Old plan: Go to school, learn about my magic, fall in love with my guys, and maybe be normal for once in my life.
New plan: Do all of those things. After I take care of the greedy, corrupt fae who are messing up the natural order of things.
The gods have entrusted me to restore the balance between light and dark, whether I want to or not. If the fae want to keep their magic, they have to show that they deserve it.
But do they? It's time for me to decide whether my people are worth fighting for.
The Reluctant Keeper is the final book in the Empath Found trilogy. It’s a fated-mates-with-a-twist, medium burn reverse harem. Suitable for readers 18+
Empath Found Trilogy: 1. The Terrible Gift 2. The Unwanted Challenge 3. The Reluctant Keeper
Colette Rhodes is a paranormal romance author from New Zealand. She loves to write about love in all its forms, and adores imperfect heroes and heroines who find perfection in each other. You’ll often find her trying to justify her degree by including ancient history and mythological influences in her work.
If she’s not writing, then you’re almost certain to find her reading—ideally with a cup of tea in hand and a scented candle burning to match the mood.
Bleh, Bryn, one-sided relationships, and internalized misogyny. His POV did not help this, because everything in his head - about it being her turn to take a leap - was a lie. She did reach out. He shut her down, disappeared, pushed her away, and never once actually expressed interest. I hated literally every bit of her "relationship" with Bryn.
But that aside, it was okay. I feel like ... I don't entirely understand what the gods wanted, or why Ffion was needed. I don't understand what she did or why her gift was really critical to her path. She barely used it, and I'm not convinced that it actually helped anything at all in the big climax.
Hmm. The entire series, I was just waiting for that push. I had wanted to spark of something special that I had glimpsed in the first books blurb. I sadly didn’t find it and I felt this series was rather underwhelming and played into some series sexist ideals.
Fi and her men are back together after her kidnapping and she’s healing. She’s received her mission from the gods to restore the balance and redeem the fae. It’s not gonna be easy and she’s gonna struggle even claiming herself as the “Keeper of Balance.”
That should sound interesting, right? No. All we got was Fi, who is supposed to be this stubborn and strong woman, down in the dumps and constantly doubting herself in her role and not wanting to take responsibility for anything. It’s fair, but after like half a book it gets old VERY fast.
I didn’t really understand why her powers played a key factor in this book at all. They really could have been anything and it would have been the same as what she did in the end. She’s supposed to be special for being an empath but it didn’t turn out to be much of anything, so that was disappointing.
Another disappointment was, again, the characters. Almost all of them are one-dimensional and didn’t grow at all in the series. Then there is Bryn, who is supposed to be this tortured grump of a dude and he’s just using the “I want her to come to me, I’ve done everything I can” spiel and it’s toxic. Literally trash. Then Fi comes to this “realization” that she’s supposed to go to him now that he’s saved her and treated her well after all the fucking BULLSHIT he’s done not only to her but also Saffir, and she’s just supposed to be okay with that kind of guy as her mate??? Like, what the fuck. Not to mention the weirdly sexist relationship dynamics all the fae have, but exemplified through Fi’s men. It started before the kidnapping, but just got especially worse once she came back “broken” and “fragile” and needed to be “taken care of”, “stole her innocence and curiosity”, “jaded”, and shit like that. They literally don’t want her out of their sight ever and coddle her. Like I said, she’s supposed to be this strong woman but everything I saw in this book wasn’t that.
Lastly, the ending. I literally thought there was another book after this because we were getting to the last chapters of the book and nothing was happening. No resolutions, no huge character development... nothing. It seemed to all be leading up to this huge showdown and it was just so anti-climatic and sad. Like she literally has her two dads die right in front of her and starts a rebellion, but get’s carried out by her men because she’s just that broken and falling apart. Then THE NEXT PAGE, 12 fucking years later, we see all is right in the world. It just undercuts everything the entire series was leading up to and it made no sense as to why it was hyped up at all. If all we were gonna get was this huge confrontation with no insight on how they even organized and saved the fae realm.
Anyway, not a recommended read. I will probs read the novella involving Saffir cause I wanna know what’s gonna happen with her and her twins. Also would be interested to see about those dragon shifters and their mate, but only if the author’s writing improves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
It’s a bittersweet moment for me, saying goodbye to these characters. While I’ve had an assortment of stories floating around in my head for years, Fi’s was the first that I put to paper and it will always be special to me. Writing a book was a spur-of-the-moment decision for me, and I cannot express how grateful I am to every one of you who took a chance on an unknown author and came on this journey with me.
My take on this is that the story had a lot a potential and there were quite a few aspects which weren't explored, a fact which chips away at the overall impression. The author's way of writing isn't bad, but I do think she needs a better editor. My 3 stars rating is more towards this series overall than this book in particular...well, because, it's not written poorly and credit is due where it is due. If there was a way to give the editing a mark, it would be just 1.5 stars. Having said that, would I try another series by the author ? Actually, I think would.
