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Umbra Hunters #1

A Shadow of Betrayal

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Monsters exist. The only problem is… I'm the only one that can see them. I always thought I would outgrow it. That one day, I would magically wake up, and the nightmares that haunt my life would suddenly be gone. Unfortunately, that hasn't been my luck. Avoidance is key. Don't look at them. Pretend they aren't lurking in the shadows, and never make eye contact. But what happens when the events of my life spiral out of control, plunging me into a new world full of magic, death, and chaos? All I want to do is live a quiet life. Alone, where the monsters can't hurt anyone else, but fate has another plan for me.

A Shadow of Betrayal is book 1 in the Umbra Hunters series and DOES end of a cliffhanger.

This is a Paranormal RH romance, which means there will be no choosing between love interests at the end of the story. A Shadow of Betrayal has darker elements that readers should be aware of such as strong language, assault, adult content, and violence.

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2023

1239 people are currently reading
2186 people want to read

About the author

B.M. Clemton

19 books416 followers

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5 stars
1,522 (48%)
4 stars
1,012 (32%)
3 stars
470 (14%)
2 stars
81 (2%)
1 star
55 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
Profile Image for KLynn.
1,505 reviews25 followers
May 30, 2023
3.75
Ok, so this book wasn't a bad read, but I found myself pretty bored a couple times in the middle. I also had a hard time with how pathetic the heroine was for the majority of the book. I kept waiting for her to improve, but she was just a big talker with no skills to back it up. I'm also not a huge fan of the betrayal trope. Yes, yes, the name should have given me a heads up, no excuses.

I feel weird giving this a three star though when every other review is a five star. Did we read a different book? I am coming off two other five star reads, so maybe my perspective is tainted. (Lexie Winston's Galaxy series and Kelly St. Clare's new witch series in case you were wondering)
Profile Image for Desiree.
423 reviews59 followers
September 30, 2025
HOLY SHIT!!! What the hell was that ending???? No freaking wonder this book is called A Shadow of Betrayal!!! I did NOT see that coming. Of course, little things caught my attention, but my mind did not think THAT would happen. It is seriously such a good twist. I am so glad the second book is coming out in 5 days because WOW. And then what’s going on with Valen?? I’m so confused. Like I have a theory, but I don’t know 😩. Plus, i'm so interested on how her relationship with the guys are going to progress. Like all the three brothers are interested in her, not all romantic interest, but interested nonetheless. Like I love how Lennox and Meyer keep pushing each other, and how they both get jealous when they see each other with other people. And then I love how shy, cute, and awkward Creed gets around Meyer. And how she feels safe around him. But then there’s her interactions with Razar. And then Valen?? How he calls her Mi Sol😭😭. I need MORE of him. We definitely did not see enough of him. And I’m LOVING Theo and Jordan. Like their friendship with Meyer is so cute and pure. Like they are constantly there for her and stick up for her and support her in any way they can.

And the playlist ??? It was perfection. It was on repeat the entire time I read the book. Sets up the vibes PERFECTLY.

Summary:
All her life, Meyer has been the only person who can see the monsters plaguing her town. They hide in the shadows and are in her nightmares, and Meyer does everything she can to ignore their presence. Until one day, her life takes a drastic turn when she sees something only she can see.

Favorite quotes/scenes:

“A wave of anger courses through me, not liking her attention on another man with me sitting in front of her.” (Lennox)

“Theo and I have decided you’re cool enough that we want to keep you, despite the fact that you're… you know… old and shit.” (Jordan)

“Ow, dammit! Meyer! What the hell was that for?” (Jordan)
“See? I can do stuff.” (Meyer)
“Yeah. That was terrifying. I think my life flashed before my eyes. I’ll be sure to tell Theo to protect his shins when you're around.” (Jordan)

“This isn't some fairytale world where the girl suddenly becomes a badass overnight, and prince charming comes to rescue her.” (Meyer)
“You're right. This story is much better. The girl, who is already a badass.” (Jordan)

“What are you doing?” (Meyer)
“Something I shouldn’t. Stop me. Tell me to stop.” (Lennox)
“No.” (Meyer)
“You should have taken your chance while you still had it, Little Demon.” (Lennox)

