Forsaken Royals

by Vera Rivers

A reverse harem romance

Genres: Fae, Why Choose, Shapeshifters, Magic

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2022

About the author

Vera Rivers loves love…

She loves shifters, Fae, vampires, and all things magical. She loves soul mates, the first kiss, and when two people can overcome everything the world throws at them to realize they’re better together.

Reviews

[Cat H · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
So.
This book was not exactly as advertised.
Dark? Uh. More like grey ish. The only thing ‘dark’ about it was a few interrogations that used force and a few deaths. But none of them were graphic or drawn out or cruel in any way. They were more, I don’t know, almost clinical. They were just doing what the had to do for either justice or answers to life and death situations. (Obviously this is subjective, and I admit to having much stricter standards for what I call ‘Dark’ than most, so take this statement with a grain of salt please. You might find this book super dark for your tastes🤷🏻‍♀️Who knows. Check TWs before continuing.)

‘Cage’? Uh. Nope. Closest that Arden got to being put in a ‘cage’ was a trunk, I think. And then a cell with bars…and then she was immediately put in a fucking guest suite. So no. No cages. In fact, the whole ‘captive’ thing was so brief, and Arden’s view on the royals changed so fast, that it honestly didn’t seem to actually matter.
I mean, she sees them help 6 orphans and is immediately changing her mind about them having too much power and needing taken down…what?
Even bad guys protect children Arden! What is wrong with you? Maybe wait for like two seconds more before you just accept your situation?

So there was that. *sigh*
And then they were immediately hooking up.
Don’t get it twisted. I love me some fast and dirty smutty scenes that take zero pining, and zero work. Insta-love is totally my jam. But this. This just felt so so fucking fast when put in context. This was supposed to be, enemies-to-lovers, captive/captor, push and pull…and instead we got, taken, moved twice in two days, some questions asked very politely, some tiny tension because the royals weren’t supposed to like a thief, then bam, sex. Then we get some bullshit bet/spell that happens After everyone already gets involved with Arden that fucks everything up?
It was really feeling like random plot devices to create problems and full up space, to me.
Then the ending was all laid out so nicely with hardly any hiccups or problems in the climax. It just felt so smooth and easy. And then it just ends. And everything works out.
There just wasn’t any real consequences in this book and it made it all feel very, I don’t know, shallow? Is that the word I’m looking for?
Whatever. Hopefully you get what I’m saying.

Now.
Having said all that.
I still did like the book.
It was full of smutty scenes, there was cool magic, there was an easy mystery that went throughout. It was good.
It just wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from the blurb. And everything was extremely easy for these characters to overcome, creating sort of an annoying pattern of bad situations that turn out to not mean anything, really.

It was enjoyable enough, but I don’t think I’ll be searching out more from this author anytime soon. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two things I absolutely love are reverse harems and the fae put them together and I'm all in so when I came across Forsaken Royals I had to try it, bonus that it's a standalone. Normally I'm a series reader but Vera Rivers is a new-to-me author, so I prefer to have a complete story at first. However, there was no need to worry I loved this book.


Arden (I 🖤 her name) is the mfc, she is a sassy independent woman, who may be involved in illegal activities but has a really big and caring heart. Arden is strong because she had to be, being an orphan the only person she had was herself so that made her more than capable but also a bit of a loner. I like Arden and had easily connected to her.


Of course, it's the royals that Arden gets involved in. Lex, Jagger, and Flint are three harsh fae and some of the strongest. I will admit that I didn't like their gruff personalities at first it may have been how they met Arden, but things get better, they become like puppies when Arden is around. Big, growly, possessive, puppies. Also, it turns out that the guys aren't as bad as I thought, they care for their people and can't tolerate those who break laws, tough but fair. They can't resist Arden and she finally has people in her corner.


There were a lot of elements I loved in this book. While this was an urban fantasy this book was set on an island that only has fae, humans don't know the fae exists. The palace is glam with an incredible library, as it should have. However, the unique part of the story, fae are shifters and have elemental powers, which was really cool. There is even a shifter that I never came across. There was also a unique twist on a rebellion, it's not what you think. Add in all the chaos surrounding the rebellion and there's a mysterious prophecy, all make for an interesting story.


