Please be aware that this is a DARK paranormal reverse harem with a lot of NON-CONSENT for around the first half of the book. There may be triggers for some readers.She’s not going down without a fight…Fierce and feisty, Raine knows when she’s being hunted. It’s a sixth sense, part of who she is and a parting gift from her broken past. No family, no friends, she is a true self-made woman, … friends, she is a true self-made woman, independent and reliant on no one but herself.
Unbeknownst to her, she’s caught the attention of a bachelor pack of werewolves–five burly brothers, exiled from Ireland by their father until one of them stakes a claim on their mate and, in doing so, inherits the title of pack Alpha.
They intend to take her, the vicious little redhead with murder on her mind, and make her submit to one of them before her estrus cycle runs out–few mortal women are compatible with werewolves for breeding, and time is of the essence.
But Raine refuses to offer her submission, fighting for her freedom and her life, to the monsters demanding everything she has to give, everything she might have been, everything that makes her the woman she is.
When the new world she finds herself trapped in becomes a battlefield of blood and fur, will her captors be her monsters or her guardians?
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This is a reverse-Harem Irish shifter dark paranormal romance.
So, brothers, Dubhlainn, Quinn, Finn, Cabhan and Malachi are banished from there home village and the pack by their Alpha father and sent out into the world to find compatible mates to breed.
The first who accomplishes this will then take over leadership from there father.
Raine is human but with unique pheromones that call to the brothers base animal instincts.
They hunt her over the course of a month, eventually cornering and running her to ground taking her back to there den where each wolf plans to try their luck at knotting and breeding her something that Raine a virgin is so not on board with.
Raine is certainly no pushover and fights tooth and nail to evade her fate at the hands of this feral pack of brothers.
But one thing she can’t avoid is going into Estrus and what this does to the pack’s inner wolves.
with their animals running the show, Raines experience is awful, brutal and traumatising.
The only one with any sort of control seems to be the eldest brother and unofficial alpha of the pack Dubhlainn.
He is the only one not cowed by his wolf working instead in tandem and attempting to show Raine the care and compassion she deserves.
So this had many triggers throughout these boys basically kidnap Raine holding her against her will and their inner wolves totally traumatise and brutalise her that is until Dubh the alpha takes control of the pack keeping the others in check and accountable.
As horrific as this initially was for Raine I could kind of deal mainly I think because this was paranormal and shifter and all animal instinct rather than just your garden variety abuse.
It somehow made it easier to accept, it still wasn’t in any way right but it sort of made it easier to understand.
This also had some slight omegaverse elements to it like nesting, knotting and such but it wasn’t actually omegaverse more paranormal shifter and If non-consent and rape is a trigger for you then best avoid as this is not dubious consent in any form it’s straight-up non-con at least initially.
The boys are ashamed by there actions but all except the Alpha are initially unable to fight their animal genetics and instincts when it comes to Raine and her scent.
Dubhlainn then realises just what he has set into motion in regards to his new mate and his initial lack of protection and care and experiences deep regrets in the way he has handled things.
Raines presence also causes the pack dynamics to shift causing hidden strife among the pack as they start to challenge there alpha and his control of the situation.
So this wasn’t actually as straightforward as I was expecting it to be it also went places I wasn’t prepared for taking me aback slightly.
Also, I don’t know if I’d label this one that dark, I’ve read a lot worse than this.
the non-consent is certainly dark stuff but as for the rest because of the remorse, it kind of took the sting out of it slightly.
Finally, I adored the epilogue, it was sentimental and sweet which felt like a breath of fresh air after all the previous happenings.
I felt it was a much need injection of light after all that dark.
This is certainly not going to be to everyone’s liking mainly because of the dark content but myself I liked it.
It was different and unique even when it was uncomfortable reading at times I still kept turning the pages.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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I found this book after it was banned from amazon, luckily I was able to get it thru smash words, I may be on the unpopular opinion as this story began with more than dubcon, this was definitely noncon at the start and built to a dubcon and end it on HEA.
For anyone new to the terms figure them out before you jump, this is a huge trigger for most, the heroine was a strong as she did not allow the Heros of this harem forget the mistakes they made, in the end redemption outwon their rushed decision.
I recommend but only for anyone with no trigers, this book while a stand alone felt like the introduction to a world well built, I hope the author brings more books like this one.
This is such a wonderful read about monsters and guardians. Who will win out? What will happen between them? Action packed thriller
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Monsters & Guardians by Kay Elle Parker is a wonderful story to read. I loved reading this story cause I love read about reverse harem and it has a lot of twist that wants to keep you reading this story to the very end. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves read a reverse harem story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When I started this book I was intrigued. A few chapters in and I was wary. Im not one for no consent books so I put it down. About a week later I realized I wasn’t being fair to the book or author to judge the entire contents in the bit I read so I started over and decided to give it another go. While Im still not a big fan of the no consent scenes the rest of the book was very good. It’s a dark tale And a few sections pissed me off but it kind of added to the overall story. While there was no consent through the first half of the book, circumstances change and our FMC realizes some things about herself and the guys that changes everything. Theres a twist to the story you may or may not see coning but it’s exciting nontheless. Overall if you can get past the non-con aspect then definitely give this book a go because you wont be disappointed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
OMG. The things that this book did to me. It was so… Yeah, it totally tore me up and into teeny, tiny bits. It hit all my buttons, and took me for a heckuva ride. I thought I had a good idea as to what I was getting but it was so much more than what I was expecting, and even more.
