| Title | : | Claimed by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 358 |
| Publication | : | First published December 24, 2019 |
In my human settlement on the hostile plains of Dakkar, I am an outcast, a strange girl orphaned since birth, alone, and dreaming of a life I don't have. I hunt to survive, though it is forbidden, though it breaks the strict Dakkari laws that we all must follow.
When my desperate actions catch the attention of a Dakkari horde king—a cold, powerful, and merciless warrior leader, with eyes like flint and a body like steel—he seeks to punish me…and he succeeds.
But then he does the unexpected.
Instead of taking my life, he claims me as his own.
He steals me from my village and brings me back to his battle-bred horde. There, I warm his bed. I make bargains with him on starry, cold nights. I look into his grey eyes and see not a monster, but a demon king who captures my soul.
But demons have a way of never letting go…and as the cold season descends upon Dakkar, I begin to wonder if I even want him to, even when it hurts.
Claimed by the Horde King is a full-length SFR novel (95,000+ words) with an HEA. It is the second book of the Horde Kings of Dakkar series.
Claimed by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #2) Reviews
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4 Smut Scale Stars
Everyone said they enjoyed this one even more than the first one...and while I can't claim to have loved it any more (maybe all those comments got me expectations too high, who knows), I can say with a lot of happiness that I loved it just the same - which is a win in my book, being that I really loved the first one.
This one picks up with the story of the horde king we met at the end of book one and it was just as delicious as I hoped it would be. I really liked the heroine in this one too. She was feisty and strong without being overbearing and annoyingly overwrought in an effort to make her that way.
I really hope the author is coming out with a third book in this series, as I really enjoy this series and this world.
Fingers crossed. -
4.5
I loved this one. Even more than the first one.
Firstly because I'm a sucker for a good barbarian type of romance book. (Khal Drogo really did a number on me lol)
I loved the main characters and their thought process if that makes sense. There was nothing too dramatic about it as we sometimes find. Their actions made sense, their mistakes made sense and the love that eventually grew made sense regardless of the whole “destined” for each other part.
I’m really impatient to read the next one. I think, If I picked up on the hints right, that it will be about the so-called “mad” king from the north his last name escapes me at the moment.
I’ve already been made curious from the little snippets of info on him.
While Arokan and Serrin (even if they have very different personalities due to their backgrounds) are both more mild-mannered than you would expect from a Horde King I have a feeling we are gonna get someone at the opposite end of the spectrum in the next book- which is exciting- especially since I have a feeling this author knows how to toe the line and won’t include senseless violence and drama just for the sake of it. -
4 Demon King Stars ⭐
I need to mention that I'm not a sex fiend, but I seriously require steamy scenes in my romances. I recently came across a term on social media that resonated with me. And it was exactly how I felt while reading Claimed by the Horde King.
BANGXIETY ~ When you are 65% into a romance and the main characters haven't had sex yet and you start to worry that you might be reading a 'clean romance'.
Honest to god, if I wasn't so invested in this story, I would have called it a day. But somehow this author managed to weave a slow burn adventure that I couldn't put down. I simply fell in love with Seerin and Nelle who were both strong willed and so so likeable. Kudos to the great writing that got me through my BANGXIETY until the sexy times actually happened.
In a world ruled by the powerful alien race known as the Dakkari, humans scavenge daily just to survive. Our heroine Nelle is a hunter caught breaking the law. A crime punishable by death, however the Horde King has mercy on her and instead sentences her to a whipping.
"This horde king was beautiful, yet he would kill me. I was strange and ugly, and I was about to die. It didn’t matter. Nothing did."
Yet in that moment Seerin is struck by an unexplained feeling. Call it a sense of destiny or pity, he can't leave Nelle behind to potentially die from her wounds. So, he takes her.
Now in a foreign land, living a new life, it’s too easy for Nelle to adjust. And these new emotions she feels towards her saviour could either be the beginning or the end of them both.
"I’ll take your ‘maybe,’ demon king," I said softly to him. "Because maybe you’ll realize you can’t let me go. And maybe I’ll realize that I don’t want you to."