A solid read! It’s all building up to this big confrontation, but tbh it was pretty anticlimactic. It gets resolved super quickly, and I didn’t understand what she needed her gifts for? Not sure what her empath abilities helped her with at all.
Bryn remained an idiot for most of the book. He let six weeks go by without seeing her, because he wanted her to come to him for a change. Right. The guy who said no when he was asked if he was courting her. The guy who asked another girl to court to avoid the pull of the mating bond. He never apologized for being outright hostile and resentful toward her, but because he saved her life he felt like it was her turn to come to him. I didn’t appreciate this plot point, and I think it should’ve been handled differently.
The other guys though, I really liked them. They were devoted to her. The world building needed a little extra, and I hope the dragons story gets a little more to it.
A lot gets resolved off page at the end, like the epilogue being 12 years after the confrontation. Overall, a solid and light read!
First off I will admit I didn’t finish the book. I got to 77% and just couldn’t push through. The story got rushed in this book. I was surprised when I saw this was to be the final book but I figured let’s see how this is pulled off. It started off at a decent paced the. Once we got to a certain point, it was all fast, slow down then fast again in repeat. The series of events happening make sense, why they happened doesn’t which is where the fast and slow pace comes in. It feels like the author has a list of events that need to happen to end the story and she is a little haphazard on how they get checked off. Maybe after the point I stopped it all makes sense but I just couldn’t force myself to continue. I lost interest. This saddens me cause I really enjoyed this trilogy.
I liked the story elements and that is why I did read all 3 books but the writing was a bit of a struggle for me. I think book two was the best but all three books drag with many areas I skimmed over because the details were not super relevant, like the several mentions through of what ours mc's were eating that really was not necessary. The last books ended up being very rushed to tie up the plot, there was a lot of build-up for everything to tie up quickly and very neatly. The world was a fun world though.
Well now that I have read the series and had some time to get over this being the end of Marlen for me I can say I am a huge HUGE fan of this series.
I didn't know what to expect from such a new author and for myself just starting to get back in to reading after far to long wasting time watching TV but I am completely obsessed.
I'm actually gutted that this series is over but I was impressed with the ending... almost cried at the end.
This series is good if you just need lighter reading. It never goes into great detail about darker subjects in the book. If it wasn’t for the sex scenes, I would say this book is PG13.
The Reluctant Keeper is the third installment into the RH series Empath Found by Colette Rhodes.
Unfortunately this series increasingly fell off. I really enjoyed the first book, I know it could’ve been better but it had potential. I don’t regret giving some time to this work, I only wish it delivered more.
This last book was the biggest letdown. There was no epic showdown, really no reason for all the training they attempted. The resolution and revolution was rushed through. There should’ve been an entire additional book to accommodate more, just more all around. This book was smut, smut, smut. And I skimmed every one of those scenes. It continued the forced feeling from the last book and irritated me so deeply that Rhodes focused entirely too much on that aspect of their journey.
The only saving grace is Bryn and Fi’s final acquiescence in accepting and admitting their bond to each other was more than just wishy-washy magic.
I loved the first two books but this one didn't do it for me. I admit I had to skim through most parts. I was waiting for an epic battle or conclusion but it fell flat. It's still worth finishing though.
I have to say I’m so disappointed in the mc. Always giving in to her 4th mate never making him fight for her. Then just letting him get away from hiding from her for 6 weeks then just moving on? Pathetic. Especially for a girl who supposed to be strong.
The gods have tasked Fi to restore the balance between light and dark. She must prove that the fae deserve to have magic. However, the fae without magic aren't given fair opportunities; those with powerful or rare magic are hunted. Fi, herself was kidnapped, held captive in a cave, starved, and bled. She's not sure they do deserve it. She wants her own revenge though. Maybe, she can satisfy the gods and herself at the same time.
This book mostly lived up to my hopes. The story played out perfectly even if it was a little rushed. It was suspenseful and satisfying. Fi and her men got plenty of attention. There were sweet times, sexy times, and there was humor! It could have been more detailed, more attention given to all of the characters but still, it was entertaining.
Footnote: Has there ever been a series with less fitting covers? I love the covers; they are lovely. They also look like a contemporary series, not a paranormal one. There is nothing fae-like about them. Odd choice.
Empath Found series By Colette Rhodes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This RH series takes a different twist to the Fae. Ffion always knew she was different because normal people can't feel other people's emotions. After aging out of London foster care she works as a night custodian trying to avoid people and the migraines that come from the onslaught of others emotions. One night at a club, she is cornered by a guy and his friends for not so nice reasons. She discovers there is a lot more to her magic than just being an empath. The burst of magic she uses to escape sends a beacon through to a Gaurdian in Avalon who sends a tracker to bring Ffion back to the land of the fae. There she learns all about her new magic and what her destiny set down by the Gods is. A highly recommended series that leads the reader on through twists and turns. Such a good book!
