Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
I rejected my fated mate and didn’t regret it for a second. Until now.

Shipped off to Ravenscroft University, a graduate school for the supernatural elite, I have a lot to live up to. As the heir to America’s most powerful pack, my life up to now has been spent in a gilded cage. But not for the reason you might think.

I was locked away, not to be protected, but because I was born broken. A disappointment to them all. A wolf who couldn’t shift.

This is supposed to be my fresh start, but my past won’t leave me alone. Not when he’s here. The arrogant wolf shifter who ruined my life after I turned him down seven years ago. Now, I’m a pariah, followed by the rumors my rejected mate has spread, hated by my classmates, isolated again.

From everyone but them.
A vampire prince.
A forbidden priest.
A powerful demigod.
A bully wolf.


I’m playing a dangerous game, and the rules say I can’t be with them. Then again, rules are made to be broken.

And when every moment spent with them brings me closer to finding my wolf, how can I stay away?


Warning: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains an obsessive stalker, a foul-mouthed, inked and pierced werewolf, a naughty professor with a fondness for watching, a god of mischief, and plenty of heat. If you don’t like your books spicy, your men broody, built, and more bad than good, this is not the series for you. But if you do...read on, and welcome to The Mate Games.

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2022

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

K. Loraine

45 books409 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
3,799 (40%)
4 stars
3,189 (34%)
3 stars
1,651 (17%)
2 stars
447 (4%)
1 star
210 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 947 reviews
Profile Image for Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️.
1,916 reviews32.4k followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 26, 2023
DNF @ 10%

This is reading like a YA high school bully romance, which is not what I was expecting or wanting. No fault of the book, but I’m just not into it.
Profile Image for Monique.
407 reviews
November 9, 2022
I'm not mad, just disappointed.

This has a full cast duet narration on audible so I was SO excited to start this series but unfortunately even with a bunch of hot voices nothing could save this story for me.

It was so disjointed, it was like the authors just wrote a bunch of scenes and didn't care how they connected or felt like they needed to explain days/weeks long time jumps at all. A character could be in one location and then boom next sentence they were somewhere else across campus.

World building? she doesn't go here.

Slow burn or some sexual tension? what's that?

Dialogue that makes sense? why would we do that when we could write super cringe one liners and have our h carry on like she's 12.

It's RH so the sex must have been hot right? errrr....no

Once again I feel like BookTok has lied to people. It kills me that out of SO many amazing books that this is the one someone was like "yeah! let's go big and do a whole cast of narrators AND make it duet narration" which is like GOD tier audio but sadly was wasted on a book that honestly nothing happened in. It was weird and boring and cringe and just such a waste.
Profile Image for Lucie V..
1,076 reviews2,811 followers
December 4, 2023
This book is free on Amazon (Canada) today (12/04/2023). 🙂


✅ Reverse harem
✅ Sexual tension and smut
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Characters
✅ Magic / Shifters / Vampires / Witches
✅ Academy setting that I actually enjoyed (and I am picky when it comes to academy settings)!
✅ Pace
✅(🆗) Plot
🆗 Jealous girl drama
❗️❗️Trigger warning: some violence, voyeurism, and some exhibitionism

4.5 stars for my overall appreciation, but realistically, the plot would be more of a 3.5 or 4 stars. I admit that the general plot is not the most original, and it’s nothing we’ve never seen before in the paranormal RH category, but it was addictive and very entertaining. There is a quick pace, some humor, and good chemistry mixed with a lot of sexual tension.

Well, that was a quick, entertaining, and hot read. The audiobook with the different voice actors was great. This book is more character-driven than plot-driven, but I really liked all the characters (okay, most of them) so I didn’t mind at all. Especially with the whole cast for the different characters, and their accent… It was gooooooooooood.

Sunday Fallon’s life changes the day her grandfather sends her to Ravenscroft University, a school for the supernatural elite to attend to develop political relationships and learn how to navigate the supernatural world. The official reason is that he needs Sunday to finally connect with her wolf and be able to shift since she still can’t do it at 23 years old, which is considered a deficiency at that point, but Sunday knows that he probably just wanted to get rid of her. Still, she is happy for this change in scenery and this opportunity to meet new people, until she runs into the wolf she rejected 7 years ago, is forced to attend individual sessions with a grumpy vampire ex-priest, and can’t seem to figure out how she feels about the vampire prince and the demigod who took a liking to her.

Sunday is a great main character. She is resilient and strong, but also very relatable and likable. She’s been an outcast for most of her life and craves acceptance and love, but she also remains on her guard because she is used to being rejected or insulted because of her “deficiency”. Despite her insecurities, Sunday has a backbone, and she is not afraid to stand her ground. She can also use her brain and doesn’t just let her hormones rule her, which I like. I love RH series, but I struggle to get invested when the characters just fall into this insta-lust and stop using their brain.

"You heard me. Inside, on your knees. We have work to do."
"Listen, you're hot and all, but I'm not getting on my knees for you. I hardly know you."


Caleb Gallagher is a former priest, who was turned into a vampire against his will, and stuck in a life he does not want since then. He spent the last century or so trying to repent himself for the loss of his soul, but all his efforts go to hell when he meets Sunday. Oh, and he is also a virgin, but a freaking hot kinky Priest virgin. The way the actor who voiced him gave him this drawly Irish accent was spot on. I loved every moment with him because of his gravelly voice and suave accent. I loved his interactions with Sunday, how there was always this cheeky sexual innuendo when she would talk to him, and how poor Father Gallagher was trying his best to resist her and remain chaste and pure.

