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Lupine Bay #1

Heaven Sent

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I'm a perfectly normal twenty-one year old, ask anyone! I spend my days working, chasing my little brother, and hanging with my best friend, Rue. Nothing ever happens in our little town, and that's the way I like it. Which is why I do my best to ignore the mysterious new regular at the bar -- Rue thinks I should take him for a ride, but I'm not so sure I'd survive.

They think I'm not payin' attention, but I always am. Always waiting for an attack. Fae don't get to be my age without being paranoid, grizzled bastards. Plenty of people have tried to kill me -- not an insignificant number of them from Heaven.

His friend is gorgeous too, but so sophisticated -- I doubt I've got a chance in hell with him.

"What about the girl?" I ask, eyes traveling back to Ava, admiring the stubborn slant of her brow. She's the kind of feisty woman that's hard to crack, but so satisfying when they finally submit.

Of course, I could always team up with the IRS agent who's investigating them. I don't want to snitch on my customers, but how can I turn away a man that looks that good in a suit?

The story never changes. Humans are always reactive, barbaric, requiring far too much care and finesse for my liking. Luckily, there is another part of humans that never changes -- respect for authority.

Did the door just slam? Crap. I may as well admit it -- I've got the hots for FOUR different men!

I should've had the sense to walk into this place quietly, to take stock of things before making my presence known. If I'd walked in quietly, I could've backed out just as quiet, no one the wiser.

The shops are charming, the residents are gorgeous, and the beer is hot cold. Welcome to Lupine Bay -- a beach town so enthralling you'll just have to stay!

Author's Note: This is a light-hearted, medium-burn, "why choose" novel. It contains sex, magic, profanity, humor, arrogant men, blasphemy, and a bird with teeth. Intended for audiences eighteen years and older.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2018

156 people are currently reading
102 people want to read

About the author

Maribel Fox

4 books8 followers
Maribel Fox is the brainchild of a two-woman writing team from Southeastern Washington. After meeting via the publishing industry and eventually becoming roommates, they realized how complimentary their strengths were and lo this project was born.

Lupine Bay is inspired by those "small town" romance series that make the town as much of a character as the protagonists. Even if a 'Lupine Bay' book doesn't have a direct sequel, its characters are sure to keep popping up. The town is meant to be a faerie-tale-esque escape that is guaranteed to lighten your spirits!

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5 stars
69 (37%)
4 stars
63 (33%)
3 stars
41 (22%)
2 stars
11 (5%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Britt B.
408 reviews
January 6, 2019
Ssssooooo Slow

This story was so slow to get into. It took me forever to just get a feel for it.
Ava, the FMC, following he mother's death is a small town B&B owner and guardian of her younger brother Ian. Unexpected and overly handsome guests begin to pop up in her area and request a room to stay. Twist: they are supernatural, a Clurichan (treasure hunting leprechaun lol-king size), a Devil, an Angel and a "fallen" Angel. Oh and twist number 2: she finds out that she is a Faerie Queen- able to start a court and open the doors to create her own domain. Sound cool. But yep not successful. She basically finds out from her good friend, oh a vamp, that yep this is what you are. Oh and the guys are this. It wasn't even hidden, they didn't pretend to be human at all. The events were so mundane. This day we did this. Jump into the next day we did this. I also couldn't understand her level of attraction to anybody beyond Seamus, Bali Raj and maybe Kushiel. They barely had interactions that we as read got to see. Micah barely spoke but Ava was "drawn" to him. She barely knew Kush before balling her eyes out when he got hurt. She also sucks as a guardian, how did you NOT know that your 7 year old brother is handing out with Micah learning self defense moves or girl talk with Raj? I mean what are you doing?
It was slow bringing you into her life and the characters, which normally is okay- then jumped to the action (underwhelming and over the top) like a short story. It felt rushed at the parts that should have been good. Oh you are all drawn to this location, the Angels and Devils want to know what is going on with no reason given. Just too much and too little at the same time.
Profile Image for Rambling Reader.
466 reviews76 followers
November 9, 2018
Faeries, devils, angels, fallen, and more. At first this sounds like it would turn out to be some kind of hot mess, but Fox seamlessly fits all of these characters together in a way that not only makes them fit, but makes them fit WELL.