Gah these two were amazing together. I appreciated their honesty, and lack of games. Just a king bound by duty and a girl who has only ever relied on herself. It will take betrayal and heartache for Nelle to show the Horde King the ways of happiness. -
2020 the year I'm developing amnesia.. why do I even bother writing reviews when half of them stay in the draft and I forget about them 😂
#1
Captive by the Horde King ↠ 3 stars
#2 Claimed by the Horde King ↠ 4.25 stars
#3
Madness of the Horde King ↠ 2.5 stars
#4
Broken by the Horde King ↠ 2.75 stars"I'll take your 'maybe,' demon king," I said softly to him. "Because maybe you'll realize yu can't let me go. And maybe I'll realize that I don't want you to."
This book was soo good! I love it so much more than the first book, mainly because I love the heroine so much more! The setting & tone of the book is pretty much the same as
Captive of the Horde King. It's not really dark, but I think the double POV from the H and h instead of only the h's POV gave this book more depth.
↳ ✧ The plot ✧
The horde king and some of his warriors discover a female hunting at night in the forest, which by the Dhakkari law is forbidden. They go into the nearest village to ask about that female to punish her. Nelle (h) is thrown to the wolves by the people in her village and gets punished. By the order of the horde King Seerin (H) one of his warriors starts to whip her. After three strikes, Seerin tells him to stop the punishment and he takes her back to his horde to treat her wounds.
↳ ✧ The heroine ✧
Nelle was such a great character and the ✨ star ✨ of this book. I absolutely love her! She had to learn to survive on her own starting from an early age, since both her parents died when she was younger, and growing up she didn't have many people around her to care for her. To survive she hunts with bow and arrow. Every time I read about a dark hair, skinny girl who can handle a bow like a pro .. I'm like: is this Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games? 😂"And I do not hold grudges. You had to punish me because of your king and so you did. It is not my place to question the justness of your laws. This is your planet, after all, and I knew it was forbidden. But unless I break any more of your laws, I have no reason to fear you, yes?"
Nelle is a quiet achiever. She doesn't complain much and just does her thing. What I love most about her is that she has such a forgiving nature without being a doormat. For example when she stays with the horde King after her punishment, she's not mad at him. While Seerin regrets his decision every time he sees her scars on her back, Nelle doesn't hold it against him. When he asked her why she doesn't hate and fear him, she just says that she doesn't hold grudges and that she knew he had to punish him, cause she broke the law and that it's their planet after all therefore she understands. It's not like I can relate because boy do I hold grudges … I'm not that forgiving, BUT I thought the way Nelle thinks is beyond her years and she's really mature.
"I'm not frightened, Seerin," I whispered, remembering his question to me when we'd been out on the plains. "Not of this. But it's alright if you are." His eyes sharpened on me. I smiled, my body warm and tingling from the wine, as I teased, "I have courage enough for the both of us."
And then when the 'conflict' happened and Seerin fucked up, Nelle held her ground. Dude had to grovel his ass off and she still wouldn't take him back and it was amazing. Pls, girl let him suffer some more. I fully support torture! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Also Nelle was trying to respect the Dakkari customs as much as possible. Everything I critized about Luna (h of Book 1) was not the case here, because unlike some other person Nelle knew that she's just some human girl on THEIR planet, eating THEIR food and she was just thankful to be alive.
↳ ✧ The Hero ✧
To go from rags to riches. That is literally Seerin's life story. Starting of the bottom as a street rat with some help he made it to the top as one of the horde Kings and I feel like such a proud mother 🥺
While Claimed by the Horde King is on the same darkness level as
Captive of the Horde King, I liked that the h was punished by the H in this book. It's not like I want to see women get beaten/raped, but when I read a barbarian novel, I kind of expect that the guy / king of that planet or whatever doesn't treat the heroine with kid gloves .. I need some hardships and character development LOL. So when Seerin ordered the whipping I was "oh wow he really did that finally!" (that sentence made me feel like i set the feminist movement 100 years back, I'm sorry 😔✋)
But don't worry he really feels bad about it for a long time. I think the reason why Nelle couldn't hate him after the whipping was, because no one hated him more than Seerin hated himself. Seerin is actually a soft cinnamon roll and I wanted to give him so many hugs!!
