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Manhattan Monsters #2

Guardians for the Vamp

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LAYLA

The monsters of Manhattan are tired of living in the shadows.

We’re ready to reveal our world to humans.

As the new vampire queen of New York City, I’ve been tasked to lead that effort. But the first step of the Supernatural Unveiling Plan begins with unification amongst our kind. That includes forming a planning committee and naming a gargoyle to head my security team.

Thorne is riddled with battle scars and intimidating as hell. He’s broody and quiet, but devastatingly handsome.

I want him.

Then there’s Vara.

I met the sphinx a year ago, and I haven’t stopped thinking about her since. Now she’ll be part of the unveiling committee.

She’s bossy, powerful, and breathtakingly beautiful.

I want her.

I want them.

How is it possible for my undead heart to beat for two beings?

There’s a reason destiny is bringing us together.

Is it because war between humans and supernaturals is on horizon?



Guardians for the Vamp is a FFM fated mates romance. The characters fall fast & hard. This book is a standalone featuring Layla & Vara from A Vow for the Vamp & Thorne from Gaga for the Gargoyle.

This book contains explicit content and some difficult topics. They are listed within the first pages of the book. You can also find them on my website. If you have a specific trigger, please reach out to the author.

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 3, 2025

17 people are currently reading
124 people want to read

About the author

Settle Myer

14 books134 followers
Settle Myer lives in New York City with her cats Zombie, Michonne, and Birdie. She's currently a TV news writer who hopes to one day leave a world of death, disaster, and politics for a world of creativity and adventures. She loves all things zombies, cats, karaoke, and tattoos. But not necessarily in that order.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Alexis Rios.
36 reviews
April 2, 2025
Vampire, Gargoyle, and Sphinx oh my bookish yes!!! 🔥😎😍🥵🌶️ this book was so good it’s a no must read. This book is a faded mates. That’s right more than one mate Monster romance with so much rep and inclusion that makes this read even better.

So much was going on that it had me wanting to keep reading for not just the plot but for the spice. The insta-lust and attraction in these three main characters was Fire.

Settle Myer has Out done herself in this third book of the monsters in Manhattan with each book starting with A Vow for Vamp, It just kept getting better with Gaga for the Gargoyle and then even better and hotter with this latest book Guardians for the Vamp.

This is a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the other two books before this one because previous characters that came out in the other books are mentioned, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but it makes the story even better and you’re gonna love all the characters.

There’s all types of “action” lol😜 and the plot so good. Everything on point and made sense. It did not leave you missing anything story was so good. can’t wait for the next books in the series

I can keep going, but I’m gonna stop there and let you all read it for yourself. Five stars all the stars like seriously and all the chili peppers. No this book got a Habanero pepper. 🌶️ 🥵🔥😎
Profile Image for Ash.
448 reviews13 followers
May 6, 2025
⭐️ARC REVIEW⭐️
I would like to volunteer to be in the middle of this bodyguard sandwich pretty please. A gargoyle who loves taking direction, a sphinx ready to rekindle a previous spark and the queen who brings them all together. YES PLEASE.
Profile Image for Kascha.
122 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2025
A fun and spicy ride, perfect for readers who enjoy paranormal romance with a dash of turmoil and a lot of kink.

As the new vampire queen of NYC, Layla is tasked with leading the supernatural community’s effort to reveal their existence to humans. The first step is unification, which involves forming a planning committee and assigning a gargoyle, Thorne, to head her security team. Thorne is a battle-worn, brooding figure, and Layla can’t help but be drawn to him. But there’s also Vara, a powerful and beautiful sphinx who has been on Layla’s mind since their first meeting a year ago. As Layla’s attraction to both intensifies, she grapples with an overwhelming desire for them both. With tensions rising between humans and supernaturals, Layla, Thorne, and Vara must navigate their fated connection, as war may be on the horizon.