“She’s jealous. Thorne wants you, and he’s supposed to want her.”
“He wants to eat me. There’s a difference.”
“Oh, he wants to eat you, all right. That’s the problem.”


“Sunday,” I said with a sigh, “what you don’t realize is it doesn’t matter. I chose you. That’s it for me. You might have other mates, but I am yours. Wherever you go from here, I’ll follow. I’m not going to run from it.”


Noah Thorne is the vampire prince with a stalker vibe who can’t stay away from Sunday. At first, it’s because he wants her blood and the thrill of the hunt, but he quickly realizes that his attraction to her runs much deeper than a desire for blood, and before long he is completely under her spell, and unable to keep to himself anymore. I like him, but I still feel that we do not know much about him after this first book, and most of what we know remains superficial so I am very curious to learn more about him in the next book. Still, he has this very intense vibe, and he’s all in when it comes to the “touch her and you die” trope so it’s hard not to like him. The fact that he loves Sunday so much he's willing to accept that she loves other men and doesn't mind sharing her is sexy too.

“The difference between us and you, dog, is that we are giving her what she wants. I’d rather share her and be given a place in her heart than spend my life on the outside looking in. You’re too bloody selfish to do that, which means you’ll never be hers.”


Alek Nordson is a demigod (actually I think he is a demigod?) and he is the sunny personality in the group. Think of Thor with the bubbly personality of a puppy, but a viciousness that’s hard to control when the ones he loves are in danger. I like how he was the funny guy, without being goofy and dumb. He remained a character that is to be taken seriously, but the fact that he does let himself get roped into the “she’s mine and you can’t have her” drama made him appear more mature than the others, and that is quite appealing too. His confidence and unwavering support of Sunday are also very sexy.

"I sure wish someone hated me enough to look at me like that. I'd let her hate me right out of my clothes and into bed."


Kingston Farrel… Kingston… He’s the one I have mixed feelings about, but it’s a good thing. He is a wolf-shifter, the one Sunday was supposed to be mated to, until she rejected him 7 years ago, and he is still hurt and angry at her. That means he is a total jackass when it comes to Sunday, and while it’s obvious to the readers that he loves her deep down and is acting this way because he is hurt, it was not obvious for Sunday, and while she hated him for the way he treated her, her inner wolf was starving for her mate’s attention, creating some very conflicting feelings for poor Sunday. I said I had mixed feelings about him because he was a major jerk, but on the other hand, I know that it adds angst and tension to the book and I love that. I am also hoping for some groveling maybe in the next book?

There was a lot of sexual tension between Sunday and the 4 men, and also some spicy scenes that were well-written, and hot, but not over the top. I also adore that consent was an integral part of the spicy moments. Even when it was obvious that hormones were running high, and that Sunday wanted sex, the guys checked for consent. On the other hand, Sunday never pushed them to give her what they were not willing to. When she felt that they were reticent, and I am mostly thinking about Caleb here, she respected that and didn’t try to push or change their mind.

“Oh, you humiliated him. I knew there had to have been something like that. He went from zero to douche canoe over one summer. Girl, you created a monster. I bow down.”
“What?”
“Anyone who can crush a man enough to change him like that is basically a goddess in my eyes. So, on that note”—she stood and propped her hands on her hips—“we should be friends.”


“Apparently, your milkshake brings all the supernatural boys to the yard, Sunday. But which one gets the cherry?”


I also can’t write this review without mentioning Moira Belladona, Sunday’s newly acquired BFF. She. Is. Awesome. That’s how you write a strong female friendship! She is always ready to listen to, support, or kick some asses for Sunday, and she is also a lesbian, opening the door for some funny puns and moments between her and Sunday’s harem.

As I said at the beginning of my review, the plot is not the most elaborate or original, but this book just has this addictive quality, and it’s such a quick and entertaining read! I recommend it to anyone looking for a funny and steamy paranormal RH.


Follow me on Instagram 🙂
February 21, 2023
Steamy Reverse Harem with an added bit of catholic guilt!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 🤐🤫🫣😍😘
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Duet Narration – Full Cast

The heroine: Sunday - Princess of the Fallon wolf pack, the most powerful pack in America. She has never been able to shift, and so she rejected her fated mate. She was sent by her Grandfather to Ravenscroft University, a graduate school for the elite of the supernatural world. He wants her to find her wolf, but she knows that he just wanted her gone. Sunday is only too happy to be sent away from her Grandfather.

The Heroes: Noah, Caleb, Kingston & Alek - Noah Blackthorne (a vampire prince who can barely restrain himself from tasting Sunday, he hungers for her like no other), Caleb Gallagher (a former Priest who is now a vampire and a professor at the University who is charged with helping Sunday find her wolf), Kingston Farrell (Sunday’s rejected werewolf mate, who was embarrassed by her rejection is now her bully), Alek Nordson (a powerful viking demigod and a charming flirt to boot).

The Story: After centuries of vampires trying to rule over all other supernatural races, Noah’s father took control of the Blackthorne vampire kingdom and twenty five years ago signed a treaty with the head families of the other supernatural kinds. Though the alliance is fragile, so if Noah kills Sunday by draining her dry, things will definitely blow up and war would result.

When the mother that abandoned Sunday comes to her in a dream with dire warnings of mystery and danger, strange things start to happen. When all four guys show interest in her, things get more confrontational and Sunday doesn’t quite know what to do with all that attention. The story grabbed my attention from the start. Though I must say that Caleb was too much of a priest for my tastes. Especially when he started talking about mortification of the flesh and all that jazz.

