you're into:
❤️Overcoming trauma
❤️D/s relations along with other kinky themes and toys
❤️MM relationship
❤️Future FF relationship
Lydia is an omega who ran away from her past and has built a new life with friends and independence. She still deals with past fears and trauma but is trying to put everything behind her and embrace what she wants. Enter pack Saint Clair (FMMM)
This pack has its own history they're working through but none of these members seem to be able to keep from courting our omega.
This book does have some darker themes and flashbacks of Lydia's history, but there is a detailed content warning at the start of the book.
I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving an honest review.
November 9, 2021
Excuse me, did this book really call God the Sky Daddy? I pretty much died. And it was reason enough to give it 5 stars.
But in all seriousness now, this book was amazing. It was impossible to stop reading, it sucked me in completely. I loved every character and relationship. And the evil cliffhanger is going to torment me all the way to next year.
You have no idea how friking excited I got when I realized the pack of alphas had a female alpha and the protagonist was going to get involved with her. This is my first reverse harem omegaverse where the main female character has a female love interest in the pack. And I’m so hestatic!!!!
Plus, Alexandra was such an intriguing character. I can’t wait to learn more about her. She was so incredibly hot, god help me.
Lydia was one of the best female omega protagonist I’ve read so far. She was vulnerable and tender but she was also badass and sassy. I loved her funny comebacks and how fierce she could be.
Rhett and Mateo were great by themselves, but together they were amazing. Their relationship with Lydia was so well done, it was addictive.
My only complain is that some of Lydia’s flashbacks with her abusive ex were a bit too explicit, which was unnecessary. But overall, I found her backstory very relevant. From her super religious parents, to her abusive ex and how her family had taken his side. I love it when omegaverse reflects on our society issues, especially when it focuses on sexism and its direct effects on women’s lives.
But in all seriousness now, this book was amazing. It was impossible to stop reading, it sucked me in completely. I loved every character and relationship. And the evil cliffhanger is going to torment me all the way to next year.
You have no idea how friking excited I got when I realized the pack of alphas had a female alpha and the protagonist was going to get involved with her. This is my first reverse harem omegaverse where the main female character has a female love interest in the pack. And I’m so hestatic!!!!
Plus, Alexandra was such an intriguing character. I can’t wait to learn more about her. She was so incredibly hot, god help me.
Lydia was one of the best female omega protagonist I’ve read so far. She was vulnerable and tender but she was also badass and sassy. I loved her funny comebacks and how fierce she could be.
Rhett and Mateo were great by themselves, but together they were amazing. Their relationship with Lydia was so well done, it was addictive.
My only complain is that some of Lydia’s flashbacks with her abusive ex were a bit too explicit, which was unnecessary. But overall, I found her backstory very relevant. From her super religious parents, to her abusive ex and how her family had taken his side. I love it when omegaverse reflects on our society issues, especially when it focuses on sexism and its direct effects on women’s lives.
May 14, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
He’s one more smart remark away from learning that the term “fragile” can describe both glass and bombs.
As a person who has trouble breathing when non-monogamy is even mentioned, you would think this series would scare me, but it really doesn't. I'm rereading the series (listening to the audiobooks), and it does such a good job of explaining polyamory and making sure that everyone, characters and the readers alike, are comfortable and have consented to everything going on. It's really well done, and I especially love this quote:
“I am in love right now,” he replies without missing a beat. I furrow my brow. “Then why am I here?” I ask hesitantly. “Because no one person should be solely responsible for another’s happiness and wellbeing,” Rhett replies. [...] “People aren’t jigsaw puzzles, love. We don’t have missing pieces, and, even if we did, I don’t think it’s fair to look for them in another person. It’s setting both parties up for bitterness and heartache when one inevitably asks for something the other can’t give.”
There's a lot of moving parts and tons of character development that needs to happen on top of the actual relationship developments in this series. Since I've already read the entire thing I know I'm not the biggest fan of the FF relationship as the alpha female isn't very easy to like and that entire relationship pretty much takes three books to develop. She is the prime alpha of the entire pack tho and has a ton of responsibility and guards her heart closely. Definitely not an easy situation.
Most of the dynamics are super sweet though, and they've all got their own distinct relationships, which I love. They all make sense as couples without changing up their personalities any. Just different parts of their personalities that gel well together.
I'm also thankful for the well-done BDSM aspects. There's a lot of focus on safety, trust and consent, which just warms my heart.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Omegaverse
Poly pack
MM - FF (eventually) - MF
Past trauma
3 alphas - 1 beta - 1 omega
Trilogy (book 1)
BDSM
Wealthy pack
Nesting/scenting/heat/knotting
Consent and safewords
Dom/sub dynamics
Purring
Tattooed MMC
Praise kink
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Death of a family member (off page)
Prescription drug use
FMC victim of domestic abuse (past)
Past abuse (sexual)
Past verbal abuse (detailed)
Past physical abuse (detailed)
Attempted force-bonding (details)
Restraints during sex
Erotic spanking
Vomiting
FMC sexually harassed by minor character
FMC fat shamed by minor character
PTSD symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares)
MMC disowned for being bisexual (past)
Breath play (collaring)
Pack tricked/forced into bonding with bad guy SC (past)
Face-fucking
Threesome
Homophobic families
Three pack members sexually assaulted (past, off page, during force-bonding)
MC stalked and photographed (including while having sex)
Car accident (injured MC)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No. Fen is set up on a date with random dude but isn’t at all interested in him.
