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Hidden Omegas #1
Fleeing Fate
Nature knows where you belong.
For more than two decades, my entire world was made up of three square miles, buried deep in the woods. The same three people, the same daily routine. Life revolved around trying to keep my mother, brother, and myself safe from my father's "corrections."
When a sudden bout of violence reveals a way out, I find myself speeding towards a new life behind the wheel of a stolen pickup, the bed loaded down with a feral monster that used to be my brother.
Now I'm hungry and lost in a new world filled with dynamics I know nothing about. When the sheriff of a nearby town offers to help, I'm hesitant. He swears his pack of friends, dominant and gorgeous, can help my brother adjust to what he's become. But the longer I spend around them the more I worry accepting their help means I won’t escape their care with my heart and soul intact.
With my past hot on my heels and new threats bearing down, there’s only one question left to answer: am I willing to pay their price, even if it means changing everything I thought I knew about myself?
I thought the woods were my prison.
But what if I was wrong?
Maybe I was hidden for a reason, and I just left behind the only place that was keeping me safe.
For more than two decades, my entire world was made up of three square miles, buried deep in the woods. The same three people, the same daily routine. Life revolved around trying to keep my mother, brother, and myself safe from my father's "corrections."
When a sudden bout of violence reveals a way out, I find myself speeding towards a new life behind the wheel of a stolen pickup, the bed loaded down with a feral monster that used to be my brother.
Now I'm hungry and lost in a new world filled with dynamics I know nothing about. When the sheriff of a nearby town offers to help, I'm hesitant. He swears his pack of friends, dominant and gorgeous, can help my brother adjust to what he's become. But the longer I spend around them the more I worry accepting their help means I won’t escape their care with my heart and soul intact.
With my past hot on my heels and new threats bearing down, there’s only one question left to answer: am I willing to pay their price, even if it means changing everything I thought I knew about myself?
I thought the woods were my prison.
But what if I was wrong?
Maybe I was hidden for a reason, and I just left behind the only place that was keeping me safe.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2022
629 people are currently reading
2847 people want to read
About the author
Sabrina Day
6 books213 followersAs a pre-teen, Sabrina stumbled upon romance books while haunting the stacks of her local library. Banned from reading kissing books at home she was forced into a life of book smuggling and daydreaming about steamy happily-ever-afters. Now that she's all grown up, she's decluttering her head and getting all those daydreams out into the world.
A big believer that everyone deserves to be seen and loved Sabrina's stories zip between small towns, magical realms and intergalactic taverns to bring her characters together.
When she's not yelling at her laptop, Sabrina can be found wandering around New England.
A big believer that everyone deserves to be seen and loved Sabrina's stories zip between small towns, magical realms and intergalactic taverns to bring her characters together.
When she's not yelling at her laptop, Sabrina can be found wandering around New England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
March 15, 2022
This book would have never existed without you and your unwavering belief that a black girl deserved to get railed by a trio of wolf shifters and the sweetest boy on earth.
Let's start with I love the cover. I was judging the book by the beautiful cover, from the cover alone I feel tempted in breaking it down the way we used to do to set books in high school coz it carries/hints/covers huge aspects of the book - but I am not about to do that, read the book and make your own conclusions. But the cover is what pulled me in, then the blurb, then I was like okay, let's give it a shot, then the dedication up there I was like Yes! Glory! We've hit omega jackpot with a black girl Omega.
Then I started reading and started getting frustrated. First off, pay attention to the trigger warnings at the start. The book is heavy. And it was heavy all the way through until chapter 6 when it starts transitioning into the light, so it has a slow build up/pace.
Then, despite the book being so long, this takes place over 4/5 days only. And that's what annoyed me the most. You'd reach the end of a chapter that was building to this big reveal, then the next chapter you are some steps back from where the previous chapter left off and now in the perspective of another person/jumping back and forth between characters at different points of the same scene.
fellow sufferer,
Reminded me of Kenyan sheng and made me laugh at a point I was struggle bussing with the book.
I want to go back to this meal, even if it was mostly silent. Each of us locked inside our own heads, waiting for permission to go to bed. Together but apart. The only way we know how to be.
One of the earlier, heavy scenes that just hits home with how much Ava+Shay+their mom were alone.
I am not a fan of the fact that their mum was a silent, abused character. She didn't even have a name. I'll probably not go on with book 2, but it'll be a great shame if by the end of it, all the pieces dropped here and there into her mum's past, that S.D. doesn't take time to go into her backstory and find some way of honouring her.
That would be great but what would be even better would be if I had a chance at becoming a happy old lady with a tiny happy home.
I found Ava's thought process on the above story profound. She just wanted peace, security, freedom. She didn't want to be the main character.
And that brings me to my other pain point, Jay.
He was a great part of the initial story, then he falls into silent, background character mode, all over a conversation during breakfast time. Like, ask yourself, towards the end, where is he? The initial sex scene that took place, my mind wasn't even there because I was worried about Jay. Then his off screen presence is just explained away in two sentences when Ava is back in her right mind and it contradicted her heavy I'm-your-sister-mother-protector vibe.
Funerals have better hype men than Aiden right now.
Is it me or maybe I just skimmed through it when I started getting frustrated with the story, but when did the animosity towards Aiden begin? I understand Ava didn't want to third wheel it with Gabe/was against tearing them apart, but again toward the end it had been set up like there was no mutual attraction between the two of them (Ava+Aiden), more like she'd just have to have him because Aiden was part of the pack?
Which reminds me, Ava starts off as a girl with no resources, just the will to get herself and Jay out of there, but smart enough she isn't trusting blindly or following directions blindly, (I was to rate her as one of my top Omega characters) then towards the end, she is - - this close to becoming a full on TSTL character, especially with the high school/clique Benefaction party scene.
“You get to have your feelings. Even if they’re ugly and loud they’ll never be too much.”
The book also had predictable Alpha and Beta characters. Mal - the overall biggest, baddest, tree trunking Alpha (I was just picturing a roided out guy - especially when she keeps on referring to him as having Tree Trunk thighs; Hayes - the money bags, sophisticated Alpha, with the red hair; Aiden - the Bi Alpha, who's the enforcer, but 98% just talks a good game, who isn't ready to claim the Beta; Gideon - who understands Ava's frustrations with the pack coz he's a lowly Beta, but he can stand up to other Alphas thus he can fit in with this big boys.
For the love of the Goddess. I’m surrounded by emotional idiots.
Applies to Aiden especially.
But that’s fine, I'll personally track him down once we get a handle on everything here.
I laughed at this. How? When? The guys generally talked a good game but when it came down to it they were piss poor Alphas for Ava as they did not take the time to bond with her (which would have prevented a lot of problems, but hey, where would the overextended plot come from right?) they did a piss poor job of taking care of their overall territory and Gideon just Alphad the Alpha out of them at the end so embarrassingly.
And what we are not going to look like is a pack that came this close to losing everything vital to us from an unknown enemy.
Again, the contradicting words/statements like the above in the book made me mad, laugh and also took me out of reading the book, because that is what the guys actions actually did.
So, loved the cover and Ava at the start. In the end, there are so many loose ends that a book 2 is vital but I'll probably not bother with it as this one was too long for its own good.
March 25, 2022
4/5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down. Really refreshing, compared to the other ov books.
THE ENDING THO. UGHH I CANT WAIT!!!
Excited to read the next.
I really enjoyed this book. I could not put it down. Really refreshing, compared to the other ov books.
THE ENDING THO. UGHH I CANT WAIT!!!
Excited to read the next.
April 18, 2022
This is only my second omegaverse book after the first I liked it but didn’t have any real desire to dive in for more.
After reading THIS book I want to camp out in Sabrina’s DMs and everywhere else asking for updates on book two. And I want to read all the omegaverse books, but only if they are like this one. Ones with growly, hot, badass Alphas who need to get their stuff together. Ones with scary bad guys that give me anxiety. Ones where I love damn near every character involved who isn’t a bad guy. This is a DEBUT book. It doesn’t feel like it and it does read like it and I now have a whole new obsession. So if you’re reading this please go pre-order this book it comes out soon and Sabrina deserves all the support we can give her. I know y’all don’t like reading incomplete series especially when they end on cliffhangers even if this one is only a medium sized one. But the only way we get books 2 or the next series is if the authors and algorithms know how much we love them!
If I’ve ever recommend a book you even halfway liked go get this book. Read it, review it! I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Updates Re-read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I still absolutely love this book it was actually better the second time around. The main thing I noticed this time was why everyone loved Aiden from the beginning. I was to just obsessed with Gabe and Hayes and Mal’s sweet words to see that Aiden was there the whole time. I will say that the moments with Gabe and Aiden and then the moments later where even more hot the second time. Ava is the type of FMC that is incredibly easy to love and root for. I also a notice the humor a little more this time. I stand by everything I said in my TikTok review, the attention to detail, the writing style, the imagery is all absolutely amazing. I saw a few things things that had me like oh wait doesn’t that mean xyz and sure enough later in the story the question is addressed. Sabrina really leave no stone unturned except the ones that leave me dying for book 2. Again if you haven’t yet read it and you like PNR go read this book!
After reading THIS book I want to camp out in Sabrina’s DMs and everywhere else asking for updates on book two. And I want to read all the omegaverse books, but only if they are like this one. Ones with growly, hot, badass Alphas who need to get their stuff together. Ones with scary bad guys that give me anxiety. Ones where I love damn near every character involved who isn’t a bad guy. This is a DEBUT book. It doesn’t feel like it and it does read like it and I now have a whole new obsession. So if you’re reading this please go pre-order this book it comes out soon and Sabrina deserves all the support we can give her. I know y’all don’t like reading incomplete series especially when they end on cliffhangers even if this one is only a medium sized one. But the only way we get books 2 or the next series is if the authors and algorithms know how much we love them!
If I’ve ever recommend a book you even halfway liked go get this book. Read it, review it! I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Updates Re-read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I still absolutely love this book it was actually better the second time around. The main thing I noticed this time was why everyone loved Aiden from the beginning. I was to just obsessed with Gabe and Hayes and Mal’s sweet words to see that Aiden was there the whole time. I will say that the moments with Gabe and Aiden and then the moments later where even more hot the second time. Ava is the type of FMC that is incredibly easy to love and root for. I also a notice the humor a little more this time. I stand by everything I said in my TikTok review, the attention to detail, the writing style, the imagery is all absolutely amazing. I saw a few things things that had me like oh wait doesn’t that mean xyz and sure enough later in the story the question is addressed. Sabrina really leave no stone unturned except the ones that leave me dying for book 2. Again if you haven’t yet read it and you like PNR go read this book!
