Raw

by Kayleigh King

"An Alpha's loyalty to is pack should be second to only one. His mate."

NOA
Blood stains the walls of my sanctuary, and nothing feels safe anymore. The enemy finally has a face, but every truth uncovered leaves me with more questions.
While danger closes in, I’m rotting from the inside. Dying from my mate’s rejection.
Rennick swears he’ll fix what he broke. But how do I trust the Alpha who already shattered my heart?

RENNICK
I was made to protect her, but I was the one who ruined her. Now I’ll burn every alliance and sacrifice everything to mend what I destroyed.
Noa’s trust doesn’t come easily, not when her heart still carries the scars of my betrayal.
But time is running out. Her body is failing. Our people are being hunted. And the bond I fractured is the only thing strong enough to hold her here.

What to Expect:
-Rejected Fated Mate/Scent Match
-Second Chance/Grovel
-First Heat & Nest
-Protective Alpha
-Rejected Mate Syndrome
-Unique Magic System
-Angst/You Might Cry a Little

NOTE: RAW is not a standalone. It is book two in Rennick and Noa’s duet and must be read afterPRIMAL for the story to be fully understood. This is a slow-burn, second-chance romance where the MMC must fight for his mate’s forgiveness. Their HEA does not come easily, but it is guaranteed.
*All TW/CW will be available on the author's website.

Genres: Omegaverse, Second Chance Romance, Paranormal

700 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2026

About the author

USA Today Bestselling author Kayleigh King is a writer of contemporary and paranormal romance. She creates love stories that will stick with you, almost like they’re haunting you.

She’s a Diet Coke and cold brew addict, sharing music is her love language, and she seriously lacks a filter. Anything she thinks, she usually says. And if she doesn’t say it, her facial expressions will say it for her. Currently residing in Denver Colorado, you’ll never find her on a snowboard since she avoids the snow like the plague.

Want to chat about books, music, or life in general? Make sure you join her Facebook reader group and follow her on Instagram. Her DMs are always open to her readers.

Reviews

[Ceacea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic levels of groveling!!!

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Wolf Shifters)
⭐️ 4.5/5 (Needs another round of editing)
🌶 2.5/5
🧠 5/10
Cliffhanger Pain: 1/10 (Setup for future books)
Noteworthy: Book 2 of a completed duology (more books planned in the series featuring other characters). Dual first-person POV. Content warnings provided. Available on KU.

I really liked book 1 but it felt like a setup book to me since there wasn't much action or advancing of the overall plot. I expected that to be rectified in book 2 and I was not disappointed. This series as a whole is one of the best wolf shifter/rejected mates stories I've read. Despite coming in at nearly 750 pages, it felt like a quick read. This series contains levels of angst rarely seen these days. So much pain and torment. Check the triggers because they are very relevant.

I enjoyed not only the character arcs for the two mains but also the side characters. I found myself wishing for available books for several while I was reading. Cannen, Saren, and Rook (with Siggy???). Fingers crossed for that last one! We could stay in this world that Kayleigh has created for a good long while I think with all the available options.

So if you are a fan of emotional damage, found family, deep overarching plot lines, or fast paced action that pairs nicely with a character driven story, just download this now on your Kindle.

[Cheyyleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers.


I am unsure why this duet was as long as it was, and the rejection and the aftermath taking almost 2 books to deal with was just overkill.

Want to know the biggest bad guy in this book? Noa. Her mother puts all this in motion and instead of being any sort of intelligent she forces her friends and loved ones watch her waste away and die rather than just bonding. She even goes as far as say yeah we can just wait until I go into heat. She had decided to bond to save her life eventually but selfishly forces everyone to deal with her illness for what? Honestly the worst.

She also doesn't seem to grasp that Ren is also a victim here. She saw the memories where he clearly is torn away from her and lost his memories and she still stays stead fast on the self pity train of death. It was tedious. For half of this duet we just deal with the bullshit and honestly the pay off was not good enough.