Breakup: Sort of, briefly
POV: 1st person, multi
Genre: Poly omegaverse romance
Pairing: MMFM (changes to FMMMF during the series)
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles (at least in this book)
Main characters’ age: Omega FMC: 25, others not specified
Series: Series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages:
“You feel her out first. It’s not like what we have going on is… conventional. It might be too much for you to bring your boyfriend along to ask her out.” Right. Heat rises in my cheeks. “I didn’t think about that,” I admit.
My ex was a good ol’ Christian boy, so it was missionary or bust most of the time, and even that was slathered in a heavy coating of ‘lust is a sin and fornication is for reproduction.’
“Why do you smell like flowers?” Lucas asks sharply. I roll my eyes. “I visited a florist on my way home.” “Are you planning a wedding and not telling us? I’m flattered, of course. But you could at least do me the courtesy of proposing before you book the vendors,” Luc says, a brow cocked.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
He’s one more smart remark away from learning that the term “fragile” can describe both glass and bombs.
As a person who has trouble breathing when non-monogamy is even mentioned, you would think this series would scare me, but it really doesn't. I'm rereading the series (listening to the audiobooks), and it does such a good job of explaining polyamory and making sure that everyone, characters and the readers alike, are comfortable and have consented to everything going on. It's really well done, and I especially love this quote:
“I am in love right now,” he replies without missing a beat. I furrow my brow. “Then why am I here?” I ask hesitantly. “Because no one person should be solely responsible for another’s happiness and wellbeing,” Rhett replies. [...] “People aren’t jigsaw puzzles, love. We don’t have missing pieces, and, even if we did, I don’t think it’s fair to look for them in another person. It’s setting both parties up for bitterness and heartache when one inevitably asks for something the other can’t give.”
There's a lot of moving parts and tons of character development that needs to happen on top of the actual relationship developments in this series. Since I've already read the entire thing I know I'm not the biggest fan of the FF relationship as the alpha female isn't very easy to like and that entire relationship pretty much takes three books to develop. She is the prime alpha of the entire pack tho and has a ton of responsibility and guards her heart closely. Definitely not an easy situation.
Most of the dynamics are super sweet though, and they've all got their own distinct relationships, which I love. They all make sense as couples without changing up their personalities any. Just different parts of their personalities that gel well together.
I'm also thankful for the well-done BDSM aspects. There's a lot of focus on safety, trust and consent, which just warms my heart.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Omegaverse
Poly pack
MM - FF (eventually) - MF
Past trauma
3 alphas - 1 beta - 1 omega
Trilogy (book 1)
BDSM
Wealthy pack
Nesting/scenting/heat/knotting
Consent and safewords
Dom/sub dynamics
Purring
Tattooed MMC
Praise kink
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Death of a family member (off page)
Prescription drug use
FMC victim of domestic abuse (past)
Past abuse (sexual)
Past verbal abuse (detailed)
Past physical abuse (detailed)
Attempted force-bonding (details)
Restraints during sex
Erotic spanking
Vomiting
FMC sexually harassed by minor character
FMC fat shamed by minor character
PTSD symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares)
MMC disowned for being bisexual (past)
Breath play (collaring)
Pack tricked/forced into bonding with bad guy SC (past)
Face-fucking
Threesome
Homophobic families
Three pack members sexually assaulted (past, off page, during force-bonding)
MC stalked and photographed (including while having sex)
Car accident (injured MC)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No. Fen is set up on a date with random dude but isn’t at all interested in him.
Breakup: Sort of, briefly
POV: 1st person, multi
Genre: Poly omegaverse romance
Pairing: MMFM (changes to FMMMF during the series)
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles (at least in this book)
Main characters’ age: Omega FMC: 25, others not specified
Series: Series
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages:
“You feel her out first. It’s not like what we have going on is… conventional. It might be too much for you to bring your boyfriend along to ask her out.” Right. Heat rises in my cheeks. “I didn’t think about that,” I admit.
My ex was a good ol’ Christian boy, so it was missionary or bust most of the time, and even that was slathered in a heavy coating of ‘lust is a sin and fornication is for reproduction.’
“Why do you smell like flowers?” Lucas asks sharply. I roll my eyes. “I visited a florist on my way home.” “Are you planning a wedding and not telling us? I’m flattered, of course. But you could at least do me the courtesy of proposing before you book the vendors,” Luc says, a brow cocked.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
November 8, 2021
What I liked:
The author obviously took much time to think and write about the societal subjects affecting us today in terms of gender identity, sexual identity and fluidity, consent, rape, domestic violence, religious bigotry amongst others all superimposed in an omegaverse context. She even pushed the boundaries of omegaverse trope on questioning what if an alpha already bonded with an omega, what if an omega forced out a rut on alphas and actually raped them, what does the courts say about it, what does the medical field bring out as proof of the bonding etc. Obviously, lots of thinking and expanding of the trope. And I salute her for that.
What I didn't like:
Just my opinion of course, but the characters did not feel real to me, the way they thought, talked or interacted felt unnatural and stilted. All the prose had that slightly stuffy feel and not the fluidity I have come to crave for in other books of the same genre. The pack interactions was very much confusing and not clear, even when explained over different chapters. I can see that the author had a great plotline and important societal commentary to make, and in some areas, I did appreciate the original plot elements she introduced but the overall execution of the interaction between the main characters fell short for me.