August 21, 2025
I found this particular novel to be rather disappointing, unfortunately. The plot seemed overly convoluted, with far too many subplots vying for attention. It was difficult to maintain focus as the narrative frequently shifted, leaving me feeling somewhat adrift.
I believe the story would have benefited from a more streamlined approach and a clearer central theme. The absence of a compelling romantic element, or even a subtle hint of one, also contributed to my lack of engagement.
Ultimately, the book failed to capture my interest, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters.
I did not find the overall reading experience to be particularly enjoyable.
I believe the story would have benefited from a more streamlined approach and a clearer central theme. The absence of a compelling romantic element, or even a subtle hint of one, also contributed to my lack of engagement.
Ultimately, the book failed to capture my interest, and I struggled to connect with any of the characters.
I did not find the overall reading experience to be particularly enjoyable.
April 7, 2022
This story was quite good! I did go into it thinking it would be a stand-alone so I’m both disappointed that I don’t know the ending and also excited to have more to read whenever the second book comes out (planned as a duet). The story doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but there are some major plot lines that are not wrapped up by the end of the book.
If you’ve followed my reviews in the past you know that one of my biggest pet peeves is when there is a heroine raised in isolation who knows things they logically just wouldn’t know. The author did a REALLY good job of facing this challenge compared to others that I’ve read. It’s important for this aspect of the story to be balanced so that the heroine has a good amount of unknowns without being so ignorant to the world that the story loses focus or gets too bogged down with minutiae. There are still a couple things she knows but shouldn’t know, but it’s super minor in the grand scheme.
It’s not common to find Black FMCs in romance so it was really great to see some diversity! I also think it’s especially nice to read about a POC main character that isn’t fetishized, tokenized, or described solely through food comparisons (if you know, you know).
Also, from what I can tell this is the author’s debut novel, which is very impressive to me. Well done!
If you’ve followed my reviews in the past you know that one of my biggest pet peeves is when there is a heroine raised in isolation who knows things they logically just wouldn’t know. The author did a REALLY good job of facing this challenge compared to others that I’ve read. It’s important for this aspect of the story to be balanced so that the heroine has a good amount of unknowns without being so ignorant to the world that the story loses focus or gets too bogged down with minutiae. There are still a couple things she knows but shouldn’t know, but it’s super minor in the grand scheme.
It’s not common to find Black FMCs in romance so it was really great to see some diversity! I also think it’s especially nice to read about a POC main character that isn’t fetishized, tokenized, or described solely through food comparisons (if you know, you know).
Also, from what I can tell this is the author’s debut novel, which is very impressive to me. Well done!
March 18, 2022
An incredible debut
I found it so hard to put this book down. Sabrina Day weaved together a complex, interesting, dark and seductive omegaverse on her first attempt like it was nothing! I'm going to be diving into the sequel to this the moment it comes out.
I found it so hard to put this book down. Sabrina Day weaved together a complex, interesting, dark and seductive omegaverse on her first attempt like it was nothing! I'm going to be diving into the sequel to this the moment it comes out.
June 27, 2022
I knew it was not going to be great but... I was bored. This year have been the year where I dipped my toe into the Omegaverse genre, I've discovered some gems but this one is not it.
Kudos to this breathtaking cover !
Kudos to this breathtaking cover !
March 7, 2022
OH. MY. GOD.
This was so good. I cannot even deal with how good it was. I was hooked from the minute I started reading it and would’ve finished it in only a few hours if I hadn’t had to put it down and finally give in to sleep lol.
The story is about Ava. A young woman who has been so traumatised by her father her entire life. A horrible situation ensues and Ava and her brother, Shay, escape her father and their prison, except Shay has just shifted into a massive wolf.
Ava meets Gabe, a beautiful and caring Beta, who takes her to his pack of Alphas, Aiden, Malcolm, and Hayes. Drama unfolds.
I’m not joking when I tell you this book had my heart actually racing several times throughout reading it. Especially at the very end of Chapter 14. Sabrina’s writing really transported me into the story and I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t help but feel panic and stress and laughter and all the feels in real life time as I was reading.
I loved Ava. Considering what she went through, she really came into her own. She was surrounded by a bunch of alphaholes, even if they were well-meaning ones, and she didn’t let herself completely submit to her omega instincts. She fought back with attitude and strength and definitely saved the day a time or two.
The men are a whole other kettle of fish. Gabe is the first we meet. He’s a little more caring and sweet because he doesn’t have alpha instincts riding him but he’s still protective as all the rest.
Aiden, Mal and Hayes. They’re definitely alphaholes, and they certainly don’t listen well but it’s super obvious they care deeply. For Ava and for the pack. Aiden is a big grouch and his temper is a hair trigger but he really gets Ava. Mal is both sweet and protective while also managing to fuck things up a little but you can tell he meant well, and this gets resolved by the end of the book. Hayes might be my favourite. Initially he’s an ice cold dick. Circumstances change and he becomes Ava’s fiercest protector. He’s there for her, and Gabe, when things go wild. Not to mention his alpha vibes are UNF! *starts drooling*
The spice is 10/10. It starts off pretty fast burn with some M/M action but then it slows to more medium burn when they turn their brains back on. It is well written and delicious spice and had enough that it kept you hot but wasn’t overwhelming to the story.
The ending is definitely a cliffhanger but the ride is so freaking worth it. I cannot wait for book 2. It’s going to be one hell of an adventure! Especially with what I think the bomb drop at the end means. I’ve got ages to wait but it’ll so be worth it.
5 ⭐️ rating.
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for review but all thoughts are my own honest opinions.
This was so good. I cannot even deal with how good it was. I was hooked from the minute I started reading it and would’ve finished it in only a few hours if I hadn’t had to put it down and finally give in to sleep lol.
The story is about Ava. A young woman who has been so traumatised by her father her entire life. A horrible situation ensues and Ava and her brother, Shay, escape her father and their prison, except Shay has just shifted into a massive wolf.
Ava meets Gabe, a beautiful and caring Beta, who takes her to his pack of Alphas, Aiden, Malcolm, and Hayes. Drama unfolds.
I’m not joking when I tell you this book had my heart actually racing several times throughout reading it. Especially at the very end of Chapter 14. Sabrina’s writing really transported me into the story and I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t help but feel panic and stress and laughter and all the feels in real life time as I was reading.
I loved Ava. Considering what she went through, she really came into her own. She was surrounded by a bunch of alphaholes, even if they were well-meaning ones, and she didn’t let herself completely submit to her omega instincts. She fought back with attitude and strength and definitely saved the day a time or two.
The men are a whole other kettle of fish. Gabe is the first we meet. He’s a little more caring and sweet because he doesn’t have alpha instincts riding him but he’s still protective as all the rest.
Aiden, Mal and Hayes. They’re definitely alphaholes, and they certainly don’t listen well but it’s super obvious they care deeply. For Ava and for the pack. Aiden is a big grouch and his temper is a hair trigger but he really gets Ava. Mal is both sweet and protective while also managing to fuck things up a little but you can tell he meant well, and this gets resolved by the end of the book. Hayes might be my favourite. Initially he’s an ice cold dick. Circumstances change and he becomes Ava’s fiercest protector. He’s there for her, and Gabe, when things go wild. Not to mention his alpha vibes are UNF! *starts drooling*
The spice is 10/10. It starts off pretty fast burn with some M/M action but then it slows to more medium burn when they turn their brains back on. It is well written and delicious spice and had enough that it kept you hot but wasn’t overwhelming to the story.
The ending is definitely a cliffhanger but the ride is so freaking worth it. I cannot wait for book 2. It’s going to be one hell of an adventure! Especially with what I think the bomb drop at the end means. I’ve got ages to wait but it’ll so be worth it.
5 ⭐️ rating.
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for review but all thoughts are my own honest opinions.
September 9, 2023
So I read the book.
And I have some thoughts .
Let’s do a quick recap of the plot, then I’ll break this down into my subjective opinions, my objective stance, and my literary/editorial notes.
Because I have a lot.
Ava (h) is an allegedly 23 year old black woman who was isolated from the world alongside her 17 year old brother Shay and both were at the mercy of their crazed, quasi-religious father. But when their father endangers their lives with potential trafficking and sexual assault, Ava and Shay take the plunge in fleeing for their lives. And in doing so, they finally unpack that the world is much bigger than what their father claimed. And that Shay is an Alpha while Ava is an omega .
Now Ava and Shay are thrust into a world with confusing pack dynamics and no common knowledge of what even a toilet is. And while Alpha heroes Hayes, Mal and Aiden and beta hero Gabriel step in to take Ava and Shay under their protection and Ava as their coveted omega, danger and doubt still keep shadows in Ava’s every step.
Let’s start with the subjective thoughts .
First of all, I am always craving PNRs with leads who look like me. We are sorely lacking with black FMCs in PNRs. But unfortunately, the black FMCs I do read about are poorly written.
Ava suffers the same fate.
The premise of this book was what roped me in, but reading the book in its entirety made me wonder about the editing and if this had been edited, but I’ll put in editorial notes later.
This books offers no world building or any sort of build up regarding how things work or how I am supposed to care about the characters. I’m 💯 fine with stories slowly unraveling the world building, but instead, we are thrust into multiple points of view without any rationale why we are forced to read other perspectives.
I could not stand Ava whatsoever, and the only reason I completed this book was because she is a lead who looks like me. We are supposed to believe Ava was isolated and terrified, yet she had a lot of stereotyped #MyBodyBetrayedMe rather than common sense.
It really went to show there was no research done on how freed members of isolated societies act. Instead, Ava is thrown into disaster after disaster with no thoughts put into her actions and her brother is an afterthought once she finds out she likes Alpha cock. Not to mention, her outbursts of emotion were so…hollow and anticipated in the worst way possible.
She consistently makes stupid decisions to wander alone even after it is expressed for her not to. She claims she is so broken and can’t trust, yet she also runs her mouth at first chance and has no self-preservation without any sort of justification. She claims I can’t do this as she grinds on her “not wanted” Alphas.
And I’m…supposed to sympathize with her?
No. I would have sympathized more had Ava been given more depth outside of TV Tropes layered on. If Ava had been described more as cagey, masking her emotions, and tight-lipped for a long amount of time and Shay was the one coaxing her to see the silver lining? That would have been more believable and gotten me to sympathize with her.
I would’ve loved to see Ava using her resourcefulness to seek out Kira and escape to be her own person and learn about omegaverse away from “her Alphas”.
Ava’s naïveté needed a lot more work to be believable—her entire character needed more revision, honestly. Maybe less “smartmouthing, snarky FMC” and more of her quietly absorbing information to plot her successful escape. I would have been fascinated if she mimicked her mother in miming submissiveness only to strike out at the moment of truth.