Layla, Thorne, and Vara’s instant attraction, both emotional and physical, leads to a relationship that quickly becomes undeniably spicy. From public encounters to tail play (yes, a tail that changes shape and vibrates!), the scenes between the three are inventive, intense, and leave little to the imagination. And let's not forget about _sky sex_ - this book takes paranormal possibilities to a whole new level.

What really drives the story is the deep emotional connection between Layla, Thorne, and Vara. After centuries of isolation and trauma, they finally find their true mates in one another. As they confront their pasts and insecurities, the bond they share evolves into something truly special, full of magic and surprises. Despite the heat, this book is about more than just physical desire - it’s about healing, self-discovery, and finding the people who truly understand and accept you.

If you’re looking for a steamy read, this book delivers with scorching intensity - there’s no denying that the sex is front and center in this one. But beneath the passion, the story also weaves a compelling plot focused on uniting monsters and humans, continuing the Supernatural Unveiling Plan that began in the author’s previous novellas. There’s added tension, drama, and action surrounding this plan. Potential threats add an interesting layer to the book, keeping things engaging beyond just the heat. And for fans of this series, it’s rewarding to see beloved characters once again living out their happily-ever-afters, while also getting a fresh perspective on their journeys.
Profile Image for Joanne Love.
105 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2025
Guardians of the Vamp is the second book from Settle Myer in her Manhattan Monsters series. I have read A Vow for the Vamp from the series and Gaga for the Gargoyle, which also feeds into this book. I really enjoyed the continuation of these stories, but you can also read this on its own.

This is an insta love story, so the relationships between the main characters develops very quickly. I enjoyed how the relationship developed, but at first I did feel like the connection between Vara and Layla needed a little more background. What I really liked about the relationship was the support each character gives to the others which made the connections more real.

The world of supernaturals in this book was already set up for me in the other books I have previously read, but I feel like you get a good understanding just from this story. It’s a nice balance of our world as we understand it with supernatural creatures mixed in, which makes it easy to visualise. The world feels fuller with the inclusion of the side characters and their connections to our main characters.

Although this is a romance novel, I also felt it was well balanced with the storyline about supernaturals wanting to reveal their existence to the human world. Both storylines wove together seamlessly and moved the story along well. I particularly enjoyed the politics of the supernatural world, making fit feel more real and not just magic-based. Myer’s writing is easy to read and well paced, bringing her characters to life in full colour.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters leap off the page, I feel the feelings with them and I was captured by the political intrigue of the story. I will definitely continue this series and look forward to future books!
Profile Image for Brittany  Carranza .
56 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2025
Guardians for the Vamp

By:

⭐️: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🥵(Chapters): 4,6,7,9,10,11,12,15,1719, and 23

Review: She did it again! Honestly I think I liked this book more than Vow for the Vamp! 👏🏼👏🏼
Right from the beginning I knew this was going to be a hard one to put down. Even though these are standalone I do high recommend reading Vow for the Vamp and Gaga for the Gargoyle before reading this book just so you can get an understanding of who some of the Characters are. I think this is the first 5 stars I have ever given on a book. I do believe she kind of intertwined her Mafia romance book in there in the beginning where Thorne is reading one of Laylas romance book while waiting for her. Absolutely loved!

Favorite quote:
“When you laugh, it’s as if the sun rises without turning me to stone. It’s warm, beautiful, and I want to bask in it.”

“Goddamn it, Thorne. Warn a girl the next time you’re going to ear fuck me with that sexy velvety baritone.”

#monsterromance #spicyromance #plussizeromance #vampireromance #acrreview #fatedmates #romancereader #reader
Profile Image for Kimerys Bookmarks.
187 reviews9 followers
March 20, 2025
Book 3 in the series! You don't need to read the first 2 but there are reoccurring characters from the first 2 books.

Can supernatural beings suffer from love at first sight. A vampire, a gargoyle, and a sphinx all walk into a meeting. What could go wrong?