The author obviously took much time to think and write about the societal subjects affecting us today in terms of gender identity, sexual identity and fluidity, consent, rape, domestic violence, religious bigotry amongst others all superimposed in an omegaverse context. She even pushed the boundaries of omegaverse trope on questioning what if an alpha already bonded with an omega, what if an omega forced out a rut on alphas and actually raped them, what does the courts say about it, what does the medical field bring out as proof of the bonding etc. Obviously, lots of thinking and expanding of the trope. And I salute her for that.
What I didn't like:
Just my opinion of course, but the characters did not feel real to me, the way they thought, talked or interacted felt unnatural and stilted. All the prose had that slightly stuffy feel and not the fluidity I have come to crave for in other books of the same genre. The pack interactions was very much confusing and not clear, even when explained over different chapters. I can see that the author had a great plotline and important societal commentary to make, and in some areas, I did appreciate the original plot elements she introduced but the overall execution of the interaction between the main characters fell short for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
March 14, 2022DNF
I'm not going to give a rating because my reasons to DNF are all personal preference rather than writing/story quality.
Firstly, this book is tagged RH which it is not. It's a poly story which is fine, but not my thing. I don't mind some MM thrown in the RH stories I read but I haven't come across one with FF that I've liked. The FF doesn't quite happen in this one but it's intended to be in the future and the alpha female in this story is involved with the other members of the pack. The alpha female was also obviously uncomfortable with the FMC being possibly brought in to their dynamic which felt like it was flirting with the line of cheating to me. Her grudging consent to Rhett pursuing Lydia didn't really make me feel like what was happening was ok.
I also felt very preached to. There are lots of discussions about how this pack's relationships work and how society doesn't view them favorably in that regard. I get that society in general needs to stay out of others' relationships especially if it's all consensual adults but holy crap I don't really need it beaten into my brain when I'm reading something for fun.
The amount of times I rolled my eyes are the weird interactions between the characters is what made me put this one away. I also struggle to see how the author thought that it would make sense to have an FMC who is escaping an abusive ex be paired with a man who enjoys BDSM in the bedroom. Again, there's nothing wrong with BDSM in general, it was just a weird choice of partner for someone who is supposedly traumatized and fearful of alphas. Maybe it's a 'face your fears' thing? I'm not sure.
Overall this was simply not my thing. Omegaverse in general is very hit or miss with me and this one was sadly a miss.
I'm not going to give a rating because my reasons to DNF are all personal preference rather than writing/story quality.
Firstly, this book is tagged RH which it is not. It's a poly story which is fine, but not my thing. I don't mind some MM thrown in the RH stories I read but I haven't come across one with FF that I've liked. The FF doesn't quite happen in this one but it's intended to be in the future and the alpha female in this story is involved with the other members of the pack. The alpha female was also obviously uncomfortable with the FMC being possibly brought in to their dynamic which felt like it was flirting with the line of cheating to me. Her grudging consent to Rhett pursuing Lydia didn't really make me feel like what was happening was ok.
I also felt very preached to. There are lots of discussions about how this pack's relationships work and how society doesn't view them favorably in that regard. I get that society in general needs to stay out of others' relationships especially if it's all consensual adults but holy crap I don't really need it beaten into my brain when I'm reading something for fun.
The amount of times I rolled my eyes are the weird interactions between the characters is what made me put this one away. I also struggle to see how the author thought that it would make sense to have an FMC who is escaping an abusive ex be paired with a man who enjoys BDSM in the bedroom. Again, there's nothing wrong with BDSM in general, it was just a weird choice of partner for someone who is supposedly traumatized and fearful of alphas. Maybe it's a 'face your fears' thing? I'm not sure.
Overall this was simply not my thing. Omegaverse in general is very hit or miss with me and this one was sadly a miss.
October 20, 2021
Lilacs and Leather brings all the things I love about contemporary Omegaverse together, and a few things that I didn't know I needed all along, and mixes them up with some of the steamiest sex scenes I've read recently. The sweet love story at the heart of the book is what I loved most. Lydia Anderson is an unbonded omega hiding from unknown people in her past-including some of her family-when she meets Rhett, one of the alphas in Pack St. Clair. She knows better than to let herself be discovered, but the guys and gal in this pack aren't the kind you can ignore. Each character was well-drawn, the settings were vivid, and the sexy times... wow. I never knew how much I needed a pack who is into the kinky stuff, but has the vital conversations about consent at all the right points to make it clear everyone is all in. And it's still smoking hot... maybe hotter, because of the words!
I am along for the ride as long as debut author Woods wants to take me. Two books? Ten? Sign me up for Pack Saint Clair.
10/10 would read again. Read a free ARC, loved it.
I am along for the ride as long as debut author Woods wants to take me. Two books? Ten? Sign me up for Pack Saint Clair.
10/10 would read again. Read a free ARC, loved it.
February 7, 2023
I'm currently 43% in and I've just realized that I've spent the last 20% or so trying to convince myself I like this book. The spicy scenes are immaculate, and the conversations on consent are 10/10, 3 hot sweetheart love interests, there's even a drag show?!? On paper, it has everything I should like. but I just can't connect with these characters or their relationships. We get introduced to one of the love interests and they go on one date, and meet one other time to get through her heat, and then we fast forward three weeks? What? I would like to watch these characters fall in love please? I feel like we just get told about their relationship, and how close they are getting, instead of seeing it for ourselves.