“My relief quickly morphs to red-hot anger as I stalk forward, glaring at the boy who thinks he can touch my woman.” (Lennox)

“Hey, Lemon Drop.” (Creed)
“Lemon Drop? What kind of absurd nickname is that?” (Lennox)
“A good one. Her name is Meyer… like a Lemon… You know what? Screw you, Nox. You wouldn't know how to be charming to save your life.” (Creed)

“There’s something about you, Lemon Drop. Something that makes me feel free… feel human. I think I forgot what it felt like to be normal.” (Creed)

“The darkness has been far too lonely. Your light has given me something to look forward to. Although I admit, I was feeling rather defeated before you came into my life.” (Valen)

“There is something about this girl that makes me want to know everything there is to know about her. To study her so thoroughly, to know every thought and emotion that she has ever had… to implant myself as a permanent fixture in her life.” (Valen)
934 reviews5 followers
January 17, 2024
It’s been a long time a book made me physically sick. There was no part in this book that I liked. Why make a 26 year old woman have the temperament of a teenager ?

Why make her fawn over the disgusting mess that are the mmcs ?

Why make her have no sense when in the beginning it looked like she had sense?

Her lack of self control is disgusting. Sis never asks the right questions. Always mooning over the mmcs like an idiot. Always whining. Instead of her to stiffen her spine and get better she was doing “woe is me”. Nothing I despise more than that

Hated this book w every fibre of my being

I see this book on my shelf & I just want to fling it off. The author did me dirty w how she wrote the heroine
Profile Image for Bec.
603 reviews80 followers
April 7, 2024
Checks book one more time and yup this FMC is supposed to be 26 but she reads like a fresh faced 18 that is TSTL. MMC's are just ick and dumb. How is someone that didn't even know you existed supposed to know everything about you? Because that is what the MMC's people expect and since she doesn't know anything about them they will just abuse her until she does... I'm DNFing this.
Profile Image for BookishRaquel.
750 reviews89 followers
August 22, 2024
Star Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 2/5 🌶️
Audiobook: 5/5 🎧

A Shadow of Betrayal was my first paranormal why-choose story. Let me tell you...it had me in a complete chokehold. From the start, I was sucked into this story. I appreciated the detailed world-building and loved the plot development. Meyer has the special ability to see monsters, which she has had her entire life. Little did she know, there was a secret society with these abilities. When she encounters members of this secret society, and they discover her sight ability, she is forced to go with them against her will to begin training.

During her training, she meets some interesting and powerful men who can't seem to stay away from her. Meyer faces an unfamiliar world while learning to keep herself safe. Her journey is filled with many difficult trials, unbelievable corruption, mysteries, and danger lurking in the shadows. This story is fun and thrilling, has darker themes, and is filled with twists. I was truly on the edge of my seat. The jaw-dropping cliffhanger has me ready to jump into the next book in this series.

Narration:
A Shadow of Betrayal is narrated by a full cast of wonderful narrators. Some are new to me, and a few are narrators I've heard before. All of them did a fantastic job with this story. Michelle Sparks voiced the sassy, strong, and fiery Meyer. Corvin King voiced Lennox, the arrogant and obnoxious leader of her bloodline. Corvin also voiced Theo. Aaron Shedlock voiced Creed, the man to fall for her first. Aaron also voiced Jordan. Aiden Snow voiced Razar, the mysterious and often terrifying bother of Lennox and Creed. Grayson Owens gave a voice to the "dreamy' Valen, who I am excited to learn more about. All of these narrators flawlessly portrayed the unique personalities of these characters, making me like some and extremely upset with others. They brought this story to life and enhanced my listening experience.

Thanks to B.M. Clemton and Sparks Fly Studios for the gifted audiobook. Opinions expressed are my own.
12 reviews
June 10, 2024
Couldn't get through it. DNF at 70%

This book felt like two different stories, the first where we meet a twenty-six year old who has responsibilities, a cat and see's things in the dark. And the rest of the book was just a training arc for the MC (who suddenly seemed to act like a teenager) where she didn't seem to actually get any better at anything.

