In the heart of a Renaissance Fair, where history and fantasy exist as one, Calli's enchanting voice captivates every listener. Little does she know, her life is about to be transformed forever.
Khuldruk, a formidable orc from a distant realm, arrives with a single to find his one true mate and save the dying magic of his clan. His journey leads him to the fair, where amidst the merry revelry, he hears a song that calls to him on a profound, mystical level. The moment his eyes meet Calli’s, he is certain—she is the one he has been destined to find.
But Calli’s life is turned upside down when she learns of her true heritage. Growing up she was never truly at home anywhere. But she discovers her grandmother was a siren and she herself possesses untapped magic. Not only that, but she has a mate not from this realm. It’s a little much for anyone to handle.
Guided by the whims of a cheeky Scottish witch with a penchant for meddling, Calli will finally find her home in Khuldruk while he finds his mate and a way to save his clan's ancient magic.
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. HEA: HEA POV: dual 3rd person spice: several open-door spicy scenes TWs: assault, attempted kidnapping, violence Kinky Content: biting, breeding kink, fingering, knotting, manhandling, marking, nipple play, one more, oral, praise, pushing it back in standalone: a book in the Fated Dates novella series final thoughts:
read this book if you love 🫡 big MMC 🍪 cinnamon roll MMC 🤩 curvy FMC 💞 fated mates 🎣 fish out of water 🏝️ forced proximity 👨👩👧👦 found family 🧑🤝🧑 great side characters 🛁 he washes her 🤫 hidden secrets 💘 instalove 🪄 magic 🦑 monster romance 🎸 musician 🥰 nicknames 😜 possessive MMC 🙏 praise 🚙 road trip 🔮 supernatural creatures- orcs, fae, sirens, witches ☠️ “touch her and die” 🌍 world building
3.5 stars Calli and Dru were cute together and had chemistry for days. Their statements about feeling at home with each other was very sweet. I enjoyed Dru’s gentleness and Calli’s ability to roll with the punches. A few of the lines were a bit repetitive, like “how is that possible”, but overall, cute.
Spice: 3.5/5
Triggers: violence, mentions of parents passing away, mention of battle
I liked the story of this orc chieftain and his mate, but I definitely had my issues with it. First, the FMC was great—I really enjoyed her as a character and honestly would have liked even more time just getting to know her. The insta love/fated mates attraction is not a trope I enjoy, so that just wasn’t for me. It felt rushed, even for this trope in a novella. I loved the character of Bridget, but would have liked to get more of her in the story. I’d be interested in a prequel focusing on how she came to be the person we meet in this novella. Many of the characters were not fleshed out in any meaningful way. Some of the word choice grated on me a bit, like “my pet” and “knot”—this one needed further explanation, I think. The spicy scenes were good though sometimes a bit rushed. I am not taking into consideration grammatical errors (which are present) as I’d assume those will be fixed before the final version. Overall, I did enjoy it and do recommend it for those interested in fated mates and/or monster romance.
This was so cute and spicy at the same time 🥵, I loved the couple and the story with the monster realm and the magical dating app/phone. 4,5 ⭐️ ~ 3🌶️/5
Thank you so much to Mary Jane Darling/Mary Warren for an advance copy of this book!
This book is OUT NOW!
Content Warning from the Author:
"You'll come find me, right?" "Yes, my pet. I will always find you."
As you might already know I am a huge fan of Mary Warren and when she announced she was going to start using a pen name for her monster realm stories, I knew I had to give it a try. Plus I trust anything she writes. I am such a novice when it comes to monster romances and I think if you want an introduction to the genre, this would be good one to read!
This is a novella but I felt we got a complete story. Now because it was a novella, things happen much quicker. So if you are okay with fast love, then you'll have no issues with this. I thought the fantasy element of this was perfect for my brain. Khuldruk aka Dru is an orc and is trying to find his mate in order to save the magic in his clan. He travels to the Earth world where he finds Calli and tries to woo her in some non traditional ways. With the help of Bridget (yes Bridget from Warren's other books) she pushed Dru to Calli and the rest was history! We also learn that Calli was filled with magic as being a part siren.
"Your song, your scent, your taste - they all call to me. You are mine, little mate, and you are mine forever.
In true fashion, the spice was spicy! I love how Darling/Warren explained the mating process and knotting (oh yes there is knotting!) so that it didn't make you feel silly for not knowing what it is. Dru was just so infatuated with Calli and Calli just felt so drawn to him. She was willing to go all in on this man that she just met.
The Fated Dated series all star a plus size FMC and are written by different authors with different "monsters" such as a mothman, wolves, gargoyle and more. Check out @fatgirlsinfiction for all the tropes, titles, authors and more!!