It was obvious her sperm donor did a number to her, yet she only shows it once or twice that that number was negative than positive. If she were truly isolated, I would have liked Tangled angle. Perhaps Ava truly believed her father was a good man and praised him. But as she learns of the real world, she wrestles with what is fact and what is fiction. Because that 💯 happens to many women isolated in cults where they legitimately think their “father” raping them isn’f rape nor sex and is considered normal as they have no clue what normal life is like.
Gabriel and Aiden’s relationship was a subplot that should have added something to the story, yet I wished it went away.
And speaking of…
Oh, dear gods, her Alphas and that damn pack, why?
This felt like a very, very AO3 attempt to recreate Kathryn Moon’s sweet-verse and I had a lot of issue with her writing as well.
The shifting perspectives only made me skip more and more because I wasn’t given enough to actually care about these “heroes”. I couldn’t understand how Aiden was swoonworthy for Ava to make him a costar in her wet dreams. I didn’t care about Mal or Hayes’ drama and internal struggle.
I was not given anything to care about these heroes. Instead, I rooted for Ava to leave them all and start anew elsewhere.
Let’s get to the objective thoughts .
Objectively, this book hit all the mainstream omegaverse sweet-verse boxes.
FMC who doesn’t know she’s an omega and Presents at a bad time? ☑️
Beta who finds the FMC and helps her? ☑️
Stuck up cliquey omegas and betas around the FMC?☑️
Alphas with very little depth added? ☑️
FMC thinks she’s tough for putting herself in constant danger? ☑️
FMC’s body betrays her? ☑️
FMC shares threesome with Alpha and Beta? ☑️
Multiple POVs? ☑️
The boxes keep checking and with a black FMC? That is a PNR bonus. So I understand why this book is recommended in circles and has positive reviews.
Time for editorial/literary thoughts .
I was appalled that this book had poor formatting—at least enough that made me contemplate a report. Again, this felt like AO3/Wattpad writing and the formatting contributed to that line of thinking.
Grammar, where new paragraphs start, punctuation—everything was inconsistent.
I personally would have shifted away from overusing multiple perspectives to tell this story and would have advised to do so sparingly. The wolf perspective was so out of left-field that I had to stop reading and wonder if I should stop the book all together and mark it as a DNF.
Because A/B/O, pack, and organization dynamics were…vaguely explained in exchange for heavy petting and assault, I have several ticks made in my copy where dialogue could have been expanded to explain the world more and same with paragraphs that should have dove more or less into character psyche.
The dialogue in this book coupled with irrelevant character dumping need a lot of reformatting. For dialogue to sound natural, it cannot be separated through pages upon pages of “info-dumping” that could have been saved for quieter moments in the story or a natural conversation.
While this book had interesting sensual moments, it suffered from too much vagueness in areas that required further elaboration and too much information dumping in areas that did not require it or could have been reworded and reposition in the story.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this book was a generous ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶 for me and not necessarily a book I would recommend to my PNR circles. A friend reminded me, Just because the book has a lead who looks like us doesn’t mean it will be a masterpiece, and I concur. I’m extremely grateful to representation of my race and skin tone, but…
Take my opinion with a grain of salt, of course. I’m heavily critical and nitpicky with a lot of romance books, so if you liked this book, good on ya. I read it. It happened. Now I will complete my review, take the book out of my Kindle library, and move on.
💜
And I have some thoughts .
Let’s do a quick recap of the plot, then I’ll break this down into my subjective opinions, my objective stance, and my literary/editorial notes.
Because I have a lot.
Ava (h) is an allegedly 23 year old black woman who was isolated from the world alongside her 17 year old brother Shay and both were at the mercy of their crazed, quasi-religious father. But when their father endangers their lives with potential trafficking and sexual assault, Ava and Shay take the plunge in fleeing for their lives. And in doing so, they finally unpack that the world is much bigger than what their father claimed. And that Shay is an Alpha while Ava is an omega .
Now Ava and Shay are thrust into a world with confusing pack dynamics and no common knowledge of what even a toilet is. And while Alpha heroes Hayes, Mal and Aiden and beta hero Gabriel step in to take Ava and Shay under their protection and Ava as their coveted omega, danger and doubt still keep shadows in Ava’s every step.
Let’s start with the subjective thoughts .
First of all, I am always craving PNRs with leads who look like me. We are sorely lacking with black FMCs in PNRs. But unfortunately, the black FMCs I do read about are poorly written.
Ava suffers the same fate.
The premise of this book was what roped me in, but reading the book in its entirety made me wonder about the editing and if this had been edited, but I’ll put in editorial notes later.
This books offers no world building or any sort of build up regarding how things work or how I am supposed to care about the characters. I’m 💯 fine with stories slowly unraveling the world building, but instead, we are thrust into multiple points of view without any rationale why we are forced to read other perspectives.
I could not stand Ava whatsoever, and the only reason I completed this book was because she is a lead who looks like me. We are supposed to believe Ava was isolated and terrified, yet she had a lot of stereotyped #MyBodyBetrayedMe rather than common sense.
It really went to show there was no research done on how freed members of isolated societies act. Instead, Ava is thrown into disaster after disaster with no thoughts put into her actions and her brother is an afterthought once she finds out she likes Alpha cock. Not to mention, her outbursts of emotion were so…hollow and anticipated in the worst way possible.
She consistently makes stupid decisions to wander alone even after it is expressed for her not to. She claims she is so broken and can’t trust, yet she also runs her mouth at first chance and has no self-preservation without any sort of justification. She claims I can’t do this as she grinds on her “not wanted” Alphas.
And I’m…supposed to sympathize with her?
No. I would have sympathized more had Ava been given more depth outside of TV Tropes layered on. If Ava had been described more as cagey, masking her emotions, and tight-lipped for a long amount of time and Shay was the one coaxing her to see the silver lining? That would have been more believable and gotten me to sympathize with her.
I would’ve loved to see Ava using her resourcefulness to seek out Kira and escape to be her own person and learn about omegaverse away from “her Alphas”.
Ava’s naïveté needed a lot more work to be believable—her entire character needed more revision, honestly. Maybe less “smartmouthing, snarky FMC” and more of her quietly absorbing information to plot her successful escape. I would have been fascinated if she mimicked her mother in miming submissiveness only to strike out at the moment of truth.
It was obvious her sperm donor did a number to her, yet she only shows it once or twice that that number was negative than positive. If she were truly isolated, I would have liked Tangled angle. Perhaps Ava truly believed her father was a good man and praised him. But as she learns of the real world, she wrestles with what is fact and what is fiction. Because that 💯 happens to many women isolated in cults where they legitimately think their “father” raping them isn’f rape nor sex and is considered normal as they have no clue what normal life is like.
Gabriel and Aiden’s relationship was a subplot that should have added something to the story, yet I wished it went away.
And speaking of…
Oh, dear gods, her Alphas and that damn pack, why?
This felt like a very, very AO3 attempt to recreate Kathryn Moon’s sweet-verse and I had a lot of issue with her writing as well.
The shifting perspectives only made me skip more and more because I wasn’t given enough to actually care about these “heroes”. I couldn’t understand how Aiden was swoonworthy for Ava to make him a costar in her wet dreams. I didn’t care about Mal or Hayes’ drama and internal struggle.
I was not given anything to care about these heroes. Instead, I rooted for Ava to leave them all and start anew elsewhere.
Let’s get to the objective thoughts .
Objectively, this book hit all the mainstream omegaverse sweet-verse boxes.
FMC who doesn’t know she’s an omega and Presents at a bad time? ☑️
Beta who finds the FMC and helps her? ☑️
Stuck up cliquey omegas and betas around the FMC?☑️
Alphas with very little depth added? ☑️
FMC thinks she’s tough for putting herself in constant danger? ☑️
FMC’s body betrays her? ☑️
FMC shares threesome with Alpha and Beta? ☑️
Multiple POVs? ☑️
The boxes keep checking and with a black FMC? That is a PNR bonus. So I understand why this book is recommended in circles and has positive reviews.
Time for editorial/literary thoughts .
I was appalled that this book had poor formatting—at least enough that made me contemplate a report. Again, this felt like AO3/Wattpad writing and the formatting contributed to that line of thinking.
Grammar, where new paragraphs start, punctuation—everything was inconsistent.
I personally would have shifted away from overusing multiple perspectives to tell this story and would have advised to do so sparingly. The wolf perspective was so out of left-field that I had to stop reading and wonder if I should stop the book all together and mark it as a DNF.
Because A/B/O, pack, and organization dynamics were…vaguely explained in exchange for heavy petting and assault, I have several ticks made in my copy where dialogue could have been expanded to explain the world more and same with paragraphs that should have dove more or less into character psyche.
The dialogue in this book coupled with irrelevant character dumping need a lot of reformatting. For dialogue to sound natural, it cannot be separated through pages upon pages of “info-dumping” that could have been saved for quieter moments in the story or a natural conversation.
While this book had interesting sensual moments, it suffered from too much vagueness in areas that required further elaboration and too much information dumping in areas that did not require it or could have been reworded and reposition in the story.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this book was a generous ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶 for me and not necessarily a book I would recommend to my PNR circles. A friend reminded me, Just because the book has a lead who looks like us doesn’t mean it will be a masterpiece, and I concur. I’m extremely grateful to representation of my race and skin tone, but…
Take my opinion with a grain of salt, of course. I’m heavily critical and nitpicky with a lot of romance books, so if you liked this book, good on ya. I read it. It happened. Now I will complete my review, take the book out of my Kindle library, and move on.
💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2022
Sabrina Day gave me a story, an experience, a journey that was perfectly put together. Ava knows one way of life, and it isn't a happy existence but everything she ever knew changes in a blink of an eye. Ava escapes her unhealthy, unhappy, brutal existence and finds her pack. Oh but there's conflict, conflict between old Ava and new Ava. How can you reconcile what you were taught with what you see unfolding and happening to you in real times. This book is just amazingly perfect because Sabrina addresses each character, their conflict, their flaws and make you fall in love with each one of them...flaws and all. Ava's conflict gives her character umph, that extra something you need from her to understand her better. She's not fickle, she's not indecisive, she's finding her way after a very hard life of basically servitude and submissive imprisonment. With everything that's happened and happening, she's found strength where most would crumble. To add to her healing, running away, looking for herself, she's in her very first estrus...unprepared. This is what leads her to her pack. The pack that were only agreeing to an Omega because they "needed" to. Now things have become more complicated and fun! She's got the love and attention of 4 very protective men, 3 of them Alphas who feed her, care for her, protect her, and would scorch earth for her. These men are big on her consent in everything and boy do they know how to talk, and talk dirty! There is a lot going on, but Sabrina's attention to detail is impeccable and leaves you knowing that book 2 is going to be even better. I loved every bit of Ava's growth, the cadre realizing that they were living more apart than together which in effect was weakening them, and the care and love shared between them all. Am I ready for book 2... Hell yeah I am and I hope Sabrina is close to finish with it!