"That is Dakkari steel, forged by blade masters in Dothik. It is far better and far sharper than any arrow and I give you my full permission to gut me with it if you feel unsafe in my presence."
i- i'm 🥺🥺🥺 I don't know what it says about me, but I thought that was one of the most romantic things someone could say. Permission to stab him if feeling unsafe?? If that is not relationship goals what is? SWOOON 😍 (and for once I'm not using sarcasm)
Seerin is sweet and I just love him!!
I enjoyed that we get more of the world and allk the horde king business because of Seerin's POV. It gave me a different angle on how this world is working.
↳ ✧ The romance ✧She is the strongest of us all, I thought, regret and grief mingling with my need for her. I didn't care if I had to beg. I would go to her on my hands and knees, though a Vorakkar kneeled for no one.
This Vorakkar will kneel for his Morakkari.
Sorry, but look at THAT quote… do I really need to say anything more? I don't think so.. the quote speaks for itself, but still a king who knows when he fucked up and comes back crawling to his queen? YAAS GIVE ME THAT! 🙌
Nelle and Seerin's romance was pretty slowburn and I ate it up. It was delicious. Because their relationship was slowly build up instead of them going straight to banging, I feel like this book had a bit more of a plot which I appreciated. Moreover, the angst mwah SO GOOD! Clamied by the Horde King gave me ✨the pain✨, ✨the longing✨ and ✨the hurt✨ I was asking for. If the conflict of a book can make my heart bleed with the character then you've done something right."Tell me," I ordered, pulling her closer. "Tell me how much you hate me, rei thissie." She stilled, her breaths coming heavy, shock flashing in her eyes. "Tell me how much you wish our paths had never crossed. Tell me how much I hurt you. Tell me how much of a monster I am, but at least tell me something, Nelle!"
Can y'all see my heart shattering? And every second of it was wonderful.
↳ ✧ Other rambling thoughts ✧
I really hope the next book is about the Vorakkar of Rath Drokka a.k.a The Mad horde King. Idk why but he gives me psycho vibes and i'm here for it.
Some information I just need to note down to not forget:
Vorakkar of Rath Kitala (Arokan)
Vorakkar of Rath Tuviri (Seerin)
Vorakkar of Rath Drokka
Vorakkar of Rath Dulia
Vorakkar of Rath Rowin
Vorakkar of Rath Loppar
Vorakkar of Rath Okkili (Kirin)
Is Zoey Draven going to write a book about each of these horde kings?? Some of these dudes were described as old and gave me lowkey creepy vibes and didn't really make a good impression, but whatever the author decides to do .. I'm excited and would read it probably. -
5 STARS!!
Being in love was a luxury few experienced.
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!
Zoey Draven took hold of my heartstrings almost from page 1 and didn't let them go until the last. I swear, I read this one constantly on the verge of tears. I'm such a sucker for a strong, yet hard-done-by heroine.
Then add in an 'impossible love' scenario and I was done for.I wanted to give her everything. I wanted to care for her, to protect her, to shield her from this life.
Seerin and Nelle were all kinds of wonderful together."I knew that you were going to change my life from that very moment."
Highly recommend! -
It was impossible for me to not compare this one with the previous book in the series, as I absolutely loved that one. Glad to say I loved Claimed by the horde king even more!
First of all characterization is bomb! Loved the heroine who is different and doesn’t hold a grudge. I loved her grit, determination and strong spirit. Hero was so good. He made mistakes but owned up to it and wasn’t afraid of groveling. An alpha and a damn good ‘Vorakkar’!
He knew what a special woman heroine was and worked for her forgiveness.
I loved that the story was all about them and their budding relationship. I could feel the hero’s dilemma and heroine’s heartbreak. Those scenes were written very well.
Secondary characters were also done well. The story setting was another fav of mine.
So eager to read the next book in the series and I hope it’s about ‘the Mad Vorakkar’.
Totally safe and absolutely recommended.
P.s After reading first book I subscribed to the author’s mailing list and asked for the ARC of her next book from this series. Like I said I absolutely love this series. -
I'm loving this world the author has created. Sometimes I forget that this is an alien world I'm reading about. It's in every page, but the writing just sucks me in with these characters that everything just seems natural.
I love the whole idea of a warrior alien king falling for a human female. Humans are much weaker but these horde kings are learning that the female spirit is as strong as their hordes. In fact, the heroines are one of the reasons I'm enjoying this series when it's usually the heroes are why I read.
