Guarded by the Leshy by Cara Wylde [Review]

Guarded by the Leshy (Monster Security Agency #5) by Cara Wylde
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 20, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake
3. Guarded by the Spider
4. Guarded by the Kraken
5. Guarded by the Leshy - Paperback | Kindle
6. Guarded by the Vodnik
7. Guarded by the Nightmare
8. Guarded by the Reaper
9. Guarded by the Phantom
10. Guarded by the Krampus
11. Guarded by the Yeti
12. Guarded by the AI
13. Guarded by the Symbiote
14. Guarded by the Steel Seraph
15. Guarded by the Clanker

Cara Wylde
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I am a force of nature, misshapen and untameable, until I meet her.

My mission is to deliver the human bride to her husband-to-be. She's to be married into one of the most powerful families in the state. Her husband is a spiritual leader, and he has one condition - she must prove she's worthy. Through the deepest woods, she must walk alone to meet him at the luxurious, isolated resort where their fates will be bound. The bride's father is not heartless, though. He knows the woods are dangerous, so he hires me to escort and protect his daughter.

Because I can become one with the trees...

I am to guard her from the shadows. My voice - the rustle of leaves, my hands - the branches she clings to. She must never know I'm there, even as her sweet innocence coaxes my body into taking a shape that allows us to touch. I change what I am, just for her.

This love is forbidden. She belongs to someone else, and I belong to the forest.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Leshy: Not going to lie, these MSA agents and their special someones tend to have some pretty major physical hurdles to cross before they successfully be together. This time around Taran is a tree-like monster who has literal bark for skin. So any joining they might do in the traditional sense would be not so great for Thea. No worries, though. MSA monsters are able to work around a problem and Taran (eventually) does just that.

But before the joining (ahem), Taran has to get over his upset with Thea's family. He really only takes the job because of who she's related to. Which is to say, he's holding a bit of a grudge toward the Everhart family. But Thea isn't like her father and she intrigues him the longer he spends time watching her. Soon she's breaking through all his walls and he's determined to do whatever is necessary to keep her safe. (Which is good since he's, you know, her bodyguard.)

On Thea's end, she's in a tough place. Her parents have pressured her to go through with this marriage to a man she barely knows and she's honorable enough to want to hold to the promise she made even though she feels like her world is ending. Taran helps her in more ways than one. He gives her a safe space to process her fear of nature, protects her when a couple of misguided individuals try to stop her from completing her trek, and treats her like a precious treasure. If only she hadn't given her word that she'd go through with this marriage.

Some BIG physical differences, a groom who isn't as upstanding as he seems, a monster who becomes more and more invested in keeping his principle safe no matter the price, and a lady who has to take some big chances if she wants to be with the monster who makes her happy. *thumbs up*

RtP's Week in Review (05/10/26)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Take a Hike by Katie Ruggle [Review] - The Pax sisters are BACK!
• Guarded by the Kraken by Cassie Alexander [Review] - Monster love!
• Kissed and Missed by Cleo White [Review] - Age gap romance!
• Charmed and Alarmed by Cleo White [Review] - MORE age gap romance!
• Last Summer by Lo Gold and Luna K. Wicked [Review] - Slasher move vibes!
• Knot Just a Number by Mia Bright [Review] - Sci-fi goodness!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• Platform Decay (The Murderbot Diaries #8) by Martha Wells
• Currently reading
• Taken by the Pack by Nora Quinn

Knot Just a Number by Mia Bright [Review]

Knot Just a Number by Mia Bright
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 13, 2026

Purchase Links: Kindle

Mia Bright
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

We're all just numbers here... or so I thought.

The country has been at war for a long time and as part of the general population, I don't have a lot of options to contribute when it's the genetically mutated super soldiers who are on the front lines making a difference. Alphas, they call them. Perfect in every way. But to make more, they need women to breed them. I would never have dreamed of volunteering a few years ago, but now my family needs the rations. So, here I am, in a room with the biggest man I've ever seen and our goal? Get me pregnant in the next ten hours.

I thought it would be the scariest ten hours of my life. Instead, I don't want to leave...

Thoughts on Knot Just a Number: Signing up to be a brood mare in the war wasn't exactly on Annie's bucket list, but here she is. Ready to hook up with a super-soldier. She's understandably freaked out, but she's going to do what needs to be done.

Frankly, her soldier is big, a little surly, and her body REALLY likes everything about him. Fortunately for her, her soldier takes charge and soon the two are enjoying their time together. More than Annie expected, to be honest.