If you never read an Omegaverse, this is a perfect start. I highly recommend you go read and definitely review this book.
If you never read an Omegaverse, this is a perfect start. I highly recommend you go read and definitely review this book.
dnf
February 9, 2024DNF at 67%, February 2024
I feel bad that I didn’t enjoy this but I just couldn’t finish it.
I liked the start a lot, I was pretty into it when I picked it up and began reading, but as it continued I disliked things.
I’m not a fan of Aiden, add onto the fact that Ava has no knowledge on what’s happening around her due to how she was raised, and how she’s in heat so she has no control over her own body yet the alphas around her do things with her, I was just very uncomfortable.
The first scene with penetration was the last straw for me. Others may enjoy this but I felt incredibly uncomfortable that she wasn’t 100% in her right mind and began crying and thinking of her abusive father as he was continuing and reaching climax (and didn’t stop because his ‘wolf took over’).
The writing itself isn’t bad, but I personally wasn’t comfortable continuing.
I feel bad that I didn’t enjoy this but I just couldn’t finish it.
I liked the start a lot, I was pretty into it when I picked it up and began reading, but as it continued I disliked things.
I’m not a fan of Aiden, add onto the fact that Ava has no knowledge on what’s happening around her due to how she was raised, and how she’s in heat so she has no control over her own body yet the alphas around her do things with her, I was just very uncomfortable.
The first scene with penetration was the last straw for me. Others may enjoy this but I felt incredibly uncomfortable that she wasn’t 100% in her right mind and began crying and thinking of her abusive father as he was continuing and reaching climax (and didn’t stop because his ‘wolf took over’).
The writing itself isn’t bad, but I personally wasn’t comfortable continuing.
February 23, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book dragged me by my hair out of a reading slump, and I loved every second of it. The worst part? Book two isn’t out yet!
Fleeing Fate is an intense, gripping read that doesn’t shy away from dark themes. Ava has spent her life trapped in an abusive home, suffering unimaginable trauma at the hands of her father. The book doesn’t just explore her escape but also the lingering effects, including PTSD, flashbacks, and the struggle to reclaim her autonomy after years of control. While I haven’t read many Omegaverse books, I can confidently say that as an RH lover, this one worked well for me. Ava’s journey from survival to something resembling safety was fascinating, and the world Sabrina Day built has me desperate to know what happens next.
That said, I do wish there had been more time for the pack and Ava to truly connect. For such a long book, their personal interactions felt a little underdeveloped. My biggest issue, though, was the way the pack infantilized Ava. After finally breaking free from one form of captivity, she finds herself in another, not because they hold her against her will but because of the strict societal norms they live by. They don’t trust her or give her the independence she deserves, which makes it feel like she just traded one prison for another. And (tiny spoiler) That was a major ick for me.
Spice-wise, this book definitely brings the heat, but many of the steamy scenes don’t involve the FMC directly. It doesn’t make them any less spicy, but it’s something to keep in mind!
Overall, Ava’s quiet strength was one of my favorite aspects of the book. She wasn’t the over-the-top "boss girl" FMC we see a lot of lately, but she also didn’t just sit back and let others fight her battles. I need book two immediately because I’m dying to see where this story goes next!
This book dragged me by my hair out of a reading slump, and I loved every second of it. The worst part? Book two isn’t out yet!
Fleeing Fate is an intense, gripping read that doesn’t shy away from dark themes. Ava has spent her life trapped in an abusive home, suffering unimaginable trauma at the hands of her father. The book doesn’t just explore her escape but also the lingering effects, including PTSD, flashbacks, and the struggle to reclaim her autonomy after years of control. While I haven’t read many Omegaverse books, I can confidently say that as an RH lover, this one worked well for me. Ava’s journey from survival to something resembling safety was fascinating, and the world Sabrina Day built has me desperate to know what happens next.
That said, I do wish there had been more time for the pack and Ava to truly connect. For such a long book, their personal interactions felt a little underdeveloped. My biggest issue, though, was the way the pack infantilized Ava. After finally breaking free from one form of captivity, she finds herself in another, not because they hold her against her will but because of the strict societal norms they live by. They don’t trust her or give her the independence she deserves, which makes it feel like she just traded one prison for another. And (tiny spoiler) That was a major ick for me.
Spice-wise, this book definitely brings the heat, but many of the steamy scenes don’t involve the FMC directly. It doesn’t make them any less spicy, but it’s something to keep in mind!
Overall, Ava’s quiet strength was one of my favorite aspects of the book. She wasn’t the over-the-top "boss girl" FMC we see a lot of lately, but she also didn’t just sit back and let others fight her battles. I need book two immediately because I’m dying to see where this story goes next!
April 14, 2023
TLDR : Reading this book is like having the most appetizing burger in front of you and you can SMELL it, it's just grease and pure deliciousness, and you bite down and it's juicy but the trick is for some reason you're not allowed to chew the burger. So you spit it out and good food goes to waste.
Deep Negro Spiritual Sigh
I want to preface this review by saying the writing style of the author was wonderful, it's descriptive, vivid and leaves room for you to read between the lines. Therefore this leaves most of the problems with the plot itself.
....
If you told me to rate this book, based on the first half of it, I would probably give it 9/10, but as I pushed on into the second half of the book it all becomes too much, everything everywhere all at once. I'm talking the characters themselves, the pacing, the overarching plot, the domestic plot, even the smut. And it hurts mannn cuz I was so pumped for the first half.
Now that my shaky thesis statement is out of the way 💀 let's get into it.
The Characters
Shay - Ava's bother shay is one of the first characters we meet and he shifts into a werewolf out of necessity to protect his sister from harm. They're shown as a very close pair of siblings since their mother seemed like she was never with them mentally, and their father was abusive/insane etc. After finding safe haven Shay seems to betray his sister almost immediately with his intent to find his own pack and well we kinda never see him again for the book 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
He just Skeefuckingdaddles off to hang out with other pack members and only walks up to his sister in wolf form once then promptly leaves again.
This is a reallllly big flag for me since for the past several chapters their relationship is emphasized and throughout the book Ava suffter from PTSD due to what she went through, so to think that the only other person in the world who went though what she did, would just fucking leave and cling closer to modern life and people they don't know is insane.
Ava - lots of heavy themes with one and honestly I don't know how to feel about them all. Her trama affecting her present is sad but expected and I do believe in some ways, her "men" could have equipped themselves better to help her. The timeline of the book makes it so that, the character never gets time to breathe and so the emotions about everything are sill so raw. That said I think she is very hot and cold ( I understand why, I'm just stating how it feels as a reader). She pokes the bear a bit and is shocked when they bite back. She bit her packmates first both times and when she gets bit back she has a terrible reaction, which I can't fault her for but then she's talks to other omegas LIKE A FUCKING BRAT and goes on and on about how she doesn't want the bite and she doesn't care for them or want them. 🤭 She even has people questioning whether they did it against her will, went SHE incited the ceremony both times.
I'm not saying that she's responsable for her reaction to Mal biting her, but I am saying that after the fact, she's capable of analyzing her feelings and separating something that she asked for from something that came unwillingly, her being around other omegas gave her this new personality that felt so fucking odd ???????? Her kissing Rowan had me like ????????????🤔🤔
It really doesn't make sense being 3 days earlier this girl was running away from her abuser hoping that she's finds someone to protect her and help her, after she's been subservient to an abusive man all her life. Yet she finds people who want to help her and she gets this artificially spicy personality where she is pushing boundaries, biting back and just flat out defying orders someone put in place to protect her.
Ava being a fox AND a omega AND forcing people to shift AND being the reason why Hayes didn't need to shift AND being the only child her father wanted back, AND only shifting back to human at the behest of some new special extra dominant alpha, made the plot thick and heavy and the million problems that we had in the beginning that had no resolutions met these new reveals and I simply became disappointed. At this pace in the next book were gonna find out that Ava will be the cause of the cataclysm and she has the power to alter all living being and her very breath, will change the moon and stars as we know it.
Mal/Aiden/Gabe/Haynes - they all have distinct personalities so props to the author for that, because that tends to be a problem in books with polyamory. I also enjoyed them alot as people with their own motives and hurts. That aside.
They talk big, but cannot back it up.
Three situations presented themselves and these big hulking, thick, tough, burly, testosterone filled, knife wielding ALPHAS failed to properly protect their mate. How emasculating. A shitshow truly, we all know why we're reading werewolf books and they couldn't put those fucking claws to good use ????? Their anger does nothing to satiate my distate with them, which was further amped by their pathetic display in front of Gideon.
That just solidified my disinterest in reading part 2.
The PLOT- The world being in a mess DONT CARE, the city/section being surrounded by electric wire keeping crazed human/zombies out DON'T CARE. Detroit holding lost technologies/ higher ups wanted to reach for clam of it. DON'T CARE. Ava- getting away from her father and being safe with her brother I CARE. Ava's mates making changes to their lives and their attitudes to make room for her I CARE. The father being in a religious fanatic group. SLIGHTLY CARE and I thought that would have been the main thead in the conclusion but it wasn't. Its unfortunate because things like that happen quite a bit in real life and I looked forward to it but uk guess we really needed to write an unfinished ending with no real resolutions so that there can be a part two 😚
I can't help but feel like we didn't get to focus on romance and all, there is chemistry there but the characters cuts are too raw for love to fully blossom, instead we're supposed to be satisfied with this plot that leaves you wanting but at the same time if I take one more bite I'll throw up.
The SMUT : smut is good, well written, at least what little smut we get 💀. Ava only does the deed once in the entire book 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊 and it's like 60% in ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️ Don't you just love when that happens
Deep Negro Spiritual Sigh
I want to preface this review by saying the writing style of the author was wonderful, it's descriptive, vivid and leaves room for you to read between the lines. Therefore this leaves most of the problems with the plot itself.
....
If you told me to rate this book, based on the first half of it, I would probably give it 9/10, but as I pushed on into the second half of the book it all becomes too much, everything everywhere all at once. I'm talking the characters themselves, the pacing, the overarching plot, the domestic plot, even the smut. And it hurts mannn cuz I was so pumped for the first half.
Now that my shaky thesis statement is out of the way 💀 let's get into it.
The Characters
Shay - Ava's bother shay is one of the first characters we meet and he shifts into a werewolf out of necessity to protect his sister from harm. They're shown as a very close pair of siblings since their mother seemed like she was never with them mentally, and their father was abusive/insane etc. After finding safe haven Shay seems to betray his sister almost immediately with his intent to find his own pack and well we kinda never see him again for the book 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
He just Skeefuckingdaddles off to hang out with other pack members and only walks up to his sister in wolf form once then promptly leaves again.