3.5 stars rounded up. A sweet little orc romance novella that reads more like a novel, in the best way. Romance novellas often feel rushed to me, and not so with this one. Kuhldruk was thrown into the human realm very quickly and finds Calli, his fated mate, but I still felt like we spent time with both of them and they with each other. The worldbuilding was fast but still felt like we got most of the pertinent details.
This was my first Mary Warren/Mary Jane Darling book, and I did feel like maybe I was missing something not knowing the references to her previous works (also the pen name change seems a little confusing if things take place in the same universe), but I enjoyed it greatly and I’ll definitely be picking up more!
A tall handsome orc chief is looking for his fated mate, a singer at renaissance fairs are looking for something new in her life and a meddling fortuneteller with a Scottish accent might offer her help.
This is the beginning of a fantasy romance that has it all, magic, orcs, a girl, realms, life choices and a lot of 🌶.
I can never resist a book like this, a hot, tall muscular orc that need to save his people and this lovely lass that haven't found the right place for her. When they meet, will there be sparks flying or? You read and find out, I had a blast reading this and really hope I have the chance to read more.
A fun story filled with magic, heat and the tenderest of love. Khuldruk is such a sweet and tender orc, the ways he expresses his love for Calli make you want to swoon. I loved Calli’s independently free spirit. She reminded me of a strong hippie chick, the ease with which she accepted passion and magic fitting seamlessly with that image. Add in a supportive friend group and you have a wonderfully idyllic story.
I loved this book so much it’s the perfect amount of whimsical and spicy 🌶️ whilst also having funny moments the characters were great nice to see some familiar faces ( if you know you know) and I can’t wait to see what comes next from the author.
Another deliciously chaotic entry in the Fated Dates series — and you already know we’re in for plus-size babes, monster mates, and magical smut with extra sauce.
Song For His Siren is short, steamy, and absolutely unapologetic about the speed at which it yeets you from a fantasy portal into a Renaissance Fair meet-cute with an orc who’s ready to claim his mate, knot and all.
Khuldruk (aka Dru, our cinnamon roll orc with very specific biology) is desperate to save the magic of his dwindling clan. So when a random witch in the woods hands him a phone with a magical dating app (we love modern fantasy tech support), he swipes, finds his mate, and uses another app to portal himself straight to Earth. No time wasted — fate waits for no orc.
He lands and finds Callie, a curvy songstress trying to figure out what’s next after her band fizzles out. She’s tired, disillusioned, and extremely not prepared to meet a seven-foot green stranger who keeps leaving gifts by her trailer and talking about mating bonds like it’s totally normal.
What follows is full-blown insta-love with sparkles, magical mating instincts, and some very explicit orc bonding rituals. Yes, there’s knotting. Yes, there are fluids. Yes, you will squirm (in a good way).
The romance develops fast — like, “we just met and now we’re soulmates” fast. There's not much doubt or slow-burn tension here, but that’s kind of the point. If you're here for monster romance, you're here for immediate devotion and primal claiming energy. And this novella delivers.
Tropes: 🪵 Orc x Human 🪵 Fated Mates via Magical Dating App 🪵 Renaissance Faire Meet-Cute 🪵 Plus-Size FMC 🪵 Knotting, Mating Instincts, and Orcish Devotion
“There was something about Dru she couldn’t quite explain. He had come to watch all her shows that day. She could feel his eyes on her, but it didn’t feel weird or creepy. It felt incredible. It felt like she was the center of his universe. It felt like home, and home wasn’t a feeling she’d had in a long time.”
Khuldruk (Dru) must find his fated mate in order to save the magic of his clan. Where else does he turn but to a witch in the woods who gives him a “magic box” (cell phone), and he portals himself right into the middle of a Renaissance Fair. He finds, Carri, his mate and tries to woo her his way, which of course comes across creepy, but with the help of another magical being, he figures out a way to sneak himself into her sights and then into her heart.
Imagine being an Orc thrust in the middle of a Renaissance Fair and not realizing it isn’t the “real world”. I love how the surroundings just fit Khuldruk’s ideas of regular life, and he just went about his duty to try to woo Carri. The two are such a cute couple. Watching them navigate the reality of their differences and Carri realizing she will have to leave everything behind and return with him, if she accepts him as her mate, is thrilling.
If you love a good Orc romance, look no further. I love that this novella crosses the boundaries between the Monster realm and earth. Not to mention, when Khuldruk and Carri do get together, it is electric!
Monster Romance has a special place in my heart. Stumbling across my first monster romance when I was still reading trendy books on Booktok made me realise that it was possible for books to show that people and monsters could be accepted regardless of their physical characteristics.
