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The Goddess's Wards

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Winner of 1st Reader's choice awards on AllAuthor in 2023, and Best Seller in Canada, United States, and the UK.

What would you do if your fated mate was killed? How far would you go to get him back?

The ancient texts spoke of the end of a dark age and the dawn of a new era of peace and prosperity. But history has forgotten that a price must be paid to bring this peace.

Matthew, the son of the Alpha, is born with an expiration date: destined to be sacrificed to keep the demon at bay. He is persuaded that he doesn’t have a fated mate until he hears her cry for help. He will tear apart anything keeping him from being with her.

DeMörder has made a deal with a demon. He now wields power that would make the Gods envious. Playing with life and death, he plans his revenge.

Serena is one of the most powerful spellcasters of the pack. When eternal darkness falls upon them, she is sent to investigate the cause of it. She meets a dangerous yet alluring creature on her journey: a vampire. She thinks she knows everything about them but soon discovers she is wrong.

Delve into an ancient world full of love, lust, deception, and death. Discover the truth about the people who were called the Goddess’s Wards.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2023

10 people are currently reading
427 people want to read

About the author

Danielle Paquette-Harvey

41 books121 followers
Danielle Paquette-Harvey is an Award-Winning, Amazon International Best Selling author of romantasy novels. Her books have sold thousands of copies worldwide. Her stories include vampires, werewolves, dragons, elves, magic, morally gray characters, steamy romance, and much more.

Her books have been translated into French, and they are currently being translated into Italian and Spanish.

She is a self-published author living on the south shore of Montreal, Canada, with her husband, children, two cats, and an Australian Shepherd.

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5 stars
37 (66%)
4 stars
12 (21%)
3 stars
1 (1%)
2 stars
2 (3%)
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4 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for C.D. McKenna.
Author 12 books79 followers
February 27, 2023
*SPOIL FREE REVIEW*

"I was the judge and the executioner."

Buckle up - it's one wild ride 😏

This is a story about so much more than love - it is a story about what happens when the world you thought you knew is taken away. It is a story about self-discovery, betrayal, and about becoming the impossible.

Danielle goes above and beyond with this one. Her execution of story and character development is pristine. She has truly outdone herself on this one! It is just the right amount of dark to make any fantasy lover question their morals - I mean, let's not get started on our antagonist. I've got a soft spot for him 😉

I binged this book in three nights, not because I can function off three hours of sleep without consequences, but because I didn't want to put it down. Every chapter came with a new twist in the plot and on countless occasions, I yelled at my kindle (because it can respond, right?).

This is a standalone and a glimpse into the world that Danielle is cooking up and let me tell you, I think we are in for something delectably wild. So pull up a chair, grab your napkin, and get comfortable. We're going to be here for awhile 😉
Profile Image for Rebecca Lange.
Author 35 books231 followers
May 29, 2023
The Preface alone is very promising and something that will make a Dark Fantasy Lover keep reading. The book is for a mature audience with spicy scenes. I don't read 18+ romance scenes but was captivated by everything else I read. I am gifting the Kindle version to a Dark Fantasy Lover because I know she will love it.
Profile Image for Stella Fosse.
Author 12 books47 followers
July 5, 2023
"The Goddess' Wards" is intensely imagined fantasy, with clearly drawn, remarkable characters and a satisfying conclusion. The love scenes are sensuous and powerful, and the world the author built is complex and compelling. Looking forward to reading more about this fantasy world!
Profile Image for Deborah Fontaine.
597 reviews41 followers
March 8, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed The Goddess’s Wards by Danielle Paquette-Harvey!

This superb fantasy story has everything: good vs. evil, complex characters, betrayal, steamy romance, lots of action, and magic. Danielle did a phenomenal job writing this book. The characters are well developed and unique. I loved Matthew, Elisen the soul nymph, and Molly their adoptive daughter, Serena, and the ever so charismatic vampire, Jasper.

This story is all woven together beautifully with lots of twists. If you enjoy fantasy, you should definitely read it!

