Fated

Doomsday Brethren #1.5

by Shayla Black

Kari Keswick and Ronan Wolvesey burned for one another, but a deadly family curse targets their love with destruction. Will magic tear them apart?

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Ebooks, Erotica, Magic, Fantasy

88 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.

As an only child, Shayla occupied herself by daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and started pursuing a publishing career. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America, her heart was with her stories and characters, so she left her pantyhose and power suits behind.

Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, gaming, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Follow me on Facebook: http://shayla.link/FBPage

Join me in my Book Beauties group for weekly LIVE chats: http://shayla.link/FBChat

Reviews

[Bry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first thing I have read by Shayla Black and found it pretty entertaining. It was offered free on her website so I thought I would try it since I have been wanting to read Tempt Me with Darkness (the first in the Doomsday Brethren series) and of course Wicked Ties which is supposed to be so deliciously wonderful.

I really enjoyed Black's style of writing. Even knowing nothing about the Doomsday world I felt I understood enough to appreciate the characters and their environment.

Kari seemed like the typical sweet and perfect girl next door. But Black managed to create both a complete cad and tortured soul in the character of Ronan which was doubly potent! The romance, which had a bit of history didn't feel rushed by the effort to tie this novella into the overall arcing plot of the series (or what I think is the overall plot) was a bit of a stretch.

Overall a good read, and now I definitely want to read more of Black's works.

[♥The Kat's Meow♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cool bar, buff warrior wizards, and way-wicked-cool magic. Totally awesome premise, characters who worked through their "stuff" without being too whiney. Wait, this is 1.5 in a series? Where the heck is the first book? (Viva la eBooks!) I must know what happened before and what happens next.

Did I skim? Nope
Will I re-read? Yes.
Did I enjoy the supporting characters? Yes,and there are quite a few I'm eager to know more about. Oh, and a couple of really good evil ones, I'm really going to love to hate.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ronin's family has been cursed, and since they no longer recognized their mates they no longer issue 'the Call' and instead bed enumerable 'faceless' women to keep their magical powers charged. But Ronin has fixated on one woman, Kari, a woman who has watched Ronin and his twin pickup scores of women - and with each conquest her heart breaks just a little more. And even though Ronin is now sure that just any woman will no longer 'do' and that he only wants Kari, Kari is not willing to be just another notch in Ronin's bedpost and rebuff's his advances.

I just finished reading Ronin's brother Raden's story, "Mated", in the anthology Haunted by Your Touch - "Fated" actually comes first. It was fun to get Ronin's story too after having seen him in the background of his brother's story. "Fated" was a short sexy read, with a fair amount of angst for Ronin in having to find out if Kari could be the one, and wanting to take the chance to break with tradition and trade the endless string of women in his past for one woman in his future - but being afraid that loving Kari could mean her doom because of the curse.

I am not quite sure were this falls in the Doomsday Brethren timeline ("Mated" has events that set up for Black's next book), but this is a nice companion to "Fated" and a nice little fill-in for Black's series (several of the Brethren have cameos).

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fated" is a novella in Shayla Black's Doomsday Brethren series, available only in ebook form. Based on my reading, it seems like the events here are happening in the same time frame as the second half of Seduce Me in Shadow. And it introduces three men who will join the Brethren: Tynan, Ronan, and Raiden. (In case you're not up to speed on the series, the Brethren is a group of wizards in modern-day England who have banded together to fight off a super-powerful evil wizard, and his minions, and to keep him away from a powerful tome called the Doomsday Diary.)

Like all wizards, Ronan has to have frequent, er, relations with members of the opposite sex to maintain his powers. But he has grown weary of bed hopping and has fixated on a human bartender named Kari. Unfortunately, there is a curse on his family, which prevents the men from taking a mate. So he's afraid if he mates with her, she'll die.

It's a short little story (only 88 pages), but I enjoyed it. You can read about Ronan's twin brother Raiden and his love in Haunted by Your Touch. 4 stars.

[Shell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a novella companion to the series The Doomsday Brethren. I didn't enjoy this as much as I did the first novel. It is the story of Ronan and Kari who don't figure into the first novel. Their timelines sort of coincide with the end of the 2nd novel in the series, Seduce me in Shadow...sort of.

I couldn't connect with these characters as much. It did give some more background as to mating between Mages, but I found that neither character were likeable enough for me to care beyond a fleeting "how's this impact the rest of the world".

I'm hoping that book 2 will be more stirring for me.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quick little short is a great addition to the series. I liked seeing how the Wolvesy twins became part of the Doomsday Brethren. I found seeing Ronan fight is attraction to Kari funny. More funny due to Kari's reaction. With her past, Ronan really had his work cut out for him to show Kari that his feelings for her were true.

[La La · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but sweet story. I read it because i wanted to read something I could through quickly and this fit the bill perfectly.

[Renee (Reneem1) · Rating 4 out of 5]

88pg Novella on her website...

well worth reading!

