Boon one in Stina Pen's contemporary fantasy series is The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King, which revolves around the series' titular character, known to other characters as Lucy. Lucy is a human-to-wolf shifter that is militantly guarded against love after a flurry of deeply painful failures. Bonding with a mate is elusive and Lucy wants to completely tap out. Unfortunately for Lucy, she is bonded to the Lycan King, a royal shifter named King Alexandar whose inner circle call him Xandar. Xandar loves the heck out of Lucy and thanks the stars that she is going to be his mate and his queen. Xandar might be Lucy's king but she is averse to letting him rule her heart. Physically the pair are a match made in heaven. Politically there are powers working outside of Lucy's heart that will either destroy the slow progress they are building or bind Lucy and Xandar in the strength and endurance of love eternal.

Hey, hey, hey! Young adult wolf-pack fantasy lovers can all sit next to me because I've got some stuff to say about The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King by Stina's Pen. This is a super fun read dripping with elements of love tug-of-war and hinting throughout at a real underground war that just might bust through the wolf/Lycan world. Shifters are everywhere but Stina's Pen also drops crumbs about other creatures that lurk, like the poisoned blood of vampires and nefarious interlopers that force a great king into hair-raising speeches like, “A leader should always fight with his or her people, defending them at all costs... I’m determined to join you in any battles to come.” There is a sweetness to the story that, were it not for the brief moments of sizzle, would make this a book I'd hand to my own teen reader. It is straightforward and otherwise clean, simple to read, and the type of novel that will elicit a good balance of gasps and sighs. As a young adult fantasy, this is easy to recommend.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King by Stina's Pen is the first book in a new fantasy epic series. Unlucky in love is an understatement when it comes to wolf-shifter Gamma “Lucy” Lucianne. For a whole host of reasons, her bonds with mates have failed and throughout the novel, Pen reveals why that is, and who they are. Her pairing with the Lycan King “Xandar” Alexandar is fated and it is a bond the king could not possibly be happier about. He is mesmerized by every aspect of his future queen, which feeds into bouts of internally harbored jealousy that is only eclipsed by his love and lust for Lucy. Lucy is not immune to the intense pull of her mate but is resolute in her resistance out of fear that the bond will be crushed like the others. The chemistry between Xandar and Lucy is inescapable for either but so too are the dangers posed by the rancor of others. While the silver lining is the love, it is the silver blade and what it is laced with that is the first of many violent attempts to bring the king and his beloved queen down.

Stina's Pen blends contemporary settings with a fantasy-oriented romance rooted in a classically styled sovereignty in The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King. The combination allows for court and wolf/Lycan pack drama to unfold in a favored royal structure, but with cell phones and a push for all of the “...skill set, intentions, goals, and attitudes are the ones needed in a twenty-first century government.” Lucy is likeable in her fragility and is an absolute firecracker in her strengths, and she has many. Xandar can occasionally feel less Alpha Lycan and more lovesick puppy when it comes to Lucy but proves he has the backbone for politicking and even revenge. The writing is extremely simple and almost exclusively dialogue driven which not all readers will initially love. However, the plot and story are worth committing to when readers happen to adore love connections cemented by destiny and enduring love with the power to transcend visceral hate and past pain. Overall, this is a good start to a new series.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma and The Lycan King by Stina's Pen focuses on the species differences between wolves and the Lycans. Lycans possess superior strength and speed to the wolves and had no compunction about treating wolves as beneath them. During an annual meeting, Lycan King “Xandar” Alexandar feels his mate bond with the Blue Crescent Clan’s Gamma, Lucianne. She thinks he will follow in the footsteps of the five males that had rejected her before. Xandar does his best to prove he has only noble intentions and listens to Lucianne when she addresses the problems the clans are facing. Xandar, his cousin Christian, and Lucianne embark on a dangerous mission to unearth espionage, embezzlement, and the rogues who wish to destroy the clans. Despite the bond, there are several who will do anything to prevent Lucianne from becoming Queen.

Stina's Pen crafts a very in-depth story with many distinct characters. I think Xandar is solid in his patience with Lucianne. He shows his willingness to improve the lives of everyone in the kingdom. She kept expecting him to change his mind and while he exhibits jealousy issues, she has the same issues and insecurities. The descriptions of every character’s personality are vivid. I like the comical antics and the sarcasm in many parts of the dialogue that fill the story. I found it difficult not to think of the characters as human because their actions and motivations are relatable and seem realistic. The transitions from locations and between character points of view provide an easy-to-follow timeline, and suspense builds as the multiple villains attempt to eliminate the developing changes for the clans. Fans of shifter romance novels involving drama and some political actions will enjoy The 5-Time Rejected Gamma And The Lycan King.

Lucianne was the fiercest Gamma werewolf warrior, but love wasn’t fair to her. She’d passed through five bond-mate rejections, and each new experience was worse than the last. Lucianne was done with romance and even prayed to the Moon Goddess against future pairings. Fate manifested when she attended the Werewolf-Lycans yearly collaboration. At the conference, Alexandar, the Lycan King and most superior of all species, found Lucianne as his bond mate. She didn’t want it because he was way out of her league, but Alexandar would not give up. Unfortunately, there were forces bent on stopping Lucianne’s and Alexandar’s union because she was a stumbling block. The duo would learn that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, even as they fight to stay alive in The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & The Lycan King by Stina’s Pen.

The 5-Time Rejected Gamma & The Lycan King by Stina’s Pen is a captivating, unusual, and well-written paranormal romance. This novel was a tale of love, royal politics, crime, sizzling romance, family, and friendship. The length of this book was formidable, but I couldn’t put it down because it captured my attention. I loved the plot, storyline, and progressive development. The characters were also impressive, and I had many favorites. Lucianne was the anointed one, and she was my star throughout the book. Her positive attributes were many. Juan, Tate, Toby, Hale, and Christian epitomized sacrifice, loyalty, and protection. I also developed healthy doses of respect for Greg and Sebastian for taking a stand in the end. The unpredictability, twists, and shockers kept me glued and expectant, and I loved Stina’s Pen's writing style. Thank you for a beautiful book!

I love the book so far

I have only read about 6 chapters and I am hooked. I love what I have read so far and getting frustrated with Passion app. Have to wait 24 hours for next chapter. Can hardly wait to read more