Settle has quite the imagination and is a great storyteller 😉

My favorite quotes:

A vampire in love? It proves that we’re capable of the emotion... that maybe the curse upon our kind is wrong, and we’re not soulless evil abominations.

“Vampires do not glow... or sparkle for that matter.”

"Sandalwood—my favorite—and hints of cinnamon wash over me. ... this new gargoyle smells fantastic."

" . . .swear my heart flutters at the name, which is impossible because I’m dead and my heart no longer beats."

"Sometimes I just want to be the little spoon for once."

“Please don’t hide your smile. It’s like a bright light in a room blanketed in darkness" - Thorne
Profile Image for Virginie.
340 reviews3 followers
April 3, 2025
4.5 ⭐️

It’s great to meet the Manhattan Monsters again in this second book of the series—although I think we can add Gaga for the Gargoyle as an informal part of it. After A Vow for the Vamp, I was really looking forward to reading Layla’s story. Now my curiosity has finally been satisfied after finishing Guardians for the Vamp, and I’m delighted. I really enjoyed this book and loved seeing the polyamorous relationship develop between Layla, Vara and Thorne.

This book came at a time when I needed to read a story where there were no communication problems between the main characters or even a 3rd act break up. The fact that Layla, Vara and Thorne easily accept the fated mate bond that binds them was really in line with my reading mood—and as I am well aware of my mood reader status, the combination of reading an ARC with my current whim was really more than welcome.

Of course, it is perhaps easier for the Vampire, the Sphinx and the Gargoyle to accept that such a powerful bond exists between them, as they are already aware of the existence of the concept of fated mates, but it is still interesting to note that they themselves are surprised that such a bond can exist between three of them, and not just two, as is more commonly believed. The result is that the relationship between our three characters is a clever mix of insta-lust and insta-love, and Settle Myer combines both with impressive ease.

Apart from the relationship angle, which is the main criteria that determines whether I like a romance book or not, I also enjoyed all the other elements that surrounded the story. I liked learning more about the plans of the supernaturals to reveal their existence to the humans in a way that would benefit everyone, in terms of safety and quality of life. In fact, this is where we really see how Layla was destined to be the Queen of the Vampires. She holds the position as if she has been doing it for hundreds of years, not just a few months.

I also enjoyed catching up with the other characters from this world—with a slight preference for Teddy and his golden retriever puppy energy, which always brings a big smile to my face.

I’m really looking forward to discovering the next books in the series.

Thanks to Settle Myer for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of Guardians for the Vamp. This review is my own. All opinions expressed are mine.
Profile Image for ash-reads-romance.
275 reviews6 followers
May 17, 2025
New Review! Guardians for the Vamp (Manhattan Monsters #2) by @settlemyerauthor

After being BLOWN AWAY by Settle’s Gaga for the Gargoyle I was SO looking forward to this title and I was NOT disappointed! It was JUST as saucy and smoking hot! Oh my GOSH!!!! vibrating tails! 🐱 worsh1p! TA1L DPs! GIANT GARGOYLE 🍆!

*swoon*

TL:DR Layla is the newly crowned Vampire queen of New York and she’s been tasked with a new unification project amongst NYC’s supes. She’s to take on a cross-species security team as an act of unity in order to create a joint front when they reveal themselves to the humans.

So that’s how she ends up with the HUNKIEST gargoyle, Thorne, as head of her security team, and a sphinx, Vara, as a liaison to humans… except that she’s drawn to both in impossible ways, in ways she’s never imagined herself capable of.

It only takes one gala for all three to lose themselves, fugging on the dance floor in front of all the supernatural in manhattan and giving zero f*cks…. There’s a bond between them and no one understands it but all three fear what it could mean, and fear why it might have happened… and what it could change if they give in to it.

Honestly I devoured this book like the sultry delicious confection that it is. The it’s SO SMUTTY but also so sweet and romantic and all three have their own pain and tragic pasts but I love how their romance is also healing and how they save each other. The plot is also action packed and fun.