None of the male "love interests" were anything other than creepy and/or angry, and one of them seemed straight up disgusted by her. I really didn't want to see her get with any of them.
Profile Image for T.P.A..
738 reviews10 followers
August 17, 2025
4.5 stars: This is a bloody good story, I devoured this last night. The world portrayed is captivating, it has strong hierarchical structurure among the Umbra Hunters and their fight against demons seems to be coming from a genuine belief that they are protectors, but are they though?

Meyer has been an outcast and a loner all her life until she discovers that in fact, she is not crazy and there are creatures lurking in the dark. When she is brought among the ranks to be trained, a new world opens to her and of course, new encounters take place. Each of the MMCs here is rather unique and I wonder how things will progress in the future. This is a slow - burn romance and I am still not sure who will be worthy of Meyer's affection and trust.

I love it when an author surprises me with an unexpected twist and this is exactly what happened here. Trust is such a fragile concept, so I wonder how our FMC is going to navigate the chaos that she found herself in.

Profile Image for Danielle.
171 reviews12 followers
May 24, 2023
No words… other than I LOVED EVERY BIT OF THIS BOOK!! B.M. does a phenomenal job building these characters along with building the world. Expect twists, frustration, laughter, and amazing plot. AND THAT CLIFFY!!! Man she doesn’t disappoint!!!

WC, E2L, paranormal, OTT, fantasy, slow-med burn, this book is for you!!

I can’t stop thinking and I have questions. I can’t wait for the next book!!
Profile Image for Tea&Biscuits.
238 reviews17 followers
August 15, 2024
A Shadow of Betrayal by B.M. Clemton is a slowish-burn, why-choose paranormal romance. This book ends on a jaw-dropping plot twist and cliffhanger that I didn’t see coming. With demons, hunters, overprotective men, tension, and spice, this book has a great plot. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

The audiobook is performed in multicast duet by Michelle Sparks, Corvin King, Aaron Shedlock, Grayson Owens, and Aiden Snow. I was thrilled when I heard who the narrators were. Such a talented cast. I felt all the emotions of the characters and loved how they were performed. I listened to it all in one day and was left wanting more.



Book: 4.5/5
Spice: 1.25/5
Narration: 5/5

I’d like to thank Sparks Fly Studios for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
Profile Image for Heather Cravens.
167 reviews2 followers
May 22, 2023
* ARC REVIEW *

THIS. BOOK. IS. AMAZING!
This is truly an unique read and I loved every second of it! I haven’t read anything like this.

If you like:
Strong, sassy FMC.
✨ Tension and Spice ✨
Enemies to Lovers
Dagger to the Throat Trope
Paranormal Reverse Harem
Add Possessive and Protective to our RH men
Jealousy Trope with our men 😉
Demons and Hunters
Epic Plot Twists
Lovable side characters


Then you NEED to read this book! I could NOT put this book down—- it NEVER missed a beat!

PEEP MY FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Good luck Meyer. You're going to need it. But when they give chase… when he finds you. Don't say I didn't warn you.”

I had many that made me giggle and kick my feet like a little kid, BUT this one had me in a chokehold— I read it over and over again.

Yes—- it ends in a cliffhanger but isn’t that the fun of it? 😃
Profile Image for Courtney.
78 reviews12 followers
June 5, 2023
DNFed at 15%. I wanted to like it but it was unbelievable. The heroine was so desperate for answers but the first people who can give those to her she is an outright bitch to them. I don't know about you, but if that was me, I would be a little nicer and cooperative until I found out more. Especially if prior to that my mother and I had been the only ones with this issue. I get that all authors now have to have these "snarky" "badass" heroines but make it believable at least. Otherwise, go with the strong silent ones. They are just as good.
Profile Image for jynee.
48 reviews
December 21, 2023
[RE-READ DEC 2023]
1.5 stars — meyer must be the most annoying person in the world

why on earth did i give this 3 stars… the plot is interesting but fmc is INSUFFERABLE 😭 HOW IS SHE 26 AND BEHAVING LIKE A PETULANT 5 YEAR OLD?? 😭😭