The plot was interesting enough, it's not reinventing the wheel and has been done but it's not awful but this duet somehow DRAGS itself out and accomplished what millions of similar books accomplish with half the pages. I can't say anything was gained from the length of this duet. I feel just as connected to characters, I feel like I know the plot just as well, I think truthfully all we get in that added time is pity party time.

overall, I read this because I didn't want another dnf, but I was not into it.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a way, it was sort of cheesy. The 1st book is all about the H rejecting the h. This second book is about the H rejecting his fiancée (not the h) and accepting the h as his mate lol also this book is 700 pages long. Very unnecessary. A lot of inner monologue.

[Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely could have used another pass with an editor to clean up the typos, but overall - this was a great conclusion to Noa and Ren’s story.

I was quite intimidated at first by the size of this beast - and then proceeded to inhale all 750 pages in less than 48 hours - it had my attention!

A few parts felt like they were dragging a bit, but at the same time I appreciated seeing some of those quieter moments, especially when Rennick was still grovelling to prove himself to Noa.

No spoilers - but a few parts had me close to tears.

I’m excited to see where Kayleigh King takes this universe - there are so many side characters I’d love to learn more about! And there are still so many unanswered questions (and some baddies still breathing…)

Bonus points for the pack name of Fallamhain, which is the Irish origin of my first name 🫶🏻

[Amy Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - ugh I don't mean to be dramatic but come on.....

Here's what did me in: "A son's father? Does she mean my dad?"

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK… let’s see if I can string my thoughts together in a coherent way because this book absolutely wore me out.

Book 1 was around 300 pages and focused mostly on our MCs, with just enough plot to keep things moving. This one? 700+ pages and everything all at once.

And honestly… less would’ve been more.
I get that the author had a lot she wanted to cover, but it ended up feeling bulky and overdone. There were multiple moments where something big was clearly being built up, the chapter would end, and then—boom—it’s suddenly days later and we get a quick recap instead of actually experiencing the scene. That drove me a little nuts. This really should have been a trilogy so everything could’ve been fleshed out the way it deserved.

But the thing that really turned me off? That death at the end.

So many people in this book could’ve died, and that was the choice? It felt random, convenient, and very much designed to manufacture emotions. I’m probably going to hold a grudge about it, not gonna lie.

That said—our two MCs? No complaints there. Their story is officially complete, and they’re honestly the only reason I pushed through all 700+ pages. I loved them.

The overarching plot will continue in the series, but whether I keep going is going to depend heavily on who the next book focuses on… and how many pages it is. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[alba ʚïɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this one a little bit less than the first one.

it was still very angsty because of the rejected mate syndrome and rennick trying to get noa back. i liked that it took 50% of the book and a grand gesture for noa to fully trust rennick, it felt very natural considering what he put her through. they were very cute as a couple but once they got together and the angst disappeared they lost me a bit.

i thought the book was too long even if the pacing was pretty good. things happened at the perfect moment timeline wise but everything developing slowly made the book feel low stakes even if it wasn’t. it took the characters a while to find out some important stuff such as: who was taking the omegas, why did noa’s mom bind her wolf and memories, what was going on with the mcnamara pack, etc. they were working on these things but because the book was 700 pages long it wasn’t as really action packed.

my favorite thing of the book and the series is the bond between the omegas. especially how protective noa was of each of them and them of her. the relationship between noa, siggy and seren was soooo endearing and i hope we get juno added to the mix in future books.

[St3ph1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Primal cracked my chest open, Raw reached inside and tore my heart apart in the most devastatingly beautiful way.
This book is everything I wanted and everything I didn't know I needed. After the way Primal ended, all I wanted was for Rennick to suffer a little—to earn Noa, to bleed for her love, to prove he was worthy of the woman who quite literally owns his soul. And Kayleigh King delivers that in a way that is raw, unapologetic, and emotionally consuming. Rennick doesn't just grovel—he unravels, and watching him fight for redemption is both painful and addictive.

