Promised to cruel King Nøkkyn’s harem, Sol Eriksen is out of options, and nearly out of time. When she meets a distractingly handsome stranger in the Ironwood Forest who claims to be a legendary monster, Sol thinks he must be a madman, or a demon. She knows she shouldn’t listen to him. Or trust him. And she should not, under any circumstances, kiss him again.As King Nøkkyn’s grip around her … grip around her tightens, Sol finds her last chance at freedom may lie with her mysterious new lover, the man who calls himself Fenris.
more
She was promised to a cruel king to save her parents and she runs into the forest where monsters live. She meets one and they have kissed. She should not let it happen again. She should just run from it. Will she lie as them again? Will anymore happen? What about her parents? See what will happen
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was fun to read. I am looking forward to seeing where the series takes us. I am also hoping to see a bit more from the next book in relation to tying up some loose ends. If you enjoy all things paranormal give this book a shot!
I was gifted an ARC and will gladly leave a review. I enjoyed it so much I bought a copy.
This was nothing like I expected, I am not saying it was bad or anything, just not what I had expected. It read through fine, no massive errors that make OCD people like me twitch. The story was as described on the back. The problem, I think, comes from the characters and a bit from lack of details.
The characters were not fully fleshed out. They felt almost there but not quite. Perhaps as this is a series later books will delve deeper into the characters so we don’t have only one word to describe each character. Everyone in Sol’s family can be summed up with worried or guilty. those are the only two feelings more than half the characters in the books feel. Sol is selfish. She is sold to the king to feed her family this year. She is not grateful, heroic, or anything else. She just sees a strange boy in the woods and lets him take advantage of her not thinking at all about her family if she gets pregnant if the boy plans to maim and kill her after. Nope, just let’s do this and jumps in.
Fenris…well we learn nothing about his feelings. There is no backstory, no history, no mention of why he is living in the woods her family works in. He frowns most of the time, occasional smile here and there but not much else. He never talks about himself, or if he does we rarely get to hear it.
The most description in this book is the sex. I get when you see the word lover in the title you are getting sex, but their entire relationship was that. There was no fated love. They met, they did it, they loved one another.
This draws from Viking mythology and there is so much you can do with that. It touches on almost none of it. It references pieces here and there but for people who are interested in this book to see how the author uses the mythology to make a detailed world, how they work and play with it making it their own, don’t bother. (That is one of the reasons I wanted to read this)
So the book for me is okay. Could be a lot better with a lot more detail. It could have fleshed out into a fantastic story in fact. Perhaps if the author gets more experience they will grow into it. Or at least that’s what it seems like to me.
I grew up with folklore being from deep south La.; Also grew up with the Grimm fairytales, Aesop’s fables & “Real” nursery rhymes; Since learning some of my genealogy & as a reader always interested to read tales from beyond my folklore & origins; This is certainly this. Wasn’t the greatest but certainly no where near the worse. It did keep me reading having to pause for work, life etc but finished very quickly. It kept me reading and entertained. Isn’t that the whole premise to getting lost in a book for few hours??!! Recommended
I received this as an ARC for an honest opinion and review. HAPPY READING!!
The Monster’s lover (The Fenris series book one) is a fantasy romance & wow this was a firecracker of a book. A world away from the sort of book I normally read, this fantasy novel really lit a fire in me and I will definitely be delving into this genre again. With descriptive writing and imaginative characterisation, this will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical or legendary fantasy.
Sol is the only daughter in an impoverished family and finds herself promised to evil King Nøkkyn. While wandering in the woods one day she stumbles across a handsome stranger who she mistakes for a Demon. Fenris will become her lover and later her protector in this fascinating fantasy romance.
As well as the plentiful love scenes, I liked the reference to Norse legends like Thor, Odin, Askgard whose names are now familiar to fans of Marvel films like myself. Overall a fun romp in the forest.
This is the first book in the Fenris series and is an interesting fast paced read.
When Sol’s father dies in a logging accident in the woods, her family is left with HUGE financial troubles. With no way of meeting the king’s lumber quota, Sol is offered to the king as payment for the family’s debt.
With only weeks left of freedom, Sol tries to make the best of her time left and helps around her family’s land as best as she can. In the woods not too far from her house she meets a mystery man called Fenris, who she is instantly enamored with. She is promised to the king, but how can she agree to go with him when she can’t get Fenris out of her mind.
This story was a tough one for me. I had trouble connecting to the characters and the instant catch fire love the MC’s had was hard for me to get behind…. BUT the author has a really great writing style and managed to get a whole lot of detail into a relatively short story. I am looking forward to seeing how the author continues this story and seeing where Sol and Fenris end up.
I would recommend this to a friend.
Happy Reading!
The Monster’s Lover (The Fenris Series Book 1)
By Samantha MacLeod
This was a short read full of wonderful characters and detailed world building. I loved how this story pulled me into a world of mythology and steamy romance. I got invested in Sol right away and I wanted her to find happiness after all of the hardships that she keeps going through. Fenris was one hot character that I enjoyed reading about. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and completely entertained. The author did an excellent job bringing me into this magical world. I highly recommend this book.
