emmelnie 's review for:

Knot the One They Want by Harper Lennox

5.0

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Knot the One They Want does a great job with the “rejected mate” trope. That’s a tricky trope to use because readers have to believe in the rejection but not hate the rejecting character so much that they don’t believe in the redemption. But Harper Lennox pulls it off admirably here.

 

What makes this work is a clever concept: The Blackwood pack already had an omega who rejected them, and they bear some pretty large scars and sensitivities from that. Evie has been searching for the perfect pack, so much so that she’s beginning to be seen as a problematic omega. So when her family pushes her to join this on-paper outstanding pack, she doesn’t realize what she’s getting into.

 

What made this book work for me is that almost immediately some members of the pack regret the decision to only partially mate with Evie. That really helped the story move forward, as the four members of the Blackwood depict the gamut of reactions to Evie, from instant regret to adamant hatred. The story hinges on the evolution of all five members of this pack, and Lennox depicts this beautifully. 

 

I did wonder about how rejecting a mate worked, particularly if those involved had already fully bonded. It seemed awfully easy to dismiss and override an existing mating (which made me wonder if it could be done forcibly). I hope Lennox explains this further in future books in this world. 

 

I picked up this book thinking I’d read a chapter or two and then take a break. And the next thing I knew, it was hours later and I was reading “the end.” When a book grabs you that tightly, you’ve got a winner on your hands.

 

This is Lennox’s first book, so I can’t wait to see what she does next!