Explained mating/binding more...

Guy's family was cursed to never me mated or mate w die.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Shayla Black's writing. I really liked Kari, she was strong and kick-ass! It was a nice quick read that I really enjoyed. Gotta love wizards ;P

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit chincy for me. Not much in the way of character development, and more about sex than love. But I guess that's what you get with a novella.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this story was way too short for me, I still loved it! It also endeared me to two characters who appeared in the last book as if by magic! LOL!

[Jamie Paciorek · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was a short story! It started out okay but towards the middle and end of the book. It was pretty much BLA BLA BLA BLAAAAAAAA :-\

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loads of good stuff in this 88 pg. novella!!!!

Well worth the read!!!!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little novella! I'm adding The Doomsday Brethren series to my TBR list.

[Amber Daulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kari is a spunky heroine and I instantly liked her. She owns her own pub, caters to humans and wizards alike, and she’s crushing on a sexy wizard named Ronan. Too bad he goes home with a different woman every night. They’re friends but she won’t give him a chance at anything more, too sure he’d break her heart with his man-whore ways.
Ronan and his wizard family (all men) live under a curse. If they fall in love and take a mate, the woman will die and they’ll live in misery for centuries. Or so they believe. He’s a lover, not a fighter, but he’ll do anything to win Kari’s heart.
Kari and Ronan’s love story brought tears to my eyes. They’re in love, but they have so many problems to overcome. Besides that, an evil wizard has returned to destroy all of magickind. The Doomsday Brethren, a motley group of sexy, badass warriors, are seriously outnumbered by the new threat but they vow to take it on no matter what.
I believe this book is 1.5 in the Doomsday Brethren series. Well-written with good pacing, I loved this story and I want to read more in the series!
5 Stars

Disclaimer – I bought this ebook for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

[Nyssy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like the in between stories, this was delightful.

[Simona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh... I am done with this series

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was posted at Under the Covers

This novella was perfect to re-ignite my interest in this series. I started it a while back and I kind of forgot about it, because, well...the neverending amount of books being added to my TBR. And then I got this novella and remembered what I originally found appealing about this series. The magic, of course! In a sort of adult Harry-Potter-ish way, our heroes have magic powers, they can conjure up spells, use magic wands and can even teleport. Of course most of them are looking for the one true mate.

But not the Wolvesey brothers. Ronan and Raiden believe that their family has been cursed and that if they mate with a female, she is destined to die and they will live forever alone and with the agony of losing a mate. So they pretty much go around "shagging" women.

But then he met Kari, a human. And even though he can't scent her as his mate his attraction to her is more powerful and the fever for her burns deeper than he can fight.

I loved the fact that he's not part of the Doomsday Brethren yet. He's just a regular guy as much as any 80 year old looking like a 28 year old can be, trying to save the woman he loves from impending death by not binding her to him. And Kari was perfect for him, caring, understanding and willing to put herself out there and only fight him when he deserved it.

But my favorite part? The glimpses of Shock and Bram. Ohhh I love those two. Bram is funny and smart and perceptive and charismatic and did I mention hot? And Shock is dark, sexy, brooding and....shady, a total badass. I can't help but be scared of him but he makes my heart beat fast.

The Brethren adds a few members to their ranks, not only Ronan and Raiden but also Tynan. I can't wait to see how the war against Mathias will play now!

[Hina Tabassum Khatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curse is as powerful as it is given credence for because at the end of the day it is magic (albeit it being dark) and needs emotions (be it fear, love, etc) to power it. With all that said one must remember (magickind and mankind) that we just have one life and we need to work out our priorities and decide what is more important. Rather than cowering behind excuses life has to be lived full on.

But then how that life is to be lived differs from person to person. Ronan Wolvesey (a wizard) has no aims in life and every day is just meant to be passed. With nothing but pursuits of women in his life he has somewhat attained a reputation of a playboy even though his kind needs such activities on a very regular basis to power their magic.

Couple of years back (the time he met Keri Keswick) he started questioning himself and how he led wife but bringing about no change in his life.

Keri on the other hand is a human who knows about magickind because many witches and wizards frequent her pub and while drunk exposed themselves to her. Being stabbed in the back by one cheating man, she doesn't want to have to do anything with the handsome wizard because she believes him to be of the same ilk.

But love happens and forces people into submission. Forces them to toughen them up and shed their cloaks of cowardice.

And the same way Keri and Ronan find their lives entwined for life.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is 1.5 in the Doomsday Brethren series. It is quick novella but it is packed full of adventure, action and steamy romance! The book actually takes place around the same time as book 2.

We meet Ronan and Raiden Wolvesey. These brothers are from a long line of eternal bachelors who refuse to mate believing they are cursed. They only, shall we say, date a lot. Well, that is until Ronan meets Kari, the owner of a local pub. Kari is human but quickly learns about the magical world. His pursuit of her challenges both of them to realize what they want and at what costs they are both willing to fight and die for it. We find out what is up with the magical Brethren and their fight against Mathais. We also meet one of Mathais’s witches, Rhea. I have a feeling this is not the last time we see her.