In Claimed by the Horde King, this one is more of a slow burn. Their relationship wasn't decided from the start like book one. While I enjoyed something different, it was also why I did love the first book more.
The hero is everything you see in al alpha but with a vulnerability that caused hurt to the heroine. The good that comes out of that, is seeing the heroine stand up for herself and shows what a strong person she is. She handles it perfectly and what I always want to see in these type of situations but rarely get. You will also get some good grovel from the hero.
I'm actually hoping there will be many more books in this series. I think I will enjoy them all no matter how different each couple will be. A certain horde king that was introduced in this book has me super intrigued. -
A better book than the first in the series, the story of Nelly and Seerin is angsty, gritty with a very sweet ending. In this book it was the heroine who shined the brightest. She was extremely strong, capable and made this Horde King work hard to be with her. Seerin, the King, was a good character as well, he had a complex backstory and was often torn between his own desires and his duty to his Horde. This story included chapters from his POV, which enriched the story and helped us to know him better and understand his reasonings for doing the shitty stuff he ends up doing to Nelle. That was a huge miss for the previous book to not include the hero’s POV and I’m glad the author didn’t continue that here. There is a big conflict between the two in this one and it was rather heartbreaking, but I really liked how both characters were handled during it. Nelle stuck to her guns and wrote him off completely, as she should have, and Seerin came to his senses, took full responsibility for his actions and begged for forgiveness. I won’t say what the conflict was but we do get an EPIC grovel that lasts for weeks. She does not give in easily and he is miserable without her. That’s all I ever ask for in romance, make the hero work for it, for his lady. Nothing worth having should be easy and even though he is a King, she doesn’t just fall at his feet. In the end that is what makes her perfect for him.
So this might have made it to a five star read for me except the writing was annoying. The author used the same descriptive words for characters over and over and it pulled me out of the story. The word ‘rasped’ was used to describe how the hero (and others) spoke 107 times. That is freaking excessive, INVEST IN A GOOD THESAURUS! For real, just using the thesaurus in word or google docs is not enough if you are an author. One descriptive word should never be used 107 times in a 300 page book. Where is the editor?
This was a good book, the sexy times, the love story, the push and pull and the resolution were all well done. It’s not a light read, but both characters are so strong and well developed that I got very invested in their story and rooted for their HEA. Some might say, isn't that the point of romance, well yes, but there are MANY times when I either don’t care much if two characters get together, or actively hope that the hero or heroine was given another option for their partner than the one the author presented. But I’m a picky bitch and I need the author to work hard for my stars ⭐️. -
Both MC were awesome (the heroine even more so) although something was missing
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I admit it....I squealed when I got notice this book was "now available". Lol!
Let us start with Seerin. Dominate, loyal, dedicated, true leader, sexy as sin.... need I say more or have you already added this to your TBR?! With book 2 we get to see the side of a leader who came from absolutely nothing to being a leader of a horde. Seerin is finding it difficult to not put his horde and their desires/needs first. Putting his wants first is unknown to him yet when Nelle comes into his reach.....his desires seem to be all that is on his mind.
Practically having raised herself in a poverty stricken community, Nelle has done what she must to eat and survive...including breaking the law. Seerin the Horde King has caught her in the act and must punish her by law. Halfway through her punishment he stops her lashing, picks her up, and takes her. After weeks of trying to heal from her lashing and the infection that followed Nelle is deeply concerned with the way Seerin looks at her, as if he is taking her soul. *sigh*
Storyline was excellent. Granted there are some things I could have done without but (and isn't there always a but) this would not have been nearly as good of a read. The ups, downs, conflicts, and heart wrenching moments made this stellar.
If you haven't gotten this series you are missing out! I highly suggest reading book 1 first.
Happy reading! DD -
WOW 5 Stars!!!
What a great book to end the year with! This was just delightful. I loved the MC's dynamic and the chemistry poured off the page. They were so sweet together and this will definitely be a re-read as this series has been a big success for me so far.
What I liked the most was how much time they spent together talking and just being *together*. Can't tell you how many books ive read where the main couple is constantly in disarray. And I loved the fact that this heroine was never captured or kidnapped. THANK GOD. If you like grovel, this book is for you because the H does a spectacular grovel.
