If you are looking for a sweet and sultry RH (reverse harem), shifter romance with mystical undercurrents, and a fresh modern vibe, you have to check out The Cursed Elements : Ray of Hope, by B. Mabry and K. Mayhood.
A camping trip unravels into the most delicious road trip with four gorgeous shifters. In a world of vampires, witches and werewolves, elemental magic flares whenever one of the deliciously hot wolf shifters get cozy with our fun and feisty MC. The connection between our pack of muscle-bound alphas and our heroine is wonderfully deep and explored from both a romantic and uber-lusty perspective, making their interactions meaningful and teasing.
Official Blurb
Go camping, they said.
It’ll be fun, they said.
Relaxing on Lake Travis, drinking beer, and stuffing my face with smores, was what I was hoping for.
You know what they say about the best laid plans.
I've caught the eye of four sexy men, though, I think they might be a few fries short of a Happy Meal. They are spewing all kinds of crazy about being werewolves and how I’m one of them.
Maybe they aren’t the only insane ones. Between that and the unexplainable things happening when I’m around them, I think it’s safe to say sanity has left the building.
Now, Cayden, Barrett, Liam, and Wyatt are taking me on what was supposed to be a road trip to figure out my past.
Problem is, theirs isn't the only eye I've caught.
Author's note: Since this is a series, the book does end in a cliffhanger. Don't worry, we will be putting up the second book for pre-order very soon!
What I loved about the book:
I love how the book is written. Imagine those fabulous conversations with your bestie - after a couple glasses of wine, and you have the casual intensity and wicked wit of this novel.
I loved getting to know each of the characters, watching them battle their emotions, need, lust and societal norms, while leaning into a reverse harem that suggests that things are just getting started. Where each alpha has a unique backstory and personality, their budding love for our MC.
I love the rich backstory of curses and historical unrest between witches, vampires and wolves. The story layers upon the old curse, the dark and broody history of each of our hottie shifters and the the interplay between different clans - all stacked on top of the impossible love triangle - well... love pentangle? - and that our MC could be even more important than anyone originally thought....
This book is fun and easy to read, funny in moments and poignant in others. The supporting characters are vivid and exciting, the writing fresh and modern. I cannot wait for the next book.
What I didn't love so much:
As the entire book is written in the first person, I struggled to keep track of who’s perspective I was reading from. Through the authors begin each chapter by identifying the speaking character, I had to flip back a few times to keep track of who I was reading.
I also struggled to keep the four shifter characters separate. One stood out and I was able to identify him each time, picturing him clearly, but after the original introduction of our four shifter hunks, there is minimal description of the other three and they kind of blended into one super cutie. I would have liked a little more distinction, or even the odd reference to which of the four I might have glimpsed in the mirror while I was reading from their perspective.
This book is a little sweet for my taste, a slow burn that left me with unfulfilled lust more often than it satisfied - but then I like my books essentially on fire - so this is truly a simple preference.
Will I read more?
Oh, yes! I cannot wait for the next book! Though the authors were kind enough to warn their readers of the cliffhanger, I am very happy that I wont have to wait too long to read the next installment of this series. I cannot wait to see how the underlying story lines unravel, and the quick introductions to the vampires and witches, the magical occurrences and old curses left me with some serious "what happens next?"
Very much looking forward to more from the delicious K. Mawhood and B. Mabry.
More about the authors
K. Mawhood and B. Mabry are best friends who write reverse harem romance novels together. Ray of Hope is book one of The Cursed Elements Series.
Looking for another new read? Check out my other book reviews, or grab your own copy of Snow White and the Wicked Queen, now available on Kindle.
With Love,