The world-building is enough for a series starter with a lot of room to grow/develop as the MC learns more about the paranormal realms and species that are out there. I like that there's an established relationship between Heaven, Hell, and the Fae kingdoms; it's a neat way to blend so many different groups together and make a realistic way for the characters to find themselves all interacting with one another.

We learn what we need in order for the events of book one to make sense, but it's clear that we (and Ava) are going to need to learn a lot more as the series continues.

Fox does something a little different from many of the MCs I've met over the last few months in the RH universe. Ava is the sole caretaker for her younger brother adds another layer of dynamics to the whole harem relationship. The men need to connect with not only Ava but with her brother too because they're family. I think this is done in a very adorable way; we get to see little snippets of the men trying to bond with him and take on a role model/big brother/not quite dad role, and the results are hilarious.

I like that we're seeing an MC who needs to worry about someone else. I'm really looking forward to seeing more about how their little family continues to develop.

Ava is very likable; she's a bit sassy, a bit awkward, and she tries hard to be a good sister. She might not always succeed once things start getting crazy, but there's a believable relationship between the characters that's endearing.

The men are an odd bunch: a rare fae, a devil, an angel, and a fallen. Their personalities range from flirty jokester to pot-head surfer dude. I think that book one really gives Seamus the chance to shine the most, and I found him the easiest to connect to. I was surprised how much I wound up rooting for Micah by the end; there winds up being something very endearing about his stickler attitude and the way he's just so unfamiliar with bending or even breaking the rules. He kind of snuck up on me, and I think he's one of the guys who has a lot of room to grow/develop into something more.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Heaven Sent. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but I didn't know that I'd want to read more. There are some moments that will make you laugh out loud, shake your head in frustration, and definitely ones that will make you smile. I got a little bit of everything I wanted in this book, and I'll definitely be looking out for the next one.
556 reviews12 followers
November 30, 2018
This was very good and my introduction to Ms. Fox's creative world. I really liked the feelings and emotions conveyed and the sense of realism to the characters involved. Kushiel had his wings clipped by his cruel Commander of Heaven's military force, his partner believes him dead and when given this latest mission to discover why the Irish treasure hunter has stayed so long in Lupine Bay, then there is Raj a devil also sent to discover why the treasure hunter is in Lupine Bay. Then we have Kushiel's partner who believes the treasure hunter had something to do with Kushiel's supposed death. We have the adorable seven year old Ian, who's sister took on the role of guardian at her Mom's death she also inherited a B&B and The Shamrock bar. We have Alistair a vampire who has acted as mentor and friend to Ava as she struggles to fill her role as guardian and proprietor of Brigid's B&B. Rue Ava's trusted bestie.

Okay that is all the details I will share just know that for me this is an unusual approach to relating a story line involving all the key players and their individual quirks I read a complimentary copy and in no way was I compensated for this honest review.
Profile Image for Cee.
3,251 reviews163 followers
February 2, 2019
So, a month later I can't remember my feelings regarding this one. I remember liking some of the fantasy aspect but wishing it was more explained.... liked some of the characters, and still chuckle once in awhile over Kushiel's name hehe, Kush, the ex-angel California surfer who smokes. Love.

I ended it on the fence about reading the next one. I think I will just so I can get a more firm stance.
Profile Image for Mandy.
312 reviews
December 1, 2018
A Fae, a Devil and 2 Angels walk into a bar, what else would you have but a harem of men for Ava of course.