A quick, nicely naughty short with a soldier who has a lot to give and a lady who had no idea what she was going to be taking when she signed up. *thumbs up*

Last Summer by Lo Gold and Luna K. Wicked [Review]

Last Summer (The Last Girls #1) by Lo Gold and Luna K. Wicked
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 13, 2026

The Last Girls
1. Last Summer - Paperback | Kindle
2. Last Dance

Lo Gold
| Amazon |

Luna K. Wicked
| Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Some secrets are better left buried…

When a group of six strangers are invited into the woods for a content creator retreat where they’re guaranteed to make money, it seems like a perfect escape. However, as accidents turn into incidents and blood begins to spill, they start to suspect they were lured into the wilderness for a reason. Is someone messing with them? Is someone watching them? Who will survive?

Are you ready to play?

Thoughts on Last Summer: I must admit that I enjoy a good slasher film, so I went into this with expectations of campy fun and gore. And I got that. I mean, we had six individuals (of which only two of them knew one another) who are invited to this retreat to create some premium content for their OF channels. Which means there's A LOT of sex-ay times. Although sex-ay might not be the right word. Their encounters are very performative (since they're, you know, doing all this for an audience) and they all have kinks and quirks that they work into their on-screen personas.

To rewind for a moment, one of them is not on OF and doesn't quite seem to fit the mold. But the others are there for sex and money and that's about it. And they LEAN INTO that. They get physical in all ways, shapes, and forms.

Then they start dying. The first could possibly be an accident. The second, not so much. Do the remaining yahoos continue to indulge themselves for subs? OF COURSE THEY DO. Given the genre, I expect exactly that.

The book was fun in a very slasher-esque sort of way. A group of fairly awful people get together and find their ends in terrible ways. The killer wasn't a complete surprise, but with a small cast of characters I didn't expect them to be.

Charmed and Alarmed by Cleo White [Review]

Charmed and Alarmed (Daddy Issues #3) by Cleo White
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 17, 2026

Daddy Issues
1. Chilled and Thrilled
2. Kissed and Missed
3. Charmed and Alarmed - Paperback | Kindle

Related Books
Triple Tidings

Cleo White
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I dedicated my entire life to ballet, and what did it get me? A limp, an intact v-card, and zero job prospects.

Squatting in my sister’s apartment, watching game shows and feeling sorry for myself seems like an ideal way to pass the time until I figure out what to do next.

Unfortunately, my father doesn’t agree. Thanks to him, I’ll now be spending my days stapling pieces of paper together at his architecture firm, under the watchful eye of his business partner.

Holden Ellinger is the last person I want seeing me at my lowest. The man might be obscenely attractive, but he’s also a conceited playboy with too much money and a pathological fear of commitment.

The one silver lining in this situation? My new boss really, really wants me and, as it turns out, I really, really like being a tease.

Thoughts on Charmed and Alarmed: The second Vogel sister is up and her special someone is none other than her father's business partner. Which likely won't be much of a problem since, you know, her father ended up hooking up (in a hardcore, long-term sort of way) with Leni's sister's best friend. Oh, who am I kidding. Bram isn't one to let something like this slide. Ha!

Anyway! Leni and Holden. She's in a tough place after the injury that ended her ballet career. She's struggling both physically and mentally and being forced to work at her dad's firm seems like the worst. Holden sees this. He sees how she doesn't shine the way she used to and he pokes and prods her into being present. As it turns out, Leni REALLY likes being poked and prodded by him.

Soon these two are tangling the sheets and spending time in the company supply closet. They're also trying to keep things a little on the secret side since, you know, Leni's dad is Holden's business partner and Bram knows EXACTLY what sort of manslut Holden used to be.

Some (okay, more than some) sexy times, some sneaking around times, a little heated discussion among old friends, a man who never expected to fall in love, and a lady who never expected her dad's best friend to end up being her special someone.

Kissed and Missed by Cleo White [Review]

Kissed and Missed (Daddy Issues #2) by Cleo White
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 14, 2026

Daddy Issues
1. Chilled and Thrilled
2. Kissed and Missed - Paperback | Kindle
3. Charmed and Alarmed

Related Books
Triple Tidings

Cleo White
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

So, before you judge me too harshly for what I’m about to tell you, I think it’s important to lead with the disclaimer that this is not like me. At all.

If somebody Googled "cautious, responsible, people-pleasing eldest daughter", a picture would probably come up of me baking twenty-four loaves of banana bread for all the neighbors in our building after my roommate flooded the bathroom.