Thank you, Danielle, for the gifted book for my honest opinion!
Profile Image for Amanda Ouriel.
25 reviews1 follower
June 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this! I did get left with a lot of questions though, so I’m eager to read other books in the universe!
Profile Image for RedRH3000.
5 reviews1 follower
February 21, 2023
I Loved and Highly recommend this book, it's a fantastic fantasy, that starts with a town of people being saved by the Moon Goddess when she Imprisons the demon Eurynomos She then brings the werewolves to the town and explains to the town folks about their Existence and grants the town the power of
magic and explains they will form a new pack/community and will serve as guardians of Eurynomos sepulcher.
This book is a fun and Fascinating read, with so many interesting well-thought-out and detailed characters.
Like Matthew the alpha's son and his bestfriend and sometime girlfriend Kelly, who find out there's a difference between loving someone and being in love
They realize this when they meet their faded mates and I loved that Matthew's fated mate Elisen wasn't a Wearwolf or human, but a very Unique Magical being.
This Book has everything you want to read in a fantasy novel, everything from a Necromancer and zombies to
a charming vampire named Jasper, he was definitely one of my favorite characters. This story also reminds us of something very important, that constant verbal abuse and bullying can sometimes push people to a breaking point where they will be drawn to revenge, evil and darkness. I gave this book 5 stars because it's well written with very detailed interesting characters.
A must read
Profile Image for Jen Woodrum.
Author 4 books113 followers
March 4, 2023
What an adventure!!! I haven't read any other books yet but Danielle Paquette-Harvey but this felt like a perfect place to jump into her world.

Each of the characters were so unique in both their personalities and their abilities. Elisen the soul nymph, Serena the witch, Matthew the wolf... I could see them all, as well as the woodsy, mystical setting so vividly.

This novel is filled with romance, found family, mythology, and high stakes. It's amazing how much happens in this book given how quickly it goes by!! Since there are "mates" in this book, some of the love unravels very quickly, but I enjoyed the sweet moments and relationships between characters 🥰

I am excited to dive into this world more with the author's other books. There is so much more to explore! Thank you so much to the author for the ARC!!
Profile Image for Claudia Cloutier.
5 reviews
March 5, 2023
This new volume plunges us back into the universe that author Danielle Paquette-Harvey was able to build in her previous trilogy, Long mates. Although the story takes place long before Long mate, we are pleased to find several elements such as Eurynomos, Moon Godness, Goddess's Wards pack, the Fated mate, werewolves, vampires, nymphs, etc. This book allows us to discover the origins of the fated mate and the events that caused the events experienced by the protagonists of Long mates several centuries later. As with the volumes of the previous trilogy, it is impossible to deposit it before having finished it. As soon as we finish a chapter, we want to read the next one!

1 review1 follower
June 10, 2023
Wow! This was the first book I've read by this author. I had seen it many times, as it had won the cover of the month in April (and I love the cover contests!) So I had wanted to read it for a while

This book did not disappoint! From elves to werewolves, witches, and soul nymphs! OMG I love those! This book had everything I wanted and even more! The romance was steamy, and the fantasy was great!

If this book is on your TBR list, then you should read it now! Like, you're missing a great read! (Beware, you will lose sleep reading this book.)
If this book isn't on your TBR list, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING?
Profile Image for Kate Blythe.
85 reviews10 followers
July 12, 2023

The Goddess’s Wards has everything I love in a fantasy romance. There is an array of beings in the book — including shifters, witches and vampires — that all add something special to the story. The author has a fantastic imagination and this really showed throughout. There wasn’t a single moment that I wanted to put the book down. The concept of ‘fated mates’ was one of my favourite elements of the story. This was a really enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for us in the future!
Profile Image for CMarie.
169 reviews7 followers
December 11, 2023
"Emotions can do tricky things to the mind."

Get ready for an intense, emotional ride in this fantasy romance! Amazing world building and great use of supernatural elements. I love fated mate tropes and the author took it to another level in this book. Stakes are high.

Characters are interesting too and will keep you turning the pages. I especially loved Matthew and was so invested in his story.

This can be read on its own, but is a great addition to the author's other works. Was excited to get to it on my tbr!
Profile Image for Nikki Lamers.
Author 18 books187 followers
March 26, 2023
This story gives so much more background into the stories of the Goddess’s Wards and everything surrounding them. I love Matthew’s story! I think it was my favorite. Although I love Serena’s strength and determination. There’s so much tragedy in this story and things that take me by surprise, but I’m left feeling satisfied. This is a story filled with werewolves, vampires, magic, a Necromancer, gods and goddesses. It’s definitely worth the read!
Profile Image for Jenn O'Leary.
1,022 reviews22 followers
March 30, 2023
The Goddess's Wards is an exciting fantasy adventure set centuries before Age-Old Enemies.
It includes fated mates, wolf shifters, witches, nymphs, vampires and so much more.
Danielle writes such exciting, and interesting characters set in a mystical world that keeps you wanting more.
This book is full of romance, adventure and lots of twists & turns.
An exciting read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy romance books!
Profile Image for Amber.
356 reviews15 followers
March 28, 2023
The Goddess's Wards by Danielle Paquette Harvey is an action-packed fantasy story that centers around a Werewolf-Witch pack and their fated mates.

