I wasn't sure about this book as the synopsis wasn't compellingly intense, but, I decided to read Guardian's Bond anyways. And guess what...? I was not disappointed. Find new and unique authors are hard, but, finding a unique story within those unique authors, is rare. Yet, here is one. I recommend Rhenna Morgan's Guardian Bond for anyone looking for a new author with talent.

I’m on a quest to fall in love with a new shifter romance series. This one has been on my radar since the first book came out and also because I’ve been wanting to try Rhenna Morgan for years. GUARDIAN’S BOND was really easy to fall into.

The heroine, Kateri, and her brother were raised to believe they were fully human. When their parents are dead, their grandmother decides it’s time that they finally find out about their supernatural past. To get protection and rejoin the pack she brings them to the Alpha, Priest Rahandras, who immediately recognizes Kateri as his mate and their path goes from there in learning about who they are and becoming part of the pack while having the threat of Priest’s evil brother looming.

I’m not the biggest fated mates fan because usually there’s a lot of caveman behavior from the hero in saying “you’re my mate and you have to be mine and be by my side”. I was really into the way Rhenna Morgan handled that making it necessary for the male to woo his female without playing the mates card. Another thing I found fascinating was the shifter culture. To me it had some parallels with Native American culture in how the spirit animal is seen, the spirit walks, and even the role the Alpha plays in a new shifter finding their spirit animal for the first time. Also, they can be different animals. Basically the whole concept of the shifters in this series feels new and interesting to me and is the thing that will keep me reading this series. I haven’t read shifters quite like these before.

I think this is a great entry book if you are not a PNR reader, but it’s also a refreshing take on shifters if you are a seasoned PNR reader. I know I’ll be looking out for more in this series soon.

Priest Rahandras has lived with the darkness trapped inside himself for years. Betrayed by his own brother and forced to watch his clan’s brutal annihilation, the only thing Priest wants more than to escape the curse that haunts him—as both man and beast—is to rebuild. Until the mate he’s longed for walks into his life with an elder from his past. She’s everything he’s wished for, and the key to the clan’s very survival.
This was the first time I read this author. I really enjoyed this story and the introduction to her paranormal world. I really liked both Katy and Priest. I look forward to reading more from this author. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

***This review originally appeared for RT BOOK REVIEWS***

Morgan’s new series sizzles on the page with sexual tension, expertly played out. We have a shifter mythology with a bit of a Philip Pullman style flavor: when a Volán shifts, they talk about their “companion” being allowed to “walk in our world.” Hero Priest is as alpha as they come; likely no surprise to Morgan’s regular readers. Paired with a young, ingenue heroine, he skirts the border of overbearing and may cross it for some readers. However, Katy is a quick study and while she is innocent and lacks knowledge, she is curious, smart, and motivated, and quickly becomes a match for him. Fiery chemistry between the main characters, solid worldbuilding, and intriguing secondary characters make Guardian’s Bond everything you want to launch a new paranormal romance series.

SUMMARY: After 50 years and the near decimation of his clan, Priest isn’t expecting to find his mate at all. But a Volán male recognizes his fated mate instantaneously, and Priest knows the moment he sees Katy that they are meant to be together. The fact that she’s been raised outside their ways with no knowledge of her true heritage complicates things. But he’s not only Katy’s mate, he’s the protector of their clan, and when an old enemy returns, he’ll need to keep both her and the clan safe. He just never thought he’d need her help to do it.

Guardian’s Bond by Rhenna Morgan
Book #1: Ancient Ink Series
Source: Netgalley and Audible
My Rating: 4/5 stars

***MINI-REVIEW***

The Bottom Line: I am new to the audio book world, so I just assumed every book would be awesome to listen to. I was wrong! I made it more than halfway through the audio version and finally gave up. I had this title on my DNF list, but just couldn’t accept I would really dislike a book seemingly so far up my ally. I liked this book so much better as a physical read and am quite glad I listened to my instincts on this one.

By far, my favorite character is Priest with his strong will and determination to keep his people safe and once again see them thrive. Priest is an absolutely dominate personality though is never heavy-handed. Priest’s goal is two-fold: to convince Kateri she is his true mate, and to verify the continued existence of his evil brother. Kateri is an OK character until she finally pulls her head out and accepts what Priest (and everyone else!) has been telling her from the beginning. Once Kateri steps up, the story becomes even more interesting.