Maybe I shot myself in the foot with this one because I just finished my third reread of Lola and the Millionares, and was expecting something similar because god damn tiktok told me they had the same vibe. So I guess that set my expectations far higher than they should have.
I just felt like this book was just trying to get me to care. Like the book is towing me around and throwing sob stories and all these different characters in my face like "CARE ABOUT THIS" and I just... can't for some reason. Everyone's meeting for the first time and opening up far too quickly, or talking about topics that don't fit with how well they know each other at that point. The entire first date from start to finish was just super awkwardly done and wooden to me. I don't know these characters, and they don't feel real. There were some points where I just fell into the story and that was amazing, but most of the time the dialog ended up snapping me out of the story with an eye roll and a sigh.
One example being: after one date, the love interests BOYFRIEND asks our lead lady if she could see herself marrying the love interest.... and its not seen as a weird ass thing to say.
Maybe I shot myself in the foot with this one because I just finished my third reread of Lola and the Millionares, and was expecting something similar because god damn tiktok told me they had the same vibe. So I guess that set my expectations far higher than they should have.
I just felt like this book was just trying to get me to care. Like the book is towing me around and throwing sob stories and all these different characters in my face like "CARE ABOUT THIS" and I just... can't for some reason. Everyone's meeting for the first time and opening up far too quickly, or talking about topics that don't fit with how well they know each other at that point. The entire first date from start to finish was just super awkwardly done and wooden to me. I don't know these characters, and they don't feel real. There were some points where I just fell into the story and that was amazing, but most of the time the dialog ended up snapping me out of the story with an eye roll and a sigh.
One example being: after one date, the love interests BOYFRIEND asks our lead lady if she could see herself marrying the love interest.... and its not seen as a weird ass thing to say.
November 8, 2021
4 stars
June 18, 2025
3.5 stars. This was a good development of the poly relationships, and had a good side plot set up. I wished we saw more plot progress, but if you're looking for an omegaverse on the dramatic side, this might be a fit for you.
September 24, 2023
A good start to this poly omegaverse series - lots of intriguing characters and an engaging plot.
The book follows Lydia, an omega who fled from her family home to escape her abusive ex. She’s been living a secluded life, working as a florist, when she happens to meet Pack Saint Clair alpha, Rhett.
Honestly, Lydia is probably one of my least favourite characters in this book. She’s HEAVY on the whimpering omega stereotypes, and I think I just prefer my fmcs with a bit more backbone. Luckily, almost every other character seems to have more about them, especially Alexandra - I hope we see more of her in the later books.
I could have done without the overly long and detailed flashback scenes, or maybe not so many - they seemed excessive to me. The dialogue is both funny and cheesy at times, but I mostly enjoyed it.
Overall, it's an okay easy read. There are better omega verse stories out there, but I'm going to jump straight into book two.
The book follows Lydia, an omega who fled from her family home to escape her abusive ex. She’s been living a secluded life, working as a florist, when she happens to meet Pack Saint Clair alpha, Rhett.
Honestly, Lydia is probably one of my least favourite characters in this book. She’s HEAVY on the whimpering omega stereotypes, and I think I just prefer my fmcs with a bit more backbone. Luckily, almost every other character seems to have more about them, especially Alexandra - I hope we see more of her in the later books.
I could have done without the overly long and detailed flashback scenes, or maybe not so many - they seemed excessive to me. The dialogue is both funny and cheesy at times, but I mostly enjoyed it.
Overall, it's an okay easy read. There are better omega verse stories out there, but I'm going to jump straight into book two.
October 20, 2021
Thora is a new baby author that I had the pleasure of reading her first novel and she knocked it out of the park for me!
Lydia is a skittish, insecure omega who is running from her family and ex when she meets Rhett as she is delivering flowers to a wedding she is working at. It was love at first sniff! Rhett is part of the St Clair pack who include three alphas and a beta, who all are slightly damaged due to their shared past. I loved getting to know Rhett and Mateo as they court Lydia and showing her that all alphas aren’t that bad. I am looking forward to getting to know Lexi and Lucus a bit more in the next book, but from what I read I really loved everyone I’m the pack. The book ends on a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
Lydia is a skittish, insecure omega who is running from her family and ex when she meets Rhett as she is delivering flowers to a wedding she is working at. It was love at first sniff! Rhett is part of the St Clair pack who include three alphas and a beta, who all are slightly damaged due to their shared past. I loved getting to know Rhett and Mateo as they court Lydia and showing her that all alphas aren’t that bad. I am looking forward to getting to know Lexi and Lucus a bit more in the next book, but from what I read I really loved everyone I’m the pack. The book ends on a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
July 26, 2024
Ugh I actually can’t grasp how much I like this series lol something about this omegaverse, poly romance trilogy has me in a chokehold
July 2024 reread: yep… Still love this!
July 2024 reread: yep… Still love this!
November 14, 2022
BASIC FACTS:
Pages: 381
My rating: 3
Genre: Omegaverse
Themes: Love, Pack, Bad Past which makes life miserable now, Trigger warning: BDSM, rape
Protagonist Ages: Lydia 26,
Pacing: slow plot line, slow to medium Romance
Plot Rating: 3
I found out that I’m not a Fan of reading about Dom/Sub relations or Bondage and spanking. But it the Doms were respectful of their playthings. And the playthings were consenting.
