All the stars - immediately God Tier. So lost for words that I'll just share the text I sent to a friend.

"I love anything Shona Knight but this may have topped them all...but holy cliffhanger."

As always, I'm so thankful to be on her team 💕

I really enjoyed this book! I did find myself not as attached to the characters as I was in the original trilogy and I can't quite pinpoint why.

HOWEVER, by the last 4 or 5 chapters I was invested and then that CLIFFHANGER killed me. Because WHAT.

I recommend reading the trilogy prior to starting Rival's Pledge. You'll be more invested in my opinion!

ARC reader review!

First time reader of Alyson Dawn and wow, I'm blown away. To have me feeling tension, giggling, melting, and more in less than 300 pages? Amazing.

I really enjoyed the dark elements, the club setting, and the banter. I think my favorite added element was the edge of my seat feeling of trying to figure out who else was obsessed with our FMC.

Finding out the significance of yellow had me sat. I love Silas and Ember and honestly can't wait for more of the brothers!!!

Thank you, Alyson, for having me on your early reader team 🩷

Tropes

Why Choose

Mafia

Obsessive/Possessive MMCs

Sassy & Curvy FMC

Masked Men

Forced Proximity

Trigger Warnings

This is a Mafia romance, and with that comes darker elements. If you have triggers, check the author's note.

Final Thoughts

This was my first read by Ellis, and I had a great time. The loose elements of Peter Pan mixed with Southern Mafia vibes were pretty entertaining to me. Definitely insta-lust with spice being towards the end and worth the wait. I really love our FMC - she's sassy, smart, and definitely a queen. I also really enjoyed her being a switch with 1/3 MMCs and getting to explore her dominance. To be honest, I didn't even realize how deep I was in until "The End For Now" lol, and now I need more. Thank you, Ellis & Team, for having me as an ARC reader for the new release!

I swear Alexis just blows me away every time. I absolutely devoured this in 24 hours!!! Golden Retriever men with a penchant for violence will never not make me giggle & kick my feet, and boy, Flynn did not disappoint. I ate him up from chapter one, and I think he stalked his way right into my top book boyfriends list. Because what do you mean he's funny, sweet, AND literally so obsessed with making sure our FMC is cared for? Heck. YES. Hazel was amazing too - her inner monologue had me rolling, it was so funny. I always love a good moral dilemma, and hers did not disappoint. Choked in Love definitely has made the top 5 in M/F romance for 2026 for me.

If you love sassy banter, questionable jokes, obsessed men, all with a dark plot and hella good spice, then you will eat this one right up. Thank you, Alexis Grace and Luna Literary, for having me on the ARC team. All opinions are my own.

Tropes:

• Second Chance
• Workplace
• Billionaire
• Grumpy + Snarky AF

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ +/🌶️🌶️.5

Final Thoughts:

Ah! Delicious. I ate this up in less than 24 hours which seems to be a trend with me and this series! shhh don't tell Helix or Phoenix BUT Remington Hale is my favorite MMC of this series.

Honestly, that man's mouth DID ME IN 🥵 add in the delicious snarky banter between him & Mindy and I was a goner. Truly sat.

I loved the pace of the story and even the slow ish burn with the will they won't they for a bit. Sooo good. I absolutely recommend Hale Damage 🩷

Thank you, Jade, for having me on your early reader team. All opinions are my own.

P.S. the 2nd epilogue has me rattling the bars of my cage foaming at the mouth for Perri's book 😍

This book was definitely a chaotic fever dream and I loved it. I am a vibes reader, and this book gave me a wild ride. If you are looking for a deep plot, this isn't for you. However, if you'd like a tornado of a plot with SPICE and a good light read, this is for you, dear <3

So honored to be a part of Rae's permanent ARC team and to have the opportunity to read Zae & Cass's story early. All opinions are my own.

I am beginning to realize how healing a well-done mental health representation can be in a book, and Rae executed beautifully. As a girly with ADHD & CPTSD, depression has always been something I fight. Through years of therapy, I've healed a ton, but this book took me back to my college days in multiple, not negative ways. The days of waking up and not being able to function to get through or faking it until I crashed were rough. I love how Rae encompassed these feelings so well that I actually felt like I was back in my apartment fighting myself to make it to an 8 am class.

Pacing of plot, spice, and events was perfect. I didn't feel like anything was rushed or misplaced. I really enjoyed our side characters too...the guys seem like a hoot, and Riley intrigues me.