Raw takes you on an emotional rollercoaster that doesn't slow down. It soothes you with tenderness and hope, makes you feel safe for just a moment... and then cruelly rips the ground out from beneath you. Every chapter felt like survival—piecing broken hearts back together one fragile moment at a time.
This story is about heartbreak and healing, love and forgiveness, friendship and sacrifice. It's about becoming whole again after being shattered.

Kayleigh managed to write a rejected mates novel that didn't want me to drop kick the MMC because yes, he made the biggest mistake of his life in Book 1. But you really come to understand that it was a sacrifice on his part too because all he wanted to do was do right his pack. But then, he quickly realises that an alpha's loyalty to his pack should be second to only one - his mate.

"I was put on this earth to stand between you and anything that would dare harm you. That's my purpose. And I'll spend the rest of my life proving that to you. It'll take time. I know that. But I won't give up."

Rennick knows that there's a lot he needs to make up for. And boy, does he work for it!

This book was so heartbreaking! It wasn't just the mending of Rennick's and Noa's relationship ship; the grovelling he needed to do. Though, it WAS what I was looking forward to. But it was also how emotional it got every time a trafficked omega was rescued. My heart broke especially for the omega caged in a dog crate because it was too feral. The poor omega shifted into its wolf form and is stuck like that; for who knows how long, as a protective measure to deal with the trauma 💔💔💔. This book really tugged on my emotions! This she-wolf, Juno, was so feral and beyond saving, I found myself rooting for her. And Noa was the same. This is what she lives for. Saving trafficked omegas. Her endless patience and devotion just shows how beautiful and kind she is. How she can still stand there and pour herself to help others despite how broken she is herself from Rennick's rejection just shows how strong she is. And Rennick sees that; sees how stupid he was to break his "sweet Noa."

Ren... the way this man is unwavering for Noa. When he finally pulls his head out of his butt, this man KNOWS how to grovel! He is so gone for her! 😍
"I know what I did. I know how deep the wound goes, how much of you I broke when I should've protected you. I don't deserve your forgiveness or your trust, but I'm here on my knees, sweet Noa, begging you to believe in me anyway."

Raw was an emotional ride and I enjoyed every second of it! Not just the romance but the fight to protect their pack and the omegas as well.

[Amber Carpenter]

I am finding it a bit difficult to review this book,and it’s taken me two days to collect my thoughts.
I hesitate to write something unnecessarily negative,but I like hearing reader’s thoughts when choosing my own books,so I won’t mince words,but this isn’t meant to be super critical/toxic.

That being said,this particular duet clocked in at just over 1100 pages…and it could’ve easily been 700 pages shorter. No exaggeration. It was INCREDIBLY long-winded,and felt like a chore to read after the initial high of the beginning of its first book.

It’s not as if there was zero plot,but there was very little character development,and WAY too much repetition and inner monologue scenes that did nothing to further the story. I’d label it predictable,for the most part.

My biggest takeaway:

Rennick is very much a victim of his circumstances,and yet,we see Noa further victimizing/traumatizing both him, and their friends by her refusal to accept the bond and, to put it very simply,not die.

I found her character VERY hard to like and sympathize with,so being in her head was difficult,especially with a book of this length. I didn’t find her stubbornness and need for control, (at the expense of her mate and pack’s emotions) at all endearing,and it was an unnecessary distraction and plot point. This goes on ad nauseam to the point where,to be frank,I no longer cared. I wasn’t invested.

At 55% nothing at all has occurred to move the story along,and my refusal to DNF is the only reason why I pushed onward.

My one sticking point is that,as far as rejected mates stories go,I felt it was a misleading statement and inaccurate description of this book, in many ways.
I’d say it’s shifter-adjacent and more of a romantic suspense.

I won’t be giving a star rating,but I’ll be hesitant to read omegaverse stories of this length and with so little “meat” or substance in future.

[Ashley Abboud · Rating 1 out of 5]

The FMC has become insufferable. What do you mean that she knows she dying, her only cure is his claiming bite. And for 56% of this fucking book he’s shown you he’s sorry. You have a multi page sex scene where you find out you both waited to have sex with each other, i.e you’re both virgins and after that you STILL aren’t ready for him to cure you? GTFO. And this book is over 700 pages, no thank you ma’am.

