Book 1, Power of Five: Reverse Harem Fantasy

Weres, Elves oh my.
Audio version.
A great beginning for a series.
I can't wait for more of this series, I want to say more about this story but I absolutely hate spoilers, so I won't do it to you by going into details. I wish we could give half stars I'd have given this a 4 1/2 stars.
A Cliffy I hate cliffhangers.
The narrator brings the story to life.
Reasons I enjoyed this audio book:
Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Easy-to-read/listen, Entertaining, Action-packed, Steamy, Whimsical.
Bookshelves/tags:
adult, adventure, angst, cliffhanger, elves, fantasy, menage, multiple-partners, nonhuman, romance, series, shifters, slave, werewolf.
This Audio book was given to me at my request from the publisher, author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.

A good start. The novel is plot driven with little time spent on characterization and ends abruptly. A fine story and a worthy kindle unlimited addition. It feels too much like a serial to purchase as a stand alone

I absolutely loved this story. The narration was superb. This author gives you great detail with her character builds and the plot thickens with new twists at every turn. You have 1 mortal female who has been chosen to replace a fallen member of an elite group of highly skilled Fae warriors who have been charged with protecting the Fae and human population from Moors. Throughout the journey more information is revealed about them and their fallen member. There's treachery and manipulation unravelling in the plot. I have really come to enjoy fantasy romance novels and this one does not disappoint. A job well done! This is my first book by this author but definitely will not be my last! I can't wait for more books to be released in this series. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I really enjoyed this paranormal RH. Interesting storyline and a very nice plot with really well fleshed out characterization.

Lera, the MC, is human but has somehow been magically bonded to River, Cole, Shade and Tye. Their previous quint member died 10 years ago, and they've been searching for a replacement ever since. And then one day, their magic leads them to her. Convinced this is some kind of magical error, the men intend to take her back to the Citadel and have the bond severed. And so begins this adventure. In this book, Lara goes from life as an indentured servant in the human realm, to being part of a warrior quint in the fae world. Oh, and her warriors are elves and shifters. It's an interesting read, and one that was really enjoyable.

This is a slow burn RH, but with these excellent characters and world building, the slow burn seems natural and appropriate for the setting. I'm insta-buying book 2 so that I can eagerly follow along on their adventures

Wow. Lera is a mortal girl that is somehow connected to four immortal far warriors as their fifth. This story kept me interested throughout. I couldn't stop reading once I started. I love each of her four guys but shade is my favorite. I love how lera pushed to make herself heard and didn't let the men walk all over her. This left me needing the next book now.

This book was enjoyable, however I never really felt invested in the characters. It was a short novel, and the narrator was done well on audio, if a little slow, but once I sped it up, I enjoyed the narration. The plot seemed to move real quick, however, it was a bit too quick, with too much happening before I knew what all was transpiring. The main character put trust into the people she barely knew way too early to make it believable, and the plot wasn't clear, with so many things moving, all so fast, that I had a hard time keeping a grasp on what was going on. Overall though, I did like the story and characters, but I felt there was a lot of opportunity to slow it down and do a bit more characterization to really feel for all the characters.
3.5/5

I really liked this story. it was well written and grabbed my attention from the first chapter. I loved the interactions between the guys and Lera. I loved the bit of mystery and suspense that was running through the book too. Like why was a mortal chose to complete the quint. I really liked the world building too as it did not feel forced as information was given in the story. I read it in one sitting as I just had to find out if Lera would leave the boys or fight to stay together. I loved the characters they were so well written. And thought for a reverse harem story it was pretty clean in this first story. Definitely for adults but not full of nasty sex scenes. Just a great story I cannot wait to see what happens next. I received an advance copy and chose to review because I loved it.

I was completely and entirely engulfed in this book from start to finish, to the neglect of my family. It. Is. That. Good. The author does a wonderful job of creating a gripping tale that just leaves you begging for me.

Lera is a fantastic character. I loved her mortality and how it clashed with her fae harem. She is wonderfully created, a fierce heroine who is entirely relatable and so easy to like.
The Fae males: Shade, River, Tye, and Coal are all equally interesting and just leave you craving to know more about them. I love how each character is both unique and intriguing.

The writing is well done, the story line engaging and the characters are interesting…all in all a pretty great start to the series!

This is a reverse harem romance, which is a genre where the girl gets to get all the guys, and the world building sets it up so it will be fine with everybody. No love triangles or angst related to the will they won’t they stuff ( the genre rules say they will, any tension is strictly how long it will take and what ridiculous metaphysical justification will be needed). Sex is expected and explicit in this kind of story, so younger readers (those not of an age to sneak a read of the naughty bits) and those for whom that isn’t their cup of tea should stick with Alex’s other fantasy standalones or series.