Told in different points of view, this story leads you on an epic adventure of good versus evil, loyalty and betrayal, and some steamy scenes sprinkled in for good measure.

I highly recommend giving The Goddess's Wards a read, especially if you enjoy epic fantasy tales.

Thank you, Danielle, for the opportunity to read this book!
Profile Image for Savannah Brooke.
141 reviews
January 19, 2024
I really had to push to get through this one and honestly skipped several pages. While the plot I thought was going to lead in one direction based off the first few chapters, it did not and left a lot of plot holes. There also wasn't enough character development and eventually the "omg we're mates" became annoying and felt forced. I think the books overall story was good it just lacked depth.
Profile Image for Simon Fidler.
31 reviews11 followers
June 28, 2023
I found The Goddess Wards by Danielle Paquette-Harvey to be very well written. A book that has a beautiful style with amazing pictures throughout the book, especially the front cover which is amazing!

This fantasy story is of an ancient world full of mysterious characters and creatures whose stories develop well on their adventures that are full of twists and turns, including plenty of action.

Overall, an excellent book that kept me entertained from start to finish. I really enjoyed this book so definitely recommend giving it a read - 5 Stars
Profile Image for Jessie Winterspring.
Author 13 books167 followers
August 31, 2025
It’s no secret that I love Danielle’s writing. Her books are digestible and easy to read, while still complex and clearly written for adults. I’m not into spicy books anymore, but the Goddess Wards isn’t spice-free, and I admit, I skip some love scenes because I’m too excited for the plot. That said, one of the reasons I still buy her books is because when I am in the mood for spice, she delivers just the right amount to make it beautiful.
What made me read this one in a single sitting was the found family trope and how the sacrifices would be handled, and I loved that there was no breakup drama once the couples got together. Yes there was obstacles, but no personal boohoohoos, haha 🤣

PS: the plot twist was nice. But I feel so proud when I identify DeMörder’s true identity halfway through the book 😁
Profile Image for B M.
31 reviews3 followers
March 18, 2023
“🎶…for rain has a little silver dew and trees arbor all fruits. All your fears will vanish. Forget your worries, and follow me. 🎶”

I was given an eARC for an honest review.

Taking place centuries before the events of Age-Old Enemies, The Goddess’s Wards is the story of how the werewolves and witches were tasked by the Moon Goddess, with protecting the the sepulcher which imprisons Eurynomos .
As time goes on, the pack continues to guard the sepulcher, but there is one drawback to this honor that was bestowed upon the pack. A sacrifice must be made every so often to keep Eurynomos from gaining the strength needed to escape from the Goddess’s prison.

As the pack is deciding whether or not to continue guarding the sepulcher, a necromancer is creating an army of zombies to help DeMörder see his devious plan come to pass.
As the pack begin to protect there land and the people in it from DeMörder and the necromancer, Erebus, the demon of darkness and Nyx, the goddess of night have kidnapped their daughter Hemera, the goddess of the day. Causing total darkness everywhere. Serena, one of the pack’s most powerful spell casters, is sent out on a solo mission to find the cause of the darkness and meets a vampire named Jasper. Who was sent on the same mission from his coven. Together they search out the cause of the darkness.

Danielle continues to build upon what she started with Age-Old Enemies and as this story goes on you see just how important the werewolves and witches are to the world!

With the introduction of zombies, soul nymphs and banshees, this series continues to be my favorite fantasy, vampire/werewolf romance series!!!

There are a couple of surprises throughout, that had me questioning everything I thought I knew about this spectacular world, I couldn’t put it down!!!!

The Longing Mate series is currently available on Amazon and The Goddess’s Wards will be available on March 24, 2023.
Profile Image for The Dragon Den Book Blog.
2,969 reviews66 followers
September 10, 2023
Review of The Goddess's Wards by Danielle Paquette-Harvey
* * * * *
A supernatral romance read with mulitple POVs, fated mates, instant families and a war that could bring people together more than it will tear them apart.