And major props to the heroine. She is definitely one of my favorite heroines of 2019. Level headed, logical and not a whimpering moron!!!! Loved her.
Safety:
Heroine is a virgin
Hero isnt a manwhore and has been mainly celibate due to his position.
No cheating
No OW/OM drama
2 week separation
Slight push and pull because the hero is being pressured to marry someone of higher rank or else he will loose his tribe. He breaks up with the heroine but realizes he would pick her over his tribe.
Pregnancy ending.
Slight Physical abuse: Hero orders heroine to be whipped 5 times across the back because she broke the law of the land. He stops at three because he recognizes the heroine as his mate and quickly gets her help. He apologizes for it a lot. -
This book definitely didn’t disappoint, I loved the first book a lot but I think this one might have been even better and I bloody devoured it.
So this has a sci-fi setting the planet of Dakkar but doesn’t feel that way at all it has more of a barbarian warrior vibe to it.
The Hero here we met briefly at the end of the previous book and he is the Vorakkar of his Horde.
On this fascinating alien world humans are the refugees with strict laws to control them and they have to abide by these laws with severe consequences for breaking any of them and they really haven’t got it good at all.
They are starving cold and barely surviving they break the laws because they have to not because they want to.
Nellie is caught in breach of these rules and it is up to the horde and there Vorakkar to enforce her punishment which is usually a death sentence.
After ordering a physical punishment the Vorakkar of the horde knowing she will perish if he leaves her behind takes Nelle with him, he feels an unexpected connection and deep guilt over his actions towards the small human.
Expecting death Nelle awakens hurting and in pain and now in the heart of the horde.
So this is quite slow-burn and there’s a lot to overcome on Seerin’s side if they can ever be together.
Though Vorakkar of his own horde his rise to his current position hasn’t been a conventional one and he feels like he has something more to prove with his lack of an illustrious name.
For him, his horde comes first even above his own happiness and feelings and he knows his council don’t want Nelle ruling by his side.
But still wanting Nelle for his own he fights his own instincts ones that tell him that she is a gift from his goddess and to claim her.
Pulled in two separate directions he makes a terrible choice one that may mean he loses everything he has come to care for and breaking his thissie’s heart and trust along the way.
Nelle is resilient and despite her hard and lonely upbringing she has so much love to give.
She’s slow to trust but once she does she opens up her heart completely embracing Seerin and his culture with all that she is, finding her home in him and his horde and when it all comes crashing down she’s devastated her self preservation kicks in to protect her fragile heart from being harmed further by the one person she never thought would treat her so callously.
She’s used to being rejected has lived with it her whole life but Seerin’s action cut her deep scarring to the very bone causing more damage than any physical punishment ever could she doesn’t know if she can ever recover from his betrayal.
The world-building here is second to none and this is exceptionally well written.
The story was dual POV and Seerin and Nelle had so much chemistry together I had no issue believing in their bond together.
I felt there love and connection every time they were together, There’s also no OW drama either which was also a bonus
This is one of my favourite series ever and I can’t recommend it enough.
They also can be read as complete stand-alone and though they are loosely connected each one is its own complete story.
I also believe the third book has just released which I will definitely be reading.
A massive thumbs up from me.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com -
I am totally digging this Alien thing!!!! Holy hotness!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
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Reread: I forgot how much I love this one! It might be my favourite out of the five and I can’t wait for the sixth one to come out!
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4.5 Stars
“You call me a demon,” he said quietly,“because you believe I am stealing your soul away. But I already told you, Nelle, that if I am a demon, then so are you. Because you are stealing more of mine right at this moment.”
I didn't liked the first book in this series very much because of the heroine and I was a bit skeptical this one is going to be the same, that maybe this author has a pattern regarding the females h in her stories , but I was wrong and I am glad I gave this a try.
The action takes place on the same planet of Dakkar , the difference is , we get to see the life in another horde, Rath Tuviri, that is lead by Seerin.
Nelle is an orphan young human woman that is caught breaking the laws of Dakkar , hunting. Seerin has to punish her for this incident , but something that he sees in her eyes makes him want her for himself, so he takes her to his hoard.
I liked how their relationship developed. It wasn't instant but actually a very slow burn, filled with flirts , banter,funny games , communication and friendship between them.