It is a quick read but I enjoyed it. I love how this magical world is slowly evolving, I am hooked and I can’t wait to see what is in store next for the Doomsday Brethren.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, I read this story just before reading book 3 in the Doomsday Bretheren series by Shayla Black. Even though Fated is #1.5 in the series, I think it fit in perfectly!! As the characters reappeared about mid-way through the 3rd book and we get to know them a little bit better.

This is a very short novella about a wizard Ronan and the woman he believes to be his mate (Kari). However, he and his twin have been raised to believe a long-standing family curse that any wizard in the family who took a mate, would lose her to a horrible death, and live the rest of their lives in mourning and misery never to love again. This would have been a much better story if it were a little bit longer, with a little bit more detail. The ending leaves us hanging in so many ways, as we never really find out if Ronan and Kari will be effected by the curse, or if they have "escaped" it.

I hope we find out more about the curse on Ronan and Raiden's family later in the series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short story, this was surprisingly satisfying. Kari and Ronan had a sweetness to their relationship that worked for me. He's determined to keep her safe, she's determined to safeguard her heart. Yet somehow they make it work.

I liked that the characters from Tempt Me With Darkness put in an appearance and tied these new characters into the overall storyline. I also liked that secondary things that happened in the first book were brought into clearer focus here. We saw the death of a minor character in book 1 that has a direct impact on one of the secondary characters in this story. I like that sort of continuity.

A fast read, but very fun.

This is currently a free read through Shayla Black's website.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for a short story. I often find that short stories are very abrupt and unless we already know the character and the situation, the story moves too quickly to really get into it. In this case, it helps to have known the world and as for the characters, we know Shock and Tynan, but none of the others. They become side line characters in the series so this is great back ground to have, though it isn't necessary to read.

I enjoyed this story and it provides what I expect will be important information about the addition of the Wolvesey twins and what they can do. I recommend reading it if you are following the series since it does a really great job of introducing these guys and Ronan's mate Kari who we don't know anything about yet from the regular series.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is really probably 2.5 rather than 1.5 since I think it more closely is chronologically to book 3.

This novella is about one of two of the imfamous Wolvesey twins, Ronan and a bar owner Kari. The books describes the twins having a very avid sex life due to the curse their family were afflicted with years ago when an ancestor formed a bond with a watch his heart hadn't desired for the sake of politics, and later when he discovers his true mate and breaks the bond the witch is infuriated and curses the family to never have the wizard's instinct to know when he's met the mate of his heart's desire and to know instantly to heed The Call to her.

This is a great short story but I think it should have been it;s own book. That's my two cents.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the plot of this story. Not many books about cursed Wizards and evil witches. Would have liked to have gotten more of a story for this book. I was expecting it to go somewhere but it really didn't just when you start to get into it it abruptly ends and your sitting there asking well what the heck. LIke another review said more then 1/2 the book was advertisements for other books, which is fine but not to put blurps for multiple other stories in 100+ pages. A reader sees 250 pages in a book we expect 250 pages to read not to read advertisements. Would definately purse the series if the other books don't end this same way.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this short lacking in everything. It didn't have any of the expected Doomsday Brethren interaction. There was one lame ass fight scene where twins Ronan and Raiden fought for the Brethren against Mathias' zombies. Mostly the story was about Ronan (a complete unknown to the Brethren) finding and calling his mate, Kari who thought he was a womanizing playboy. The romance was stilted and typical. Seriously not worth reading as it doesn't add a single thing to the series.

[Wendy coling ( trowbridge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this book from the start ronan is s man who is fed up with his life and is dreaming of having one woman who wont let him have her. she thinks he will just bed her and leave, she is a strong woman who i think would be good for ronan.
good read and its a quick read as you find it hard to put the book down, especally when the naughty bits come up.

i was reccomended this one and i am recommending it to you.

[Mare · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 1st book by this author. I enjoyed it. The storyline was a great intor for me to Kari & Ronan & now a series I will definately be starting. Ronan is a wizard who falls in love with a human; unfortunatley his family is cursed so he tries to stay away from Kari bu the draw is too strong. I hope to revisit these charcacters once I start the series.

[AngelLeah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short read. I was surprised that I finished it when my Kindle said I was only about 60% done. The end is filled with clips from other books by Shayla Black.

This was a nice short story. I wanted the back story on the Wolvesey twins, so I read it for that. I was surprised to get so much story on Shock. It still wasn't enough though because that guy is a complete mystery!

[Rachel Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and might have to read the whole series even though it's about wizards which I'm not too fond of (unless it's Harry Potter of course). However, the guys are hot enough that I might actually care about their stories. It depends on how expensive the ebooks are because I don't think my library carries the series in print. Luckily, this one was free