I’m definitely excited for the next book! I will literally read anything Settle writes, all her characters are SEGGSY AF!

5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Anastey.
564 reviews9 followers
April 5, 2025
Thank you Settle Meyer for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was incredibly fun! There was tons of action, sass, spice, and even love. It is a stand alone novel, but it is so much better when read after A Vow for a Vamp, and Gaga for the Gargoyle. You see characters from those books pop in and out, and they really fill in a lot of the background lore.

The story centers on the deep trauma, loss, and loneliness that Layla, Vara, and Thorne carry deep inside. Their stories combine into one of deep healing, as they also work hard to change the world outside too. The goal is help their fellow monsters be able to come out of hiding and show themselves to the human world.

This is a very spice heavy book, and it is fantastic! There is a ton of variation for each scene, and it was steamier than a sauna. Having extra appendages like wings, and especially tails made the spice extra interesting. I never knew there were that many ways to use a tail!

Overall this is a great fast paced spicy book, and you should give it (and the other two books) a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for balayageandbooks.
611 reviews20 followers
March 16, 2025
Claws. Fangs. Vibrating Tails. Yes please!!!

When I saw that Author Settle Myer was adding to this incredible series I immediately knew I had to read it!

If you lover Monster Romance that has just as much plot as it has spice then this is an Author that you want to add to your list!

I absolutely adored these characters. One of the FMCs is the Queen of Vampires and is a total baddie.
The other FMC is one of the few Sphinx left in the world and with that being said she is fierce! The MMC is a tall glass of gargoyle and a loyal warrior.

These three by themselves have reputations that proceed them... but as a trio they are a force to be reckoned with.

The off the charts chemistry they have is HOT! And the dynamic they have is absolutely EPIC!

Not to mention that this story has just as much suspense as it has spice! It will have you on the edge of your seat!

If you love monster romance, why choose romance, fated mates. If you enjoy your smut with claws, fangs, and vibrating tails (yes I said tails, cause there's more than one)... then this book is a MUST READ!
Profile Image for Gleeful Goblin Reviews.
651 reviews20 followers
April 9, 2025
Gleeful Goblin Review: The dedication for this book is the most honest and most relatable thing I've read in a hot minute: "This is for the readers who always wanted to be double stuffed by two monster tails." If you're looking for a super soft and fluffy monster romance this is not gonna be the book for you friend. This book goes HARD in the very best way. These dorks do indeed fall hard, fast, and h0rnily for each other and I am *here for it*.

Not only is there a spice cabinet's worth of spicy times in here but the world building is spectacular. Since we have three main characters who are all different species we have a unique opportunity to see world building details individually and together. In terms of theme/feel for the world I think it's the best possible blending of Disney's Gargoyles (but for grown folks) together with The Originals. I can't think of any other way to describe it but oh-my-lanta this book ticked a lot of my interest boxes and I love it. 5/5 Stars
Profile Image for Aria Maze.
Author 2 books26 followers
March 17, 2025
This book was insanely hot!

But it was also really sweet.

As supernatural beings who have been alive a long time they’ve had their fair share of heartbreaks and traumas. I loved seeing these three come together and the tension between them was enough to drive ME insane.

I also loved that she’s the queen, and they’re her loyal guards. They “try” to fight the attraction but come on, they have no shot!

Working on trying to let humanity know that supernatural beings exist. I love plots like this because you never know how it’s gonna go.

Ofc it doesn’t go smoothly. But that’s part of the fun!

I also loved that we got to see Evangeline and Millie, of course!

But back to the spice. I would happily get on my knees for ANY and ALL of them. Where’s my monster mate(s)!
Profile Image for Chappy.
2,230 reviews113 followers
October 18, 2025
This was ok but some things didn't work for me.
It was mostly sex scenes and some were a little raunchy...I don't the spitting into each other's mouths. The sex was lacking feelings it was more like: you put your tail here, you bite over here while you slot your dick there.
There were also no details about the big reveal plan...we'd hear about a bunch of meetings, galas and events but nothing came from those. Time jumps would occur and we'd end up in another sex scene.