Forsaken Royals was a steamy and adventurous rh, I loved the danger and mystery of it all. This book had intense characters, a fancy palace, strong independent mfc, growly mates, and awesome magic. I most definitely will be checking out more of Vera's writing in the future.

[Crissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS!!
This is the first book I've read from this author, and it was a good story although there were things I liked and disliked about it. Let me start by saying, that I enjoyed the main characters Lex, Jagger, Flint and Arden. I loved Arden because she didn't take anything from anyone. Lex was the relaxed one, Jagger was intense and unpredictable one and Flint was the serious one, but all of them were protectors with a heart of gold. I was happy that this wasn't an insta-love type of romance read because it made their feelings believable, and I enjoyed it even more when Jagger didn't enter into the agreement with Lex and Flint. Arden spent most of her life looking for information regarding her parents, and when that opportunity presented itself, she risked everything, even her freedom. This sets off a chain reaction giving the story some suspense and unveiling secrets, deceit, betrayal, lies, power, family, secret societies and more. It made for a very interesting story. Now here's some things I disliked about that. I felt as if the Arden, Lex, Jagger and Flint spent most of the story looking for something, they found what they were looking for, the secrets were revealed, and then the story ended quickly. Yes, there was a sweet and HEA epilogue, but it still felt as if it ended too soon. I wish there was a little more action before the story ended. I also wished that Flint didn't spend so much time resisting what he felt because it was that way basically until the end of the story. I enjoyed the small moments that him and Arden shared, and I wish there was more. I absolutely hated all of the guy's family as there wasn't one family member worth keeping around which was a bit sad. They were all selfish, disrespectful and uppity. This paranormal reverse harem story had suspense, action, steamy scenes, romance, a HEA and more. I would read more books from this author after reading this one and I would recommend paranormal romance readers to give this one a try.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Fantastic book that you won’t be able to put down once you start it! Arden has worked for the Forsaken Lunars as a thief for years and has believed everything they have told her about the evil Royals, rulers of the fae. With nothing to disprove anything they have told her, she believes she is on the right side of the cause. But when the Moon Oracle asks her to steal a valuable artifact from the Royals Vault she turns them down flat! If you get caught going against the Royals you are dead. But the Oracle blackmails her with the one thing she wants the most, the truth about her parentage. So she steals the artifact, delivers it to the Oracle, and thinks she has gotten away clean. She finds out later that she hasn’t and the Royals take her back to the Palace as their prisoner.

Flint, Jagger and Lex are the three ruling Royals, each from a different powerful family line of Fae. Together they must keep the peace and things under control in their kingdom. They are usually very harsh with anyone that tries to harm them or the kingdom, but there is something about Arden that they just can’t bring themselves to destroy her. And so the games begin. She refuses to cooperate with them regardless of what they try because she figures they will kill her as soon as she tells them what she did with the artifact. But the more time she spends with them she begins to question everything she has been told about them. Perhaps they are really as evil as she has been led to believe.

As things spin out of control for the Royals they will need all of their individual strengths and must learn to trust each other and work together. A wonderful story that draws you in and holds you captive until the end!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Luc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arden is a young Fae who was raised in an orphanage. Her main goal is to find out who her parents where and why they abandoned her. How's an adult, she works in a café where she is happy to interact with her customers.
To supplement her revenue, she takes on the odd burglary jobs for the " Forsaken Lunars" , a terrorist gang bent on ousting the current Royals and assuming the role as the new Royals to fill their pockets on the back of their citizens even if they pass themselves off as heroes and the Royals as the real foe.
Tasked with stealing a precious artifact from the Royals' vault. Arden succeeds in her task and brings back the artefact to her clients. However, she is later caught by Lex, Jagger and Flint, the three Royals and brought to the palace for extensive questioning.
After a turn of events, her opinion towards the Royals starts to change and the sexual attraction between prisoner and captors is overwhelming. It is so strong that Arden and her three captors act on it whether it be one on one, a twosome and even a threesome. It is a wonder that she can still walk as she is constantly either poised to deliver oral sex, on her back with her legs wide open and/or with her ass up to get serviced.
The story is good, the plot is great and the action gripping when the main characters are not on their backs. Filled with sex, action, intrigue, discoveries and, many twists and turns, the author has written a 4 Stars rated book because the entire book could have been shorter if not for Arden and her mates being in a constant state of Orgasm.