————————————

3 stars — debating between adding or subtracting .10 from the rating tbh
Profile Image for Holly's Bookshelf.
556 reviews21 followers
May 10, 2024
This was kind of boring and annoying. I hate when heroines are suppose to be seen as strong and fierce but they just end up being bratty and annoying. The defiance isn’t cute. You’re clearly in a military like training and you’re back talking and being stubborn? You definitely need the training then. You’re acting more childish than your peers who are 7 years younger than you.
Profile Image for Jessica Kane.
285 reviews16 followers
August 19, 2024
Okay, so I just finished and I'm shook! 😱 This book is seriously everything. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!
First off, let's talk about Mayer. She's our main girl, and she's a total badass who can see monsters no one else can. Talk about #MainCharacterEnergy! Her world gets flipped upside down, and suddenly she's dealing with magic, chaos, and some seriously hot guys. 🔥
The romance in this book? Chef's kiss! 👨‍🍳💋 It's slow burn, but the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. And when things finally heat up? Let's just say you might need a cold shower. 🚿❄️
Tropes galore, people:
* Enemies to lovers
* Paranormal romance
* Slow burn
* Secrets
* Demons/demon hunters
* Why choose romance
* Possessive MMCs
The plot twists in this book had me like 🤯. Just when you think you've got it figured out, BAM! Plot twist city.
I listened to the audiobook, and let me tell you, the narrators are chef's kiss. Michelle Sparks, Aiden Snow, Corvin King, Grayson Owens, and Aaron Shedlock absolutely killed it. Their voices? swoon
Fair warning: this book ends on a cliffhanger that'll have you screaming for more. But trust me, it's worth it.
Bottom line: If you're not reading "A Shadow of Betrayal," what are you even doing with your life? It's easily one of my top reads this year. Do yourself a favor and dive into this world ASAP. You can thank me later! 💁‍♀️📚
Profile Image for see Jules read books.
31 reviews4 followers
May 26, 2023
Meyer Smith is haunted and hunted by the shadows that lurk in the dark, eyes glowing, teeth and claws. No one else can see the monsters so she hides the fact she can see them, until one dark and stormy night when she saves a mysterious stranger who is being attacked by the monsters…

I’ll come out and say straight off that the B. M. Clemton’s Black Veil University is probably one of my favourite paranormal why-choose series of the last few years (top five at least) so I had high expectations when it came to this, the first of her new series. I’m very glad to say that my expectations were exceeded. I literally didn’t want to put the book down. (I think I read it in less than 5 hours, I am very, very tired writing this review)

I love the fact that Meyer has friends outside of potential love interests and the dynamic between her and her ranger trainee friends was lovely and I thought that some of the other secondary characters were also very nicely realised. I’m very interested to see how the dynamics grow and change in the next book.

Moving on to Meyer’s love interests, they are all very three-dimensional and tend to shy away from the general tropes of a RH love interest. I adore Valen (he’s definitely my favourite of all them) so this series is obviously going to rip out my heart when it comes to him

The world building was as good as always, keeping away from infodumps and giving the reader just enough information to not get lost in the plot

Warning, this book ends on a cliffhanger, and what a cliffhanger it is! I can’t believe I’ve got to wait six months to find out what happens. I have a lot of questions and a lot of theories. Be interesting to see how close to the mark I get.

I also want to go back and re-read it straightaway with the hindsight of having finished the book (my TBR list is less enthused by this).

[I read an ARC of this book, I was in no way compensated for this review and its views are my own.]
Profile Image for Jacklyn B.
1,256 reviews52 followers
August 26, 2024
If you love duet narration I highly recommend this audiobook! The entire cast was so good! Each character easily brought to life and once I started listening I was completely invested.

I did not expect so many twists and turns. I love the premise: we have Meyer who is very aware monsters are real…but she’s the only one who can see them. She just wants to live a quiet life…and then the demon hunters show up!

I loved Meyer - she is such a badass. She’s fiesty and strong. I love how each brother is so different and yet they have this amazing chemistry with her (ok it’s not all amazing at first but the slow burn is worth it!!!) Let’s just say professor Lennox is in the house!

I loved the banter and there are some great one liners. There are still so many unknowns!! This ends on a cliffy!! As in jaw dropping WTF cliffhanger! I can not wait to see where this series goes!!!