The book is told in multiple points of view via duet narration and narrated by a full cast. As anyone who listens to romance audiobooks, these are the kinds audiobooks we look out for and duet narration by a full cast is always a pleasure to listen to. This one was narrated by Stella Hunter, Jason Clark, JF Harding, James Joseph, Aaron Shedlock and Shane East. I am not too fond of James Joseph’s voice but I love all the rest of them.

This was the first book in a reverse harem series, it was a very good introduction to the world and all the main characters, and it got very steamy though Sunday was only intimate with one of the men through most of the book. Though she thinks about them all equally. I liked how steamy the book was but I can’t wait to find out more about who is after her and why.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
Profile Image for Valkyrie ✨.
630 reviews795 followers
January 9, 2023
Alright, hear me out. The only way to enjoy these books is by listening to the audiobooks. The full cast of actors is amazing and the way they performed the characters had me in a choke hold. Some of those actors have the hottest accents and voices. So please, do yourself a favor and enjoy the smutty ASMR experience lol

That being said, here’s my review:

I had a fucking great time.

Sure, this book isn't groundbreaking by any means. We’ve read this kind of paranormal rh romance before. We know the archetypes of these characters. We can imagine what’s going to happen. That being said, this book just grabbed me by the metaphorical balls and refused to let go. There’s something in the combination of perfect pace, humor, mystery and hot chemistry that made this a really enjoyable read for me.

I’m a character driven reader, and these characters just did it for me, I guess.


Caleb, aka the ex Priest turned vampire against his will.

And this is how you write quality Priest kink, my friends!

Holy Shit, this was the hottest thing I’ve read so far in the year of our Lord 2023.



Caleb was a nice priest, living his nice priest life back in 1922, when a female vampire turned him against his will. And he’s spent the last 100 years repenting for the loss of his soul. He can no longer be a priest, but I guess it’s easier to turn a priest into a vampire than killing the priest inside a vampire. Or something along those lines.

Anyway, not only is Caleb a very angsty vampire, he’s also a virgin. Let that delicious detail sink in, before I tell you the next best thing about him. Caleb is also a masochist. He enjoys flagging himself to repent from his sins and he gets off on pain.

His scenes with Sunday are my favorites from the book. There’s a lot of discussions about getting on her knees for her punishment, repenting, getting spanked as punishment, being called Daddy instead of Father… The blasphemy is just chefs kiss. And their double meaning conversations are so funny and cheeky, I just loved them together. The spanking scene had me literally staring at a wall like a maniac while I listened intensely.



And Jesus Christ, his voice actor has the hottest voice I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to.

Noah Thorne, aka hot British vampire.

Noah was my favorite, simply because he gave in and started simping for Sunday without a care in the world. He said “I don’t give a damn what gets you off, as long as one of those things is me.” and I think that’s beautiful.

He was very intense and didn’t know how to chill. For instances, he realized Sunday was his mate and the next thing we know of him, he’s craved the mark of the traitor into his body because he’s decided she’s it for him and his family will condemn him for him, so he already did the work for them lol

He was the "touch her and I'll kill you" type. And he didn't care if he had to burn the world down in order to protect her. Husband material.

His voice actor had the sexiest voice, which definitely helped to his appeal ngl.

Alek, the semi Asgardian god.

He had less screen time and that’s the only reason he isn’t higher on my list of favorites. Alek was the charming bastard of the group. You know the one. There’s always a funny guy in a harem. I guess it’s not fair to compare all characters falling into this category with Leon from Ruthless Boys, but what can I say? Leon is the blueprint.

Anyway, Alek was really funny and sexy. And he called his mom once a week. Come on. He also accepted Sunday was destined to have her own harem of men and decided he was okay with that. Now I need him and Noah to work together to get the other two idiots on board.

Which brings me to the last character in Sunday’s little family.

Kingston, aka the rejected shifter mate who didn’t take it too well.

There’s always this one dude in each RH, who is the mean one for whatever reason. I usually love that one meanie mothereffer, but turns out Kingston didn’t have what it takes to make it work for me.

He was just so friking selfish and such a hypocrite... He was unable to decide whenever he loved or hated Sunday. He said the meanest shit to her for no reason, and then whined about her not loving him in his POV. He tried to bond with her, and when she rejected him (because his flickering ass deserved it), he went and fucked a random girl. To, and I quote, drown his sorrows.



She saw them and got rightfully upset. And he said he did it because he didn't know she cared. Boo hoo. Then he promised she would be the only woman he’ll ever be with after that. Well, 200 pages later, he did it again. But don’t worry, he only picked girls who looked similar to Sunday, so he could fantasy he was with her. Because, and I quote again, that was the only way he could get aroused.

What the fuck is wrong with this a-hole? Can’t he just… I don’t know, stop having sex with other women if he's so in love with Sunday as he proclaims to be??

It’s not cheating because they aren’t together and she rejected him. But it still said a lot about him. And I wasn't impressed.


Moira, aka Sunday’s best friend and powerful sapphic witch.

And this is how you write a BFF for the main character! Moira was supportive and yet she had her own personality and agency. She was hilarious. I’m still cracking up about her comment about her doing more with her fist than any of the alpha men could ever do with their D. That was glorious.

She was definitely there to help move along the plot but it was done in a way that worked. I'm not mad about it at all.

Something I loved about this book: the constant check for consent. That was sexy. Enthusiastic consent and men who need to make sure she’s into it are so my jam. And there was a lot of that here.