Other points: she said she had to hold off on the publishing for editing. I can’t imagine how many edits were needed to hold off publishing since this published version has so many glaring errors.

First one was so good, so disappointed in this.

[erin | sinfulshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

in depth review coming soon 🤭

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly spoiler free review.

This book followed very closely to the first book in terms of inner monologue, descriptive writing, and slower pace. Personally, these were all things i enjoyed. It allowed me to really connect with the characters on a much deeper level and really understand them and where they were coming from.

With that said, i do feel like a bunch could have been cut from this book. There were alot of instances where the inner monologue would basically repeat what was said chapters before. Im not sure if this was done on purpose or the author felt it was better placed elsewhere and forgot to delete it from its previous location. The book could have gone through another round of editing as well. There were a good amount of mistakes like words being swapped (a few examples: owned instead of owed, that instead of than, whose instead or worse). It was small but threw me out of the story since i had to back track to figure out the right word and reread it. There were a few times a sentence was rewritten but the old one was still there as well. All small things in the grand scheme of things, but still annoying after you encounter it enough.

Now, for the story itself. I still adore Ren. Hes still trying to prove how sorry he is, right the wrongs he's discovered, help omegas, and live up to the alpha everyone expects him to be. That man had so much on his plate but never broke. Had more patience than anyone i know, and so much love it was overflowing. Noa on the other hand... i went from loving her to kinda hating her for a bit. She went from protective of her heart and being careful, to becoming plain stubborn to the detriment of everyone around her, including herself. She knew what she had to do, mentally accepted it, yet pushed it off and continued to wither away and scare everyone. She basically became a martyr. She acknowledges this briefly but it was mostly glossed over.

The spicy scenes, FINALLY the tension breaks. I loved how awkward it was. They weren't perfect and experts the very first time. Love this, its so refreshing and real. The shock of each finding out the other was a virgin was also endearing. What i didnt really like? Pretty much every scene was from Rens POV. Although i love a dual POV when it comes to spicy scenes, i didnt get that. This book focuses so much on being in the characters head that i really wanted to be in Noas. I wanted to read about what she thought about Ren, wanting his bite, riding out her heat spikes, all of it. Unfortunately i didn't get any of it. I loved reading about how caring Ren was but i wanted noa too. Speaking of her heat spikes... her heat is a major thing. Like MAJOR plot line. But we never get it. Its skipped completely. I dont want a bonus chapter months after this was released. I want it in the book since it was such a major part of the story.

A few other minor things. Its said fated mates are super rare and rejected mates are basically unheard of. Yet we have three rejected ones in one book. I get that theyre all omegas and "hurt", it will further the story later and all that, but then why say rejections soooo rare? It took away from the special-ness of Noas situation.

The time jumps. I would have gladly lost some monologues if it were replaced with conversation after major events. We have a few huge things happen and once its settled, boom. Time jump. Its alluded that they spoke about it, but we aren't there for it. All major plot points too. I love the inner monologue but the actual conversation would have been preferable in these cases.

Lastly, that death at the end. I am so upset about it. I loved them so much. I hated reading it, but held out hope that it was meaningful. I mean the death lead to a major magical event and would impact so many people. But immediately after everything is over, boom they basically seem forgotten. Mentioned briefly but thats it. The mate? Gone and noone is helping them. The final dying message? Never passed along. We should have had at least a full chapter on what happened directly afterwards. The breakdowns, the consoling eachother. The shock, disbelief, sorrow. Instead it jumps to days later and all is "well". It seemed like it was added for shock value and nothing else. I am holding out hope that it was added in preparation of future spin off books and it wasnt shock value.

Overall, i loved this book just as much as the first. It was my first time reading anything from this author, and they have made a loyal fan out of me.