Layla is the new vampire queen; but other than having a bunch of bodyguards...what does she actually do? I did like Thorne and wanted him to explore his submissive side a bit more. Vara was a strong woman but came off as bitchy most of the time.
Profile Image for Curvy Girls Read Romance.
639 reviews76 followers
March 25, 2025
The latest release in Settle Myer's Manhattan Monsters series is here!

Layla, the new vampire queen of New York is spearheading a mission to unveil the monster population to humans. Naturally, this requires that many monster species work together to show unity. Her team includes Thorne the gargoyle as head of security and Vara the sphinx as ambassador. The catch? These three realize they're mates.

We get an FFM, romance with a femme dom, a switch, and a sub. Also, there are two tails. Two! If you'd like...

-An early bang
-Lots of car s*x
-Face sittiing
-S*x in public
-Vibrating tail
-Sky s*x

...then this will be right up your alley!
Profile Image for Kay - kayreads_romance .
384 reviews37 followers
March 31, 2025
Thank you so much to Settle Meyer for this E-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Spicy!!
* FFM
* Fated Mates
* Wing Play
* Touch them and 💀
* Vampire x Sphinx x Gargoyle
* Tail Play


Spicy chapters:
4
6
7
9
10
11
12
15
17
19
23

Thoughts:
Y’allllll I loved this so much!! Settle never missed for me and this did not disappoint! I’ve been wanting to see Vara and Layla together since A Vow for the Vamp. So happy we got to see them with Thorne also
I loveeeeee fated mates trope so much!!
Profile Image for Blair Nicole.
219 reviews10 followers
April 4, 2025
this was such a fun read! it was so extremely steamy and there is no hiding it. if you want to read for the plot, i’d skip this one!

that being said, OH WAS IT DELISH?! from the very first spicy scene, those tails had me locked in and ready to go. Layla, Vara, and Thorne had such a sexy dynamic. it kept me locked in for the whole time.

overall, this whole universe has been so fun to read. although this is a standalone, the first two were so incredible and i highly recommend for the full experience!
Profile Image for Leah.
1,333 reviews341 followers
April 15, 2025
As always, this book was heavy on the sex, light on the plot, but it worked and was very enjoyable. while the characterization was a bit shallow and could’ve gone deeper than the info dump chunks we get, the three main characters were all fun in their own ways.

The big drama at the end was a bit anticlimactic since there was little actual build up in between sex scenes, but I’m hopefully the overarching plot will be fleshed out a bit more in the following books.

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC.
Profile Image for Sisters and books.
99 reviews
March 20, 2025
We don't even know where to start....
We haven't read many Why Choose? trope but what a place for Nicole to dip her toe in first! MONSTERS!!!!!!
Thorne was just the protector we needed, Vera is just perfect and Layla- dangerous vamp? Or Layla- super silly vamp?
All their personality just flowed perfecting. The sexy scenes where just FIRE!!!!
Make sure to read A Vow for the Vamp! The base story is flowing through the series!
23 reviews9 followers
March 20, 2025
Romantasy is still a new genre for me but I must say, Settle Myer has the formula locked down! I was so thrilled to receive an ARC copy of this newest release. And the fact that it was FFM made it even better in my book.

Definitely heavy on spice but the plot was intriguing and the spice was well thought out and kept you guessing (hello flying 😳). Vera, Thorne, and Layla are utter perfection and I hope to see more sneak peaks of them in future books!
Profile Image for Meesh Reads.
189 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2025
Absolutely incredible!

I was itching to read this book every free second I had.

I love not only the funny banter between the three characters, but also the incredible representation.

Bigger bodies, past traumas, polyamory, it’s all so perfectly written.

I love the way Settle writes such fantastical stories with such relatable content.