Anyway, on to the next audiobook!
Profile Image for Mikky.
812 reviews216 followers
February 15, 2023
Well, color me surprised that I actually really loved this one!! I've been in a mood. Yes, it's annoying. Yes, I'm also tired of it. Yes, I've finally found a book that I actually finished instead of getting 70%+ into it and giving up. I agree congratulations are in order 😅

Deep down I can tell you that I was not sold on the concept of this story from the start. The synopsis makes it sound like a bully romance (which I am not a fan of in most circumstances). It's actually a very small part of the story and the bully (Kingston) does have his reasonings and it almost sets up his redemption arc only to negate everything. It was weird and wild. I was actually starting to see where he was coming from but oh well *shrugs*.

The heroine is great! She has a backbone and uses her brain. She doesn't accept things just because and listens to reason. Those are all fantastic traits to have if you ask me! I never thought I'd say this but this book could lowkey have been longer. I would have loved to get more of the heroine in classes. It would have been a great place to do some world-building while the authors are at it.

Caleb was my least favorite of the guys. It doesn't help that religion is such a big part of who he is. I personally am icked out by anything of that nature in the books I read. That's a personal issue though and I do recognize that.

Noah is in my top 2. He's sweet in his own way and he basically blew up his life (though those consequences aren't mentioned) to try and be with her. He's also very accepting of SO much it's wild. I liked him!

Alec is my favorite! I need him to have more time with the heroine! I love his sense of humor and how sweet he is with his family.

Moria needs her own series because she was such a fantastic sidekick in this one! Her one-liners are great and her personality as a whole is fantastic.

Onto the things I disliked: The slut-shaming. Boy oh boy. Have we not evolved past this as a society at this point? There was also a HP reference. I've said it before and I'll repeat it here: Enough time has passed to make people aware of how the author of that series is a TERF and an overall hateful human being. Mentioning that series is other books only helps to keep her relevant. This book will lose 1 star due to the reference to that series.

The Audio Book: The full cast was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! I want all the books I listen to to be a full cast! It's why I adore GraphicAudio so much! I can't even imagine how much the production of this audiobook cost but it was oh so very worth it 😭
Profile Image for ♥Milica♥.
1,225 reviews467 followers
May 27, 2022
HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO OBSESSION! GO GET IT ON AMAZON!!!

Sunday Fallon is a wolf shifter who can't shift, sent to Ravenscroft University by her grandfather in order to find her wolf. What she finds instead is a witchy best friend and four supernatural men who all want a taste of her. All of that, and a side of danger to go with, because poor Sunday just can't catch a break.

OKAY FIRST OF ALL, I LOVE SUNDAY. I think she's written perfectly and accurately to what her background is. By that I mean, her family made her feel unwanted and like a disappointment for not being able to shift, and she struggles with getting over that during the book.

She becomes more confident in her abilities as the book goes on, and I like that it's not just because of the men orbiting her, but on her own too.

As for the men, I already have a favourites or ranking list if you will, subject to change at any time, but for now it's as follows:

Alek > Caleb > Noah > Kingston.

I wasn't sure how this would go, if it would be one book per one mate, or if they'd all somehow get together in creative ways because there were certain scenes that made me think the latter, but generally it's the former, with some scenes with the other mates sprinkled through.

So this book was about Noah and Sunday's story and the next will be about her and Kingston's story I believe? Anyway, Noah was alright, I don't have any complaints about him, but he didn't grow on me as much as Alek and Caleb did.

He kept "ghosting" Sunday and she forgave him every time, and while it wasn't as bad as what Kingston did, it didn't help his case in my eyes.

NOW KINGSTON, I straight up hate him, I'm sorry. I hate him so much that I'm tempted to knock off a star just for him. But I won't.

Sunday rejected him 7 years ago and he's still not over it, which I, as a regular grudge holder can understand and relate to, but the way he treats her because of it is so annoying. YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM KINGSTON, STOP ACTING LIKE IT!!

He even goes and does something which I won't spoil, but which is unforgivable. Yes, technically he and Sunday weren't on the best of terms or together then, but that doesn't mean you can just go and do THAT. Nope.

So my mate ranking in actuality is literally every man ever in between Noah and Kingston. He better improve in the next book, or else he's staying at the bottom for life.

Moving on to Caleb, there should've been more of him, but I get why there wasn't, his time will come. There's a mystery to his motives (and Alek's too) and he seems to be connected to someone (or something?) powerful. Also, he delivered the best line in the whole book that made me laugh and love him from the get go.

The line was related to people mispronouncing his last name by the way, you'll know it when you get to it. A+, chef's kiss.

And finally, Alek. I'm 100% biased with him, because I love his parents Nord and Lina, and he's exactly what a kid of theirs would be like. He deserved more page time too, my baby. He's the nicest of the bunch, and I hope he stays that way.

It's really smart that this wasn't his book actually, because the rest could never compare. I SAID WHAT I SAID.

I also love Moira, and that she likes girls. I am now an advocate for a Moira spinoff on the side, she earned it with her awesomeness.

You know who I feel really bad for though? Heather. We saw her in one scene, but the other characters couldn't get her name right and called her Hailey, Heidi, Harley and Hannah before circling back to Heather. Justice for Heather! Nothing was her fault!

Lastly, I need to see more of the classes. I love books set at magical/supernatural academies and I will read every single one without hesitation, but a lot of them have this flaw - they don't show enough of the classes.

Obsession did show some, for which I'm grateful for, but like I said I NEED MORE. I'm a little scared that the classes could be forgotten with the impeding doom in the background, hopefully that won't be the case.