The final book to the trilogy. I enjoyed this book but would have wanted it to go on longer in some parts, I wanted to keep reading. I love how the relationship between Fi and her mates developed. The characters were all really well developed and their relationships and conversations were consistent in all three books. I also enjoyed the collaboration between different species in Avalon on the adventures. The sex scenes were really well written. Very enjoyable book to read, and has been left open in some areas for potential spin offs or crossovers of Fi and her mates in to other novels. Great trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was good! I enjoyed the whole series. The character and world building is great. This third book brings several things to conclusion and there is an HEA.
Spoiler*************
My only complaint is that for how long we waited to see Fi and Bryn come together, the way they actually do, it suddenly felt rushed and not romantic at all. I get that they are both supposed to be "no nonsense" people but it felt like a lot of build up for how it actually played out.
Overall it's a great series and I would definitely recommend reading it. I'm super interested in the Dragon group that Fi and her men join forces with. I hope Colette is planning their story in the future.
Wonderful series I guess I was just expecting more of an ending. The long awaited reveal and revolution lacked everything it was slightly mentioned I thought it would play a huge part of the last book and it didn’t. Even the ending had no build up it just seemed to fade away. I was looking forward to being blown away and include some much needed sexy fae time for our Fi and her sinfully sexy men but sadly there was none. Although I’m sad over this last book the entire series was great and fun to read, I don’t know it it was just me having high expectations for the ending I tend to do that when I fall in love with the characters and want more.
This series is quite interesting with rich characters and world settings. The main character was steadily built to become this very special divine person enabled by her rare talent. At the ending the story really fails to convey any spectacular talent. The climax is almost mundane and was missing all the hype the series was leading the reader. It did not end badly but it didn't end with strong female character that had grown from her diversity. In many ways the focus of the series was overcome by the many sex scenes that tended to distract from the overall theme.
Esta trilogía es muy fresca y simple, la trama es entretenida pero nada del otro mundo y los personajes son lindos.
Este tercer libro fue un buen desenlace. Cumplió con mis expectativas y siguió perfectamente la línea planteada en los libros anteriores.
La relación entre ellos es linda, y la resolución del conflicto fue un poco boba (demasiado fácil todo) pero es lo que uno se espera luego de todo lo acontecido.
Recomiendo esta saga si buscan algo para pasar el rato, creo que es de esas historias que están buenas para pasar una tarde leyendo, o que funcionan de "puente" entre otras dos grandes lecturas.
It's been a while since I've read an RH series that has an actual ending... It feels very satisfying in a way. Collette Rhodes left room for spinoffs and maybe even future cameos for Ffion and her guys in those stories. It's a great world she built and im sure she can find plenty of tales to tell inside of it. It wasn't my absolute favorite series, because I didn't necessarily connect with as emotionally as I'd like. It was good though. Finished it pretty quick.
I've been having a hard time recently getting invested in stories. Normally I haven't had the urge to move past book one. This world had me hooked. I didn't realise until end of book one that Colette was a brand new author! The writing was mature, sex scenes luscious but not overdone or sleazy, the characters believable, and story kept me riveted. No spoilers here just make sure you read the three books in order. Will be following Colette for her next foray into writing!
Final installment of this series is really good! I was hoping it wouldn’t tank and it didn’t.
Fi of course finishes her mating circle. Yay sexy times! Embarks on her quest for the Gods in earnest and while I would have liked a bit more action, it wouldn’t have fit with Fi’s more pacifist view of life and her gift.
It was satisfying to see the growth she and her guys made during the course of the series. They truly came into their own and they owned their mission to the best of their abilities. Yay!
I received an ARC from the author. The final book in the series and the story lines are wrapped up beautifully. The continuous banter between characters has been consistent throughout all three books and it really brings the characters to life. In TRK specifically, this banter introduces humour into the otherwise trying times of their quest and it works really well to break the tension. Great book to end a great series! Can't wait for more.
I absolutely loved this trilogy. Everything was wrapped up perfectly. From the get go, I fell in love with Fi and her men. It was great that she finally completed her bonds and I am so glad how it turned out with Bryn. The dragons were a nice addition to the story. I loved learning more about the other fae as well (and their powers). Thank you for taking us on an adventure Ms Colette Rhodes!
Ps: I was so glad to get the ARC for this book! Thank you :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I really liked this series. Ffion is awesome and her guys are each hot and unique. I loved her seeing her and Bryn finally connect and talk, I thought the first 3/4 of this book were great, but the ending felt rushed. Considering the build up from the first two books, her mission was started and over pretty quickly, and summarised mostly in the epilogue. It seemed a little anticlimactic. Overall, I have enjoyed this series and will be looking for by Rhodes in the future.