[BiblioDarling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Mentions of Sex Slavery
🚩Mentions of Sexual Assault
🚩Mentions of Kidnapping
🚩Mentions of Drugging
🚩Human Trafficking
🚩Death of a Parent
🚩Terminal Illness
🚩Violence
🚩Mental Health/Depression

Tropes:
💕Part of a Series (Must Be Read in Order)
💕Rejected Mate
💕Paranormal Romance
💕MF Romance
💕Grovel to HEA
💕Shifter Romance
💕OW Drama
💕Alpha Female
💕Political Alliances

Spice Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
THIS IS BOOK 2 IN THE SERIES. YOU MUST READ THE FIRST BOOK "PRIMAL" PRIOR TO READING THIS BOOK.

Quote:
"He promised you this morning that he wasn't giving you up, that he was going to fight for you..."

Summary:
This book jumps off right from the end of the first book, Primal. There is no soft launch. If you have not read Primal you will find yourself confused.

FMC and MMC have started to interact after all the events in the first book. This book starts out with the FMC and her community being attacked. The losses hurt, however, in this the MMC realizes that he can hear the FMC. He can feel when she is in need of his help. Due to this attack the FMC and her community return to her original pack. The MMC is still the Alpha, and she is known as the mate he rejected.

The MMC is working to get out of the political engagement he had previously agreed to. This leads to many secrets being revealed. Why did the FMCs mother make them leave the pack? What did the FMCs mother do to both the FMCs and the MMCs memories? Who is behind the trafficking of omegas and betas?

When the answers come the only way to make things right is war. The book then ends setting up the next in the series. The MMCs and FMCs story is wrapped up and we are left wondering what the background story of Juno is.

Review:
I leaped for joy when this book became available. I have been waiting with bated breath for this sequel. Yes, the first book was good. But this book at twice the length of the first is great. We are given the answers to so many questions.

The background/history of the FMC and MMC is revealed. I am trying not to give spoilers, but it is something. The lengths the FMCs mother went to protect both the FMC and MMC. The comeuppance of both the OW and her father--chef's kiss.

The author kept the story going. Sometimes when there is a sequel it seems to fall short. This one does not. It keeps you engaged and gasping at the secrets that are revealed. You cheer as the FMC and MMCs bond is repaired. You stand with the FMC as she is not quick to forgive but finds herself falling for the MMC. There is a moment where you pray that it isn't over (I am really trying not to give spoilers).

You feel the hurt when two of the background characters are killed off💔. The pacing of the writing is right on target. Just enough to keep you engaged and wanting more. I loved it.

Recommended Werewolf/Shifter Romance Authors:
Lexi C Foss
Dreia Wells
Sadie Seas
Kayleigh King
Kira Nightingale

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[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been decades since I eagerly awaited the publishing of a book. If this had been traditionally published, I would have been camped out front of my local bookstore for it. Instead, I impatiently watched Instagram, my email, and Amazon for any and all updates on the release. The wait for Raw was absolutely worth it.

We start off immediately where we left off in Primal, and lord was it a start. We're thrust right into the story at a pace that felt just a little too fast to begin with. Although, nothing can be fast paced with a book that's 750 pages long. That's not a complaint because the first 250 pages absolutely flew by. I read this in a single sitting and I have nothing to complain about.

The dynamics between Noa and Rennick are strained, to put it mildly. Honestly, after all the tomfoolery that Rennick pulled throughout Primal, I was over the moon with how obstinate Noa was being. Sometimes you don't want a FMC that fights back. Sometimes you want her to just accept fate and try to die instead of asking for help. I love that toxic coping mechanism, judge me all you want. I loved the fact that Noa was prepared to die before she'd give Rennick the chance to save her before she was ready. The slow burn of it was just perfectly done.

The pacing wavers here and there with the plot. It starts off at 100 miles per hour, and then slows down once the immediate drama is dealt with. That slow down allows for actual groveling and apologizing. There's tension that's steadily built from the outside problems that have NOT been resolved. It's 750 pages, and it does feel like every single one of those pages. But personally, I wouldn't change a thing. This was exactly the book I waited months for and I am so ready for sequels in this universe. Kayleigh King is swiftly becoming an auto-read author for me.

[Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good, but not great. It dragged quite a bit in places, and I honestly had to force myself to finish it. The main reason I pushed through was because I’m interested in seeing whether the series continues with Serena’s or Siggy’s stories. At 700 pages, it felt unnecessarily long. This would have been a much stronger book at around 500 pages. There was just too much fluff.

There were also several plot holes that really bothered me. Early on, Noa seems to make the connection that Talis and the McNamaras were responsible for sending the triplets after her, but then that realization is seemingly forgotten for the rest of the book. The same issue comes up with Mercer being a double agent. It felt obvious, yet there was no real explanation for why Ren never followed through on his suspicions or pursued it further.

All of these smaller issues added up and made the story feel less cohesive overall. On top of that, there were quite a few typos, which was distracting. Maybe I’m being a bit critical given the multiple delays before release, but I still expected a more polished and tightly edited final product.

I did enjoy the book, but it wasn’t as cohesive or refined as I would expect from a professional release.

[Elsa Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapter, I knew in my bones that this story wasn’t finished telling its secrets. Every page felt heavy with unanswered questions, hidden truths, and emotional landmines just waiting to explode. The tension never let up, and just when I thought I was getting solid footing… the author pulled the rug out from under me.

And that ending?
Absolutely brutal.
Rough in the way that leaves your chest tight, your brain spinning, and your heart demanding answers immediately. There is still so much left unresolved, so many threads hanging, and so much pain, love, and chaos left to unpack. I closed the book knowing, without a doubt, that this story is far from over — and honestly, that realization both thrills and tortures me.

The writing is sharp, addictive, and emotionally charged. The pacing is relentless, the stakes are high, and every chapter pulls you deeper until you’re fully consumed. This is the kind of book that doesn’t just entertain you — it owns you.

Five stars, no hesitation. I’ll be thinking about this ending for a long time, and I will be counting down the days until I can get the rest of this story.

[Brooke Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waited a very long time for book 2 to come out! It was everything i needed.
I love the redemption Rennick did to gain Noa's trust back and saving her from the Sickness of there rejected bond. I was rooting for him to make things better and be there for his mate. I'm little sad this is the end of there story as I want to see what happens next. The author is continuing with the side characters, that so rightfully deserve there 0wn stories. I'm hoping we still get an up-close view of there relationship in the next one as the story of what's happening in the background still unfolds with the witches.
Like does Rennick and noa get pregnant as the next step as it hints to that a lot?
With all the Knotting talk about offspring!
How does it go with the refuge now that her friends Seren is taking that over?
What happens with Noa's Magic weaver abilities since theses witches are after her?
Can"t wait to see what the next book intells!

[Amy DallaCorte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as book 1 but still enjoyable. It felt like the author was trying to cram too much in and setting up future books instead of fully concentrating on plots that made sense. I thought the plot with Noa's mom was great and made sense. I wish that was the major focus along with the war with the other pack. The other witch stuff didn't make sense. I also didn't understand why the main characters would continue to not fully bond even after Ren claimed her in front of everyone. I liked his character arc. I think Noa's wasn't as exciting and she never really stepped into her role. Overall it was an enjoyable read and there are some side characters that may have interesting stories to pursue.

[romancelover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars. This was one of my most anticipated books this year. It was on my calendar lol

I gobbled this up in 2 sittings. Rennick more than grovelled and made up for his rejection in book 1. I loved Noa. This was also really well written. I loved their relationship progression and the secondary characters. I rlly rlly want Juno and Relen’s story (the single mom h’s bff).

Im only taking 1 star because after the firsf 60% I was like “ok lets move this along” lol. This was a huuuge ass book but I didnt feel the lenght for the first 60%, which speaks to how much I loved this. Other than that, up until then it was a solid 5 star read. I love omegaverse so much and the alpha/omega dynamics. I truly cant wait for more books in this series!!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written

This is the second book in a duet and follows from a cliffhanger in Primal.

It is fast paced and hard to put down but has a lovely tone that doesn’t feel rushed in any way.