A great evil is coming, taking the lives of people and creating an army with their corpses.
They are going for the goddess wards...and tearing them all down.
However, there are important people who will resist and fight back.
Matthew is trying to live his best life, considering how short it is being a sacrifice to stop evil. All that changes when he finds his mate, the beautiful soul nymph Elisen, as well as a young girl that will become more important to him that he would ever expect.
Can he protect his family and home, as well as the new loved ones he has found?
Elisen has never felt love before, and is shocked that her kind can feel love. Is there more to the soul nymphs than she realised?
Serena is on a mission to uncover the threat and find the killer of a man who has left behind a pregnant. She never expected to join forces with Jasper - good looking vampire alert. Is she going to be in for a shock that fate has more in store for them.

So happy that Danielle reached out to me with this read, I really enjoyed it.
The growing family, the suprise bonds, no toxic drama between lovers (which is a first) and instant connections between lovers.
Matthew and Elisen with Molly was super cute and I loved it so much! Molly had already decided that she was staying with them forever and even though Matthew and Elisen are newly bonded - Elisen completely new to love - both of them were just as happy to be with her.
Serena and Jasper had their steamy hot water bath scene that made me want to blow bubbles! Wowzers! Lies come to truth as secrets hidden for years unravel. Bullies meet their match. Choices meet consequences.
The other fated mates had me turning to mush! Families dealing with loss hade me cuddle a pillow!
Thumbs up from me!
21 reviews
May 28, 2025
The worst writing I have have had the displeasure or reading in a long time. I cannot understand why this is rated so highly.
Profile Image for Cassidy Reyne.
Author 13 books27 followers
March 27, 2023
A mixed group of werewolves, witches, and humans have long been tasked with keeping a demon at bay by guarding the wards that bind him. However, in order to keep the wards active, a sacrifice has to be made, one that the group is no longer willing to make. They decide to leave their village and start anew somewhere else.
This was quite an entertaining story with some good world building, a multitude of characters, and an interesting plot.
It has the usual markers of many paranormal/shifter stories, such as fated mates, a ‘chosen one’, a quest to be fulfilled, ancient prophecies, death, and resurrection.
Overall, I enjoyed the story even if it isn’t quite my usual choice of genre. However, there were a couple of areas I struggled slightly with. One was that the plot was a little simplistic and predictable. It almost seemed aimed at a Young Adult or New Adult audience. This was negated by the frequent, and quite graphic sex scenes which would not be suitable for the YA genre. This is in no way a criticism, only an observation on my part, and the style will appeal to many readers who enjoy its effortlessness.
The only other thing I found stuck with me was that although this seemed to be set in ancient times — no mention of modern conveniences such as electricity — the language used in the steamy scenes was most definitely of a much more modern type. I would have expected it to have been less direct but still descriptive, using words that are suggestive rather than smacking in your face. I have no issue with the steam or explicitness as such, but the words and expressions used were somewhat jarring and in stark contrast to the overall feel of the book.
Profile Image for Dierdre.
22 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2023
Thank you again for letting me being part of the ARC team and I am honored to have the chance to be one of the firsts to have a peek into the world of the goddess's wards.

The Goddess's Wards were packed with actions and romance, and heartbreaks (that did happen to me...).
I've been following the author's works since the Age Old Enemies, and the one thing that makes me love her works is her ability to inject all of the feelings into her writings. Be it a love between two characters, or the tense during the fights among the creatures or the spirit of togetherness between the members of one community, I was able to experience all of that while reading through the novels. And it is the same with The Goddess's Wards.

At a minute the vibe was dark and I was always expecting death to occur🤣 and in the next minute I was presented with a sweet lovey-dovey moment between the characters.
I was really in awe with the world buildup, and somehow I wanted to dive in to the book to see the world for myself. Instead of just the witches, the werewolves, and the vampires, there were also the soul nymphs. You guys need to read the book for yourself if you want to know what's the role of a soul nymph in this fantasy world😁

The events were told through multiple POV and it did not mess up the storylines. Danielle managed to weave them into one big fluffy blanket of the goddess's wards😁

And btw, The Goddess's Wards is in the Goodreads April Most Anticipated Romance Release🥰
Profile Image for Azalea Hudson.
Author 5 books56 followers
June 3, 2023
It's a fantastic high fantasy story. The Moon Goddess imprisons the demon Eurynomos, and brings a pack of werewolves to a village and grants them magic for accepting the werewolves and with them guarding the demon’s sepulcher, turning all of them her wards.