Throughout the story, I felt highly connected with Zae, and watching Cass work to convince her that she wasn't too much was so healing. Everyone deserves this level of love and care. On the flip side, watching her do what she could to do the same for Cass made me feel seen. I struggle with mental health and chronic illness, and whenever I am able to find a balance in providing for my husband's needs, I feel so much better.

These two made me laugh, swoon, cry, giggle, rage, and melt, and it was everything. If I could give this book more than 5 stars on rating platforms, I would. It will definitely be going on my comfort/emotional re-reads forever list <3

10/10 highly recommend, no notes!!! Special thanks to Mama Lori for proving that not all parents suck!!!

ARC Review but all opinions stated are my own!

What I Loved:

Honestly, this is my 1st Alice Tate read and definitely won't be my last. I am highly impressed by the angst, tension, and slow burn that was achieved in a bit over 300 pages. I absolutely loved the relationship development, the plot development, and the spice was well earned and beautiful. Furthermore, I also loved the diversity of our pack. No one felt repetitive or unnecessary to the story either.

What Didn't Work (for me):

I was smiling & set to give this story a full 5 ⭐ review because I was having big positive emotions and a great time. However, the last couple of pages that typically cement my happiness for a group, provided negative emotions for me personally. I can't explain without giving spoilers. It honestly probably is a me thing as I'm still new to Omegaverse 😅 but I ended the book unfulfilled.

Verdict:

I did have an absolutely amazing time 99% of the story and do highly recommend jumping in! This book had great elements, great build, intense plot, and hot 🔥 moments that were hard earned.

WOW! First off, thank you, El Wren, for choosing me to be a part of your early reading team. I absolutely devoured this book. My bad for not checking and just assuming it was a standalone, though, because the cliff I was left hanging from? BRUTAL. Great job, though, because you left me salivating for book 2, and I can't wait to continue on this journey.

Enough rambling, let me get to the goods. Our FMC? Kat is a freaking baddie to the max. The way I appreciate that she never spoke badly about her body, ugh, you have NO IDEA how much I enjoyed that. She is a confident lady through and through. As she should be. Our MMCs are all unique in ways I appreciate, and I look forward to watching them grow. Will not say further than that and risk giving away too much.

The world-building, plot, angst, and everything were well placed and well paced. She is a THICK book, but well done and not too long. I was never once thinking that something was dragging or boring. Truly enjoyed every moment. Definitely climbed to one of my top reads of 2026. It's hard to get me up in arms for a cliffhanger anymore because of advanced reading. But this one had me wanting to throw my Kindle and scream lol I recommend joining us on this adventure.

Absolutely the wrap-up I was waiting for. I enjoyed every second of this book and series. Rune is amazing & her mates are awesome. I loved experiencing their journey, and these 4 books provided exactly the escape I needed. Thank you so much, Lyra, for having me on your early reading team for all 4 books. This meant the absolute most to me <3

Alice in Wonderland has always been my favorite so when I saw this book advertised, I knew I had to sign up. Literally 0 regrets. I had an awesome time. Making it dark & Mafia related was a great move.

The book was a fast paced read with plenty of action and I'd say for its length, it felt balanced. The spice was super yummy too! Thank you, Riva & Naughty Nook PR 🩷

In Wild Mate, we follow our FMC, Sienna, in her mission to find a pack (not a mate) as a wild wolf. This has proven to be a difficult time, and again, it has driven her to Heartsflame Academy, where the goal is to prove her worth. Heartsflame Academy proves to be treacherous - and Sienna will face many bumps in her road to finding what she yearns for. Three bumps in particular have proven to be difficult...ah yes, our MMCs!!!

Oh my goodness, Wild Mate beat all expectations and sucked me right in. I love a paranormal academy - make it a little darker & I am SAT!!! We were given an action-packed story filled with angst, yearning, and drama. I literally could not have asked for more. The pacing was perfect, and although there was insta-lust, we had angsty slow burn vibes too, and it was delicious.

I love each character for different reasons, even when that love is filled with irritation too lol. The cliffhanger left me staring at a wall, and I had to pull myself together to get my thoughts review ready. Which, you know, means the book was absolutely amazing. I am absolutely so thankful to be on Misti's team <3

I recommend jumping into this adventure with us. You won't regret it.

Listen, I will watch or read a fairytale retelling with a quickness, and this one did not disappoint. I honestly wasn't aware that I needed A Cinderella story that included Prince Charming and a Knight in shining armor, but here we are, and I will never accept less again lol

This story had cute banter, turmoil, swoon-worthy moments, and heat. What more could we ask for? Definitely recommend grabbing this one. Thank you, Pru & House of Hearts, for having me on the team <3