P. S. A little birdie in the shape of a Mate Games adjacent book chart told me that Crombie would be in this series and I AM THRILLED! It seems I finally got my Crombie spinoff wish, even if he won't be a mate.

He didn't show up yet though, unfortunately. When he does I'm expecting him to do so with a bang and cause some chaos.

*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Suzi Vanderham.
118 reviews26 followers
March 22, 2022
STOP DROP & ROLL cause Obsession is F.I.R.E.

If Meg Anne and K. Loraine opened a restaurant the theme would be “everything decadent” because that’s what they write together! This is one of the hottest, #KinkFest, twisting plot, Harem books I have read. I will read or listen to everything from this dynamic duo in the future based on this first excursion into co-writing.

Two Vampires, one a priest, a Wolf, and a Norse God’s offspring. How can you not enjoy that buffet of fun times? Then we have Sunday Fallon, of the best heroines and I really enjoy the path the authors have placed her upon. Trying to find herself while being shunned by her family, rejecting her Wolf mate, and falling for the wrong guy, or possibly guys. She has so many facets to her personality I just loved hearing them all come to life with Stella Hunter’s narration.

And WOWZERS what an audio performance this is turning out to be for fans! Take all our favourite voices, pair them with the hottest scenes and earbuds are burning! Aaron Shedlock is mischievously delicious as the Norse God, JF Harding has massive amounts of range and can growl “mine” in my ear any time he wants, and James Joseph (aka JJ) is deliciously broody and delivers the best naughty lines. Next, we get an overdose of hot Irish from the breathtaking voice of Jason Clarke (#JasonEffingClarke), who completely blew the doors off his performance. The surprise of hearing Shane East in a special appearance is the chocolate dipped strawberry on top of this Sunday (pun intended).

On pins and needles waiting to hear the next book in the series as they are only going to get hotter & more twisty in tales from here on out – and I am grateful for these two writers pairing together!
Profile Image for Rae (semi-hiatus).
497 reviews108 followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 30, 2022
DNF@39% This was one where I’m frustrated I couldn’t force myself to finish. I heard so many great things about this series and I do like the plot, but the writing bothers me sooooo much 😅. Not only that but these characters are in a post-grad academy (character ages 23 and up) yet the whole thing feels like they’re in high school. The way they act, talk, and come across are more like 15 year olds.

There is also slut shaming in this and a catty side female character for no damn reason that drives me up the wall.
Profile Image for Jess .
1,034 reviews146 followers
May 16, 2022
*ALC received from Audibly Addicted in exchange for my honest review. *

This whole book was made for sinning, and I am more than ready to go to confession if Father Gallagher is the one to put me on my knees.

K. Loraine & Meg Anne not only gave us a vampire, and a shifter but a demigod and a priest!! Whether it was Twilight, Vampire Academy or some other YA paranormal romance that had you swooning when you were a teen this book is what adult me is swooning over. It's forbidden, it is delicious, it is everything my dark little soul craves with that touch of something extra.

There isn't much about the story I can say that isn't said in the blurb. Anything I would want to say would give away a vital piece of information that you as the reader deserve to devour on your own.

Audio babes this book was perfectly curated for your ear holes!! Narrators that you love like you have never heard them before will have your earbuds melting straight out of your ears. Stella Hunter gives us temptress vibes in a way like you have never heard. Jason Clarke but MORE!! From the first moment I heard that Irish accent I was done for. Then J.F. Harding saying "mine" like he was made to say it directly to you and James Joseph HOLY LAWD!! James Joseph just completely wrecked me as the dark and delicious vampire prince. Aaron Shedlock though, I was not prepared for ALL of that!! I mean seriously, that voice paired with the demigod of your dreams and who is parents are and he was just the perfect addition to this motley crew of supernatural's.

This is only the start of The Mate Games and I have far more questions than answers. Having to pick one of these guys would be impossible but Sunday really is the heroine of my dreams. She stood up for what she wanted to all these guys and never backed down. Counting down the days until I can see what is up next for Sunday and her harem.
240 reviews15 followers
July 12, 2022
I just kept waiting for something to actually happen but what I got was a lot of the same do I, don't I, internal dialogue and the same awkwards "alpha males" calling her their mate repetitivly... it got very tiring especially by the 50% mark when I realized not much was going to happen in this book. I pushed through as I usually enjoy k. Loraine books but I was a bit disappointed in the end.
Profile Image for Sabrina.
3,592 reviews2,289 followers
September 29, 2022
This sounded like a really interesting series and I was excited to finally start it, but unfortunately I wasn't as invested as I thought I would be. The story moved a little too slow for me and at times there didn't seem to be enough world building. By the end I can't say I was even interested enough to continue on with the series. 
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
2,154 reviews1,434 followers
July 18, 2023



Genre-wise this is a paranormal reverse harem romance involving all sorts of magical entities. Unfortunately, It wasn’t anything like I was expecting it to be for the most part this wasn’t a bad book it just had a very YA feel to the characters but then it also had so much spice and the two vibes didn’t quite gel for me.

This all focuses on Sunday Fallon wolf royalty but she hasn’t yet managed to shift or access her wolf. Her family sends her off to Ravenscroft University an elite school for the crème de le crème of supernatural families. It’s here she meets the men who are going to become her mates. Kingston is a wolf shifter and the fated mate she publicly rejected seven years prior. Noah is vampire royalty. Then we have Alex some kind of Viking god and finally Caleb, Sunday's hot vampire professor and former priest.