This seems like a pretty straightforward story, the four harem members vary from adorable to hard to get, and the pacing and tone is good fun. I will be following Lera’s adventures til she runs out of books, or team mates to seduce.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy. That said, I have it on preorder, as this is an author I enjoy a lot and follow.

When magic chooses a mortal female to be the fifth in their warrior quint, River, Coal, Tye, and Shade are shocked and want the bond severed. Too bad the guys get attached and Lera feels like she finally found her home with them. But with pressure from the Fae elders and the Fae warriors worried about protecting her, will Lera end up part of the quint or will she choose to sever the bond to protect them all?

This has been on my wish list since it was released and I finally got the chance to read it. Oh man, this is such a great book. It has everything you could want: great story line, four Fae warriors and a sassy former slave who doesn't like taking orders.

genre: fantasy adventure, romance subplot
setting: sword & sorcery
format: not standalone, intended to be read in series

The book reads as a non-romantic fantasy adventure, despite the book title and cover indicating menage romance. The romance is a 3-star subplot that barely begins in this book. It reads more like a woman who is considering who she wants to date, like she is thinking about several different guys she knows but hasn't actually dated any of them yet. What I enjoyed most, though, was the fantasy adventure. Unlike the romance plot, the fantasy adventure is highly creative and very well done (5-star).

I still don’t quite understand Lera’s role in the quint and it confuses me when they call her strong and exquisite, because I still have yet to see how she fits in the group, but the slow story building is starting to reveal a larger and more complex story building, which I like. I started this book with the assumption that it was going to be like other romance novels, simple story line with sexual encounters, but I am surprisingly loving the world that Lidell has created. I have loved her other books and am happy to see her amazing writing continue in this story. This story was fast paste and kept me hooked the entire time, I finished it within 24 hours. I most definitely cannot wait to read the next book.

I really liked this story. it was well written and grabbed my attention from the first chapter. I loved the interactions between the guys and Lera. I loved the bit of mystery and suspense that was running through the book too. Like why was a mortal chose to complete the quint. I really liked the world building too as it did not feel forced as information was given in the story. I read it in one sitting as I just had to find out if Lera would leave the boys or fight to stay together. I loved the characters they were so well written. And thought for a reverse harem story it was pretty clean in this first story. Definitely for adults but not full of nasty sex scenes. Just a great story I cannot wait to see what happens next. I received an advance copy and chose to review because I loved it.

I was completely and entirely engulfed in this book from start to finish, to the neglect of my family. It. Is. That. Good. The author does a wonderful job of creating a gripping tale that just leaves you begging for me.

Lera is a fantastic character. I loved her mortality and how it clashed with her fae harem. She is wonderfully created, a fierce heroine who is entirely relatable and so easy to like.
The Fae males: Shade, River, Tye, and Coal are all equally interesting and just leave you craving to know more about them. I love how each character is both unique and intriguing.

The writing is well done, the story line engaging and the characters are interesting…all in all a pretty great start to the series!

This is a reverse harem romance, which is a genre where the girl gets to get all the guys, and the world building sets it up so it will be fine with everybody. No love triangles or angst related to the will they won’t they stuff ( the genre rules say they will, any tension is strictly how long it will take and what ridiculous metaphysical justification will be needed). Sex is expected and explicit in this kind of story, so younger readers (those not of an age to sneak a read of the naughty bits) and those for whom that isn’t their cup of tea should stick with Alex’s other fantasy standalones or series.

This seems like a pretty straightforward story, the four harem members vary from adorable to hard to get, and the pacing and tone is good fun. I will be following Lera’s adventures til she runs out of books, or team mates to seduce.

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy. That said, I have it on preorder, as this is an author I enjoy a lot and follow.

When magic chooses a mortal female to be the fifth in their warrior quint, River, Coal, Tye, and Shade are shocked and want the bond severed. Too bad the guys get attached and Lera feels like she finally found her home with them. But with pressure from the Fae elders and the Fae warriors worried about protecting her, will Lera end up part of the quint or will she choose to sever the bond to protect them all?

This has been on my wish list since it was released and I finally got the chance to read it. Oh man, this is such a great book. It has everything you could want: great story line, four Fae warriors and a sassy former slave who doesn't like taking orders.

This was my first reverse harem book ever and boy was it steamy! I had to read it because it was written by Alex Lidell. I didn’t know what to expect but thought I’d take a chance. It was wonderfully written with all the characters well “fleshed” out. I loved that all the other members of the five gave Leralynn their own personal nickname for her. I loved her tenacity and unwillingness to be cow towed. I also fell in love with each of the guys with all their quirky ness and eventual willingness to accept her and lay down their lives for her if need be. This book might not be for you if you are shy about a little steamy ness. Otherwise, it’s a great read.

genre: fantasy adventure, romance subplot
setting: sword & sorcery
format: not standalone, intended to be read in series

The book reads as a non-romantic fantasy adventure, despite the book title and cover indicating menage romance. The romance is a 3-star subplot that barely begins in this book. It reads more like a woman who is considering who she wants to date, like she is thinking about several different guys she knows but hasn't actually dated any of them yet. What I enjoyed most, though, was the fantasy adventure. Unlike the romance plot, the fantasy adventure is highly creative and very well done (5-star).