So, as you can see, I am not the kind of person to catch feelings for my ex’s tech-billionaire father after spending three days stranded at his house over Christmas.

Nor am I the type to keep in touch with him after I go home, keeping up the façade of friendship when the unspoken “if only things were different” hangs over our heads.

Now, it’s Valentine’s Day, and Julian Ballard is on my doorstep.

It shouldn’t change anything. After all, cautious, responsible, people-pleasing girls do not fall in love with their ex-girlfriend’s father.

...Oops.

Thoughts on Kissed and Missed: No lie, Honor is in a tough spot. Not only is she dealing with a breakup from her cheating girlfriend, but said breakup comes when she's almost to her girlfriend's father's house where she was supposed to be meeting the family and spending time with her girlfriend over the holiday. Yeah, that was absolutely terrible timing. To top things off, Julian is charming, handsome, and kind. And he's kind of getting under Honor's skin with his sexiness in the way that he probably shouldn't since he's HER EX'S FATHER.

That said, they both kinda sorta keep in touch after Honor heads back home. Julian is smitten with her genuine kindness and big heart. Honor sees the good man inside Julian and knows he's more than his money.

When the stars (and Julian's generous donation) align and pave the way for the two to be together, one sexy kiss almost ruins things before they start. Or, well, after they've started, but before they've realized how sticky a public relationship can be.

Let's just say they have to come clean with their families and friends pretty quickly and wade through the court of public opinion once it becomes known that Honor dated Julian's daughter prior to them getting together.

Bottom line: YASSSSSS. *thumbs up*

Guarded by the Kraken by Cassie Alexander [Review]

Guarded by the Kraken (Monster Security Agency #4) by Cassie Alexander
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 16, 2026

Monster Security Agency
1. Guarded by the Golem
2. Guarded by the Snake
3. Guarded by the Spider
4. Guarded by the Kraken - Paperback | Kindle
5. Guarded by the Leshy
6. Guarded by the Vodnik
7. Guarded by the Nightmare
8. Guarded by the Reaper
9. Guarded by the Phantom
10. Guarded by the Krampus
11. Guarded by the Yeti
12. Guarded by the AI
13. Guarded by the Symbiote
14. Guarded by the Steel Seraph
15. Guarded by the Clanker

Cassie Alexander
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A kraken, a scientist, and a love under pressure….

As a kraken bodyguard, I rarely get human clients. When I do, the only way to protect them is to form a telepathic bond. I don’t like it, but after my wife’s death years ago I’ve learned to build an impenetrable shield around myself and my emotions, until I meet my newest client. She's a scientist investigating an ancient relic on the ocean floor. The abyssal plane is no place for humans, but the job is the job, so I shut off my soul, bury my secrets, and link our minds.

The flood of her emotions takes me by surprise. I thought I would be in charge, but our bond is stripping us both bare, layer after layer, until she can see my bleeding wounds, and I can taste her unspoken desires.

We cannot be together. We can’t even touch. She breathes air, and I live at high pressure at the bottom of the ocean. Our feelings bring us nothing but torment, and I know once she’s on dry land again, I’ll have to sever our bond.

But when she’s betrayed by the people she’s working for, and her life is in danger–I will not rest until she’s safe in all of my arms.

Thoughts on Guarded by the Kraken: I must say that I had absolutely no idea how these two individuals were going to make things work since they literally couldn't be together. I mean, Ceph is a creature of the deep and can't survive in the open air (at least not for extended periods) and Elle is an air-breathing human who can't survive the pressure at the depths Ceph lives in. The environments they both need to survive would kill the other and I was having BIG FEELINGS about this.

Anywho. Both Ceph and Elle are drowning in grief. Ceph lost his mate and unhatched child several years ago and has pulled away from the others of his kind. He's mourning and isolating himself and he's not moving on in any way, shape, or form. Elle lost her sister to cancer, found out she carries the same gene and has taken steps to protect herself. Her marriage has disintegrated, she's about to head to an underwater lab cut off from the world above, and she's drifting.

When the two bond, both are DEEPLY surprised by the other. Ceph wakes up again after years in mourning. Elle finds a kindred soul who doesn't see her as lacking despite what she's lost. As they spend time together investigating the structure Elle is trying to translate, they break through all their emotional walls and soon they're figuring out a way to be together despite their differences.

More than a little danger, a find that could change everything, a male who risks it all for the female who captures his heart, and a lady who fits in far better below the surface than she ever expected she could. *thumbs up* ALL the *thumbs up*