There are lots of adventures and different characters in the book for all different tastes in fantasy. From Mathew the son of the alpha who was born to be sacrificed, (you’ll have to read to discover what happens to him!) to a soul nymph, half angel, and a necromancer.. It’s an array of entities. As their predicament goes, some of the pack members find their fated mates, adding romance to the story. And not all the mates are wolves, they are from other species as well and they need to adjust to the new life.

Sometimes the mean act of people can push others to their limit, and someone who is good at heart can become damned. One more reason we always need to treat people with kindness and give them our trust back. The story brings you interesting twists, tight friendships, lots of love, a bit of bullying, battle scenes and the beauty of a happily ever after.

If you are a fan of dark fantasy this book is for you. After this one check Danielle’s Longing Mates Series, you’re gonna love it!
Profile Image for J.C. Seal.
Author 17 books105 followers
April 12, 2023
Solid four Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Goddess’s Wards by Danielle Paquette-Harvey

This book has it all. Shifters, Witches, Vampires, Nymphs, Necromancers, Gods, Demons. Set in the past, it tells the story of the origins of the Werewolves-Witches pack from the Longing Mates Series, and why they went rogue and defied the Moon Goddess who gifted them with their powers. If you like Fated Mates, battles fought with teeth or magic, walking dead, and a nemesis that will bring eternal darkness, then this is the book for you.

Then why just four stars? Because I didn’t manage to root for one of the various characters. You might think, a story written from four different PoVs should have one character to fall in love with, but it didn’t work for me. But … that’s just me. Give it a try, it might well be your next favorite read.
Profile Image for Country Mama.
1,452 reviews66 followers
June 8, 2023
This story is a love story however it also has so many more elements in it. It is a dark romance that contains spicy scenes that I would say you should be an older person to read. The writing was great and was very well written.
The characters were well detailed and not lacking in development.

The story begins with the town being saved by the moon goddess. She then brings werewolves to the town and tells them that the werewolves have to be in the town and gives the town folk the ability to have magic. That was a very creative way to start the book I thought.

I like stories that include fated mates and wolf shifters and much more. This book has it all, including being told from different point of view!
Profile Image for Amanda Sloothaak.
Author 2 books28 followers
March 20, 2023
This was a wonderful story to read, diving into the history of the world and the important events that happened and taking us on an adventure. It's interesting to read and learn about. Also seeing it from multiple Points Of Views is helping to emerge deeper into the world. The description creating a world that pulls your interest. Overall I loved this book.

There are fast pacing pieces that I would like to have lingered on and getting more in depth in the characters mind. In my opinion the story could have slowed down a bit there despite the whole reading good as it was and therefore 4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Sonja Blanco.
Author 4 books132 followers
March 23, 2023
Action packed magical adventure with plenty of sizzle!

The Goddess’s Wards checks all the fantasy boxes: intriguing magical world, high stakes, spicy romance, werewolves, vampires, fated mates, found family, and so much more.

Multiple POVs pull you into the story and let you experience it from all angles which I greatly appreciated. (There’s nothing like a good male POV for me.)

While I loved Matthew and Serena, I absolutely fell head over heels for the vampire Jasper.
And I was delighted with the surprise twist at the end. Well done!

I’m looking forward to Danielle Paquette-Harvey’s next book!
Profile Image for Jason Blade.
Author 6 books13 followers
March 2, 2023
Wow! What an amazing sizzling romance book! And did I mention steamy?

Danielle has some very wicked characters in this book! I really loved the necromancer and OMG what a twist at the end! I didn't see it coming! Wow! Well done!

I absolutely loved Matthew and his mate. Their love is so well written. Serena and her unexpected mate is also great. She's a powerful badass witch. I wouldn't want to be her enemy.

Great job as always. I'm really looking forward for Danielle's next series and will add them to my TBR list on Goodreads now hehe
Profile Image for H.D. Bergen.
Author 3 books33 followers
August 2, 2023
This prequel is well-crafted with multiple POVs through out the book that explain how the wards came to be before leading into the series with A Beloved Sin.

It opens the vast world further and offers depth to the lore with new exciting characters and relationships. Magic, fantastic creatures and a demonic villain, aliven the pages and make this book an entertaining and thrilling read.
Profile Image for Angela Liempt.
Author 7 books97 followers
March 21, 2023
The Goddess's Ward is a fantasy novel that has magic, werewolves, vampires, fae, soul nymphs, and so much more! If you enjoy fantasy romance about fated mates and page turning adventure, you will enjoy this story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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