In the New Republic, every woman must marry five men.It’s the law.Welcome to the apocalypse.Nix never put his name in the marriage lottery for a reason. He doesn’t need a woman. There aren’t that many to go around anyway after a genetically engineered virus wiped out 90% of the female population. He has his job as head of the Security Squadron and it’s all he need. He looks out for the township. … for the township. He protects the few women there are left.
But when his name is called to be one of the five husbands to the woman rescued from the badlands, he doesn’t speak up to correct the error.
Because Audrey’s like no one he’s ever met before. Fiesty. That’s the name for her. Not like so many of the women they’ve brought back before. She’s not broken. She might be just the woman to handle a rough, brutal man like him.
Sharing her with four other men is a small price to pay. In fact, the closer they all grow, the more Nix realizes he might finally have again what he lost so long ago—a real family.
But when outside forces threaten everything he holds dear, Nix will be forced to face his deepest, darkest fear. When Audrey’s life is endangered, will he be able to save the woman he’s just learned how to love?
NOTE: This book contains some dark elements and covers sensitive topics. Any reader that feels they shouldn’t venture into this apocalyptic world of sometimes harsh realities should please consider before reading.
This is a standalone novel in the now complete Marriage Raffle Series. Books in the series include:
Theirs to Protect
Theirs to Pleasure
Theirs to Wed
Theirs to Defy
Theirs to Ransom
more
Audrey is living in a dystopian, post apocolyps time where there are 12 men to each woman. She finds herself in a town that seems to cherish each woman that enters there and the men must be drawn in a contest to become one of 5 mates. Audrey’s “husbands” are Nix, Danny, Mateo, Clark and Graham. The men are individuals with pasts that made them the way they are now but each man’s personality is described well as is Audrey’s. You see, 90 percent of all the women of earth died due to a genetically engineered virus, so repopulating earth and hopefully having more females born to these marriage just might save their world.
Hard feelings and secrets form the basis for the problems this marriage aka Tribe has and they must all work together to make their family succeed. There is a bad group led by an even worse leader, Jeffries, who is a threat to everything the township is trying to accomplish. The character are described well and you feel for each one, whether it be love and understanding or hate and disgust. Stasia Black did a great job of writing so the reader gets all the feels and can root for the good guys while wanting the bad guy destroyed! I enjoyed this story very much and hope to get to revisit the town and it’s people again if the author can see her way to bringing them back again in the story of some other characters we met in this book, it would be a definite sale for me!
Theirs to Protect is a thrilling post-apocalyptic read with a super-hot erotic element that packs an emotional punch and kept me glued to the pages from the very beginning.
Audrey and her men are strong, compelling characters with lots of sizzling chemistry. Each of the men have different personalities which adds to the difficulties of traversing this complicated relationship especially since the men not only have to convince Audrey to accept their relationship but they have to get used to sharing with each other. So the romance is a bit rocky with lots of emotional turmoil and problems to overcome which keeps readers guessing as to whether this relationship will reach that ‘happily ever after’ or not. Of course there is lots of steamy and electrifyingly hot encounters between Audrey and her new husbands that readers might want to keep a bucket of water close by… you know just in case your ereader starts to melt or you have a few hot flashes yourself.
This fast paced plot starts off with some sensitive action and proceeds to keep readers glued to the pages and hanging onto the edge of their seats as they deal escape attempts, difficulties of living in a post-apocalyptic world and of course bad guys and the author does a fantastic job of bringing it all to life with vivid imagery which ensures that the readers feel and understand the emotional impact of the story.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and I was unable to determine if the author intends to write more stories in this intriguing post-apocalyptic world, but I would certainly want to read them if she does. The story held me captive from the very beginning and I am looking forward to reading more of Stasia Black’s work in the future.
awesome amazing great read
A post apocalyptic world, woman who finds a safe place that is perhaps dangerous. Five men to love and protect her. It was definitely an intriguing story full of hot steamy scenes and a good amount of action and suspense.
HOLY SMOKES BATMAN!!!