Seerin is a unique alien, with blond hair and grey eyes, handsome and strong. I loved his patience , gentleness and sweet words for his "thissie".
Nelle , opposite from the h in the first book, is very resourceful, strong , independent, forgiving and very rational in making the right decisions.
Although the H makes a lot of mistakes, most of them almost unforgivable, after lots and lots of grovelling , and thank God for the h personality , things get exactly as they should be.
The only thing that bothers me is that this is suppose to be alien-human trope kind of book, but beside a different culture and language , I don't see any differences in this "aliens", not in this book anyway. They seem very human like, I even forgot how they look like : fangs, claws, tail( if I remember correctly from the first book) , because no mention is made during the book, not one that I can think of.All together this was very sweet romance and I enjoyed it very much. -
Der einzige Grund, weshalb ich dem Buch die 2 Sterne 🌟 gönne, sind die guten (im Sinne von entertaining) ersten 85% des Buches.
Band 1? Gnah. Bekam 2.5 von 5🌟. Das außergewöhnliche Konzept von der Gesellschaft (den Horden, Vorakkars,..) hat mir total gut gefallen, sowie deren Fantasy-Sprache (Lysi 🤍).
Aber Fantasy-Romance und Spice geht auch ohne toxische Inhalte! Bei Smut kann ich eher mal ein Auge zukneifen, wenn etwas problematic ist - aber nur bis zu einem gewissen Grad. Level, die ich (ganz persönlich) handeln und wegignorieren kann.
Eben habe ich diesen zweiten Band hier beendet. Bis etwa 85% war ich begeistert und dachte, es könnte locker 3.5-4 Sterne🌟 bekommen!
DANN kam aber der berühmt berüchtigte Konflikt zum Ende. Und Oh Boy. Manipulativster, auf ekligste Weise problematischer Move. Ernsthaft! Meine Gefühle kochen, ich bin echt wütend.
❗️Spoiler: Er akzeptiert ihr „Nein“ nicht. NULL!! Sie verlässt ihn. Er bedrängt sie, folgt ihr, stalkt sie, bequatscht sie, obwohl sie ständig bettelt (!!), dass er sie bitte endlich in Ruhe lassen soll.
Er zwingt sie schließlich regelrecht, ihm zu verzeihen. Lässt ihr keine Wahl, obwohl er ihre Gefühle aufs schlimmste verletzt hat. Sie ist von ihm schwanger, was ihm noch mehr in die Hand spielt. Letztendlich gibt sie nach und die beiden „bekommen ihr Happy End“.
Einfach nur nein.
👏🏾Please. Stop. Romanticising. Abusive. Men.👏🏾 -
4 1/2 stars
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reading a random series out of order to make life easier || episode 234.
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Claimed by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar Book 2)
This is really good story.
We met the Hero of this book in the previous book as he travelled via an area the couple from that book were in.
The heroine in this book is strong and has to care for herself for some time.
The Hero has very different circumstances to the Hero from book 1 who had a heritage of leading a Horde.
I don't want to reveal the Hero's history or even his name, which is sacred to his people, as it's part of the beauty of the book to learn these things about him.
There is a whole culture, language and politics that the author builds up which is interesting and is definitely something I hope she writes more about.
For the safety gang.
There is small other woman drama, due to his position, many women would be interested in pursuing him and this is made clear on a couple of occasions but the Hero has no interest and does not flirt or encourage anything.
The heroine also has an opportunity to start something with another male if she wished but she does not encourage and in fact is a bit oblivious.
No cheating.
There are no intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
It's a bit slow burn. The Hero's race are a bit of a mystery to the humans so it takes time to overcome barriers.
Some pushing away from the Hero.
Also grovelling when he messes up.
The heroine does not just forgive and let him walk all over her.
There is some references to the couple from book 1 so it's best to read the series in order but I don't think it would matter if not.
There are certain political things going on which would leave the story open to have more books in the series either about new couples or continue the ones we have read about.
My only two criticisms are that I felt maybe a glossary of the language would be helpful.
Some words or phrases are translated immediately but I'm not sure if it's just me but esp if you pick the book up read a bit then have to leave it for a while I'd forgotten what those phrases or words meant.
Some words are not known by the heroine deliberately for some time and I'm fine with being in the dark along with her as it's part of the plot but a quick scan at a glossary I think would have helped at other times.