I still don’t quite understand Lera’s role in the quint and it confuses me when they call her strong and exquisite, because I still have yet to see how she fits in the group, but the slow story building is starting to reveal a larger and more complex story building, which I like. I started this book with the assumption that it was going to be like other romance novels, simple story line with sexual encounters, but I am surprisingly loving the world that Lidell has created. I have loved her other books and am happy to see her amazing writing continue in this story. This story was fast paste and kept me hooked the entire time, I finished it within 24 hours. I most definitely cannot wait to read the next book.

Gonna be honest here, most of these reverse harem novels are not my cup of tea. No believable storyline and quite frankly just bedroom scene after bedroom scene.
Dont get me wrong here, because I love a dang good, well written, love scene. However I want a story with it that brings me in and makes me want to turn the page. This wasn't like that. There's a real story here.....and it's good...lol

I'm actually going to go get the 2nd book. I'm truly surprised. I'm hoping the author continues to write a wonderful tale of magic, sexy elves, and adventure.

River, Coal, Tye, and Shade are looking for their fifth and unexpectedly find themselves directed to a mortal female. Lera is surprised by their arrival and this opportunity to leave her life as a human indentured servant.

I really enjoyed the story and can't wait for the next book. Lera is a character I found myself connecting to right away. She has had to be so strong but lives a lonely and brutal life. This opportunity scares her but she is willing to take a risk to have this chance at a new life. It is an intense journey and I am eager to see what is next.

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy I received.

A good story with the plot being something original. There are five twins or quints that are magical and part of the fairy world. One of them is lost, so they are replaced by fate with a mortal girl. Then we get into the love story, which I didn't like as much because it was pretty instant. The characters at least didn't jump onto each other so they were able to develop outside of normal instalove. Beyond the weird instalove and sexy parts I liked the rest of the novel!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Excellent writing and depth of story. As I read this book,I could actually envision the picture the author was showing us thru her eyes. In my opinion, if I can stop noticing what goes on around me while I read and groan in disappointment when it ends, think about it afterwards with longing to read it again, it's a damn good book. It ends midway thru the story of this quintet, but it's a positive longing for the continuation of the picture Ms Liddell has given us. On to read the next one!

This was a nice and unexpected joyful read. I rather enjoy reverse harems and this one was in a realm of it's own. It's a nice slow burn with each of the males having distinct personalities that shines through the pages. Lera didn't even really disappoint me. The only reason I did not give it a 5 star was due to its shortness. It went too fast and the conflict/ climax felt rushed. They sort of fell in love too quickly and no questioning of it was magic induced or because of her traits, but that was actually rather minor.

Alex takes us on an incredible journey through a fantasy world that is so awesome you won't be able to put down until the very last page. The story back ground provides us with an in depth detail covering the history that sets up the story. Lera is visited by four fae and the results of their actions sets in motion Lera's decision to follow them. When past truths come to light will they be able to sever the bond that is formed between them? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The book was enjoyable but not what I was expecting. Not going to lie I was expecting more adult time but it was barely any. Magic has chosen Lera a mortal to be River, Tye, Coal and Shadow’s 5th. The guys start off believing it’s a mistake and wants to have Lera cut from the bond but by the end of the book they realize that they love her and they are stronger than they’ve ever been with her. It was a cute story I’d recommend if you don’t mind light steamy times for a reverse harem.

have adored every book Alex Lidell has written and this one is no exception.

Well written (of course!) with engaging characters and a lovely medium burn fantasy RH.

Also includes probably one of my favorite wolf shifters in recent memory.

Special note for the author evincing genuine equine knowledge.

The world that this author wove is such a fantastically vivid world that is a treasure to be immersed in. Trust me you will not want to leave. I really enjoyed the main character, Lera, and her interactions with her quint. I love a good fantasy, and I found I equally love a good slow burn reverse harem. This book is a wonderful blend of both, Alex Lidell is an author that has just been added to my must-read list. Ultimately I found this book refreshing and a wonderful read, definitely give it a try.