Sol’s father was killed during the course of his work and now the rest of her family has nothing to offer the king as payment for their land……except her. King Nøkkyn has a harem and no one really hears good things about it.
When he comes to inspect Sol to see if she’s good enough to be payment, Sol can immediately tell that he is cruel. She wants no part of him or his harem but without her as payment, her family will not survive the winter.
She escapes into the woods and comes across a strange man who is so unbelievably beautiful, she can only assume he is a demon. Fenris seems to take a liking to her but with Sol only has a short amount of time before the king comes to take her away.
I love almost everything to do with Norse mythology and this immediately caught my interest. I’ve already suggested it to several friends and will be reading the second book. The world building is fantastic and I need more
The Monster’s Lover (The Fenris Series Book One) By Samantha Macleod
5 Stars!!!!!
I was in supernatural heaven. I really love books with Nordic legends. This book was quite a refreshing read. I like how the author was able to bring the characters to life. The pages just melted one right into the other and I couldn’t put this book down.
I felt that the pull between Sol and Fenris was indeed magical. I really felt myself going through the emotions with Sol. I found myself at the edge of my seat to find out what would happen to Sol. The fact that her family had such a hard choice they made. I found my heart in my throat till the very last page. I will certainly be reading more from this author and this series.
The Monster’s Lover, Book One in The Fenris Series by Samantha MacLeod
5-Stars
The Monster’s Lover by Samantha Macleod features the Fenris wolf from Norse mythology. He is one of the main characters as well as his lover Sol. We meet Sol at the start of the novel when she is basically sold to King Nokkyn to make up for her family’s failure to meet their quota. She is given until the reading before she will be added to the Kings harem. I hated that she would have to face this and how her mother began to coach her on things to do to keep the King happy. She meets Fenris in human form after she is attacked by a group of men from town and embraces the short amount of freedom she has left. The passion between Fenris and Sol was heartwarming and exciting. Sol seemed to come out of her shell with him and I fell in love with the two characters. I can’t wait to continue to follow their story. This was such a quick and easy read! I loved it.
A great read about obligations. Sol is a young woman from a poor family who is forced to be sold off to King Nokkyn at harvest so they don’t starve. But when she meets a ethereal beauty of a man in the forest, she can’t help but loose herself. But as time begins to run out, will she choose love over duty?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn’t put down. Well developed characters like Sol trying to keep going deposited it all or Fenris as strong and sure but with a kind nature underneath. A great villian in the cold Nokkyn that will send shivers up your spine.
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like in the sense of nature with the ironwood with its oaks and the rivers and birds and moss and mushrooms to give it the homely feel with its sounds and smells so vivid as if you were actually there. Or the extreme sense of wealth in the big black horse and carriage of Nokkyn against the colourful fields of apples and corn and purple oaks beautifully written.
I aso loved the use of mythology throughout the novel true to its origins with Fenris and Tyr and demons of Muspell which were well written and given the live and respect they deserve as a lovely touch. Overall, a great read and I would give it five stars
The Monster’s Lover by Samantha MacLeod
4 out of 5 stars
The Monsters Lover in the first book in the The Fenris Series written by Ms. MacLeod and it the first book that I have read by this author.. This story is about hardship, sacrifices, and love. The story started out slow but once u got into it, it was great. The characters are will written and there is a depth to Sol that wanted me to keep reading. The descripton of the background was vibrant and colorful.
Sol Eriksen’s family has fell on hard times since her father’s death. Her mother cannot provide her annual quota of purple oak so she trades Sol in payment to the cruel King Nøkkyn for one year in his harem.
After running from some of the locals she is at the river when she meets a handsome man Fenris who claims to be the dangerous beast that roams the Ironwood. She thinks he is playing games with her because this is the name of the mythical beast she heard about as a child. So is he a madman or a demon? She knows she shouldn’t listen to him but she is running out of options and time.
Can Sol trust Fenris? Will Fenris let Sol down? Will he be able to save her from the cruel king? Read the story to find out…
This book ends in a cliffhanger and I recommend this book….
By
Tracy
@tracym
The Monster’s Lover is book one in the The Fenris series by Samantha MacLeod. A first read for me, I could not wait to sink into it. It is a thrill to find new and exciting authors.
Monsters, mayhem and madness pursue Sol in her quest for happiness. Promised to an awful king, she is desperate for a way to get out of being with him. Enter the mystery of Fenris. She is unsure of him, and of how he makes her feel.
An energetic, action packed adventure full of danger, drama and intrigue. A highly intense story that leaves you desperate for more. 4 stars.
I’ll be honest, This book took me by absolute surprise. I LOVED IT! Its the first book in the Fenris series and I’m to dive into more!