[Leslie D Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's a magical fae/shifter society entirely separate from human kind with three hot as hell rulers. I loved our FMCs personality & attitude;she's strong, independent, knows her worth, & is up for anything, no matter the risks involved. Our three MMCs are pretty loveable as well;all really similar but yet different. They're misunderstood, intelligent, caring, possessive, & sexy fae princes. There's plenty of action-packed scenes where we get to see our men being the brutal heros. The plot was entertaining & enjoyable, easy to follow but mysterious enough to have you questioning people's motives & what you think you know. The romantic relationship is pretty fast paced, happening around the 1/4 mark, but I enjoyed being able to see their relationship being tested, strengthened, & progress. This is a why-choose, so there's plenty of panty-melting, scorching hot spice! These princes really know how to satisfy a lady! There's not so much scorching heat that the plot starts to fall apart, it was sprinkled in at perfect intervals allowing the plot to progress organically. It was a really enjoyable, but long, read. I highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an okay book

This book was okay. The sex scenes were pretty steamy and the storyline had a lot of promise, but this book ultimately should have been a series and not a standalone. The plot moved to quickly and all the plot conflicts had a quick end. The male characters were too all powerful and the story just had no true climax. I think if the author separated the stories out a bit, decided on only one true villain and provided an actual weakness toward the main characters I think the book would have been more engaging. The writing overall was also okay. Maybe a few grammatical mistakes so editing would have been helpful, but at times the true voice of the story got a bit muddled. It was difficult to distinguish between each of the male voices and they seemed honestly unnecessary sine they all pretty much felt and thought the same. I think keeping it in the singular female voice would have been more powerful and would have carried the romance further, since it is compelling to be as equally in the dark about the men’s feeling toward her as she was. Again if your interested in heavy steam and a quick unencumbered read this is a good book to try out.

[Katie MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a chance on this book as this isn’t something I would normally pick up. But RH is so here we go. This world is forsure magically and shifter focused but follows Arden, who appears to be a lowly fae, but she is the only one who was able to steal an artifact from the Royals. Now, when the Royals go to retrieve it from her, she doesn’t have it and then goes on this quest with them to retrieve it. Along the way, the fated bonds start to click in. Now, there’s a whole lot of depth and story line that I haven’t covered and that part is so good. The intricate storyline could’ve easily been covered in multiple books and expanded deeper. I think Flint was a jerk throughout most of the book and agreement spell was the worst. It all works out in the end and they all get their HEA but Arden had to fight hard for all three of them. This book was a refreshing since I don’t read a lot of this genre and I would pick something up similar again.

[Raqualla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute 🥰

First let me say that it was a cute read..and I liked Arden, Jagger, Lex and Flint..but there was so much going on that I didn't feel any real connection with them or for them as a group. This story is supposed to be a fae/shifter fantasy and I wish it would have focused more on that because at times I forgot who shifted into what or that they could even shift at all, it just felt more like an after thought.. This story just had so much going on with the drama, action and smut that it felt long and drawn out at times with so much thrown in, in between, that it just felt rushed. Idk maybe the author should've made it into at least two books or something.. All in all it could use a good edit but it wasn't that bad of a read..

[LeMiliere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked by this suspenseful RH from the beginning, I liked all the characters but especially Arden, she's strong and independent, as well as being an excellent thief. She's desperate to learn about her family so is pursued to steal an artefact that belongs to the Fae. But she's discovered and falls into the hands of three members of different Royal Families Lex, Jagger and Flint. What follows is a story full of twists and turns which kept me fully engaged. To find out what happens you'll have to read this one for yourself.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arden grew up in an orphanage and several different foster homes until she turned 16. She was tired of being teased, taunted, and treated like dirt because of not being able to shift. After stealing an artifact from the palace for a criminal organization, Arden meets Flint, Lex, and Jagger, the three Royals of the fae kingdom. This story is full of action, romance, and steam, ending in a HEA. Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Great worlde building, with a ton of politics. On surface level, the royals have no popularity among their subjects, but appearances can be deceptive. Arden, has less going for her than most fae - no family, few friends, and less powers than most. Despite that she is fierce and independant, she will bow for no-one, unless it is her choice. Great character work, surprises and an intricate plot make this a great read.