Even the titles within the Horde are hard to remember.
Secondly, and I maybe really nit picking here, I found the use of "he rasped" was used pretty constantly.
I'm not sure if he had a permanent rasp to his voice but I didn't like the constant use of it.
At the same time it doesn't detract from the story and may be viewed as a pet peeve to repeat a phrase or description frequently. Sorry if that's the case.
HEA.
ARC. -
Wow! This was good. I really love a sexy alien story. I liked this book even more than the first. (You could read this without having read the first, but they're both good so do yourself a favor and just read them both)
Nelle has been caught hunting and must be punished by the Horde King when he comes to her village. He sees something in her that tells him she will be his so he takes her back with him to his horde. Most of the book is an exploration of their relationship. She's a human, he's Dakkari and kings don't take humans as their queens. There is also time spent with the h coming to feel comfortable living with the horde and gaining new skills, making friends and finally feeling loved and accepted.
I loved these H/h. The H was a man of honor but he had the prerequisite tragic backstory that made it hard for him to accept his feelings and doubt if he could be the king he needed to be for his horde. The h had a very difficult life and yet she was sweet, open and had a backbone of steel. There is a lot of push/pull from the H and when he hurts the h she doesn't let him treat her badly, she calls him on it and waits for his apology. Luckily, the H isn't an imbecile and knows when he's wrong and takes measures to fix thing. He does great grovel. I did get a little tired of the push/pull from the H
All in all, a terrific story with a nomadic and barbarian king and a strong, amazing heroine who doesn't let life get her down. I really love the world Zoey Draven has created in this series and I can't wait for the next book.
Safety: -
Reread, still 4 stars. I really appreciate this book for all of the grovel at the end. The heroine made the hero WORK for his forgiveness and it was a beautiful thing. The hero wasn’t even so horribly cruel to her to begin with… he felt backed into a corner by others who held power over him. I can’t even count the number of books I’ve read where the hero acts SO MUCH WORSE and the heroine just immediately forgives him after a half-assed apology. I’m all about books like this!
Safety info below
Original: 4 stars.
This story starts out similarly to the first book. Yet another horde king takes a woman out of a human encampment. This time though, the heroine is pretty damn awesome. She doesn’t whine or complain about her lot in life. She is wonderfully independent, logical, and strong af. I love a strong heroine and Nelle is one of the strongest. I would read this book again just for her. The hero is just ok... he has a lot of doubt about himself and his abilities. He pushes Nelle away a lot, because supposedly a horde king shouldn’t marry a human woman. He lets others influence his decisions and ultimately ends up almost losing Nelle for good. This book had some of the best grovel I’ve read in a LONG TIME (maybe ever). Nelle wasn’t some sad sap pushover and really made the hero work for forgiveness. Ultimately, I found the ending to be immensely satisfying and made this book worth the read.
Safe; heroine was a virgin, hero not a manwhore but has experience, hero is frequently approached by other women but he isn’t interested, no cheating. I found this one to be pretty angsty and I even shed a couple of tears. -
Same level of enjoyment as the first book. I liked both Seerin and Nelle. I also would love to read more books from this series if there was any ones to release at a later date.
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4 sweet with a nice serving of angst stars!
I really enjoyed this book! I was nervous going into it because I really didn’t like the first book. Actually I don’t think I even finished it...
But I think the reason I liked this book (compared to the first one and similar stories) is because the romance wasn’t built on a house of smut. Despite it being... yknow... aliens it was an actual romance!
Nelle and Seerin fell in love based on conversations, chemistry, getting to know each other and all that jazz. In similar stories people just fuck it out (sometimes under dub-con situations) until they’re like “oh wow, is this lust actually love???”
Nelle was such a refreshing heroine. Smart, kind, and honest. She said what she meant and didn’t succumb to miscommunications or implied meanings. If she wanted to know what was up or if things were as she assumed, she flat out asked and didn’t stop until she figured something out.
I also really enjoyed the nice helping of angst in the last quarter of the book. Didn’t feel contrived or inauthentic. It made sense with the story and characters and the way things wrapped up felt natural too.