If you’re looking for a fast paced, easy to follow, heart pounding, pulse racing, smooth flowing read that captures your attention from the start. Congratulations my friends you’ve found it. This little jewel has it all. A full range of emotions, heat and steam. Did I mention a little heat? Oops, my bad. I meant white hot, off the charts, sizzling chemistry that is explosive and adds a little spice to the mix. The characters and scenes were intriguing and complex. I followed the characters along as their personalities transformed and blended to become what they were meant to be. Graphic detailed descriptions were so realistic and vivid it came to life right before my eyes. A strong storyline that keeps your focus on the pages and frozen to your seat. Stasia did a remarkable job bringing this together perfectly that it seemed effortlessly and beautiful. Phenomenal job Stasia and thanks for sharing.
Great concept and loved the lineup of different characters, which helped avoid major conflict between the guys. It was cleverly thought out and followed through. I did have trouble picking it up again after putting it down (I had to. I needed sleep.) But once I did…. off with the fairies again. And can I just say… OMG Nix. Can I keep him?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
wow. crazy scenario and totally believable which I absolutely loved. the difference in all the five guys, their history, her background, the corrupt hiding with the do-gooders. everything about this story was fantastic! completely hot also. veeery steamy.
and that epilogue! holy moly I did NOT see that coming
Only thing that was a downer was not knowing what happened with the others that tried to sabotage things with them (trying not to contain spoilers haha). along with Drea too but I can see all of that becoming a bigger storyline for book 2
First reverse harem that I’ve read all the way through so quickly! Great storyline that you don’t see everyday and it kept me reading for sure. I really wanted to see these people happy! Just an awesome cast of characters.
For those who like erotica with grit and heart as well
“Reverse harem” is the new THING in the romance genre – and it seems like everybody’s written one. And to be honest, it’s hard not to make it all about the sex, more sex, and only the sex. Stasia Black has cracked the mold here, and shown us all how it’s REALLY done. She’s given us a grimly plausible dystopian future, filled with the kind of danger and degeneracy we well know humanity is capable of. Then she creates a cast of flawed and damaged men and women who might well represent the type of people who survive such a catastrophe, and move on to create the kind of survival-based lifestyle portrayed in her book. She makes it so damned REAL. Audrey is justifiably suspicious, stubborn to a fault, and wracked with a survivor’s guilt that she hides behind anger and fierce independence. Her men carry the heavy scars of survival as well: Nix, whose drive to protect masks feelings of failure; Graham, who forces himself to stay focused with the bizarre comforting rituals of his OCD; Danny, whose dull-witted brute strength hides his wise and generous heart; Clay, who fights the descent into barbarism by focusing on honor; and heart-breaking Mateo, who survived by yielding to unthinkable abuse, yet never lost his empathy or the strength to stand up for others. Black’s devastatingly beautiful characters make you believe that love does triumph over adversity, evil, and pain. This is an erotic, touching, and triumphant tale from an author who sees, and writes, from the heart. I’m voluntarily reviewing an ARC – thank you, Stasia Black – and I totally love and recommend this book.
A wonderful, intriguing start to this series of wonderful characters and plot
This is the first book in the series The Marriage Raffle in a time where life has changed dramatically on earth after the release of a man-made toxin that has killed a plethora of the female society and any now remaining are hunted by unscrupulous sorts. Those that are fortunate enough to be found by the head of the Marriage raffle are kept safe in a community where each female is married to five husbands.
Audrey had been training with her brother Charlie in the bunker their Uncle had built and is totally knocked off kilter when Charlie is killed and she finds herself being rescued by a town where she is to be one of the Lottery Brides. She obviously tries to break out and run as she is not happy about having to marry Phoenix, Clark, Graham, Mateo and Danny when they marry as a family their Clan name will be Hale.
Life is not easy as each of these individuals have seen and encountered horrors because of the effects of the poisoning that killed so many innocent females of all ages and now if humans are to survive it is essential that they adapt to the new skills they have had to learn, also because they need to have children so that humans continue to procreate and grow in number.
This book was filled with lots of action and a story that was very well written with an excellent storyline and a subsequent plot that left you unable to put the book down until you reached the final page and discovered the final outcome for this book.
I assure you that you will love every moment of this book it is simply a fantastic read.
I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.
This is the first book in this series but they are all standalone but I loved getting to meet Nix better then from the 3rd book. The whole 5 on 1 in the end of the world type thing is really great. The romance was fantastic and I liked the push and pull from the characters. I’m annoyed that there wasn’t a real epilogue for these characters but I’m hoping to see more of them on the next book. 4 stars #2OCCJD
Pretty good book. It had me on the edge of my seat. I had trouble putting it down. Boy I am glad this is not the way our world is, I not sure I could do it. But a good book, I really enjoyed it.