This is a reallllly big flag for me since for the past several chapters their relationship is emphasized and throughout the book Ava suffter from PTSD due to what she went through, so to think that the only other person in the world who went though what she did, would just fucking leave and cling closer to modern life and people they don't know is insane.
Ava - lots of heavy themes with one and honestly I don't know how to feel about them all. Her trama affecting her present is sad but expected and I do believe in some ways, her "men" could have equipped themselves better to help her. The timeline of the book makes it so that, the character never gets time to breathe and so the emotions about everything are sill so raw. That said I think she is very hot and cold ( I understand why, I'm just stating how it feels as a reader). She pokes the bear a bit and is shocked when they bite back. She bit her packmates first both times and when she gets bit back she has a terrible reaction, which I can't fault her for but then she's talks to other omegas LIKE A FUCKING BRAT and goes on and on about how she doesn't want the bite and she doesn't care for them or want them. 🤭 She even has people questioning whether they did it against her will, went SHE incited the ceremony both times.
I'm not saying that she's responsable for her reaction to Mal biting her, but I am saying that after the fact, she's capable of analyzing her feelings and separating something that she asked for from something that came unwillingly, her being around other omegas gave her this new personality that felt so fucking odd ???????? Her kissing Rowan had me like ????????????🤔🤔
It really doesn't make sense being 3 days earlier this girl was running away from her abuser hoping that she's finds someone to protect her and help her, after she's been subservient to an abusive man all her life. Yet she finds people who want to help her and she gets this artificially spicy personality where she is pushing boundaries, biting back and just flat out defying orders someone put in place to protect her.
Ava being a fox AND a omega AND forcing people to shift AND being the reason why Hayes didn't need to shift AND being the only child her father wanted back, AND only shifting back to human at the behest of some new special extra dominant alpha, made the plot thick and heavy and the million problems that we had in the beginning that had no resolutions met these new reveals and I simply became disappointed. At this pace in the next book were gonna find out that Ava will be the cause of the cataclysm and she has the power to alter all living being and her very breath, will change the moon and stars as we know it.
Mal/Aiden/Gabe/Haynes - they all have distinct personalities so props to the author for that, because that tends to be a problem in books with polyamory. I also enjoyed them alot as people with their own motives and hurts. That aside.
They talk big, but cannot back it up.
Three situations presented themselves and these big hulking, thick, tough, burly, testosterone filled, knife wielding ALPHAS failed to properly protect their mate. How emasculating. A shitshow truly, we all know why we're reading werewolf books and they couldn't put those fucking claws to good use ????? Their anger does nothing to satiate my distate with them, which was further amped by their pathetic display in front of Gideon.
That just solidified my disinterest in reading part 2.
The PLOT- The world being in a mess DONT CARE, the city/section being surrounded by electric wire keeping crazed human/zombies out DON'T CARE. Detroit holding lost technologies/ higher ups wanted to reach for clam of it. DON'T CARE. Ava- getting away from her father and being safe with her brother I CARE. Ava's mates making changes to their lives and their attitudes to make room for her I CARE. The father being in a religious fanatic group. SLIGHTLY CARE and I thought that would have been the main thead in the conclusion but it wasn't. Its unfortunate because things like that happen quite a bit in real life and I looked forward to it but uk guess we really needed to write an unfinished ending with no real resolutions so that there can be a part two 😚
I can't help but feel like we didn't get to focus on romance and all, there is chemistry there but the characters cuts are too raw for love to fully blossom, instead we're supposed to be satisfied with this plot that leaves you wanting but at the same time if I take one more bite I'll throw up.
The SMUT : smut is good, well written, at least what little smut we get 💀. Ava only does the deed once in the entire book 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊 and it's like 60% in ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️ Don't you just love when that happens
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2023
First I want to say thank you for writing a omega shifter book with a black female lead.
Now I would love to say that I enjoyed the story but I did not. There were so many things that made me sooooooo annoyed.
Though we did start off the book great, it immediately fell off when she came in contact with Gabe. I’m a criminal justice major, someone who has analyzed interrogations, has BEEN interrogated, so when I say Gabe should not have the job of Sheriff, I mean it.
After Ava flees her abusive asf, crazy asf, creepy religious weirdo father, Gabe pulls her over for speeding and driving recklessly. He can quickly tell that this girl is running away from something and instead of taking her to the police station, taking her statement, ya know police stuff. He’s like “Come on, let’s eat at the diner and get a burger😍.”
I may be nick picking a little bit but it just felt so unrealistic to me. Gabe takes Ava and her wolf brother and makes her sit in the booth and then boxes her in. Obviously this girl is a victim of SOMETHING, why would you box her in with no place to go. Like, Gabe didn’t know the extent of her trauma, a MAN sitting that close to her might not be the best decision SHERIFF.
And then he got hard when he notices that, despite being malnourished she still retained her womanly figure😫.
Like—He was so unprofessional it made me mad.
What also made me mad was the fact that he snapped at her, knowing she probably doesn’t have the information he wants. While conducting an investigation you should build rapport with the person you’re interrogating, this makes them WANT to tell you things. And Mr.Sheriff snapping at Ava backfires on him and makes her wary.
Also the fucking diner is crowded with ALPHA SHIFERS that have great hearing and can hear this poor girls story. Gabe should not be Sheriff.
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of boundaries everyone had concerning this girl. Gabe boxing her in. Dez after just scolding gabe on why NOT to bring victims to a diner because everyone can hear what you say, proceeds to press into her space and sniff her.
Moving on from that. Ava reveals to be an omega and these men from Pack House end up taking her away to, ya know. Rape her.
Hayes ends up saving her and he smells the omeganess of her and cannot help himself. Ava is also in a state of estrus, where she just wants to fuck. While in the estrus she ends up biting Hayes and claiming him. Mind you this girl got no fucking clue what the fuck she just did.
They end up going to the hospital and we meet the Good Doctor Kira. I don’t know if we were supposed to dislike her from fighting for Ava’s rights but um I liked that she did. She’s the only person that treated Ava like a PERSON. She tells Mal, Aiden, and Hayes; “Yo, I don’t think you’re capable of handling and dealing with someone who’s been through obvious trauma like Ava has. This situation needs a delicate touch.”
Mal being the Alpha he is states that they are the safest bunch she could be around. And it turns out he’s wrong. Aint that something. They end up taking her back to their claim and when she wakes and goes outside they freak out.
“Our claim has an open door so that the folks that need us can get to us, but that means the folks that we may not want, like your father, can get here too. I don’t want to gamble with maybes or should bes when it comes to your safety.”
I thought she was safe? But just about anyone can walk up onto your property is a lil crazy.
After this Aiden makes Ava and Shay food. Ava lets Shay eat the food first, a habit from living with their abusive father. Aiden asks her “Why aren’t you eating.” So she tells him.
““Is your father here?” Aiden does an exaggerated pan of the kitchen.”
Why is he the most insufferable person dude?
The lack of communication in this book drove me up a wall. Omega/Alpha books are truly not for the weak. Men choosing and making horrible decisions for the heroine needs to stop. These Alphas keeps making decisions for her thinking it would help her.
Ex:
- The Alphas discussing whether to bring her back up north to her fathers claim where he abused her, her brother and her mother. As a form of closure. What closure? Ya’ll haven’t even solved the problem yet😭
- Mal purring whenever she’s distressed, forcing her it to false calm. Like she can’t even have her own emotions anymore.
- Mal thinking a bond would ‘help’ her in any sort of way. One she didn’t even consent to.
Ava also nips Mal during her one of her flare up and coaxes him to fuck her. During the sex Mal’s wolf bites her back, claiming her. On her neck. Ava freezes up because it brings her back to her father shocking the shit out of her.
The thing is Mal hasn’t lost control of his wolf like this before and it all could’ve been avoided if he listened to hayes. Hayes to him that he need to go on a run as his wolf to release tension or whatever. Mal says nah he can handle things.
I feel like there should have been a conversation first with Ava, letting her know what she may down to them while in estrus. They could have left her locked in a room for fucks sake. Something. And second Mal gets off so easy when he bites that girls neck. Like zero consequences. A bite, the bond are very final and serious things. Mind you this is like day two of them meeting.
We also find out that they can hear her thoughts and she rightfully doesn’t like this. Why don’t they just sit down and answer every single question that she has 😭 Matter fact why ain’t she asking more questions.
Are omegas not people that can make their own decisions. Like the fact that they go through estrus shouldn’t be the only driving factor to withhold information. ABOUT THEMSELVES!
Ex:
- “And then it clicks. I get why the Benefaction sees me the way they do. They’ve been isolated too. Maybe not as bad as me but they’re shunted off into the same strange land where no one tells us what we really need to know, the same as me.”
- “Yeah, baby omega. I'm not being mean or whatever. We've all been the baby O at some point. No one wants to tell us anything because 'It's best to learn from your mates'.”
Wha- The fact that if these people, your mates, think that you shouldn’t hear certain information about yourself, as an omega, they have every right to keep the info to themselves.
Lord help me me understand😭
Now I would love to say that I enjoyed the story but I did not. There were so many things that made me sooooooo annoyed.
Though we did start off the book great, it immediately fell off when she came in contact with Gabe. I’m a criminal justice major, someone who has analyzed interrogations, has BEEN interrogated, so when I say Gabe should not have the job of Sheriff, I mean it.
After Ava flees her abusive asf, crazy asf, creepy religious weirdo father, Gabe pulls her over for speeding and driving recklessly. He can quickly tell that this girl is running away from something and instead of taking her to the police station, taking her statement, ya know police stuff. He’s like “Come on, let’s eat at the diner and get a burger😍.”
I may be nick picking a little bit but it just felt so unrealistic to me. Gabe takes Ava and her wolf brother and makes her sit in the booth and then boxes her in. Obviously this girl is a victim of SOMETHING, why would you box her in with no place to go. Like, Gabe didn’t know the extent of her trauma, a MAN sitting that close to her might not be the best decision SHERIFF.
And then he got hard when he notices that, despite being malnourished she still retained her womanly figure😫.
Like—He was so unprofessional it made me mad.
What also made me mad was the fact that he snapped at her, knowing she probably doesn’t have the information he wants. While conducting an investigation you should build rapport with the person you’re interrogating, this makes them WANT to tell you things. And Mr.Sheriff snapping at Ava backfires on him and makes her wary.
Also the fucking diner is crowded with ALPHA SHIFERS that have great hearing and can hear this poor girls story. Gabe should not be Sheriff.
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of boundaries everyone had concerning this girl. Gabe boxing her in. Dez after just scolding gabe on why NOT to bring victims to a diner because everyone can hear what you say, proceeds to press into her space and sniff her.