Was this the best, most original story ever? No (The Golden Dynasty will always take top prize there). But was it lovely to read? Hell yeah! -
Enjoyed this quite a bit. Pretty decent world building and not just an excuse for some Mars Needs Women sex. There were a few things that didn't seem too well thought out but they didn't really take away from the story. This is the second book in the series and I followed along easily since the stories are just on the same planet but different couples. The hero had a tail which was mentioned once and never again. It should have just been left out.
I liked the politics of the horde structure and how and why they used it.
I'm going to go back and try the first one. -
‘When she turned to leave, I could only follow helplessly. All she had to do was look at me and I’d do anything she wanted. The power she held over me was humbling and frightening.’
I DON’T want to hear anything like ”you really gave an alien romance 5 stars” or ”I cant trust your judgement when the book has THAT cover” because I LOVE THIS BOOK.
(The book loses some points for repetitiveness from the first book BUT THATS FINE.)
The horde king is like a big, scary, hot, gentle but sexy giant. HE IS SO RAW, EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. When Nelle (fmc) and the horde king meet, it was intense and EVERYTHING AFTER IS JUST INTENSE.
She looked at me, deep, and whispered, “Hello, demon.”
THE WAY this alien man was just so hooked from the very first meeting is so fervent. This is NOT INSTA LOVE. There is angst and a slow but rewarding development in their relationship throughout the book. He’s her demon king.💘
I grabbed the back of her neck. Pressing my forehead to hers, I rasped, my voice bordering on anger, “How is it that no male in your village claimed you?”
THIS ALIEN MAN WAS ANGRY BECAUSE NELLE IS SO FREAKING AMAZING IN HIS EYES THAT HE CANNOT FATHOM THE IDEA OF NO ONE WANTING HER FROM HER VILLAGE.
As for Nelle…
I smiled, my body warm and tingling from the wine, as I teased, “I have courage enough for the both of us”
It is rare for me to find the female main character NOT annoying, especially with the type of romances I usually read. I think Nelle is a lovely example of…not some badass heroine who stabs people left and right centre BUT someone who is strong minded and caring…but not to the point of naivety. She had a tough life and I just wanted the best for my baby.
Overall: because this book had me going through such a wide range of emotions I will just love it. Yeah, I am surprised an alien romance stuck so much with me. Even if you’re a contemporary rom-com or mafia type of person, this is a romance to try if you’re willing to have an open mind. Each to their own. -
4.25 stars
Instalove usually isn’t my thing, but this was instalove done right imo. Also, the hero has a tail?? That’s hot ngl 😌 -
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a book that was enjoyable for what it was. I like to delve into the sci-fi and paranormal romance genres every once in a while to get that true case of escapism. Yes, it’s a little reminiscent of
The Golden Dynasty (like the first book was) — but I don’t really mind all that much. It even squeezed out a few tears at one point! The ending kinda sucked in its abruptness. And while the H gave good grovel, I wanted to shake the h at times. Otherwise it was a fun world to escape to.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nelle and Seerin’s story. Nelle is all alone and starving when she illegally hunts to get dinner for the night. Seerin is a horde king and when he finds out about the human’s violation of his laws he has to punish her. Neither of them expect to connect instantly and Seerin ends up taking her back to his horde. There is some outside influence drama, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Nelle and Seerin’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Seerin. I liked him. He messed up, but he owned his mistake.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Nelle. I liked her, but then I wanted her to stop being stubborn at the end.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but didn’t need any tissues
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is what I call a slow burn because they aren’t intimate until ~64%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No, other than some mild jealousies
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends too abruptly for my liking but with what I would call a HEA (while grumbling)
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers -
3.5 stars
I liked this one better than the previous one. Nelle being the main reason for it.
This was a good read. I loved our main heroine. Despite all that had happened to her, Nelle was quite resilient. She was honest, rational and so precious, even made me tear up a bit. She made this read very much enjoyable.
As for Seerin, he was OK. His insecurities ate him up at times, but somehow felt necessary for the dramatic effect, which luckily, hadn't frustrated me as much. -
Wow, a great second installment to this series.
I think Nelle might be one of my favorite FMCs. She was so tough and resilient. She never backed down, stood up for herself and her worth. I think she was autistic, but she was so honest and real. God, Seerin was sexy, strong, and deep. He sacrificed so much, but when it came to his thissie he couldn't say no. She had his soul. This was a great love story.