I liked the plot. I also got a better insight of some aspects of Omegaverse. I liked the characters but not the cliffhanger. But it’s an okay book for me, mostly because I’m not into those scenes that are displayed in the book when Rhett play with his omega or his beta.
The Characters: Names and descriptions of the persons
Summery: detailed, lot’s of spoiler
Pages: 381
My rating: 3
Genre: Omegaverse
Themes: Love, Pack, Bad Past which makes life miserable now, Trigger warning: BDSM, rape
Protagonist Ages: Lydia 26,
Pacing: slow plot line, slow to medium Romance
Plot Rating: 3
I found out that I’m not a Fan of reading about Dom/Sub relations or Bondage and spanking. But it the Doms were respectful of their playthings. And the playthings were consenting.
I liked the plot. I also got a better insight of some aspects of Omegaverse. I liked the characters but not the cliffhanger. But it’s an okay book for me, mostly because I’m not into those scenes that are displayed in the book when Rhett play with his omega or his beta.
The Characters: Names and descriptions of the persons
Summery: detailed, lot’s of spoiler
October 27, 2022
First of all, I liked this book. However, I have many thoughts.
This is told first person from three point of views. Lydia, an unbonded omega; Rhett, an unbonded alpha (who is pretty serious about the beta in his pack and, as far as I can tell, is only physically intimate with that beta within the pack, but dates/sleeps around outside the pack); and Mateo, who doesn’t seem to be physically intimate with anyone in the pack, but dates/sleeps around with folks outside the pack.
The consent is golden. Rhett is especially careful about making sure that Lydia is always free to make the decision for more intimacy in her “right” mind, meaning she’s uninfluenced by drugs/alcohol, or her heat. However, he fails to inform her of some pretty essential things that could influence whether she wants to date him until they’ve been going out for months and have been intimate. Yes, I understand not wanting to air your dirty laundry with a new partner; however, I’m of the mind that you make sure you’re on the same page as far as what you want out of a new relationship.
Which brings me to the main thing that made me constantly question “What are they thinking!?”
Lydia is a single, unbonded omega with a pretty dark past (that seems pretty common in the omegaverse). She was abused by a past partner and not believed by her family. Her family raised her in a very strict sect that devalued her opinions and proclivities.
She pretty quickly shares her past with Rhett, as her original tie into the pack. But he withholds knowledge from her about his/his pack’s history with an abusive partner, even though it affects their potential for future intimacy. I think I was able to deal with this and continue reading because Lydia is so unbothered by it. But it seems crappy to me that they put her in such a bad position.
In this particular omegaverse book, being polyamorous and/or queer is a big deal. Which is very different than most omegaverse books I’ve read which tend to have a lot of both in them. It’s an interesting choice and sets the pack up for some tension in this story.
The pack includes three alphas and a beta. It’s odd to me that you would have a committed polyamorous group that doesn’t openly talk about a new person and the level of okay they have with each other sharing in intimacy; bodily or through sharing pack secrets. It’s this odd sort of committed, open relationship where not all of them are together physically and it’s hard to tell whether they have clarified with Lydia whether dating Rhett would bring her into the pack or not.
I also don’t really enjoy the Dom/sub stuff with Rhett or the choking with Mateo. I agree with other reviewers that it just doesn’t feel like it belongs with this particular omega and her backstory.
I personally don’t prefer an open relationship model like this one and I wouldn’t seek it out in future books. It reminds me of “Deceived by the Gargoyles” where one of the guys goes out and finds a new potential pack member but doesn’t tell her or the pack about each other until he’s been dating her for a while. I had to DNF that one cause I just couldn’t handle that.
I was also reminded of another book with a similar-ish model. In Lola and the Millionaires, Lola meets a beta at a club who is allowed to date/hook-up outside the pack. But once he meets Lola, it seems like the group closes. I can live with that.
This book skirts the line for me. I don’t enjoy that there’s an assumption of “everyone gets to sleep around with whomever and we don’t discuss or care”. It’s just not my style or preference. And it makes it feel especially disrespectful to Lydia that there’s no open discussion of what their relationships mean to her and what the potential could be.
At least they aren’t physically intimate with others during the book (as far as I could tell). The book ends on a cliffhanger but the 2nd and 3rd books are available. Here’s hoping that’s it but I’m not going to check.
This is told first person from three point of views. Lydia, an unbonded omega; Rhett, an unbonded alpha (who is pretty serious about the beta in his pack and, as far as I can tell, is only physically intimate with that beta within the pack, but dates/sleeps around outside the pack); and Mateo, who doesn’t seem to be physically intimate with anyone in the pack, but dates/sleeps around with folks outside the pack.
The consent is golden. Rhett is especially careful about making sure that Lydia is always free to make the decision for more intimacy in her “right” mind, meaning she’s uninfluenced by drugs/alcohol, or her heat. However, he fails to inform her of some pretty essential things that could influence whether she wants to date him until they’ve been going out for months and have been intimate. Yes, I understand not wanting to air your dirty laundry with a new partner; however, I’m of the mind that you make sure you’re on the same page as far as what you want out of a new relationship.
Which brings me to the main thing that made me constantly question “What are they thinking!?”
Lydia is a single, unbonded omega with a pretty dark past (that seems pretty common in the omegaverse). She was abused by a past partner and not believed by her family. Her family raised her in a very strict sect that devalued her opinions and proclivities.