The reason I mention this is because Song For His Siren is part of the Fated Dates series, a monster romance series consisting of seven books written by different authors and featuring a mix of monsters and plus-size characters.
Song For His Siren follows Khuldruk, an orc whose only solution to saving his clan’s magic is to find his one true mate. Calli is a young woman with an enchanting voice who sings in a band that travels from fair to fair. When these two characters meet, magic happens: they are meant to be together.
This book was a moment of pure happiness from the first page to the last. I really enjoyed the gentleness it radiated. If I had to choose between a man and Khuldruk, I would choose the orc without hesitation as he is so respectful of Calli and her choices.
This is the first book I’ve read by Mary Jane Darling/Mary Warren and it certainly won’t be the last.
I highly recommend Song For His Siren and look forward to discovering the other books in the series.
Many thanks to Mary Warren for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
My gosh, yes I finished this is one sitting maybe less than a couple of hours. I wanted to get through it. And I love it.
Khuldruk thinks callie is his mate He thought giving callie dead animals is a way to woo her. But didn't go as planned. Sparks hitting and stuff is happening.
Both go into town holding hands and next they are kissing.
He was looking at her ass since he couldn't help but look and she turns to say are you checking me out.? He replies back " i am how could I not?
He thought she was afraid of him but it wasn't that, she toke alot of information in and fainted for it.
I love how she tries to pronounce his name.
She is part siren and had 4 orcs under her power, that's cool.
They go back to his mountains where they spend time mating in the den.
Then 6 months later, magic is good and she is showing her sisters who she is dating. Cute. I love it, I need to get this in psychical form.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a delightful novella. I had never read a monster romance, so this was a new genre for me.
Khuldruk is the MMC and comes from the monster realm. His tribe is losing its ancestral Magick and he must find his mate to help bring magic back to his tribe.
Calli is the MFC and she has never felt at home anywhere. She is a free spirit and travels with the Renaissance fairs from city to city.
But once the two meet, sparks fly, and both of them have to make choices on their future. Do they stay in the human realm or do they travel to the monster realm?
The Spice 🌶️ was just enough. 😃
I enjoyed reading this book. There were a few spots where I think some more character development could have occurred, and the timeline seemed a bit quick at some points, but the story itself was enjoyable to read. I look forward to reading more of this authors books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is a novella I could read a thousand times and never get sick of. It’s sweet, romantic, and oh so sexy. It doesn’t go over the top in detail because it sticks to its novella format and moves the plot along quickly without going into deep descriptive detail or lore, but it isn’t necessary. Instead, the author focuses on the UST and pining between the characters, and their connection. It’s so precious. ALSO THE SPICY SCENES ARE SO HOT I LITERALLY WANTED TO LAUNCH MYSELF INTO THE SUN! (I love love love when authors use the less is more ideology. Nnnng y’all this author GETS it) I was literally kicking my feet and clutching my chest. I couldn’t have loved Calli and Dru any more! I’ll be reading all of this author’s books in this ‘verse from now on!
2.5 The premise here was inviting and both main characters were likable. If you are a 'just for the vibes' reader this novella will be a great little monster romance. Sweet love story, plenty of spice. I really struggled with the writing itself though; as in I struggled to keep reading. The punctuation, sentence structure, incorrect word choice, choppy dialogue, and repetition throughout made it a hard read. It really needs more time spent on editing/proofing in my opinion. Also, I would have loved some more world building. The author had some great ideas that I felt didn't get enough expansion. I know with these multi-author series there are often word limits but I would have loved more time spent on the Orc side of the portal and less at the Fair.
This year, I'm slowly dipping my toe into monster romances upon the recommendation of others. This one did not disappoint!
Khuldruk is an orc chieftain who must find his mate to restore the magic to his clan and ensure their prosperity. After seeking the help of a witch, he enters the human realm to seek out his mate. Calli is an enchanting songstress looking for her next adventure after her band breaks up. Enter 'Dru', Khuldruk in glamour.
If you're looking for a smittened orc, a songstress who discovers her true identity as a siren, some knotting, and some excellent steam; look no further, this one's for you!
Khuldruk is the chief of his clan, and he needs to find his mate to restore the light of the crystal that brings his clan their magic. With the help of a witch, he learns he must journey to another realm to find his fated mate…
Calli is a singer whose time with her band is coming to an end and she’s wondering what’s next for her. After a card reading, she learns big change is coming her way…
This was such a cute read! Dru and Calli are adorable and the steamy parts fogged my glasses up. I also loved Bridget making an appearance (she’s a character from Mary’s other books, y’all should definitely check them out)
(This is an ARC review. Thank you for the chance to read it before the publishing date)
A nice and easy read with captivating world building, relatable characters and some nice spice. I enjoyed the renaissance fair as the place where the two characters meet the first time immensely, as it gives those two main characters a good location to spend time together in their medieval outfits. Things get really interesting once the magic and the existence of the monster realm was explained, by Birdget - which readers of the Mystic Falls books will recognise.