Moving on from that. Ava reveals to be an omega and these men from Pack House end up taking her away to, ya know. Rape her.
Hayes ends up saving her and he smells the omeganess of her and cannot help himself. Ava is also in a state of estrus, where she just wants to fuck. While in the estrus she ends up biting Hayes and claiming him. Mind you this girl got no fucking clue what the fuck she just did.
They end up going to the hospital and we meet the Good Doctor Kira. I don’t know if we were supposed to dislike her from fighting for Ava’s rights but um I liked that she did. She’s the only person that treated Ava like a PERSON. She tells Mal, Aiden, and Hayes; “Yo, I don’t think you’re capable of handling and dealing with someone who’s been through obvious trauma like Ava has. This situation needs a delicate touch.”
Mal being the Alpha he is states that they are the safest bunch she could be around. And it turns out he’s wrong. Aint that something. They end up taking her back to their claim and when she wakes and goes outside they freak out.
“Our claim has an open door so that the folks that need us can get to us, but that means the folks that we may not want, like your father, can get here too. I don’t want to gamble with maybes or should bes when it comes to your safety.”
I thought she was safe? But just about anyone can walk up onto your property is a lil crazy.
After this Aiden makes Ava and Shay food. Ava lets Shay eat the food first, a habit from living with their abusive father. Aiden asks her “Why aren’t you eating.” So she tells him.
““Is your father here?” Aiden does an exaggerated pan of the kitchen.”
Why is he the most insufferable person dude?
The lack of communication in this book drove me up a wall. Omega/Alpha books are truly not for the weak. Men choosing and making horrible decisions for the heroine needs to stop. These Alphas keeps making decisions for her thinking it would help her.
Ex:
- The Alphas discussing whether to bring her back up north to her fathers claim where he abused her, her brother and her mother. As a form of closure. What closure? Ya’ll haven’t even solved the problem yet😭
- Mal purring whenever she’s distressed, forcing her it to false calm. Like she can’t even have her own emotions anymore.
- Mal thinking a bond would ‘help’ her in any sort of way. One she didn’t even consent to.
Ava also nips Mal during her one of her flare up and coaxes him to fuck her. During the sex Mal’s wolf bites her back, claiming her. On her neck. Ava freezes up because it brings her back to her father shocking the shit out of her.
The thing is Mal hasn’t lost control of his wolf like this before and it all could’ve been avoided if he listened to hayes. Hayes to him that he need to go on a run as his wolf to release tension or whatever. Mal says nah he can handle things.
I feel like there should have been a conversation first with Ava, letting her know what she may down to them while in estrus. They could have left her locked in a room for fucks sake. Something. And second Mal gets off so easy when he bites that girls neck. Like zero consequences. A bite, the bond are very final and serious things. Mind you this is like day two of them meeting.
We also find out that they can hear her thoughts and she rightfully doesn’t like this. Why don’t they just sit down and answer every single question that she has 😭 Matter fact why ain’t she asking more questions.
Are omegas not people that can make their own decisions. Like the fact that they go through estrus shouldn’t be the only driving factor to withhold information. ABOUT THEMSELVES!
Ex:
- “And then it clicks. I get why the Benefaction sees me the way they do. They’ve been isolated too. Maybe not as bad as me but they’re shunted off into the same strange land where no one tells us what we really need to know, the same as me.”
- “Yeah, baby omega. I'm not being mean or whatever. We've all been the baby O at some point. No one wants to tell us anything because 'It's best to learn from your mates'.”
Wha- The fact that if these people, your mates, think that you shouldn’t hear certain information about yourself, as an omega, they have every right to keep the info to themselves.
Lord help me me understand😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2022
For anyone looking for more healing, sweet, omegaverse poly romances after Lola and the Millionaires, Lilacs and Leather, and Pack Darling: I highly recommend Fleeing Fate! Plus we have a Black heroine learning how much she deserves honest love! Check TWs, and know this duet isn’t finished yet so it ends on a cliffhanger!
Ava and her brother have lived their entire lives under their religious and domineering father cut off from society. When they finally make their escape, Ava quickly realizes how little they know of the world. She meets a pack who wants to protect and care for her while teaching her brother about what he is, all while the violent secrets on their past threaten to come to light.
This was my first actual shifter romance, but I found the paranormal elements far less intimidating that I expected! It had all the elements I usually like: hot and nuanced love interests, a deeply damaged but relatable heroine, a strong emotional plot about the difficulty of working through a variety of trauma, steam, love, and chosen family! The ending has me very confused but I can’t wait until the sequel! This was beautiful and I can’t wait to find out where it is heading!
Ava and her brother have lived their entire lives under their religious and domineering father cut off from society. When they finally make their escape, Ava quickly realizes how little they know of the world. She meets a pack who wants to protect and care for her while teaching her brother about what he is, all while the violent secrets on their past threaten to come to light.
This was my first actual shifter romance, but I found the paranormal elements far less intimidating that I expected! It had all the elements I usually like: hot and nuanced love interests, a deeply damaged but relatable heroine, a strong emotional plot about the difficulty of working through a variety of trauma, steam, love, and chosen family! The ending has me very confused but I can’t wait until the sequel! This was beautiful and I can’t wait to find out where it is heading!
April 18, 2022
This was a good debut novel! The cover is STUNNING.
I liked a lot of the elements. And will definitely read book 2.
A fox, I'm so here for what other secrets and tricks are hidden.
The traveling trope of omegas is cute. I like that.
Her being BiPOC is HUGE for me. I will say I kinda wished she didn't have a hard life and got to be spoiled and loved on... There was A LOT of trauma.
My draw backs
The omega should be the center, however the Beta seems the focus more often. And while I understand and love that he was valued it didn't feel omegaverse-esque. Like they know she's introuble but still fuck??
Her shifting back for and finding comfort in someone outside of pack just set off big non omegaverse vibes. Maybe just in a shifter romance. But an omega would never.... unless youre pointing out cracks in the pack which honestly seem blaring.
Which could be due to the pack always getting hit there is never a moment of rest.
Questions I have....
What's up with the brother? He went from UBER obsessive protective to poof I wanna go/stay
I liked a lot of the elements. And will definitely read book 2.
A fox, I'm so here for what other secrets and tricks are hidden.
The traveling trope of omegas is cute. I like that.
Her being BiPOC is HUGE for me. I will say I kinda wished she didn't have a hard life and got to be spoiled and loved on... There was A LOT of trauma.
My draw backs
The omega should be the center, however the Beta seems the focus more often. And while I understand and love that he was valued it didn't feel omegaverse-esque. Like they know she's introuble but still fuck??
Her shifting back for and finding comfort in someone outside of pack just set off big non omegaverse vibes. Maybe just in a shifter romance. But an omega would never.... unless youre pointing out cracks in the pack which honestly seem blaring.
Which could be due to the pack always getting hit there is never a moment of rest.
Questions I have....
What's up with the brother? He went from UBER obsessive protective to poof I wanna go/stay
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2022
I am so impressed with this debut as this has to be one of the best Omegaverse RH books I have ever read. Not my typical reading preference but I received an ARC copy to review.
I felt that the characters had their own distinct personalities and I loved the interactions between them. Seeing how the raw dynamics develop was so good to read. How someone 'caged' for most of their life sees potential safety and security as another cage. Very well done.
The plot involves some heavy themes (abuse of a child, SA, mental health) but I feel that the author deals with these respectfully. I love the main character Ava and really related to her. She is fierce and protective but also warm and forgiving considering all she's been through.
The writing is excellent, some of the descriptions are beautiful and I am looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2!
I felt that the characters had their own distinct personalities and I loved the interactions between them. Seeing how the raw dynamics develop was so good to read. How someone 'caged' for most of their life sees potential safety and security as another cage. Very well done.
The plot involves some heavy themes (abuse of a child, SA, mental health) but I feel that the author deals with these respectfully. I love the main character Ava and really related to her. She is fierce and protective but also warm and forgiving considering all she's been through.
The writing is excellent, some of the descriptions are beautiful and I am looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2!
April 10, 2023
3 1/2 "Very good" Stars!
This was such an intriguing story. I can't wait for the next book! 3 stars because the writing was off. I can't really explain more than off. I guess because there were a few editing issues and I still have so many questions about this "world". Like was this our world, post apocalyptic, an imagined fantasy world? I'm not really sure. I suppose that could be intentional. Also, I wanted more time with all the main characters "together"... Ya know "together".😉 I'm really hoping there will be more of that in the next book. But I really did enjoy this story. The five, yep 5 main characters all have something super interesting about them. I really can't wait to see how this all turns out. Happy reading!
This was such an intriguing story. I can't wait for the next book! 3 stars because the writing was off. I can't really explain more than off. I guess because there were a few editing issues and I still have so many questions about this "world". Like was this our world, post apocalyptic, an imagined fantasy world? I'm not really sure. I suppose that could be intentional. Also, I wanted more time with all the main characters "together"... Ya know "together".😉 I'm really hoping there will be more of that in the next book. But I really did enjoy this story. The five, yep 5 main characters all have something super interesting about them. I really can't wait to see how this all turns out. Happy reading!
March 8, 2022
Wow, what a thoroughly enjoyable debut! I have read a lot of books involving shifters, RH, omegaverse, etc but this book was a breath of fresh air on all fronts.
First, the dynamics and budding relationships between Ava and her alphas are real, messy, and raw. There is no insta-love here, instead we are given a glimpse into how even the offer of goodness, safety, and pleasure can be stifling and triggering for someone who is trying to heal from trauma and cult-level religious programming about purity.
The 🌶 scenes are scrumptious (praise for a mix of FM, MFM, and even MM scenes between some of the men.) There’s plenty of tension and spice to enjoy without giving the reader everything we want right away. There are definitely scenes I’m looking forward to seeing in the next book as Ava and her men work through their shit and grow closer!
Mal, Hayes, Aiden (and a certain sassy beta) haven’t had the easiest time navigating their own differences, past hurts, and needs, so there is definitely some clashing as they try and bring Ava into their pack.
One thing I love is that there is a show of the nurturing side of the alpha/dominant dynamics, whereas a lot of alphas in this genre are just big, snarly alphaholes who care only about their own wants. These boys can be like that too, but this pack truly cares for one another. In their every interaction, you see little glimpses of their innate need to create a sense of safety and home for each other and especially for Ava.
And then there’s Ava herself. Beautiful, broken, very much innocent and ignorant to the outside world and yet she has survived. She’s scrappy and fierce, but instinctively warm and protective. She doesn’t let a few sexy alphas box her up just to keep her safe. There are growing pains as she learns about her own dynamic, how to be among other people for the first time, what she is truly capable of, and to what lengths she will go to protect those she cares about.