She pretty quickly shares her past with Rhett, as her original tie into the pack. But he withholds knowledge from her about his/his pack’s history with an abusive partner, even though it affects their potential for future intimacy. I think I was able to deal with this and continue reading because Lydia is so unbothered by it. But it seems crappy to me that they put her in such a bad position.
In this particular omegaverse book, being polyamorous and/or queer is a big deal. Which is very different than most omegaverse books I’ve read which tend to have a lot of both in them. It’s an interesting choice and sets the pack up for some tension in this story.
The pack includes three alphas and a beta. It’s odd to me that you would have a committed polyamorous group that doesn’t openly talk about a new person and the level of okay they have with each other sharing in intimacy; bodily or through sharing pack secrets. It’s this odd sort of committed, open relationship where not all of them are together physically and it’s hard to tell whether they have clarified with Lydia whether dating Rhett would bring her into the pack or not.
I also don’t really enjoy the Dom/sub stuff with Rhett or the choking with Mateo. I agree with other reviewers that it just doesn’t feel like it belongs with this particular omega and her backstory.
I personally don’t prefer an open relationship model like this one and I wouldn’t seek it out in future books. It reminds me of “Deceived by the Gargoyles” where one of the guys goes out and finds a new potential pack member but doesn’t tell her or the pack about each other until he’s been dating her for a while. I had to DNF that one cause I just couldn’t handle that.
I was also reminded of another book with a similar-ish model. In Lola and the Millionaires, Lola meets a beta at a club who is allowed to date/hook-up outside the pack. But once he meets Lola, it seems like the group closes. I can live with that.
This book skirts the line for me. I don’t enjoy that there’s an assumption of “everyone gets to sleep around with whomever and we don’t discuss or care”. It’s just not my style or preference. And it makes it feel especially disrespectful to Lydia that there’s no open discussion of what their relationships mean to her and what the potential could be.
At least they aren’t physically intimate with others during the book (as far as I could tell). The book ends on a cliffhanger but the 2nd and 3rd books are available. Here’s hoping that’s it but I’m not going to check.
January 14, 2022
Why do authors combine trauma/abuse characters with dom/sub relationship dynamics? It almost just feels like the victim is being revictimized, but lovingly this time? Like seriously, at 55% she's telling her story about the guy she thought she loved abusing her and then making her "make it up to him" in the bedroom ... Right before the new love interests tells her if she misbehaves he'll withhold her pleasure or punish her. I mean wtf? I get her new guy isn't a bad person like the last guy ... It just doesn't sit right. I don't think I'm going to be continuing.
January 16, 2025
Tell me, this book did not just end in the EXACT same cliffhanger as my previous book?!? At least not only is the next book out, but I already own it and it is set up to be read. This is a solid 4-star read. In this world, humans are not wolves or magical. However, everyone is born either an Alpha, Beta, or the Rare Omega. Our FMC is an omega in hiding from a nasty alpha and abusive pack/family. Meanwhile, the St.Clare pack are dealing with their own nasty Omega. Paths collide, and I loved the fallout. Reading the next book immediately.
August 10, 2023
hi, hello, why did no one tell me this would end in a cliffhanger?
that aside, I'm conflicted with this one.
It's evident the author put a lot of thought with the politics and nuances of the OV and I loved that. Never did I ever think about what would happen to a pack that was already bonded with an estranged omega, or how some omegas could manipulate alphas with their heats and purposefully trigger ruts. I was horrified and fascinated. Also the prime alpha is a woman and I vibe hard with that.
AND THE CONSENT IN THIS. SO FUCKING SEXY. The smut was quite nice; I enjoy a dom/sub dynamic.
The writing though..left much to be desired. I'm fine with first person POV but I kid you not the first paragraph of the first chapter was: "I did this. I did that. I thought about this. I......" you get the point. The pacing of the rest of the story dragged a bit and I did struggle to keep myself invested in the story.
I do wish the FMC was stronger and self-assured but I'm hoping that means more character growth in the next few installments!
Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4.
that aside, I'm conflicted with this one.
It's evident the author put a lot of thought with the politics and nuances of the OV and I loved that. Never did I ever think about what would happen to a pack that was already bonded with an estranged omega, or how some omegas could manipulate alphas with their heats and purposefully trigger ruts. I was horrified and fascinated. Also the prime alpha is a woman and I vibe hard with that.
AND THE CONSENT IN THIS. SO FUCKING SEXY. The smut was quite nice; I enjoy a dom/sub dynamic.
The writing though..left much to be desired. I'm fine with first person POV but I kid you not the first paragraph of the first chapter was: "I did this. I did that. I thought about this. I......" you get the point. The pacing of the rest of the story dragged a bit and I did struggle to keep myself invested in the story.
I do wish the FMC was stronger and self-assured but I'm hoping that means more character growth in the next few installments!
Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4.
January 30, 2022
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. I did fly through this and I was entertained the whole time. This type of story is one I really like because I enjoy stories about characters finding support while they get over past trauma so that added to my enjoyment. I do think this is a bit padded in some parts and the writing was solid but it didn’t blow me away. I’ll definitely continue on in this series.
February 9, 2022
Well I guess I’ll be reading more Thora Woods’ books from now on… I need the second book NOW!!!