Power Of Five

I really enjoyed this book, I feel this Reverse Harem explains through the characters more so as you read the book you learn how they are connected, as they four male get to know this fifth member the female that they are strongly tied to it's a fantastic read. Theres lots if Adventure, theres battles and Magic. This is one of my favorite Reads of what reads I have read like this. I highly recommend this book. This read was given to me.
Shauna Joesten

THANK YOU for a reverse-hareem without the overwhelming angst so common in this subgenre. Please not the key word: overwhelming. There is, of course, some drama with 4 guys and 1 gal ;)

The concept (her being magically chosen) is a bit strange bc her only discernable offering to the group is romantic, not tactical or even magical. However, I want to understand, to read until the mystery is explained...which means Ms. Lidell did her job well!

I really enjoyed the first installment of this series!

The whole quint dynamic reminded me of The Tairen Soul series, although of course that series is not RH (sadly).

Normally I'm not a fan of books that switch modes of POV (by that I mean not actually switching POV, but having one in first person and others in third) but I felt it worked here because the first person comes from the only mortal of the bunch, and is therefore relatable and authentic. I think a first person POV for the immortal, fae males would not come off as authentic, so I think Alex Lidell made a good choice there.

I love all the guys, but true to type, Shade and Coal were my favorites. I always have a soft spot for the beastly and gruff ones.

I think this series will be another strong addition to the RH genre, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Liked the writing and the characters, even if they were a bit cliche in parts. The sexual tension is well built with sex scenes going to second base, could have been a bit hotter, but I hope it will through the series. Semi cliffhanger at the end but you will want to read the next book anyway if you liked the story. Noticed a few wrong words that slipped past editing, not too bad though. The only thing that I would strongly recommend removing are the few repeated paragraphs at the end of the intro.

Finally a book with great characters, plot, and emotions. Lera reacts logically to the situation she finds herself in. She asks questions, she listens, she doesn’t whine, and she learns. It’s quite refreshing. I love the different POV chapters. It really helps to read first hand what the guys are thinking. This is definitely a slow burn with a little kiss and cuddle that hint of the hotness to come. I’m seriously excited for the next book!

A steamy, new tale from Ms. Lidell. Great characters and wonderful story line. I couldn't put the book down so stayed up late to finish it. The characters have such depth to them and very interesting connections to one-another. The descriptions of their world and the interactions between them full of color, symmetry and picturesque detail. They revolve around each other. I received an ARC of the book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Great Read, better than what I expected. This book has all the makings of the beginning of a great series. I would like to see more character development as this only gave you tidbits of each person but it's only the first book so that's understandable. The author is pretty clever how she always has Lera "on the edge" especially at the end of the story. I was sitting there reading it like "What?!?!" I definitely recommend

I absolutely loved this new story. Lera is a mortal called to be part of a quint by the magic. She comes to care for the other four fae members of the quint and realizes she really wants to be a part of this pretty quickly. There are dangers along the way and tough decisions to be made. I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other and how the story grows. I am excited to read the next book.

Wonderful story about finding out you are more than you thought and that sometimes what you think is the worst thing actually turns out to be the best. The characters are wonderful and complex and the world they live in is rich and described wonderfully. The book grabs you and you don't want to put it down until you finish it and are left eagerly awaiting the next one. I received an arc and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Everything about this book was so good. I loved how the relationships seemed to develop and all of the different pov's. The world building was also amazing. I stayed up way past my bed time reading until I just couldn't keep my eyes open properly and didn't want to miss anything so I was forced to put the book down. If you are a fan of Reverse Harem this is the book to get! Definitely one of the best I've read.

Great read. The characters were well developed and the world they inhabited was well fleshed out. Overall a wonderful book. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait for book 2. Great dialog (I love me some witty banter) and I found myself liking all four of the male romantic leads, which is really unusual in RH (usually at least one of the men are "disposable" or just don't fit).

I really enjoyed the main character Lera, and of course River, Coal, Tye, and Shade. The guys are endearing and Lera is likable and relatable. I liked the back and forth between all of them. The book is well-written and interesting, it actually has a plot instead of constant sex that is in most reverse harem books. Looking forward to the next book.

Read with Kindle Unlimited

5/5 ⭐️ and recommend.
These books do have some typos but it was few and far between. The story was amazing! Without getting into spoilers, the harem is established in this book and while there are some drama moments, the relationship of the characters was the focus. Mild level of steam, but I anticipate this to increase with future books. It didn’t bother me, especially because the story and relationship(s) was the focus.
The world, while fae, is wholly unique. I thought it was intriguing and I’m eager to learn more about the world and quint groups in future books!

Truthfully, I was very skeptical of this book when I first considered reading it because I feel like having a female, human MC surrounded by powerful, non-human males can easily turn into a book about a poor, weak woman being pushed around by all of “powerful” males. However, this book seriously proved me wrong. Lera, the human MC didn’t let her “weaker human nature” let her be pushed away, but she also didn’t play the “poor human who needs saving” card either. Her amazing personality made her relatable and intriguing. I enjoyed all of the boys in harem, but I do have to say that Shade is my favorite. I can’t wait to see where this series will go.