Ava is struggling with the way her life turned upside down after her mother died when she was 18 years old and suddenly became the parent to her younger brother Ian. The B&B and bar she runs is becoming run down and without any new customers, things are not looking good. Enter Seamus, mystery man number 1 - he is Irish, good looking, drinks beer like water, can make a sword magically appear and the first to decide to become a guest at the B&B. Three more strangers soon appear - Raj the mysterious, dark smooth talker, Micah the handsome rule follower and finally Kushiel, the free loving surfer. All the men end up living at the B&B and start to stir something inside Ava that has being ignored.

Enemies are friends and friends enemies. There is betrayal, love and lust and Ava learns that magic is real and a queen exists. Throw in a dose of humor (especially from Ian) and this book makes for good reading.

The only criticism I would have is that in the beginning of the book, it jumps from Seamus being a stranger and his his first day there, to 2 months later within the same chapter and I had to do a double take to make sure I was still reading about the same person. After that it is smooth reading. I also would have enjoyed a bit more steamy scenes but that did not take away from me enjoying this book as a whole.

Written from a multiple pov, a reverse harem and can be read as a standalone. My rating would be a 3.5 -- 4 stars
19 reviews
November 12, 2018
This was a really great debut story! After the loss of her mother some years ago, Ava has been raising her little brother while trying to keep her family’s B&B afloat in her sleepy hometown of Lupine Bay, Oregon. When four gorgeous strangers come to town, Ava is forced to confront the magic she has repressed within herself as worlds collide.

I liked the setting and each of the characters in this book. I especially loved Ava’s little brother Ian, and how the guys interact with him. I liked Ava too, though at times I wanted to shake her out of her own denial. But she’s a balanced character- sweet, smart, and sexy, but also has her flaws, her ungracious moments, and her insecurities. I really, really want to see her magic develop in any hopefully upcoming sequels! I feel like her magic will be awesome when she’s had time to train and grow into it. The guys are all great, each in their own way, but Seamus was definitely my favorite.

The writing is smooth, the story engaging-- I look forward to whatever comes next from this author.
Profile Image for Ciru.
1,724 reviews
February 9, 2020
Finally finished this book.

Heaven Sent started off strong but towards the end it was a ddddddrrrrrrraaaaaaggggg.

Issue number one, creating a conflict from a non-conflicting issue. Instead of Ava embracing her powers or at least figuring out what she can do, she hems and haws, then finally when shit is at the door, she learns how to somewhat control them in a few hours.

Then we have Seamus. His accent kept on changing, from stereotypical Irish brogue to a more modern, American accent.

Then we have Raj, described by the kohl of his eyes. That description annoyed me.

We have dude, bro Kush. His talking style was very irritating.

Then we have controlled Micah. He and Seamus were the most likable of the bunch.

Then we have Rue and her secret that we still don't really know about.

And we have Ian. I wanted to see him discover and grow into his powers.

All in all, it was an okay read, probably won't be the last book in the series that I am reading, just wish it had been more of a stronger start to the series.
49 reviews
November 20, 2018
I need more Lupine Bay!!!

I loved this book!! But, I loved even more that it left me with so much excited anticipation for what's to come for the residents of Lupine Bay!! I absolutely cannot wait to see more! This was a lovely introduction to an exciting new world filled with my all time favorite (the Fae of course!) and plenty more fantastical creatures. With a plot filled with everything! I mean everything. Edge-of-your-seat-suspense, lots o' love, really really great steam, humor of all kinds, deep grief and self-loathing, pride, victory, loss...I could go on. You're gonna feel it all in this one. And love it. Best of all, I got a serious bookhigh instead of a book hangover (you know, when the ending just leaves you buzzing instead of reeling?) and I'll be giddily awaiting book two! 👏
Profile Image for Chantal.
31 reviews6 followers
November 18, 2018
Not what I was expecting but oh wow.