Cannot WAIT to see what Loch & Farrah’s story will look like!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Michelle Muller.
259 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2025
Sweet, why choose with a vampire queen, a sphinx and a gargoyle (with a magical tail!) and some drama all come together for a great open door read. I have read Gaga for the Gargoyle earlier this year and I knew I had to read this one too! Set in modern NYC, the monsters are making plans to show themselves to humans. You don't have to read the earlier books - but some of the characters do overlap and it's fun to see them come back!
Profile Image for Ki.
87 reviews20 followers
May 14, 2025
I’m late BUT in my defense I did not want this book to end. I kept putting it off because I knew at some point I close the book and wish I could read it for the first time again.

WOW! 🤯 This book had me all in my feels. The banter between the characters who are not only coming into their own journey but also trying to navigate the human world with new titles and responsibilities.

Lemme just say the spice was spicy 🥵 shew 🔥
Profile Image for Bookishlyhaley.
349 reviews14 followers
August 15, 2025
This was my first FFM monster romance and I really enjoyed it! It was sweet but spicy as hell. I love that Thorne was more submissive which you would never expect it from a large gargoyle male character and it works so well with Vara and Layla being in more dom/switch category! They had great chemistry and I loved their dynamic!

Although this is a standalone I loved that we got to see characters from Gaga for the Gargoyle and A Vow for the Vamp! I can't wait to see what comes next.
Profile Image for Rachelqueenvixen.
249 reviews6 followers
March 16, 2025
4.5 stars round up to 5.

I am thankful to receive this arc it was so good and spicy.

A throuple relationship with a vampire fmc, sphynix fmc, and gargoyle mmc.

The spice was good and I can see where it could keep going in there series following a possible new couple.

I would continue to read these because I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Profile Image for Rina ♡ .
885 reviews4 followers
March 26, 2025
I loved this book! It's a super sweet and steamy monster romance story. Layla, Vara and Thorne have my whole heart. I absolutely love them together! They have some amazing chemistry. And the plot will keep you on your toes with suspense. It's just so good! If you like spicy paranormal romance you'll definitely love this book. I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Suzi Vee.
350 reviews15 followers
April 3, 2025
Just wrapped up Guardians for the Vamp by Settle Myer and whew… this might be her spiciest book yet. We’ve got an FFM monster romance with a confident, plus-size vampire queen (Layla, I bow to you), a stunning Sphinx named Vara, and Thorne—an absolutely delicious gargoyle. And yes, it’s every bit as good as it sounds.

It’s fun, steamy, and filled with the kind of chemistry that’ll have you kicking your feet and fanning yourself—especially when you hit that scene. #iykyk

Settle created such a magical world, and I’m completely obsessed with it. Can’t wait to see what comes next.
Profile Image for C A Renee.
195 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2025
Stole my heart

Two lovers and I'm here for it!!! A guard on each arm. This book was super sweet, but HOT!!! And the plot itself was fun to read. I love tension you can cut with a knife. And these three had my heart from the beginning. And I'm totally calling my loved ones PIMA !!! lol.
Another great read from this author!!!
Profile Image for Jilly.
87 reviews
April 3, 2025
Fated mates monster romance with a vampire fmc, sphynix fmc, and gargoyle mmc.
Layla, Vara and Thorne have amazing chemistry and absolutely love them together. They have sweetest moments together when they get to know each other, not to mention the spicy moment as well. Such a fun read and absolutely recommend it.
Profile Image for Beth.
224 reviews2 followers
April 7, 2025
This book has it all! Wings, fangs, (vibrating!!) tails, claws, why choose, fated mates, the list goes on!! It’s nice to see returning side characters that now have their time in the spotlight. You will have a fun and sexy time reading this!!

I received an early copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Angela L.
236 reviews13 followers
April 7, 2025
This was my second book by this author, and I love them so much! There were so many loveable characters. Vampire, gargoyle, and a sphinx. I mean, what's not to love there. And the spice was 🔥🔥. I definitely need to go back and read the first in this series even though it's a standalone because I don't wanna miss any parts or characters.
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