[Beki Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced slow burner, written wonderfully, Arden & her royals are gorgeous characters who find happiness on their own time. A perfect sized book with a great storyline & well fleshed our characters.

Read this if you’re a fan of reverse harem/why choose, fates mates, gorgeous fae males & a gripping plot. You will not be disappointed (except maybe the fact it’s only 1 book and not a series).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the overall plot and thought the romances were well done and it was easy to root for an HEA. The world-building was interesting as were the characters. I liked how distinct they felt. It took a good while to really flesh out more of their histories and personalities which felt more natural. Sometimes the story felt a bit slower with the plot and romance a bit stalled. But then it would pick up again and I would forget about the slow moments.

[DeeDeeWReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

You love RH? Got it. You want fae, yup. Hot royal men? YUP. An orphan that finds out she is so much more? Got that too!! Secret organizations that want to do bad things? You got it!

This book is a great read. You will love watching everyone find their way after a rocky beginning for sure.

I would love to see more of them in the future... hint hint Vera... :).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BlackAthena · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much potential

The ending felt rushed but what was more frustrating was having characters see suspicious activity, make note of it, get burnt and do the same thing over again! Truly, someone deserves to die or lose a limb because NONE is the "twists" we're a surprise or even good because the foreshadowing was so obvious. If I tell you it's going to rain tomorrow how in the world can it be a shock that you got wet?

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted Lives

Arden is just your average fae until she steals an artifact that gets the attention of the Royals, Flint, Lex, and Jagger. These three are immediately attracted to Arden but want their artifact back more. But once they have it more of Garden's truth gets revealed. This book is full of crazy twists that will keep you guessing and lots of heat between to keep you warm.

[Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arden is asked to steal a powerful fae artifact. But she never expected to find The Royals in her bedroom. Arden is now tasked with finding the fae artifact. Flint, Jagger, and Lex have a powerful connection with Garden that can't be denied. Can Garden find the fae artifact? Does Garden have feelings for The Royals? Find out in
Forsaken Royals.

[Randall E Hirsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I needed something engaging but light. This had an excellent balance of light, intrigue, and good feels. The best part was not being distracted by grammatical errors! Thank you!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great, slow burn story with a strong FMC. I loved how the plot had a purpose and wasn't a fill in for excessive snuggle time. Very well written and thoroughly engaging.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shirley Klohr-Ricci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becoming who you were meant to be

Incredible romantic love story with three males who fall in love with a loss royal and the adventures that bring around life changing events, absolutely stunning read❤❤❤

[Jackie Rhine · Rating 5 out of 5]

liked it!

With main character getting love interest so quick in book I really thought rest of book would bore me. Really really enjoyed book. Found one typo in book but enjoyed nevertheless.

[Sherri Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable great reading

I really enjoyed this book and loved the characters. I'm glad everything worked out for them and Flint finally came to his senses about her being his mate.

[Selina · Rating 5 out of 5]

hooked from the beginning

I got this for free. So wasn’t sure what to expect. I was hooked from the beginning. It had everything you normally get in a series in one full book. I would have happily paid for this book and it would have been worth every penny!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating reading

I loved the story and characters, the writing was excellent keeping the reader guessing from start to finish.
I am looking forward to future books by this author, it cannot be published quickly enough

[Galina Sulaiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royal line found

This was such a well written standalone story , it easily could have been a series or duet. It was engaging,exciting with you wondering who were the bad guys.

[renegadereader80 · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good

I loved it!!! Jagger was my favorite and I loved the story line very much! Super fun to read great book

[Runa]

Bei 27% abgebrochen.

Wenn (eindeutige) Smut-Bücher versuchen sich zu sehr auf den Plot zu konzentrieren, dieser aber schon nach 30 Seiten keinen Sinn mehr macht und dadurch der Smut langweilig wird

[Sn8wflake · Rating 3 out of 5]

urban

Moves fast. Time jumps. There are two villains. Multiple fated mates. Sometimes being captured can lead to imprisonment but sometimes love

[Mili · Rating 3 out of 5]

They are so powerful, ends up knocking unconcense almost every chapter. S€X was nice. Took a while the plot to start and then ended real quick.