Sunday to me came across as rather immature and a tad self-involved to be honest I wasn’t a fan and frankly I found her irritating. She’s the perfect heroine that all the men instantly adore and want to bone even the hot teacher, of course, Sunday has a secret destiny she needs to fulfil so is super important and all that shit she also has that one ride-or-die bestie Moira that of course within five minutes of meeting is her number one fan you know one of those type of girls.

So I did finish this and for the most part, it was enjoyable just also slightly juvenile as well. The world-building also didn’t feel that fleshed out and I wasn’t loving some of the main characters. I found Sunday irritating and immature, Kingston was a complete dick, Caleb had a weird fanatical vibe. I did like Noah and Alek but I don’t think I’m invested enough to continue with this one.

There was nothing dark or shocking here and bar Kingston’s jibes and attitude this wasn’t a bully romance either. It all just felt a bit predictable and dull. It’s a shame as on paper this ticked a lot of boxes but this one unfortunately wasn’t for me so I don’t think I’ll be continuing on.

Untitled design

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
Profile Image for Tabatha Reed.
1,556 reviews128 followers
September 4, 2022
I’m really torn about how to rate or review this book. It honestly doesn’t deserve 3 stars but 2 stars seems too harsh. 2.5 stars, I guess.

The covers for this series are pretty awesome. That’s one selling point but a great cover doesn’t make a great book. I’m not saying this is terrible but it’s far from good either.

I don’t know if it’s because this is a collaboration but the story feels extremely disjointed. I’ve never read anything by either author so I don’t know if they just don’t have narrative styles I vibe with or if this story is such a mess because they don’t really vibe well together. I found myself being drawn in sometimes and then cringing at others.

The storytelling is choppy. It felt like we were jumping from scene to scene rather than flowing. This is a FOUR book series. This book alone is 408 pages and everything here is very surface level and shallow. With a four book series I expect to know these characters intimately but it never happens.

She’s got these four dudes. They all want her. She wants them, sometimes. She’s all twisted up because reasons. Aside from straight up fated mate bonds we aren’t really given anything to go on as to why they all want her so badly. At this point, as far as the authors have said, Kingston is her fated mate. The others all want her. I suspect they are all fated mates because she’s clearly not a normal wolf shifter BUT so far we have’s learned if the others are actually her fated mates or not. Noah (Thorne) decides she’s his mate, it doesn’t acknowledge fated or otherwise, just his mate. She doesn’t immediately agree that they’ll be mates though.

The vampire, Noah (Thorne), starts off wanting to kill her. Her blood sings to him (love those Twilight vibes lol). He’s kind of douchey but not too douchey. She’s charmed. Then he ghosts her every five seconds. Then he’s literally had himself *branded* with a traitors mark because he’s decided to mate her no matter what - he never even discussed this before hand. Ok, then. She’s pretty up for it though it takes her a hot minute to fully commit. She’s indecisive and all.

Then her supposed fated mate Kingston. Here we have her rejecting him pre-book. He’s a douchebag to the extreme. He’s got severely fragile masculinity because he badmouths her to everyone because she rejected him. Here’s the thing. He knows why she rejected him. Everyone knows. She’s a shifter who can’t shift. She can’t accept a bond since she can’t shift. This is literally why she says she can’t bond him. Half the time the authors act like that isn’t a thing though. I suspect these two aren’t on the same page about the reason for the rejection or how widespread this knowledge is supposed to be.

We are also super lucky to be treated to her happening upon Kingston balls deep in a whore he’s using to comfort his fragile little feelings. Super fucking unnecessary. I’ll never understand why disgusting scenes like this are written into ROMANCE novels. How many women read these books to see H fucking OW on the page? If you’re one then, I promise you’re in the minority. I don’t need my books to be 100% safe but unless I’m reading a book about cheating (and I sometimes like those so I occasionally do) I don’t want to find H with his dick in another woman. Fucking gross. Good luck redeeming this douchenozzle now. I can feel it my bones though. These two have already laid the groundwork. It’s h’s fault he fucked OW, right? It’s not cheating. They aren’t together. It’s all HER fault. H is just a man. He had to fuck OW so he could feel manly again. The h is all to blame for making him fuck OW. He’s innocent here so nothing to redeem. GTFOH with that misogynistic bullshit. They won’t redeem H because he’s the real victim here. Fucking gross.

Then Alex who’s super into her and it’s unclear what’s in the way other than they don’t really know each other or spend any time together. So why does he want her?

Caleb the vampire priest is also a jerk most of the time but she plays out these constant bratty DDlg scenes with him even though he’s trying real hard not to play along (he’s failing miserably).

Oh there’s also a nasty vampire OW who bites the dust so I’m not really sure why she’s there. I personally hate OW drama most of the time so not sad to see her skanky ass die but like also why bother in the first place.

My intention here wasn’t to rant my way through this review but I clearly had some things to get off my chest, if you made it this far, I’m sorry lol.

This is a medium burn. Definitely not safe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for evelynn kate.
510 reviews
January 6, 2023
Plot ⭐️⭐️.5
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Vibes 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Multi 1st person POV

You guys, I think there's actual crack in this book

This book was so fucking good. It's checking all of my boxes: mid(ish) 20s characters, angst, OTT/J/P H's that have to learn to accept the fact that they won't be her only man, forbidden priest kink (with spankings as punishment 🥵), a phenomenal best friend who's interesting and funny, declarations of undying love and loyalty, and more. An immediate 5⭐️ for me.

All that said, it's definitely more character driven than plot driven but we're given a few glimpses into future conflicts. There's not much in terms of worldbuilding or true conflict (yet) so I can totally see why some may not enjoy this. For the most part, it's Sunday finding and exploring her connections with these 4 men, including her wolf mate she rejected 7 years ago. It's fast paced, medium burn, full of spice with plenty of kinks, and lots of humor.