There is so much tension, sexual and otherwise throughout this read, which leaves the reader somewhat on edge. I found I generally liked this and am curious to see if this high level of tension is going to carry over into the next book(s) in the series. With the number of characters introduced in this first installment, Morgan is clearly intending to continue this series for some time. I find, as long as I stick with the physical reads and not the audio, I’m going to be just fine with this series continuing on 😊

I honestly don't have much to say about this book except that it was beyond confusing. From beginning to end I was confused.

Many of the words used in this story were not explained. The importance of each person and their role in the story was not well explained. The universe itself was not well explained.

Plus, the characters were so meh I barely managed to finish this book in six days. Six days is unheard of for me for one book. This story was just way too confusing for me, It made all the other aspects of the story feel bland and dull. For me, this book would be a skip and was almost a "Did Not Finish."

I very much enjoyed this book. The characters and the world created were interesting and unique. The plot was well-executed and well-paced. Well-written and definitely recommended. I look forward to the next installment of the series.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is going to be one of several review redo's for me today. Cross your fingers I don't forget all of the good stuff I wanted to share! Let's see, what all did I want to say about this brand new series. Oh yeah, yep! Sign Me up!

My love of PNR is well known by just looking at my library shelves, but this story has it all, especially Priest. Dear Lord does it ever. I know I just got a new computer for my birthday, but can I have a Priest too, please? Confident, sexy, all alpha male. The kind to drive you crazy, but in a good way.

Kateri too is an interesting character. She is strong-willed, beautiful and I wanted to hate her. I just couldn't. I mean I can, but I don't. She comes into the story not knowing the things Priest does about their history, but acclimates quickly while not losing who she is fundamentally. How many of us can claim the same?

Morgan has definitely won me over with the way she has introduced this series, this world building. I wasn't the least bit bored and stayed up late into the night because I just had to know what happened next. (Even lost files can't make me forget that!) I'm already planning my trip to B&N or my favorite box reseller to purchase the paperback version for the library!

Oh honey! I think I need a new bookshelf!

This ARC was received by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Guardian's Bond by Rhenna Morgan is the First book in the Ancient Ink series. This is the story of Eerikki 'Priest' Rahandras and Kateri Falsen.
Priest has been longing to find him mate for 77 years and thinking that he might never meet her. But when his old friend Naomi comes forward she brings her adult grandchild with her...one being Kateri. As soon as Priest lays eyes on her his cougar knows she is his and doesn't want anyone to touch her or take her from him. Kateri and her brother just lost their father and didn't really know about this mysterious world that Naomi and Priest are so familiar with...nor the powers that it brings.
Wow...this book did not disappoint with excitement and hot alpha male wanting to claim his mate but at the same time dealing with showing his true self.

Man oh man, Priest made me want to run out and get tattooed asap. Only thing was, it wouldn't have been Priest doing the tattooing, and he was the whole incentive. Bah!

The soulmates, fated to be trope is one of my favorites so this book was right up my alley. I did feel that the story glossed over some essential details. But I also know and if you've read her previous PNR series, that Rhenna Morgan tends to spring surprises on you, detail wise as her storyline develops with the release of each book in the series. So I'm not worried about feeling that the story is missing something. In fact, I look forward to the next book in the series. I have a feeling it is going to be a wilder ride than this book because the hero is much younger and doesn't have Priest's years of wisdom to handle what he's feeling and help the heroine who is virtually clueless about her heritage.

Another great book for Rhenna Morgan! I loved Guardian's Bond. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it.

This was my first book by author Rhenna Marks and I throughly enjoyed entering this new world of hers. I loved the idea of a shifter community that is more than simply shifters but also these magical beings who are connected to the earth through am otherworldly being, I think of her/him as a god like being though S/He is never called such, rather S/He is The Keeper of this communities magic and gifts. I also really enjoyed the idea that The Keeper is never one thing, person, etc. It is all dependent on the person that journeys to their 'soul quest'. I also really like the idea that this is not a given, it is not a must. You can refuse the soul walk and there are no repercussions. You'd totally be missing out (ha) but this is not about being a forced 'gift' or something that you have just because of having been born to a certain community. As Merida in Brave said

"There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it."
This fact of choosing ones fate in a Paranormal Romance gave Guardian's Bond a twist and a feel that we haven't seen before in the genre and I really appreciated the new life that it brought. Of course one thing that you can't just get rid of though is fated mates and I am so happy that is still a part of this story line.