I love this story. I love Ava’s character and personality. She has a tough job and she has been through tragedy but comes out fighting, scared and sarcastic but still fighting. I have every faith in her range of partners and the love they all share for her moved me several times throughout reading. I love Ian’s character, there’s definitely more to the spunky 7 year old than meets the eye. I can’t wait to see what happens and how these characters develop and and grow. The author has done a great job building this little town of Lupine Bay and I can’t wait for my next visit!
Profile Image for Jenn.
1,463 reviews26 followers
December 8, 2018
Love This One

What I liked most about this one was the balance, Fox maintains a wonderful balance between compelling plot and love story, between emotional development and spicy sex scenes. I do wish some of the stuff hadn't happened off page, but I'm overall pleased with entire story. I honestly hope this is but the beginning, while this is a fully contained story, I want to know more about Heaven and Hell, I want to know the mystery of Lili and Rue and the new arrivals in town. I kind of feel like there should be more to being a queen than having a harem and I'd like to know what that is. It was a great story, but I still want more.
117 reviews4 followers
January 14, 2019
Ava and co

Ava, guardian of her young brother and owner of a local B&B, has more worries than money. After a strange Irishman shows up one day, her world changes in more ways than she can imagine.
This book starts off the Lupine Bay series. Lupine Bay is a small town and is pretty typical of one. Well, until the men start to show up. The world building is pretty neat. Unusual flora and fauna show up. Each character has their own rules based on their species. It's all pretty clear.
The characters themselves are fun. They all have different personalities. The editing was well done. I noticed no errors.
I would recommend this book. I'm off to read book 2.
402 reviews29 followers
Read
February 13, 2019
At first, I liked how it goes. Slow and easy. I mean, with that much pages, I guess it would be a slow-burn and obviously I'm geared for that. What I wasn't geared for was the realization in the end that there's too little plot development there was in the read...maybe there wasn't even a story yet. The supposed to be conflict fell flat, pushed under the metaphoric rug, as if the heroine's fae powers should have explained everything. Convenient. I also realized that by the time I finished the read, I still have to connect to the characters. Which baffled me to frustration. The rating "It was ok." was really fitting for this one I guess
Profile Image for Raina.
4,202 reviews34 followers
November 19, 2018
A young woman just trying to keep her B&B a float while taking care of her little brother. One day a handsome man arrives. Definitely an odd one but when more men arrive later on things really start to change. A story that has angels, a devil, a fallen angel and fae. Things do heat up quite a bit between her and each of the four handsome and possibly deadly males. And don’t forget all the magic when heaven’s angels aren’t always the protectors. Would love to read more from the small town of Lupine Bay.
Profile Image for Danielle Grimes-Oliveira.
530 reviews13 followers
November 6, 2018
Loved

This is the first book I've read from this author and I loved it. This book at times had me laughing. It was interesting seeing how much Ava changed from the beginning to the end. She became so much stronger. Her little brother Ian was adorable. All her guys were such a good mix. They were so different from each other. I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Profile Image for Natasja.
103 reviews4 followers
November 10, 2018
This is a great and unique story! Ava has a tragic past losing her mum and having to pick up the mantle of looking after her brother and running a B&B. Then along come four strangers that turn her life upside down. Ava learns that she is a faerie queen the rarest of fae kind and that in order to get stronger she must establish her own court. The four men that have walked into her life are all varying supernaturals themselves but each has their own troubled past.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for J.M..
975 reviews4 followers
November 10, 2018




No spoilers of any kind included.
This book was awesome and a little different than what I usually read.
But I really enjoyed reading this book.
Maribel Fox definitely knows how to weave a story that keeps your interest all throughout the book, because I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.
So yes I most definitely do recommend this book to anyone who’s searching for awesome read to get completely lost within.
Profile Image for Agata Jędrzejewska.
861 reviews3 followers
November 17, 2018
Little bit chaotic. Little holes in story (or more exactly they feel like, when they are not). Not a biggy, just needed to re-read few pages. But the plot idea is great. Characters very nice. Hunky guys - super hunky. And additionally they are not just any men.. we have devil, angel, fallen angel and a fae. Very sexy group. Mix in it some powers, lots of secrets, revelations, old deceptions and we get this great read.
87 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2019
Amazing