I don't love the weird self-flagellation/purity culture shaming (Caleb (the priest) lecturing Sunday about masturbating) going on but the priest/confessional/spanking kink nearly had my kindle on fire. I do love how she told him off and wouldn't let his weird judgements affect her. There is some OW drama that I'm mad at Kingston for (he sleeps with another woman after being mildly rejected by Sunday again) but in his POV he thinks about how he was going limp until Sunday showed up and it basically forced his orgasm... so while I'm not a fan of it and they're not technically together, I appreciate his decision afterwards to not touch another woman who's not Sunday again.

The final chapter gives us some more insight towards the bigger conflicts that I'm sure are on their way so I have a feeling the action will be picking up here soon. And while some might, I don't think I would qualify the ending as a cliffhanger, especially since the series is complete and available on KU. I will absolutely be jumping right into the next book.
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,046 reviews101 followers
July 19, 2022
Didn't care for it

I really wanted to like this, but it just didn't seem to come together quite just right for me. This RH seemed to be hard for the author to pull off just right. The love interest seem to come and go Out of focus in a way that makes you frustrated, there are times we only focus on a few here and there. Its so disjointed. The storyline is a total loss on me. I couldn't tell you exactly what it was besides that our H had multiple mates. It was just a complete mess, and if that's not enough, our H seems like a Masochist for the abuse. The only ones who seemed to want our H where the Viking and her true mate. And as her true mate seemed to hurt her in unforgivable ways. I couldn't really blame him since sunny was doing the same. She really was at fault for the unbearable hurt she made him go through. And she really doesn't explain it in great details very well. Matter fact, its a poor excuse and she knows it. She basically threw away her actually mate like he was garbage. And then has the Gaul to try entertain other men right in front of him. And then gets mad as he seems to be lashing out and trying to deal. It was really messed up. And no matter what Kingston did, I honestly hated sunny for what she did to that guy.
Profile Image for Jenifer Briggs.
1,421 reviews168 followers
August 10, 2022
This was SO FUCKING GOOD. Omg, that cliffhanger too. No time to review properly, must move onto the next book.

Don't sleep on this series ya'll! This is a prn rh wet dream!
Profile Image for Amber Carpenter.
347 reviews27 followers
December 26, 2022
I was sold as soon as I realized what was in store for me with this series:
*Rejected Mates
*Sexy Priest WITH an Irish Brogue..ooohhhweee forgive me Father 🥵
*Wolves
*Vampires
*Dark Academia Bullying.

Yes. Please.
Profile Image for Jacque.
560 reviews195 followers
July 13, 2022
this was fine— i didn't realize it was a series when i started it, and now im just like👀 this could've been two books instead of four, there's so little that actually happens here??? it feels like a blatant "i'm an indie author and i can get more $$ if i split this into more books" which, fair girl u go & secure the bag, but tbh im not interested in reading the rest🤷🏼‍♀️ It was hot, but far too long for me, and also had major twilight vibes? like all these gorgeous men are devastatingly into this very normal seeming girl and shes like "oh no who do i pick?!???" with an obscene amount of back & forth between her four suitors

i think this also made me realize what I often struggle with when it comes to reverse harem books (while i LOATHE that title and usually refer to such books as PolyAm, this book is in no way that so RH feels like the best label though i dislike it) and its this: RH often feel like the 2020's answer to all those angsty YA/NA love triangles in the 2010's, bc they both have this vibe of, "oh no! i- the most normal, bland white bread (and often white person) have SO MANY attractive men who are in love with me! whatever shall i do, how will i choose?!?" where the entire plot doesn't really revolve around character or relationship growth, but instead its this seesaw between love interests. Its like all the narrative tension is driven by the "who's it gonna be???' except in this iteration, she doesn't have to choose. and honestly i dont know which version (love triangle or RH) i find more annoying? maybe RH bc the term is hella problematic and also it feels homophobic to me lol🤷🏼‍♀️

anywhoooo it was fine, there were hot moments but I wouldn't reread and likely wouldn't recommend. the narration was good tho

content notes: tbh i dont remember ages bc this was a long ass audiobook and it was so long ago, but theyre all hot white people who range in age from 20s-30s. depictions of violence, blood, lots of sex, parental neglect, kidnapping, and thats all i remember
Profile Image for Sarah Kessler.
240 reviews
December 22, 2021
If you're looking for a steamy RH with a delicious side of mystery, look no further!
The Mate Games has it all! Swoon worthy mates that fill your vampire, shifter and Norse god PNR fantasies, a bestie that will have you laughing, and a MC you will soon be obsessed with.
Everyone's favorite day is soon to be Sunday.

Meg Anne and K. Loraine make a dynamic coauthor duo. They both have strengths in world building and creating characters you will either love, or love to hate. When you put the two of them together, they push boundaries and deliver a delicious tale sure to have you wrapped up in its story and its characters drama.

Pack your bags and get ready to attend Ravenscroft University!

PS - join their reader group and see Noah: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thema...
Profile Image for Sprout.
162 reviews3 followers
January 20, 2023
OH MY LORD THIS AUDIO BOOK IS FANTASTIC.
THE FULL CAST?! YES PLEASE.

This shit had me CLUTCHING MY PEARLS with the accents. Im talkin knees weak, arms spaghetti besties.

I absolutely adore how protective all these men are of Sunday. Fantastic. The different personalities each one has gives everyone a little something to enjoy, no matter what your preference is.