✨What to Expect:
💜Why Choose
💙Paranormal Romance
🖤Possesive MMCs
🗡️Hidden Identity
🍋Lemon Drop
🔥Slow Burn
🤐Secrets
😈Demons
Profile Image for CozyReaderDevan.
74 reviews49 followers
January 19, 2024
Rating: 3.5
Spice: 2.5/5

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the characters (for the most part) and I really enjoyed the story. There was a lot to learn about the world in this first book so there were definitely times where I felt the pacing was off but it also allowed for a lot of information to be given.
This is definitely a more medium/slow burn RH and I’m happy about that. Our MMCs are a little too pushy for my taste; but I’m hoping they get their crap together in the second book. I am also excited to see some growth from our FMC in the second book. I would like to see her find some more strength and kick some major ass! Will 100% be continuing the series.
Profile Image for Melissa .
708 reviews10 followers
August 18, 2024
4.5 stars

A Shadow Of Betrayal was a fast paced, why choose paranormal romance that I devoured so fast. Mayer can see monsters, but she's the only one that can see them. She thought she would eventually outgrow them, but as her life begins to spiral out of control. She gets pulled into a world of magic, death and chaos.

I loved the audiobook!! It's a full cast in duet narration with Michelle Sparks, Aiden Snow, Corvin King, Grayson Owens and Aaron Shedlock. They were incredible! They were perfectly casted. They brought out the personalities of the characters they were voicing.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and I feel that the author build the relationships of the guys with Mayer. The pacing was good. I loved every minute of it. The cliffhanger left me wanting the next book.

The audiobook is out now!

Thank you to @sparksflystudios for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for ✨notquiteserene✨.
50 reviews1 follower
October 26, 2024
Meh.

Meyer is the embodiment of all my least favorite FMC traits - senselessly arguing and lashing out at somebody who could easily smite you isn’t “tough” or “strong”, it just gives big TSTL vibes. Work smarter, not harder girly. 🫠 Obsessed with Valen though, I cannot WAIT to see how that plays out!

I skimmed the middle third, but it would seem the plot and Valen are compelling enough that I’m now headed to book two.
Profile Image for Wendy (bardsblond).
1,394 reviews21 followers
August 4, 2025
This setup is something different. We have demons and demon hunters and a woman with a mysterious past who needs to learn to be a demon hunter. Naturally we have some training sequences and growly MMCs wondering where our FMC, Meyer, appeared from. I’m intrigued to continue. And there is a heck of a cliffhanger ending – I’ll start book 2 asap.
Profile Image for Mom Reads Romance.
712 reviews26 followers
August 7, 2025
Ok. This was a good read. Sucked me in. Like the plot. Like the characters. 4/5 stars bc there was some skimming I had to do bc it was a bit sluggish to read at first.

RH (supposedly)
Teeny bit of spice later in book
KU
Profile Image for Alexis Droke.
274 reviews1 follower
January 23, 2025
I devoured this book, I giggled, and I was so intrigued by the story it kept me wanting to come back to it
Profile Image for rosa.
543 reviews12 followers
February 1, 2025
Being mean to a girl so no one realises that you fancy her is giving toddler - not alpha male leader of secret magical demon hunters
Profile Image for Jasmine Hill.
22 reviews1 follower
April 29, 2025
I devoured this book. I’m fully immersed and I love it.
Profile Image for Kaylee (kaybookish).
78 reviews6 followers
May 26, 2023
ARC REVIEW

This book captured me from the first chapter. B.M Clemton is one of my favorite authors and she blew it out of the water with the new book in her next series!

Meyer is different, she sees things no one else can just like her mother before her. She doesn’t understand why she is the only one that can see the monsters that lurk in the night. But then something happens that flips her already crazy world on its axis.

Clemton does a phenomenal job at creating this world that sucks you in almost as if you were with the characters. She writes so vividly that you can picture everything, feel everything that these characters are going through.

Have I mentioned she’s also the QUEEN of cliffhangers? I don’t think I can wait till December for the next book, I might just go stir crazy.
Profile Image for 4foxsake.
892 reviews14 followers
December 30, 2023
so good!

Love this story! Low heat but high mystery! Definitely glad the next book is out but can tell this is going to be a great series!
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