Raine has been hunting some wolf shifters. They’ve been killing animals around the area. She’s also being tracked. What she doesn’t know is that the people she’s tracking are the ones who are tracking her. She’s being followed by 5 brothers. Cabhan, Malachi, Finn, Quinn, and Dubhlainn were kicked out of their pack by their father, the Alpha of the Galway, Ireland pack. He told them to go out and find a mate and the first one to come back with a bred and bonded mate would become the new Alpha.
Seriously, I can’t put into words how I feel about this book. I want to give it to everyone to read just because I think should read it. Yeah, that’s how much I like this. I think Raine is totally BAMF. I mean, she’s a serious battle goddess. She is definitely in my top 3 strongest heroines. Dubh is smart, sneaky, and stubborn. He’s also kind of impulsive and doesn’t always think about what he does before he does it. I don’t like Malachi or Cabhan from the very beginning. They are just wrong. Quinn and Finn are just kind of there in the middle, although they do try to do the right thing.
I really need more of this group. They are fantastic.
Okay first off, there are triggers in this book so if you still want to read it, proceed with that in mind.
I love dark reads, be it contemporary, paranormal etc you can bet I’ll read it. So, when I read the warning for this book, it made me curious. I was warned but still, some of the scenes here made me cringe/ rage/ made-me-want-to-punch-the-male-heroes mad. I applaud the author’s bravery to put this book out knowing the content. Written on multiple POV which I loved because it made me understand the male characters behavior in connection with the FMC. All in all, I enjoyed reading it.
I received an ARC and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Not being someone to shy away from dark and gritty reads, I heard and listened to the warnings that went along with this book. It is not necessarily what I would call a ‘dark’ read ( as I think horror when I see something labelled as a dark read ) but there is without doubt rape and dubious concent.
A lot of explanations for some pretty awful behaviour that are put down to ‘the beast taking over’.. which was just hard to swallow. I appreciated the author was writing an original story and Can appreciate that not all reads are/have to be or are light and fluffy.. because they don’t. I like dark and twisty and horror novels..and erotica and dub-con… I’m just really not a fan of books where the heroine is expected to/does fall in romantic love with her rapists. Yes it’s a story and make believe.. but for me to truly love a book there has to be some reality or believability in it.
The author tried and succeeded somewhat in giving us a glimps in to the brothers individual feelings with regard to those incidents and at that point I really struggled to see if there would be any kind of romance in this book. I struggled how any amount of making amends could repair the damage done.
As for our heroine Reina, after her initially introduction, initial fight and then one on one fights with the brothers, she became a pretty much voiceless cast member to me..I don’t know if this was intended by the author or not but she became overshadowed by the brothers and instead of the kick ass heroin she was ( at the start of the book ) became somewhat insignificant. Until RH domestic bliss happens at least..I wish her voice had kept talking during the book or featured more.
As much as the first third of this book was very hard to get through… in light of the heroines ordeal… I did finish it. I wanted to know what happened. How the author would ‘fix’ the relationship between Reina and the brothers and if there could be a Happy Ever After.
I’m glad I finished this book, as the remaining two thirds of the book were pretty great. The story kicks up a level, moving in to lighter realms and our heroine returned, literally chopping wolf wood and kicking ass. As such I will be looking it to other reads by this author.
Raw and Gritty, Also Sensual and Affectionate!!
Raised in a brutal wolf-shifter pack, five brothers are sent away to make their way and find a mate. First one to breed earns the position of Alpha. It’s been two years and they cannot find a female that will fulfill their special requirements. Until Raine.
Raine is the ultimate heroine. She is strong, feisty and even against unsurmountable odds of these massive brutal wolves. The initial “capture” and introduction does not go well, and she does not understand what she might mean to these men/wolves.
“Making babies and forming mate bonds takes time, brother. I imagine most couples spend the time kissing or talking, spending quality time strengthening the connection, but we….we spend it trying to stop our mate from gouging our eyes out.”
When danger comes from the old pack threatens, true bonds are revealed if they can only survive.
Not for the faint of heart, completely captivating and impossible to put down. Brilliant read – I highly recommend it!!
*** I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book ***
Omg I devoured this book! This is my first time reading this author. If you don’t like non con then I suggest you don’t buy this book. But I still highly recommend this book!
The characters are stronge and very full of fire! Especially the heroine! She was an amazing character and totally what kept me interested thru the whole book! The other characters were also very well written. I disliked them when I was supposed to and I loved them when I was supposed to as well.
This book was just so well written I think I have a new author addiction!