The plot was pretty decent as well, which was really nice. Left me invested and interested in what happens to these characters and what is unfolding behind the scenes.

THE SMUT THO GUYS. Thats where this book shines my friends. WHEW. Living. Laughing. Loving. This book sparks SO MUCH JOY.

Run. Dont walk. Get the audiobook and live your fkn dreams guys.
Profile Image for Sonya.
838 reviews39 followers
April 2, 2022
I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I literally read it in one day. Truly entertaining.

Sunday; a 23 year old wolf shifter who hasn't shifted yet has been sent to Ravenscroft University a graduate school for the supernatural elite. Not understanding why her grandfather would send her to such a prestigious University when she hasn't even found her wolf. Taking it all in stride Sunday leave to attend graduate school in hopes to find her wolf and finally erase the shame she has caused her family for years.

Sunday thought her problems were over until she lock eyes with the man she has tried to forget. Her fated mate Kingston; the Alpha Wolf she rejected 6 years ago. Talk about holding a grudge; Kingston was hell on wheels when Sunday arrived to Ravenscroft. While focusing on finding her wolf Sunday is on a journey of self discovery where she soon realizes that there is more to her than being a shifter. Sunday posses great power and she has no idea what it is or how to access it.

Sunday has come to the conclusion that Fate has a wicked sense of humor because the key to unlocking the great mysteries of her life lie within her 4 Fated Mates. Sunday thought Kingston was going to be her undoing until she crossed paths with her other 3 mates. Each mate connects with her on a different level. Kingston the Alpha Wolf who can help bring Sunday's wolf forth once she can loose the chains that keep her bound. Noah the Vampire Prince that has been stalking Sunday from the shadows until it dawned on him that she was more than his prey and when he felt their mental and telekinetic bond he realized that she was his mate (this is his & Sunday's story). Then you have Alek the fun loving, mischievous Powerful Norse Demigod who's powers connects to Sunday in a way only a mate can and the Tortured Vampire Priest who fights his desire for Sunday on a daily basis.

Sunday is a breath of fresh air. She is absolutely HILARIOUS!!! She was not only blessed with an Alpha Wolf who is bound within but also a great power that even rivals that of gods. With the supernatural world on the brink of War Sunday knows that she is the key to stop Armageddon but the only way that she can make that happen is by choosing which mate is destined to stand by her side.

Which mate will she choose? Will it be all or 1?

I am looking forward to the next book in this series "Rejected" which is Kingston's & Sunday's story. I think I just found myself a new author to follow.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cat Hoffpauir.
1,567 reviews157 followers
August 7, 2022
4.3 stars.
This book had me a little conflicted.
I mean. I liked it.
The smut was fun and all the paranormal stuff was interesting.
I enjoyed getting to know their world.

But.

It went at a bit of a weird pace.
It’s like we were thrown into the book with zero warning, which wasn’t too bad. But then there were times after that, that the author tried throwing us into other shit and it just felt the tiniest bit off.

The relationships were all part of that throwing us into shit thing, too. Which was a little jarring at times.
Especially with Caleb, one of her Professors.

Also. Are we supposed to like Kingston? Because I really don’t. There’s OW drama with that one. I can’t call it cheating, because they weren’t together. And that’s the only reason I didn’t DNF right then. But I can root for Sunday to make him work Way harder to be with her, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Also.
There’s kind of a sub plot going on that most of the characters don’t really know much about, and it’s a little annoying. I mean. It’s truly supposed to be the main plot, but we and most of the characters know so little about it I just can’t think of it like that.


*sigh*
Things just need to be answered in the next book.
Also, I’d love it if the relationships started actually growing.
Sunday is under the impression that she has to choose and I’m so so ready for that theory to be thrown out. Like immediately.
Profile Image for Kitty Thomas.
Author 48 books4,653 followers
May 24, 2022
I really Loved this one and I'm happy these are coming out in quick succession in audio. The next one comes to audio June 13th and the one after that is slated for July 11th. So yay, I don't have to wait a million years.

This is a PNR Reverse Harem with a non-obnoxious heroine. (So often in RH you can't imagine why ONE guy would like her, let alone a million.)

Of the four guys there are 2 vampires:

Caleb (aka Priest/the Priest)
Noah

Also an alpha werewolf, Kingston

And some sort of nordic god or demi-god. His species isn't made totally clear yet named Alec.

If I had to pick 2, I would pick Kingston and Priest. I don't necessarily care for all the religion and self-flagellating the Priest vampire does, but... he is SO hot. And maybe it's the narrator and that hot-as-fuck Irish brogue. I don't know. But it does things to me. Him and Kingston. I would be the hinge in that V for sure.

I like the other two, but they don't move me like Kingston and Priest do. So now I'm in for a long... like 3 week wait to get to book 2.
Profile Image for Olivia ❦.
113 reviews7 followers
July 23, 2023
★2.5/5!
Honestly I don’t know how I feel about this book, it needed so much more detail a lot was going on but with barely any explanations of what was happening it was boring. Started out strongly, then around 50% felt like it was a complete different book. Plot twist at the end was good so I will be reading the second book.
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Barely know anything about the MMCs (Noah, Caleb, Kingston and Alek) which is really annoying, I normally love RH Romance but this could’ve easily been a FM romance with Noah x Sunday instead, no tension between Sunday x Alek or Kingston- there was some with Caleb tho. The author seemed to struggle with pulling of RH, the love interests were all over the place, one minute wanting her then the next with someone else it was frustrating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 947 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.