The world building is intriguing and paced in a way that almost has us discovering everything along with Ava. Much of it is familiar, but there is a lot going on within the shifter communities and these other groups that we have yet to see. There are no confusing or overwhelming info dumps, just organic answers that feel natural as they come to the light as the story unfolds.
Mind the content warnings, as always! As an abuse survivor, seeing some of Ava’s reactions to these situations was validating, and I think it was portrayed both realistically and respectfully.
Overall, I enjoyed this debut immensely and I can’t wait to see what happens next! 5 ⭐️ from me!
**Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.**
First, the dynamics and budding relationships between Ava and her alphas are real, messy, and raw. There is no insta-love here, instead we are given a glimpse into how even the offer of goodness, safety, and pleasure can be stifling and triggering for someone who is trying to heal from trauma and cult-level religious programming about purity.
The 🌶 scenes are scrumptious (praise for a mix of FM, MFM, and even MM scenes between some of the men.) There’s plenty of tension and spice to enjoy without giving the reader everything we want right away. There are definitely scenes I’m looking forward to seeing in the next book as Ava and her men work through their shit and grow closer!
Mal, Hayes, Aiden (and a certain sassy beta) haven’t had the easiest time navigating their own differences, past hurts, and needs, so there is definitely some clashing as they try and bring Ava into their pack.
One thing I love is that there is a show of the nurturing side of the alpha/dominant dynamics, whereas a lot of alphas in this genre are just big, snarly alphaholes who care only about their own wants. These boys can be like that too, but this pack truly cares for one another. In their every interaction, you see little glimpses of their innate need to create a sense of safety and home for each other and especially for Ava.
And then there’s Ava herself. Beautiful, broken, very much innocent and ignorant to the outside world and yet she has survived. She’s scrappy and fierce, but instinctively warm and protective. She doesn’t let a few sexy alphas box her up just to keep her safe. There are growing pains as she learns about her own dynamic, how to be among other people for the first time, what she is truly capable of, and to what lengths she will go to protect those she cares about.
The world building is intriguing and paced in a way that almost has us discovering everything along with Ava. Much of it is familiar, but there is a lot going on within the shifter communities and these other groups that we have yet to see. There are no confusing or overwhelming info dumps, just organic answers that feel natural as they come to the light as the story unfolds.
Mind the content warnings, as always! As an abuse survivor, seeing some of Ava’s reactions to these situations was validating, and I think it was portrayed both realistically and respectfully.
Overall, I enjoyed this debut immensely and I can’t wait to see what happens next! 5 ⭐️ from me!
**Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.**
July 24, 2022
Awesome!
A very good first book for this duet!
The worldbuilding is interesting, it brought original ideas about omegaverse. I like that there are shifters in it.
Ava and her brother fled their abusive father after having being raised (held...) in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. They don't know anything about the surrounding world and when the sheriff of the Hallows arrested them and offered to help Ava's brother with his "shifting" problem, they have to accept eventually. It took just one night for Ava to have her world upside down and she quickly realised how abusive her father was and how much he lied to them. But after all she endured, Ava can't think about settling with somebody and just dream of freedom but faith, three alphas, and a beta will scupper her plan.
I found the character of Ava particularly well described and realistic. I totally could understand her need for freedom and why she despised the guys. She's totally right not trusting them, nobody would at her place. Still her ambiguity added more depth to her feelings and to the storyline.
The end of the book is briliant and thrilling! Can't wait to read more about "the Way" (who are thy? What do they want?) and how Ava will find peace and happiness!
A very good first book for this duet!
The worldbuilding is interesting, it brought original ideas about omegaverse. I like that there are shifters in it.
Ava and her brother fled their abusive father after having being raised (held...) in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. They don't know anything about the surrounding world and when the sheriff of the Hallows arrested them and offered to help Ava's brother with his "shifting" problem, they have to accept eventually. It took just one night for Ava to have her world upside down and she quickly realised how abusive her father was and how much he lied to them. But after all she endured, Ava can't think about settling with somebody and just dream of freedom but faith, three alphas, and a beta will scupper her plan.
I found the character of Ava particularly well described and realistic. I totally could understand her need for freedom and why she despised the guys. She's totally right not trusting them, nobody would at her place. Still her ambiguity added more depth to her feelings and to the storyline.
The end of the book is briliant and thrilling! Can't wait to read more about "the Way" (who are thy? What do they want?) and how Ava will find peace and happiness!
May 31, 2022
Okay. I honestly had no idea what I was getting into, all I knew was I needed to read this new omegaverse.
I was NOT disappointed. The story and character development in this was beautiful and I love how well the plot was described to set up a rollercoaster storyline. I loved seeing Ava become someone who can love and how she did everything in her power to protect her brother. I am absolutely in love with Mal, Hayes, Gabriel and Adrian. I loved all of the characters introduced in Fleeing Fates. If you're an omegaverse fan, I recommend you pick this up and get heated.
I am SO eagerly waiting for book two because that cliffhanger was RUDE.
I was NOT disappointed. The story and character development in this was beautiful and I love how well the plot was described to set up a rollercoaster storyline. I loved seeing Ava become someone who can love and how she did everything in her power to protect her brother. I am absolutely in love with Mal, Hayes, Gabriel and Adrian. I loved all of the characters introduced in Fleeing Fates. If you're an omegaverse fan, I recommend you pick this up and get heated.
I am SO eagerly waiting for book two because that cliffhanger was RUDE.
May 16, 2022
DNF @ Ch 29.
I'm sorry.
I wanted to love it.
But I'm so bored.
I'm sorry.
I wanted to love it.
But I'm so bored.
August 22, 2025
2.5 stars.
This book started interesting and ended interesting but the middle really dragged. Like others have said, this probably could have used some additional editing.
I didn't really like the FMC. Her personality was all over the place. She started the story seeming strong and not cowed by her abusive father but the second she got away from him and met the alphas she was insufferable. Going between affection and being irritable and querulous. She had good instincts in the beginning and they disappeared later. It made no sense that she wanted to leave the claim where all those alphas were. While it's understandable having seen her omega mother go through what she did, that she wanted autonomy, the reality is she had no car, wasn't a fighter that could overpower anyone, couldn't read, had no money, and didn't even know what a toilet or refrigerator were initially.....how would she make a life somewhere else that quickly?
The MMCs, ugh. Mal was boring, Aiden was an annoying, temperamental child, and Hayes, who I liked at first, did a complete flip towards the last third of the book. Really Mal and Hayes seemed more taken and in love with Gabe, the beta, than the FMC. She was the last priority. I can't stand a romance like that. IMO, in a MF romance, the woman should be centered and the focus, otherwise it should just be MM.
There was good sexual tension but no decent release. The one sex scene was followed by a panic attack and dissociation by the FMC, while stuck on a knot and unable to get away. Not sexy at all.
Interesting universe though, but it could have used more fleshing out.
This book started interesting and ended interesting but the middle really dragged. Like others have said, this probably could have used some additional editing.
I didn't really like the FMC. Her personality was all over the place. She started the story seeming strong and not cowed by her abusive father but the second she got away from him and met the alphas she was insufferable. Going between affection and being irritable and querulous. She had good instincts in the beginning and they disappeared later. It made no sense that she wanted to leave the claim where all those alphas were. While it's understandable having seen her omega mother go through what she did, that she wanted autonomy, the reality is she had no car, wasn't a fighter that could overpower anyone, couldn't read, had no money, and didn't even know what a toilet or refrigerator were initially.....how would she make a life somewhere else that quickly?
The MMCs, ugh. Mal was boring, Aiden was an annoying, temperamental child, and Hayes, who I liked at first, did a complete flip towards the last third of the book. Really Mal and Hayes seemed more taken and in love with Gabe, the beta, than the FMC. She was the last priority. I can't stand a romance like that. IMO, in a MF romance, the woman should be centered and the focus, otherwise it should just be MM.
There was good sexual tension but no decent release. The one sex scene was followed by a panic attack and dissociation by the FMC, while stuck on a knot and unable to get away. Not sexy at all.
Interesting universe though, but it could have used more fleshing out.
February 6, 2024
Fleeing Fate is an omegaverse shifter novel. Ava and her brother Shay are isolated, abused and neglected by their father. They have no idea of the outside world or their heritage. When Shay shifts into a wolf for the first time, he and Ava are able to escape. They find a new home, where Ava is drawn to a pack without knowing why.
This book had an excellent premise, with really great potential but felt like something was missing. The seeds were all there, I was very invested but then… nothing happened. There is a book two, which was published in October, but all the reviews say it’s been removed from Amazon and was “glitchy.” I hope Sabrina Day is able to have her work republished because I really want to find out the ending to this doulogy.
This book had an excellent premise, with really great potential but felt like something was missing. The seeds were all there, I was very invested but then… nothing happened. There is a book two, which was published in October, but all the reviews say it’s been removed from Amazon and was “glitchy.” I hope Sabrina Day is able to have her work republished because I really want to find out the ending to this doulogy.
February 17, 2025
4⭐️ this was a REALLY GOOD omegaverse and definitely one of my top 5 OV. I loovedddd the shifter/werewolf aspect of this book too, as it took me back to my origins as a reader LMAO (IYKYK). The plot actually ATE DOWNNN, I’m a sucker for a plot driven book and when i say i was HOOKED immediately, like babyyy, I was actually SAT. The PACING, the world building, the SPICE, the burn of the romance, the PLOT??? Yall also know I’m big on why choose and omegaverse is an umbrella in the category.. ugh I’m obsessed with this. The bad bitch arc from Ava is coming… i feel it especially because of that ending. Imma STAN.
April 4, 2022
AMAZING
This is one of the books that you wish would never end. I can’t wait for part 2–like literally I’m counting the days
This is one of the books that you wish would never end. I can’t wait for part 2–like literally I’m counting the days
May 9, 2022
The couple: Ava/Gabe/Aiden/Mal/Hayes
Romance genre: RH; Omegaverse
Series: Hidden Omegas
Length: 423 pages
Plot: Ava lives day to day with her father's abuse. He has her mom, her, and her little brother in a sort of survivalist camp set-up, and he spends most of his time abusing Ava's mom and his kids. The story opens with Ava burying her mom and then some other guys similar to her dad showing up. When paramilitary types come to take her brother away, they fight back and she and her brother escape. On their way to somewhere else (they've been so isolated they have no idea where to go and no idea what any modern conveniences are), they crash the truck they stole and are rescued by the local sheriff. He takes them for some food and begins to sense that there is something more to Ava. He's a beta, and none of the alphas around have scented Ava, but still. So he takes her to his almost-pack (that's a subplot) and lets them sort it out. And they are ready and willing. Well, some of them. Hayes immediately recognizes Ava as an omega and as his. The others hold him off, but he won't be denied for long. Mal isn't far behind. Aiden, on the other hand, has other things going on - namely Gabe, the sheriff - and his participation in claiming an omega for their pack is not as certain. But as always, danger follows people who run away, and Ava's enemies are catching up to her.