October 23, 2024
it does a lot of telling instead of showing which can irritate me in books but at the end of the day i’m not exactly here for the plot let’s be honest (3.5⭐️)
January 4, 2022
Did I just read 400 pages of omega verse smut?
Yes.Yes, I did.
I’m so surprised by the way the book hooked me. I was not expecting it. I loved the amazing communication between main characters. Since this book involves BDSM and ranking(omegaverse so like alpha,beta,omega) it was really refreshing to see it so beautifully done.
P.S. AND THAT SLOW BURN???? Perfect. Cannot wait to see it bloom😩🤌
Tags:
•Poly Reverse Harem
•Bdsm
•Queer
•very very spicy🌶
Cannot wait for the second book!!
Yes.Yes, I did.
I’m so surprised by the way the book hooked me. I was not expecting it. I loved the amazing communication between main characters. Since this book involves BDSM and ranking(omegaverse so like alpha,beta,omega) it was really refreshing to see it so beautifully done.
P.S. AND THAT SLOW BURN???? Perfect. Cannot wait to see it bloom😩🤌
Tags:
•Poly Reverse Harem
•Bdsm
•Queer
•very very spicy🌶
Cannot wait for the second book!!
March 12, 2022
Ehhh, this started at 3.4/4 stars and by the end, it slid to 2 stars, with a full-on cliffhanger ending. This reminded me of Kathryn Moon's 'Lola and the Millionaires', but with a little bit of everything thrown in.
Liked the set up. Was excited that there was a female head of the pack, and that it seemed like she would have a romance with the heroine. So often, there is plenty of M/M sexy times, but no F/F in these stories.
Things start slowly sliding downhill from there. Lydia is a wildly inconsistent character. She is whoever she needs to be in the scene, even if it doesn't make sense. She shows no spunk or backbone until she is being judged by Mateo or Lucas. Then, out of nowhere, she's suddenly a completely different person, who is EXACTLY what they need her to be. She's super sheltered and innocent and traumatized one moment (What's a drag show? I've never even heard of BDSM. I'm skitish, so don't make a quick move, or I'll flinch.) The next, she's having sex with a man she met for the first time just a FEW HOURS previous, and gleefully letting him choke her out to the point that she can't talk, breathe, or nod her head.... Immediately after that sex, she walks into the living room and has a conversation with Rhett admitting how her ex was physically abusive and violently choked her. Literally back-to-back scenes. What? Near the end, she goes through a few chapters where she psychoanalyzes the pack with all of her knowledge from a therapist she never mentioned before. Things like this happen constantly.
Lydia doesn't have sex for a good front chunk of the book, so the author puts in these pages of sex dreams instead, which I always hate. Letting us know that the heroine is having a sex dream about the hero is great, but I don't want to read them. They typically only exist because the author is writing a slow burn, but doesn't trust the reader to stay interested in the story. The only M/M scene, (and only Lucas scene) is thrown in at the front, and he is neglected for the rest of the book. That Lex romance barely simmers as well. I guess that is all for the 2nd part?
The legal system in this world seems crazy, as both Lydia and the pack are legally beholden to abusive psychopaths and seemingly have little to no path out. There is a scene where the pack and Lydia talk about how to deal with the pack's abuser. The conversation is so confusing, that I had to read it a few times to figure out what was happening. There are 5 people in the room, talking at once, and half of the dialogue is unattributed. Who is saying what? Who is on what side? The narrator also switches every chapter, which added to the confusion.
There is a confrontation near the end, and Lydia is mad in the moment. She thinks about how this pack promised to protect her, and because they refuse to deal with their problems, she is alone and in danger. When the pack shows up, she goes into shock. When she comes out, her first words are to APOLOGIZE TO THE PACK! I wanted to smack them all.
The last chapter of this book had me pulling my hair out. I am NOT reading part 2 of this cliffhanger. I do NOT understand all of the 5 star reviews, even if all of the above didn't bother you.
Liked the set up. Was excited that there was a female head of the pack, and that it seemed like she would have a romance with the heroine. So often, there is plenty of M/M sexy times, but no F/F in these stories.
Things start slowly sliding downhill from there. Lydia is a wildly inconsistent character. She is whoever she needs to be in the scene, even if it doesn't make sense. She shows no spunk or backbone until she is being judged by Mateo or Lucas. Then, out of nowhere, she's suddenly a completely different person, who is EXACTLY what they need her to be. She's super sheltered and innocent and traumatized one moment (What's a drag show? I've never even heard of BDSM. I'm skitish, so don't make a quick move, or I'll flinch.) The next, she's having sex with a man she met for the first time just a FEW HOURS previous, and gleefully letting him choke her out to the point that she can't talk, breathe, or nod her head.... Immediately after that sex, she walks into the living room and has a conversation with Rhett admitting how her ex was physically abusive and violently choked her. Literally back-to-back scenes. What? Near the end, she goes through a few chapters where she psychoanalyzes the pack with all of her knowledge from a therapist she never mentioned before. Things like this happen constantly.
Lydia doesn't have sex for a good front chunk of the book, so the author puts in these pages of sex dreams instead, which I always hate. Letting us know that the heroine is having a sex dream about the hero is great, but I don't want to read them. They typically only exist because the author is writing a slow burn, but doesn't trust the reader to stay interested in the story. The only M/M scene, (and only Lucas scene) is thrown in at the front, and he is neglected for the rest of the book. That Lex romance barely simmers as well. I guess that is all for the 2nd part?