It’s multi point of view and you can totally hear and feel the story along with them. The story is very emotive and I was in tears at more than one point. There is grovelling as there should be after the previous book but you can’t help that everything will go well and there is a HEA but there is also a lot of other things happening in the book than just Ren and Noa’s relationship.

I couldn’t stop reading with this one and it’s been well worth the wait

[Laini Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She fits perfectly—her calm against my unrest, mercy to my damnation.”

So…what do I do now? 🥲 This was perfect. The perfect blend of groveling, yearning, mental health rep, plot, spice. All of it.

Our girl Noa set her boundaries and stuck to them. I mean…I forgave Rennick a lot earlier but it’s cool girl lol. There was amazing character growth for both Noa & Ren.

If you thought Primal put you through the emotional ringer…you are wrong 🥲 I think I cried every other page—but that’s how you know it’s a good story.

As per usual, the side characters always do me in…and I cannot wait to see a certain characters story come next!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was long. Very long.

Her writing does make up for it though. I’ll give her that.

This was plot was heart breaking and full of angst. A touch of miscommunication trope that I understood why she made necessary (I still hate miscommunication tropes you can’t convince me otherwise)

This book actually would have been better as a quick trilogy in my mind. There’s two very big conflicts that get solved in 800 pages. And the ending left me sobbbbingggg. There is also that open door she left with Seren and I’m super curious where she’s going to take that.

Overall- solid 4 star.

[Caitlin Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

So worth the wait

I have been dying for Raw to release, and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love wolf shifter books but they are newer for me so I haven't read many but I have loved those I have read. I've always been a fan of anything Kayleigh writes and I knew the Prey Drive series would not let me down. Both are absolutely top reads that I'm pretty sure will now be comfort reads time and time again. I cannot wait for more!

[Stormey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ - This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it didn’t disappoint.

The only thing I was craving more of was an epilogue that stretched further into the future (need more, more, more) and to know what Noa’s wolf looked like (why do I picture her moonlight white).

A few grammar errors but nothing that made me reread a line or took me out of the story.

NEED the rest of the books asap. Who’s next? Seren or Juno?

[Sherry Draisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 amazing stars

There is nothing I love more than a slow burn with a heavy plot and enjoyable side characters, and this book has it! My little heart jumped for joy when hearing that this isn't the last of the world. Admittedly I waited for book 2 before starting the series and devoured both because hello rejected mates.. Ahhhhh!!! Now I will be on pins and needles waiting for the next one wondering which character is going to break my heart and be put back together again.

[Camille Arr]

Soft DNF 6% this is really a mood read and just not into it right now. The writing is good and the plot is interesting but right now this feels overtly long and very repetitive/wordy for dramatic effects, i do want to enjoy this story so i rather stop now and pick it up when the time is right it certainly isn’t right now looking something mind numbing.

[Sara Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars. This book was a little too long for a duology when the first book was wayyyy shorter. Overall I enjoyed the story, what was missing for me was the lack of interaction with the nightingales in this book. Especially with the new ones, I wanted more from Noa in her care from them, but this book really just centered around her and Renneck. The ending did have me crying...

[Nicolette Galletta-Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need moreeee

I need more! These books were soo good that I had to slow down and not finish it in a day. Emotions cut deep for all characters this book. My poor cane 😭 all sorts of broken.. the clash between ren and noa 🙈 love love love. SIGGY AND ROOK NEED TO HAPPEN… i neeed there book ASAP.. also seren and her alpha 🙈

[Aparna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Noa is soooo annoying!! You can be independent but being independent to the extent you are shoving aside logic and common sense is not acceptable. Women are nothing if not practical as they have to make a lot of tough decisions. For someone helping at risk omegas she seems highly illogical.

Also the author can be less descriptive… she goes on and on - feeling felt every second is exhausting.

[zii · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh. OHHHHHHHH. the way i DEVOURED this as soon as i got the notification it came out today. AND I FUCKING KNEW IT WASNT OVERRRRR !!! there is so much left to be answered and concluded. that ending was ROUGH.