I really enjoyed getting to know Priest and Kateri individually as well as a couple. They are both strong characters who's back and forth draws you in and keeps you hanging waiting for the moment when everything aligns and they become the mated pair they are meant to be. Kateri puts up a good fight, ha, but I really enjoyed that Priest gives her all the time she needs to acclimate to the new life she has discovered as well as what being a mate means. There is a kindness to all of his rough edges that make him so utterly likable. He is this big dark, brooding man who has been single handedly keeping his community together and thriving, he's not only become this grumpy alpha, after a fight with his very own brother who was trying to take control of the community through force after becoming jealous that The Keeper didn't give him what he believed he deserved, Priest takes on the darkness that had been surrounding his brother. It now lives within him and colors his every thought. Kateri brings a light with her that surrounds the darkness allowing Priest to feel the freedom and happiness that has eluded him for so long. I really enjoyed seeing them come together and how they change each other. I also am quite enthralled with all the secondary characters and can't wait for them to have their own stories and see how the entire series develops over time.

If you are looking for a new Paranormal Romance with a slight twist to the typical plot lines definitely give the Ancient Ink series a try. I think the you will be pleasantly surprised with everything.


~ HAPPY READING ~

Wow, quite the ride! I utterly adore the Men of Haven series, so I was delighted to see a paranormal series and Rhenna Morgan does not disappoint! Guardian's Bond is a dark, edgy, and sensual ride through a world you haven't seen before. Priest and Kathy fit each other, and I adore Priest for his strength and patience. If you like a book boyfriend with a darker edge, he is a perfect candidate;).
My only negative is that it felt a little slow at times, but quite honestly there was no way for the author to speed it up. I just wanted a little more action, but I have a feeling we will see more in future books.
Overall, a great read that leaves me hungry for more, especially with this final scene.

Wham! This novel started with a bang – lots of characters and information. I dove right on in! Morgan seamlessly worked the information regarding the Volán tribe into the novel. In stops and starts, we learn about this fantastical tribe without ever having the feeling the information is merely dumped upon the reader.

I loved Priest. Too bad you can’t order one of him from some catalogue somewhere. I’d sign right up! He was everything you expect in a book boyfriend: hot, demanding, and in control but at times sweet. I loved that he never wavered in what he wanted. He wanted his mate and he set about making that happen. Swoon! Katy was okay. I didn’t see the personality traits Priest clearly loved. I feel her character could have been better developed.

Although the romance aspect takes the forefront in the novel, there is intrigue and suspense brewing in the background. I’m hoping we get more than just glimpses and foreshadowing in the next story, because the intrigue was only beginning when this story ended.

I can’t wait for Tate’s story (which is obviously up next – yeah!).

This one didn't work for me unfortunately. The 1st few chapters were interesting, but then between 50-60% I wanted to dnf, but I ended up skimming some. After 76% nothing was really happening! This story moved so slow. While the characters where developed enough, the story as a whole, wasn't enough to keep me enticed. Some major events should have happened already by then, and they didn't.

Guardian’s Bond is the first book in Rhenna Morgan’s Ancient Ink series, and I’m excited to see where things go from here. As a lover of paranormal romance, I’m always looking for the next series I want to dive into, the next series I wish to obsessively follow, and it seems as though Ancient Ink may well be the next series to be added to my list.

I will be completely honest, it took me a couple of chapters to get into this one. I was a little bit lost by the world, unsure as to whether it was linked to another series. It quickly became clear such was not the case, however, as the air of unknown was intentional. It was a way to suck us into the book, to put us on the same footing as our leading lady. Once the explanations started to come, once the world started to open more, I found I could not put this one down.

There are so many shifter stories out there, I’ve read so many, that I often wonder whether it is possible for me to find a series where something unusual comes about. The Ancient Ink series promises that difference I always look for. In Guardian’s Bond we are introduced to a whole new shifter lore, one that provides us with something very different to the norm yet is ridiculously engaging. It is a world of shifters and magic, a modern world with a deep connection to nature. I could write masses about how much I enjoyed the way the supernatural world developed, how I enjoyed digging into something new, but I’m going to hold off on any ramble I could give. It’s better if you experience it, if you dive in and see what I mean. Just know it was a nice change, and so many possibilities have been opened for the future.

Not only was the world building wonderful, but I had a lot of fun with the characters too. It was such a fun cast, we got to meet so many people, and I’m excited to see how some of the stories play out in the future. I feel as though it was a nice change to be thrown into a series with the romance storyline being that of the most powerful person – usually we build up to this, they are a person in the background and the final romance story we are given, making it a nice change to start with the most powerful person. Through being thrown into the deep end, we get to find out so much about so many of the other characters, we get to see so much of the storyline, and I’m excited for more.