Commentary: I loved this story. It hit all the omegaverse tropes but added some twists. Obviously, this is not our exact world, but there were all the modern conveniences we're used to - restaurants, kitchens, etc. But Ava had access to none of these things while growing up, and so she was in a foreign land when she went to the alphas' home. She was an omega but knew nothing about what that meant. The alphas wanted her but they wouldn't claim her (well, Hayes would have if they hadn't pulled them apart).
And then there's the shifter aspect. If you were a regular human all your life, and then all of a sudden you were a shifter omega or shifter alpha, having known none of that even existed, it would be such a devastating shock. All told, I think Ava and Shay (her brother) did a good job holding it together.
And then that twist at the end! Turns out that Ava is something recognizable (shifter) but something unique (). Also, not gonna lie, not my favorite trope when some old grizzled guy/military know-it-all comes in with just the one piece of information they need at the end.
I didn't like the scene with the omega party. I can't believe that anyone let her get drunk and didn't try to stop it or get one of her guys.
But I loved the scene at the end with Aiden carrying her around in the kitchen waiting for her
But you better believe I will be reading book 2! I can't wait to find out what happens with these characters next!
Next book in the series: no title yet
Romance genre: RH; Omegaverse
Series: Hidden Omegas
Length: 423 pages
Plot: Ava lives day to day with her father's abuse. He has her mom, her, and her little brother in a sort of survivalist camp set-up, and he spends most of his time abusing Ava's mom and his kids. The story opens with Ava burying her mom and then some other guys similar to her dad showing up. When paramilitary types come to take her brother away, they fight back and she and her brother escape. On their way to somewhere else (they've been so isolated they have no idea where to go and no idea what any modern conveniences are), they crash the truck they stole and are rescued by the local sheriff. He takes them for some food and begins to sense that there is something more to Ava. He's a beta, and none of the alphas around have scented Ava, but still. So he takes her to his almost-pack (that's a subplot) and lets them sort it out. And they are ready and willing. Well, some of them. Hayes immediately recognizes Ava as an omega and as his. The others hold him off, but he won't be denied for long. Mal isn't far behind. Aiden, on the other hand, has other things going on - namely Gabe, the sheriff - and his participation in claiming an omega for their pack is not as certain. But as always, danger follows people who run away, and Ava's enemies are catching up to her.
Commentary: I loved this story. It hit all the omegaverse tropes but added some twists. Obviously, this is not our exact world, but there were all the modern conveniences we're used to - restaurants, kitchens, etc. But Ava had access to none of these things while growing up, and so she was in a foreign land when she went to the alphas' home. She was an omega but knew nothing about what that meant. The alphas wanted her but they wouldn't claim her (well, Hayes would have if they hadn't pulled them apart).
And then there's the shifter aspect. If you were a regular human all your life, and then all of a sudden you were a shifter omega or shifter alpha, having known none of that even existed, it would be such a devastating shock. All told, I think Ava and Shay (her brother) did a good job holding it together.
And then that twist at the end! Turns out that Ava is something recognizable (shifter) but something unique (). Also, not gonna lie, not my favorite trope when some old grizzled guy/military know-it-all comes in with just the one piece of information they need at the end.
I didn't like the scene with the omega party. I can't believe that anyone let her get drunk and didn't try to stop it or get one of her guys.
But I loved the scene at the end with Aiden carrying her around in the kitchen waiting for her
But you better believe I will be reading book 2! I can't wait to find out what happens with these characters next!
Next book in the series: no title yet
March 18, 2022
I need more!
Fleeing Fate tells the story of a young woman, Ava, who is completely isolated from the growing world, by a man known as her father. After years of abuse and neglect, as a way to suppress her true nature, she and her brother escape. They escaped into the growing world not knowing much about anything (Alphas, Omegas, & Betas), The pair only knows the horror taught by their abusive father. After stumbling along a community of alphas, alpha shifters, and betas, Ava is soon revealed as an Omega. She finds her alphas, Mal, Aiden, and Hayes, in the community leading cadre. After learned her story, they swear to protect her from her father. While Ava understands that her father is not a good man, and that her Alphas won’t necessarily hurt her. She has thoughts that she has left one prison for another as the alphas are over protective, and have vast control over her body. Well she contemplates leaving them, her father returns to kidnap her and return her to her rightful place.
This book was great for discussing sexuality and bonds and how as a woman you are tarnish for being sexually ambiguous. (even when that sexual is directed toward your husband) Ava‘s mom was severely punished for going through a heat cycle. Something that naturally occurs to Omegas. Once Ava realizes that’s she would be going through the same process as her mom it freaks her out. All of her life she has seen her mom be put into a cage, beaten, and starved For having natural desires. Something that in most marital situations it seemed as good and natural, her father has taught them that being sexually ambiguous is bad and disgusting.
While not trying to give any spoilers away, it should be noted that Ava is much stronger than perceived to be. She still is not totally aware of her strength and how to utilize it. She also still has a dilemma of not fully understanding what’s going on in the world.
I can’t wait to see how the author uses his newfound strength to direct Ava‘s character.
Fleeing Fate tells the story of a young woman, Ava, who is completely isolated from the growing world, by a man known as her father. After years of abuse and neglect, as a way to suppress her true nature, she and her brother escape. They escaped into the growing world not knowing much about anything (Alphas, Omegas, & Betas), The pair only knows the horror taught by their abusive father. After stumbling along a community of alphas, alpha shifters, and betas, Ava is soon revealed as an Omega. She finds her alphas, Mal, Aiden, and Hayes, in the community leading cadre. After learned her story, they swear to protect her from her father. While Ava understands that her father is not a good man, and that her Alphas won’t necessarily hurt her. She has thoughts that she has left one prison for another as the alphas are over protective, and have vast control over her body. Well she contemplates leaving them, her father returns to kidnap her and return her to her rightful place.
This book was great for discussing sexuality and bonds and how as a woman you are tarnish for being sexually ambiguous. (even when that sexual is directed toward your husband) Ava‘s mom was severely punished for going through a heat cycle. Something that naturally occurs to Omegas. Once Ava realizes that’s she would be going through the same process as her mom it freaks her out. All of her life she has seen her mom be put into a cage, beaten, and starved For having natural desires. Something that in most marital situations it seemed as good and natural, her father has taught them that being sexually ambiguous is bad and disgusting.
While not trying to give any spoilers away, it should be noted that Ava is much stronger than perceived to be. She still is not totally aware of her strength and how to utilize it. She also still has a dilemma of not fully understanding what’s going on in the world.
I can’t wait to see how the author uses his newfound strength to direct Ava‘s character.
September 22, 2022
Yeeey! A female character that is a POC I was super excited to read this because like the beginning said a girl of color also deserves to be railed by hot shifter alphas.
I started with so much excitement and I was really enjoying myself till the same stuff kept happening bloody again and again and.... again.
What a let down... seriously what a let down! I had such high hopes and 85% of the story is about her abusive dad...oh Dear God! I get it. Her dad is the boogie man and she can't fully heal because of her trauma.
Ugh! I felt like banging my head after the one millionth time her dad is mentioned. Dear Lord spare me if I wanted to read about trauma I would have read something else there was hardly any room to see the dynamic of their relationship and sometimes some characters were not included at all.
Make it make sense.
It always kept dragging back to her Dad. The fuc#*ng dad has more precence in this book than the alphas did.
If you are expecting a lot of steamy moments between the characters.... sorry total disappointment there as well!
Like I was seriously enjoying the Aiden and Gabe thing going on but before you can grasp it. BAM! Another interuption. Like WTF! Almost every steamy moment is cut short or just vaguely mentioned.
The feeling you get when you got click baited is how I felt.
Is it too much to ask for a POC to have a good story and smut?! Ugh
I started with so much excitement and I was really enjoying myself till the same stuff kept happening bloody again and again and.... again.
What a let down... seriously what a let down! I had such high hopes and 85% of the story is about her abusive dad...oh Dear God! I get it. Her dad is the boogie man and she can't fully heal because of her trauma.
Ugh! I felt like banging my head after the one millionth time her dad is mentioned. Dear Lord spare me if I wanted to read about trauma I would have read something else there was hardly any room to see the dynamic of their relationship and sometimes some characters were not included at all.
Make it make sense.
It always kept dragging back to her Dad. The fuc#*ng dad has more precence in this book than the alphas did.
If you are expecting a lot of steamy moments between the characters.... sorry total disappointment there as well!
Like I was seriously enjoying the Aiden and Gabe thing going on but before you can grasp it. BAM! Another interuption. Like WTF! Almost every steamy moment is cut short or just vaguely mentioned.
The feeling you get when you got click baited is how I felt.
Is it too much to ask for a POC to have a good story and smut?! Ugh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2022
Interesting
The world is interesting & the dynamic between the pack is fun. I liked Ava at first but her storyline became predictable. I knew she was going to try to run from them early in the story but hoping I was wrong because that trope is boring. It would have been more interesting had she embraced this new world & discovered her strengths while helping the pack with an outside enemy. The damsel in distress crybaby who runs away has been done to death in these sci-fi books. Why repeat the same tired trope that's been overdone? Ava was way more fascinating at the beginning of the story until she became the same character we've all read or seen on film too many times. Nothing wrong with struggling some or but emotional but victimhood as a personality is blah to read. There's nothing remotely interesting about Ava outside of what has happened to her. Part of my reluctance to read fated mates type of stories is its usually used as plot device so the author doesn't have to write an actual love story. Ava having zero personality gets a pass because she's fated. They don't have to fall in love with her as a person because fate. There's parts I like & I think the world itself is an original take but unfortunately the heroine isn't.
The world is interesting & the dynamic between the pack is fun. I liked Ava at first but her storyline became predictable. I knew she was going to try to run from them early in the story but hoping I was wrong because that trope is boring. It would have been more interesting had she embraced this new world & discovered her strengths while helping the pack with an outside enemy. The damsel in distress crybaby who runs away has been done to death in these sci-fi books. Why repeat the same tired trope that's been overdone? Ava was way more fascinating at the beginning of the story until she became the same character we've all read or seen on film too many times. Nothing wrong with struggling some or but emotional but victimhood as a personality is blah to read. There's nothing remotely interesting about Ava outside of what has happened to her. Part of my reluctance to read fated mates type of stories is its usually used as plot device so the author doesn't have to write an actual love story. Ava having zero personality gets a pass because she's fated. They don't have to fall in love with her as a person because fate. There's parts I like & I think the world itself is an original take but unfortunately the heroine isn't.
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