A great novella wtih some depth to the characters, an interesting setting and some tension. All in all a great read!
Khuldruk is an orc chieftain who must find his mate to restore the magic to his clan and ensure their prosperity. After seeking the help of a witch, he enters the human realm to seek out his mate. Calli is an enchanting songstress looking for her next adventure after her band breaks up. Enter 'Dru', Khuldruk in glamour.
Cute and cozy orc romance. The story and the way the author narrates what Calliope and Khuldruk feel makes you end up happy for them. And it is always amazing to see plus size girlies getting the love they deserve in romance. This is an absolute must read and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Review: I did enjoy this but there were just a lot of questions not answered. It is a novella and I know I shouldn't expect a lot of content, but I just wanted the answers to what is actually happening on the mountain, more about Calli's power, etc. Overall a nice story.
Unfortunately I didn’t like this book at all. I love the genre normally but the writing in this one just felt clunky to the point I almost DNFed. It was almost like it was written for a middle grade level except with the spicy scenes of something that is hopefully geared towards adults. Sometimes the spicy scenes can at least partially save my enjoyment of a book but the spicy scenes in this book were perfunctory without a single tingle generated. I might go so far as to say that I got negative tingles. The one thing I did enjoy was the premise and the hint of world building once we got to the monster world but it is not enough to save this from a one star book.
The way I ABSORBED THIS BOOK. Absolutely devoured it. Within a day of getting it. I knew from the first two chapters I was strapping in and finishing this bad boy.
With this being Mary's first foray into the monster romance world, she popped OFF. I loved Calli and Dru, the world building, how the magic works and the mating magic. I haven't read too many orc romances (I've been all up in werewolves and dragon shifters), and this makes me want to explore more orc romances!
The spice? Amazing. All I'll say is the inn scene and the mating den is living rent free in my head.
Song For His Siren: A Fated Dates Novella by Mary Jane Darling is a fun monster novella filled with found family, renaissance fairs, and orcs! This book was fun and cute, with a storyline about finding the place or person that makes you feel like you belong. Khuldruk's search for a mate and to save his magic was heartwarming and sweet to watch as he tried to woo her and was patient. All while looking to comfort her and make her happy, even at his own expense. Calli is at a turning point in her life and has never quite fit in, so when Khuldruks comes along and feels safe and like home, she is ready to jump all in on this new adventure.
This is Mary Jane Darling's first novel under this pen name, but I have been following and love her contemporary romances. I was excited to jump into this monster romance, which did not disappoint. It felt cozy while reading, and I highly recommend Song For His Siren.
Review: What can I say. Electrifying love. The intense connection that Calli and Dru from connecting their arm send chills down my spine. I love that even though Dru’s true form was disguised by a human form after going into Bridget’s camper so Calli could see him as Orc she still wanted to get to know him just from the connection the made. He was her home. He was her missing piece to finding out who she truly was. I would totally recommend this books to be anyone’s first fantasy read.
This was such a great read to read an ARC copy for the first time. I loved the way Khuldruk adapted to the human realm because it was such a culture shock that it came off very amusing but swoon worthy. Calli being a free spirit was so empowering and exciting. I did feel like the worldbuilding went quicker than I anticipated but it was effective enough to not feel like I was missing something, especially for a novella. There were a good amount of open door spicy scenes for a novella and that makes me super excited to read more.
Gleeful Goblin Review: As someone who used to love going to Ren Faires and watching all kinds of performances I was thrilled with that initial setting and Calli being a singer on the Faire circuit. And as a cat owner, I also absolutely loved the cat style courting gifts that happened. Their meet cute is adorable and Dru being so nervous to make his claim is intensely sweet to me. But once these two get down to the claiming oh wowsers it gets zesty and *ahem* knotty. This is an easy, fun, spicy little read and I had a ton of fun with it. 5/5 Stars
I adored this book sm! Dru & Calli were so cute ☺️ Like all of Mary’s other books this one was just as cozy! She has become a comfort author for me! 🤍 For this being Mary’s first time writing monster romance it was so good! I can’t wait too read more of this from her hopefully in the future! I already enjoy the witchyness and magic that Mary has in her other books & this one is the same! I loved seeing a couple of the past characters and Bridget and her magic ✨