The one thing I will say is that I wasn’t completely won over by the relationship between the two main characters. It was hot, the story had a lot to it, but I never really shipped them to the degree I had hoped. I liked them as individuals, and as a couple, but I was never as attached to their relationship as I would have liked to be. I was much more invested in the world building than I was the romance with this one. It’s not a bad thing, as I adore powerful world building, but I would have liked just a little bit more by way of emotional connection to the relationship between the main characters.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this one. I’m so excited for book two, desperate to see how the story plays out. There are so many things I wish to see more of, so many questions I need answering, and elements I’m excited to play out – not to mention, I’m so down for the promised romance.

Bring on book two!

Guardian's Bond is the first in a new series from Haven Brotherhood author, Rhenna Morgan. It's a delicious fantasy romance with a unique storyline and impressive set of characters!

Priest Rahandras creates beautiful tattoos, and for the people under his protection, those tattoos are inked with a piece of his power as High Priest of the Vol án. The clan is in disarray because of a tragedy that centered around Priest's brother betraying the clan. Fifty years later, some of his people are denying their heritage and keeping their offspring in the dark. Such is the case with Kateri and her brother Alek. The two are forced into the world when their parents are viciously killed and their grandmother, Naomi, had no choice but to let them in on the hidden world.

Guardian's Bond starts off in the most spectacular way. The very first chapter, when Kateri and Priest meet, sets the tone for the novel. It's the start of a cat and mouse game as Kateri's logic fails to allow her to believe in her heritage and the possibility that she and Priest were made for each other. As Kateri and her brother are exposed to the clan we get to see the extent of Draven's evil and how it hasn't completely stopped the Volán from thriving in modern times. But the threat is lurking on every page. That undeniable sense of the other shoe dropping lingers behind every step Kateri and Priest make toward each other. As the chapters flew by, because yes I was reading like a maniac, I kept wondering when everything was going to crash around their heads. When it did, it happened unexpectedly and definitely not in the way I imagined. Either way, I'm hooked because there is no way I can walk away from this series without knowing what's next!

I expected the big showdown against Draven would happen sooner than it did, but the anticipation just made me read faster! The action, red-hot romance, and world-building of Guardian's Bond just screams for your attention! The Ancient Ink series is definitely one to get hooked on now!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

A SPANKIN' BRAND NEW SERIES THAT IS SO EPIC! A sexy...I mean SEXY, HOT, INSATIABLE paranormal romance that left me DESIRING more! The second I started Guardian's Bond I was HOOKED on the characters, and the amazing storytelling. It was a get-my-motor-going thrilling adventure that was and is crazy exciting!

Paranormal Romances have always been a favorite genre of mine. I like how the worlds can be so unique and I feel like authors have bigger creativity in the genre. Yet somehow, Rhenna Morgan managed to blow my ever loving mind with this new book! The characters are so interesting and the plot twists ever so that kept me on my toes. I didn't know what to expect and I personally liked that. I can't wait for book 2!

I give this book a THRILLING FOUR SHOOTING STARS!

For decades, he’s been alone.
Now, she’s here. His fated mate.
His to win. To protect.
To provide for and pleasure.

Priest Rahandras has lived with the darkness trapped inside himself for years. Betrayed by his own brother and forced to watch his clan’s brutal annihilation, the only thing Priest wants more than to escape the curse that haunts him—as both man and beast—is to rebuild.

Until the mate he’s longed for walks into his life with an elder from his past. She’s everything he’s wished for, and the key to the clan’s very survival.

Kateri Falsen is a woman of logic and facts. While Priest’s cat can sense her arousal, telling her they’re fated won’t be enough. He’ll have to show her his love: with his words, with his actions, and with his body.

Protecting Kateri from the evil trapped inside him is paramount. But when lost clan members are systematically murdered, he’ll have to choose between exposing his mate to his black magic, or risking her as the next victim.

Review:

This is the first in a new series and I have to say I really liked this and cannot wait to see what comes next.

It gives a different little twist on shifters and shifter romances, which I think must be hard for an Author when there are so many other books of this type out there. The Author puts in so many interesting tidbit and twists to keep the story interesting and engaging. It was exciting and tension filled from the start. I loved Kateri and Priest are an superb couple. Even though priest knows right away what Kateri is to him it takes her a little while to come to grips with what she is and what she is to Priest. They end up making a united and formidable couple. The tension and mystery around Priest's brother was well-done also and adds excellent drama to the story and plot point.

Great start to this exciting and sexy series! I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

4.5Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

I got half way through and quit. I originally passed this up and only requested when I read the first charter on another web site and saw it was set in Northwest Arkansas where I live. Unfortunately the location was not enough to keep me reading.

I will say it was well written it just was not my cup of tea.