So this is my first read from this author , I appreciate so much the reccomendation feom the RH people on Facebook. This book has some serious hot scenes and best of all it takes place in Oregon..I may be a little over in love due to this . The story line is awesome and I love how there is more than one mythical creature within it, and that heaven isnt always right or good . I would definitely continue the series .
Profile Image for Chelsey.
767 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2019
Fun, light read

This was a fun, light read. At times the humor felt a bit forced and I didn't care for Ava very much, but I still kept going to the end. The guys were interesting but I never really connected with any of them. There were large sections of text that revolved around Ava doubting herself and denying everything. It got old. But the sex scenes were pretty hot and I adored her little brother. I'll be sure to check out the next book.
Profile Image for Leni.
11 reviews7 followers
November 8, 2018
Great read!

I really loved this book! So much humour and great characters! I love the character interactions and there is so much depth to each character’s personal history. I really enjoyed getting to know each one and seeing how they interact with Ian too! *insert heart eyes* Last but not least - I gotta love a kick butt heroine! So awesome!
Profile Image for Tera Comer.
2,136 reviews48 followers
November 12, 2018
This is the first book from this author that I have read and I am so glad I found a way to read an ARC of this book. Faeries, angels, devils and more. The characters and world building were great together and had me pulled into the story from beginning to end. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
29 reviews
November 13, 2018
A healthy dose of fantasy, story building and some sweet RH

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect from this book, but am very glad I picked it up and read until the end. Each character was well developed, the story line creative and easily followed and just the right amount of steamy and sweet to keep it interesting.

Pick this one, cuddle up on the couch and prepare to be wowed.
1,016 reviews
November 19, 2018
Lupine Bay is an interesting place to be. Ava has no idea she is more than just a big sister taking care of her brother since her parents died. Suddenly four men come in to town and everything changes. I enjoyed this story. There are fae, angels, demons. A little bit of everything. The story is good and kept you wanting to read.
Profile Image for 4foxsake.
892 reviews14 followers
November 25, 2018
Good story

A fae, devil, angel and fallen angel walk into a bar. And the proprietress, her little brother and best friend world gets turned upside down. Ava’s once quiet life is now full of faerie queens, angel armies and a strange attraction to the 4 strange men that showed up on her doorstep. Good read, and will probably read the next in the series when it comes
Out.
Profile Image for Holly Bargo.
Author 42 books145 followers
December 27, 2018
What fun!

I really enjoyed this story and the emphasis on the story, rather than the bedroom activities. When the sexy scenes do come (no pun intended), they fit and don't feel gratuitous. This would have been a 5-star read, except for the lack of proofreading. Very remiss of the author.
55 reviews
June 28, 2019
Heroine was juvenile

I had my reservations about this one from the beginning but I read it all the way through. The h was just ridiculous though. Her attitude was more along the lines of a spoiled immature 14 yr old. I can handle it some what in the beginning of a book but she managed to behave like a toddler to almost the very end.
Profile Image for Peggy Darrow.
526 reviews6 followers
November 12, 2018
Really good

So I checked out the blurb and thought "sure why not?" OMFG this book was hot, intense, and totally worth it. You need to pick this book up if I like reverse harem with a twist ! Can't wait for more
Profile Image for Angela.
49 reviews
November 17, 2018
This was a fantastic read! I loved the characters and the storyline. The funny moments woven into the heavy plot made it all the more better. All the guys are delicious, but Seamus is my favorite with Kush being a close second. I'm so looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book!
241 reviews31 followers
November 24, 2018
Wow!

So I am usually pretty leery of fae and court books. I feel like they get overdone and redone over and over. However, after I got started in this book, with forces of heaven and the land of hades and fae and humanity... I changed my mind. Awesome book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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