This book was fantastic! It had everything; a strong main character, hot Alpha males , love, fear, fighting, sex, trauma. I loved it. Please, if you have a sensitivity to men doing things to a woman against her will, do not read this. Buy, if you have an open mind and love a book that’s just a bit dark, this is for you. I really liked how it ended and how all the guys redeemed themselves for our girl.
This is the first book that I’ve read from this author, and I read it through Kindle Unlimited. As far as I can tell, this is meant to be a standalone novel, which was part of the draw to it for me. Mainly, I was looking for a fresh read and a bit of a break from the series I’m in the middle of. I took the non-con warning a bit lightly when I saw it, but if you do have triggers, this is not the book for you. The non-con aspect comes early and hits hard. As dark as it is at times, it was key to the plot and relationship development, and none of it ever felt unnecessary in that way. From a character point of view, this author is brilliant at character building. Raine is a strong-willed, bada$$, take no crap female. Some of the guys are surprising, but in a good way. Others, not so much, but I don’t really want to comment, as spoilers aren’t my thing. You feel what these characters feel, good and bad. I’m not going to say that there was any ugly crying involved, but this author has not shied away from putting her characters through the ringer. My only complaint is that I feel like we could’ve gotten a bit more on the main characters’ backgrounds and histories. You hear about them, but it feels a little glossed over in places. The author is also incredibly gifted at developing a situation. The first 80% of the book takes place in the space of four days, I think, which some people might say is too much, but it felt right for the story. Impressively, the rest of the book doesn’t feel rushed, though. It was a complete story that didn’t leave me wanting or feeling like I had missed out. The book was also an enjoyable length, I felt. 287 pages. 200 pages or less can sometimes feel rushed or short depending on the story and plot, and 350 to 400 or more can start to feel like the book is being drawn out, depending on the story. Overall, it was a brilliant and captivating read that I didn’t want to put down once I had started.
WOW! This book is extremely good. It is definitely a dark RH and if you have triggers it may bother you. That being said this book is so well written . I love the heroine. She is extremely strong and independent never having had anyone to love her. Her wolves are amazing as well. They haven’t been taught love and yet they yearn for it and to show her how much she means. I love that they show regret and aren’t just brutes. Really good book.
This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Packed with plenty of testosterones it makes for a highly sex-intensive story of a young girl, Raine, who must face 5 shifter wolf monsters that have claimed her as their prized mate. Against her will they stalk and kidnap her, forcing her into submission. The 5 shifter brothers are rough and brutal, impatient to mate her despite her reluctance to be sexually involved with any of them. Raine does not go down without a fight and even after being forced into sex, she still kicks a hard punch to any brother that comes near her. The majority of the book is about how she fights them off physically, emotionally and mentally even against her own natural biological instincts. Somewhere along the way she develops an attachment to the Alpha of the pack and eventually opens herself up to being a mate. However just when things are beginning to calm down for Raine, enemies from the shifters’ past find Raine and her mates. Havoc breaks loose and the true power of bonded mates is put to the test. After battling the brothers, now she must battle alongside the brothers to safeguard what belongs to her.
This book is unapologetic, straightforward in it’s depiction of a non-con, well, I couldn’t call it a relationship in the beginning.
The victim doesn’t act like any victim I’v ever read. She changes rapidly to “survivor”, to participant, and finally to ferocious defender of what is her’s.
The Monsters start out as thoughtless brutes, but when they catch their prey she triggers a gradual change in some of them. It is fascinating to follow the evolution of their humane side.
Ms Parker’s language is clear and precise and turns the written word into powerful feelings. While the story lags a bit in the beginning, it picks up speed and substance very nicely, and near the end I would have liked to linger a bit longer. But that might just be due to my vengeful mind!?
A powerful story!
OMG, I read this as an ARC, but I loved it so much I went and bought it!
This is a dark book and doesn’t really get better until the middle. If you have any triggers, please read the warnings and don’t buy this book! That being said, the very beginning is hard to read. They are smug and arrogant and underestimate Raine. Raine is strong and a survivor. She accepts no bulls**t. Let’s call a spade a spade, ok?
I really hope that there will be more to this story as the ending came too quickly.
Note – this is a dark RH in a rough world of shifters. This is a violent, darkly carnal book, and there is non-con sex, for those with triggers.
Five brothers, one Alpha. Who will find his mate and claim the throne?
This was such an amazing story! I loved, loved Raine’s character. As lonely and bleak as her beginnings were, I so want to be her! She’s truly a tough, fiery and independent woman who has had to struggle for survival, and when she finds herself being preyed on by five lusty wolf brothers who all hunger for her, she is hell bent on self preservation. Raine was no shrinking violet – she gave as good as she got, and she fought for her freedom every step of the way. When things take a sudden turn, will she realize who’s on her side?
There were so many lines and quotes in this book that stuck with me! “Watch and learn, Quinn. Raine doesn’t respond when she’s scared, other than to batter people into bloody pulps.” This was one seriously dark, aggressive story, with so much bite to it, and the story was woven so enchantingly. It was a fast-paced, heart-pounding book from start to finish, and I loved every bit of it!