The legal system in this world seems crazy, as both Lydia and the pack are legally beholden to abusive psychopaths and seemingly have little to no path out. There is a scene where the pack and Lydia talk about how to deal with the pack's abuser. The conversation is so confusing, that I had to read it a few times to figure out what was happening. There are 5 people in the room, talking at once, and half of the dialogue is unattributed. Who is saying what? Who is on what side? The narrator also switches every chapter, which added to the confusion.
There is a confrontation near the end, and Lydia is mad in the moment. She thinks about how this pack promised to protect her, and because they refuse to deal with their problems, she is alone and in danger. When the pack shows up, she goes into shock. When she comes out, her first words are to APOLOGIZE TO THE PACK! I wanted to smack them all.
The last chapter of this book had me pulling my hair out. I am NOT reading part 2 of this cliffhanger. I do NOT understand all of the 5 star reviews, even if all of the above didn't bother you.
April 4, 2022
UM?!
Yes.
Please.
female lead alpha pack!
actual communication about a poly, D/s relationship
Lydia is NOT a doormat and has her own personality and friendships (Gabby <3)
All the pack members are distinct, and there's limited insta-lust, and NO insta-love. They actually DATE, like for realsies
Smutty! But the heat doesn't loop anyone into a relationship, bond, pack, or pregnancy
Interesting backstory to for Lydia and the pack, without it being the only thing we talk about
Cliffhanger that has me wanting to read Book 2 (aggg just a few weeks til it's release), but honestly isn't that terrible
Honestly my ONLY hangup is how dumb the lead-up to the cliffhanger is. I feel like we should know better.
But alas, honestly really great; one of the best omegaverse I've read
_________
Edit to add: I'm floored that this is a debut novel. This is SO good - I'm so curious to see what else Woods writes
Yes.
Please.
female lead alpha pack!
actual communication about a poly, D/s relationship
Lydia is NOT a doormat and has her own personality and friendships (Gabby <3)
All the pack members are distinct, and there's limited insta-lust, and NO insta-love. They actually DATE, like for realsies
Smutty! But the heat doesn't loop anyone into a relationship, bond, pack, or pregnancy
Interesting backstory to for Lydia and the pack, without it being the only thing we talk about
Cliffhanger that has me wanting to read Book 2 (aggg just a few weeks til it's release), but honestly isn't that terrible
Honestly my ONLY hangup is how dumb the lead-up to the cliffhanger is. I feel like we should know better.
But alas, honestly really great; one of the best omegaverse I've read
_________
Edit to add: I'm floored that this is a debut novel. This is SO good - I'm so curious to see what else Woods writes
July 14, 2024
4.7 ⭐️
Wow! Absolutely loved this poly, omegaverse read!! I haven’t read one since my AO3 days and am pleasantly surprised by my adoration.
The main character - Lydia, navigates new relationships with her St Clair pack whilst dealing with trauma from her past. Enamoured by this new pack and their members, these new relationships ignite love and passion she’s never felt before.
A lovely, intriguing storyline with a variety of characters, I love how everyone is queer in some way and have different dynamics with each other.
The passion is strong through the love and smut, which is HOT might I add!
Without spoilers, the plot was intriguing enough due to the layers of characters, their complexity, and the connection to their past - which comes back to haunt them. Excited to see how this series ends.
Only crit is for the use of the word channel for 🐱. Surely there’s other more suitable adjectives? Also for the repetitiveness of lydia’s outfits.
Wow! Absolutely loved this poly, omegaverse read!! I haven’t read one since my AO3 days and am pleasantly surprised by my adoration.
The main character - Lydia, navigates new relationships with her St Clair pack whilst dealing with trauma from her past. Enamoured by this new pack and their members, these new relationships ignite love and passion she’s never felt before.
A lovely, intriguing storyline with a variety of characters, I love how everyone is queer in some way and have different dynamics with each other.
The passion is strong through the love and smut, which is HOT might I add!
Without spoilers, the plot was intriguing enough due to the layers of characters, their complexity, and the connection to their past - which comes back to haunt them. Excited to see how this series ends.
Only crit is for the use of the word channel for 🐱. Surely there’s other more suitable adjectives? Also for the repetitiveness of lydia’s outfits.
December 8, 2021
Omegeverse
Hmmm. Didn't love this, but also didn't exactly hate it either. I was bored reading this, nothing was really exciting or outstanding about the read. And I found myself skimming through even the sex Scenes that seemed to not even perk my interest in the slightest. More sex then story, the characters and them falling for each other just somehow didn't work for me. The other omega? I'm not sure how I felt about that either. All in all I got through it but don't really care to finish the series.
Hmmm. Didn't love this, but also didn't exactly hate it either. I was bored reading this, nothing was really exciting or outstanding about the read. And I found myself skimming through even the sex Scenes that seemed to not even perk my interest in the slightest. More sex then story, the characters and them falling for each other just somehow didn't work for me. The other omega? I'm not sure how I felt about that either. All in all I got through it but don't really care to finish the series.
October 1, 2023
this book sounded interesting but in the end it wasn’t for me. the writing was fine but the way the plot was executed was bad. it was so bad that i even skipped smut scenes. ME. if that doesn’t tell u it’s bad i don’t know what will.
August 21, 2022
4.5 stars. Absolutely loved this. Cannot wait for book two. Definitely ends on a cliffhanger!
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