I thought it was an alright book. Some people might question why I’ve given it four stars if it was only alright. For what it was, it was a good book – the story was good, the characters were interesting. I tend to only rate books threes, when I have no desire to carry on with the series, and I forget about the book as quickly as I finish it. I do occasionally think, “Do I want to carry on with the series (now that other books are out)?” To me, that would mean it’s not totally forgettable and stayed with me, but ultimately, I haven’t chosen to carry on/I’m not dying to know what happens next, so I can’t really rate it a five if the author didn’t draw me in like that. I honestly couldn’t put my finger on what it was that I didn’t like about this book (which I know makes for a frustrating review), and I quite preferred the idea of it as a standalone.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and am now an insta-fan!!
If you like steam this book is for you. I enjoy these books because it is an escape from reality. Of course it is Fantasy – meant to enjoy.
Story- 4/5
Overall 5/5
Steam 5/5
Not usually a great fan of Reverse Harem tropes but this for me really worked.
Maybe because it was set against a dystopian post-apocalyptic background I found myself much more willing to accept the unconventional arrangement.
The female population has been decimated by a man-made virus that has wiped out 90% of them. On top of this nuclear warfare has also further ravaged the world leaving behind a new age of violence and fear especially for the fairer gender.
Audrey and her brother and attacked while trying to reach a safe zone and Audrey herself finds herself tranqued by Nix who is head of security and then escorted unconscious back to town.
Upon awakening, Audrey finds herself the prize of a marriage lottery where all interested parties are welcome to put there name into a hat for the privilege of becoming one of her five husbands.
Yes, I kid you not five of them.
Well I suppose 1/5 of a wife is better than no wife at all
But what I essentially loved about this reverse harem offering is that Audrey’s new potential husbands were not all your typical jock beefcakes, but each brought there own unique personality and separate flavour to the table.
We have Nix head of security protective, gruff, scarred and a bit of an ass.
Clark the smooth handsome charming ladies man.
Graham the resident smart Techie who is definitely on the spectrum.
Danny the buff sweet puppy dog.
Mateo Mr Fix It who has a dark past and just wants to serve Audrey in any way he can.
Together Audrey and her five husbands are Clan Hale; all taking Nix’s name as he is the Alpha and head of there, new family.
Each Man was just so different and this was one of my most favourite aspects of “Theirs To Protect”
Each husband had his own distinct personality and wasn’t your atypical romance hero.
This wasn’t an especially dark read despite some recountings of past horrific misdemeanours but there was definitely some darker triggers; my level of dark is quite high so this for me was rather sweet.
Just to clarify though; there is no grey ground here when it comes to Audrey’s boys everything here is totally consensual they all court her and treat her like a pampered princess.
There’s only really Nix that gets a bit bolchy with her bratty antics.
My only complaints here was really Audrey herself I found her slightly annoying at times and if she had just opened up and talked about what was bothering her then things could have been resolved much sooner.
But I suppose their wouldnt really be a story then.
I also was a trifle shocked by her lack of visual grief over her brother’s fate; I get she was trying not to think about it but she hardly gave him a second thought after arriving in town.
The only times she seemed to react here was when she was thinking about escaping.
But essentially at its heart, this was a really interesting read that I really did adore.
So uniquely different and a great start to a new series.
I accessed “Theirs to Protect” (The Marriage Lottery, #1) with my KU subscription.
All opinions are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
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4.6 stars
Dystopian romance is not normally my go to genre but I might have to change this because this book had me enraptured from the beginning. So often stories like this have no depth or world building but this in not the case in this book. The author did an amazing job explaining how they are restarting out to bringing life back to where it once had been. I appreciated that immensely. I also appreciated that she took the time to make each character “real” and how it is not just a change for the rare woman. I am a huge fan now. Looking forward to more of this series.
Theirs To Protect is a dystopian reverse harem about a woman and her five husbands. Loved the storyline and the characters especially that each of the men were so different yet perfect for Audrey at the same time. This book has steamy sex, suspense, danger, intrigue and an amazing story.
My first venture into reverse harem genre and was pleasantly surprised!!
This novel was absolutely stunning. It was like being on a rollercoaster that simply stole your breath away. The structure of the dystopian time and the circumstances will leave you gasping for breath. This was an awesome read and deserves to be read.FIVE GLORIOUS STARS