This book is based of the Norse myth of Fenrir which is a massive wolf. I love hoe Miss MacLeod spun mythology into her own story to make it her own. She has a way of hooking you from the very beginning and not let you up until the very end. Yes, the book is shorter than most BUT it’s jam packed with so much but I promise it won’t overwhelm you.
This book alone has intrigued me to read her other works and I went right ahead and one-clicked them. If your looking for something different then this book and beginning of a series is A MUST!
THE MONSTER’S LOVER by Samantha MacLeod
Four Stars
This a really short story about a girl being sold for food. When you don’t do your part for the king you have to give something up. That something has to be Sol. A young girl who just wants to live. This kind of felt like a prequel to the beginning of a story. You don’t find out much about Fenris. If I was Sol’s mom I wouldn’t let her in the woods. The story was getting interesting and bam it’s done. Hopefully the author gives us another book for this story. I would like to know what happened with Fenris and Sol.
The Monster’s Lover – Samantha MacLeod
5-stars
The Monster’s Lover by Samantha MacLeod is the first book in The Fenris series and what a great start it is! This fantasy read is beautifully detailed, whimsical, emotional and steamy! It was a great read from start to finish and I loved everything about it!
Even though it’s a shorter read the story flowed seamlessly and it didn’t feel like anything was rushed or missing. I look forward to continuing this series and I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for their next fantasy read!
The Monster’s Lover (The Fenris Series Book 1) by Samantha MacLeod was a hot, steamy, fast read, that had me hooked!
Not my first read dorm this author, so I expect good things.. if you know what I mean..”wink, wink”..
Right away I was pulled into this new world and I didn’t want to leave. Sure, is there insta-lust, an unrealistic hot male MC, and a overly gorgeous female MC that everyone wants… yes, but hell, none of that matters. Why? Because the writing was phenomenal. For a short read at 110 pages, no detail was spared. The flow was smooth and the transitions near perfection. In a short amount of time raw emotions were conveyed, connections made and dread pooled in my gut, as things took a dark turn towards the end. I almost put the boor down cause I fear the worst! It’s been awhile since I emotionally connected with a book like that, and wow, just wow.
As this book is so short I’m not going to give you anything that might spoil this hot wonder. Just know that this book will sweep you off your feet like Fenris did with Sol. (BTW I want me a Fenris) So please take my ultimate high recommendation and my golden stamp of approval, that you will fall deep into this otherworldly book and not want to come up for air.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
The Monster’s Lover by Samantha MacLeod is an excellent addition to the books I have read by Ms. MacLeod. This story has a mythological component that makes me even more interested in the story. This tale is based on the Norse Myth of Fenir, which is about a monstrous wolf. Not only are there mythological components, but also fantasy, action adventure and a little romance thrown in. Ms. MacLeod has complex story pattern that reminds me of a spider’s web. Everything is so interconnected that not even one pebble is out of place. Since I knew of her writing pattern, I was prepared to read the story in one sitting. I was right to think so. I felt like I was there in the story and riding along just out of sight of the characters. This story is about Sol who has been promised to the harem of King Kokkyn. Sol’s mother could not meet her payments and Sol was the price for her family to eat over the winter. Sol goes to clean up in the river and she meets Fenris. That was the beginning and the end for Sol. She cannot get Fenris out of her mind. You will have to read more to get the full story. I cannot wait to see what is next for Sol and Fenris.
The Monster’s Lover by Samantha MacLeod
4 Stars
This is a short book steeped in Norse Mythology. I love when books spin tales of gods within their pages. Sol Erikson comes from a poor family and to pay the tax to the king, her family gives her over to him. She must join the King’s harem at the Reaping so time is running out for her. While wandering the Ironwood Forest, she meets a stranger who claims to be a legendary monster. All she sees is a man too handsome to be human therefore he must be a demon. Beyond logic and common sense, Sol takes him as her lover hoping to enjoy her last moments of freedom.
The book is pretty much all sex but the author manages to incorporate enough of a storyline to keep it interesting. The Fenris Wolf is based on Fenrir from Norse mythology who is the evil son of Loki. Though feared in this book as well, it is up to you to decide if he is evil or not. Read the book and find out. I’m waiting to read part two to see what happens next.
The Monster’s Lover
By Samantha MacLeod
Rated 4 stars
This is a nice story. A little heavy on the sexy times. I felt the story was strong enough that a few of those could have been tapered down. I liked the theme going through the book. Family struggle, fairy tales and “what are we going to do now” scenes. I wish we could have seen a few chapters from Fenris’ point of view. He is kind of an enigma and remained that way. I thought he was interesting and wondered how he came to be and what happened to his family. I see there is a free story about him and his friend Tyr.
I felt sorry for the girl-Sol. When she ran Into problems on her trip to town. I was shocked and dismayed. I would have loved a bit more insight into Sol’s growing up and how she actually acted with the townspeople. The ending was…good. Closure with her family would have been good but maybe more of that will come in Book two of the series.
I liked the idea of this short story. There are many possibilities on where it can go from here. This is a first time author for me.