3.75 ⭐️
.5 🌶️

While the plot line for this book had me hooked, i didn't fully get that hooked feeling I was anticipating.
Did I take 2-3 weeks to slowly get through this? Yes.
Was I fully happy with the ending? Eh, I suppose so, seeing as it could've been worse and it was still a HEA.

One thing about this, I have nothing negative to really say about the characters themselves but it was more or less the plot line and how some things played out if that makes any sense? Zavier could have been improved in some departments but it came off as that man had never been in a relationship before so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt there 🤣

Overall I didn't dislike this book and enjoyed the girl groups dynamic the most (even if Maisy annoyed me during a certain chapter)

Liss was just a normal human—until the apocalypse decided to mess with her schedule. Now she's dodging monsters, unraveling secrets, and trying not to die under the watchful eye of Zavier: a brooding, grumpy Nephilim with a sword, an attitude, and a habit of pretending he’s not into her. (Spoiler: He’s very into her.)

I have not read the first two books in this series, but I enjoyed this so much that I am definitely going back and reading the first two! Knowing this is the third book in the series, it was super solid, and definitely worth reading. I'm excited to find out more of the backstory to the other characters now.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled publishing for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for a review.

Book Rating: ⭐️ 2/5
Spice Rating:🌶️ 2.5/5

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. I had a tough time getting through it, but I’m a firm believer in finishing a book before rating it, so I stuck it out. Overall, it was just okay.

The spice was definitely the highlight for me...it added some fun and kept me engaged, even when the rest of the story didn’t quite land. The Nephilim element had potential and initially caught my interest, but ultimately it didn’t deliver the depth or excitement I was hoping for.

I also struggled with the multiple POVs written in third person. It made the plot harder to follow, and I found myself getting lost or having to backtrack more than once.

I love fantasy romance and really wanted to enjoy this one, but unfortunately, it just fell a bit flat for me.

From the very first page, this book gave me major Charmed vibes, with a generous dose of spice, and I was absolutely here for it.

This was a fast-paced, engaging read packed with supernatural action. I thoroughly enjoyed the high-stakes energy, with demons, dark angels, and intense battle scenes that kept the momentum going from start to finish.

The world felt dangerous and gritty in all the right ways, and the characters were compelling and easy to root for. The balance of magic, mayhem, and a touch of mystery made it hard to put down.

And yes, the spice was definitely spicing.

If you’re looking for a quick, thrilling paranormal read with strong action and a sizzling romance, this one is worth picking up.

Although this book is said to work as a standalone, I’d definitely recommend reading the previous installments first. I initially jumped in without doing so and found myself a bit confused, so I went back and read the first two books and I’m glad I did. It really helped my enjoy the book when I picked it back up. I loved the characters and the pacing, which kept me hooked throughout. I’m a sucker for paranormal romance, especially when it comes with great banter, and this story absolutely delivered on that front!

I appreciate the creativity and effort that went into building this world, and I see real potential in the overall concept — particularly in the demons and angels lore. However, I did struggle significantly with the reading experience,
I truly believe Not Always an Angel has a compelling concept at its core. The worldbuilding and character dynamics could be powerful with stronger structure, consistency, and attention to setup and payoff. As it currently stands, however, the book feels incomplete and confusing. It would strongly benefit from a comprehensive revision before publication.

The first chapter of this book was really difficult to get through and that made the story less enjoyable. Which really upset me because I’ve had the first book in this series in my kindle unread forever and now I don’t really have the desire to pick it up. Can you read this books as a standalone? Technically yes but only because the first chapter throws up information from the other books in this series. I felt like the world building was missing because I was just be told what already happened and having to accept it. Like this belly dancing teacher is a witch. No reason why it’s just the way it is. Or this FMC has a group of Nephilim who just protect her and her best friend is dating one and she has the hots for another one.

ARC READER:
Ok - I absolutely LOVE this book. I haven't read the previous ones, and this is actually my first Christi Barth novel, but I was hooked almost immediately.
This book is considered a standalone in an interconnected series. I was confused at times with following along with the story, but everything of importance is explained and I didn't feel like I was missing any pertinent information.
The banter between characters is EVERYTHING. I loved how playful it read and it completely sucked me in. Once I started the book, I simply couldn't put it down. I finished it in two days. I will definitely be reading the previous books in this series soon!

This was such a fun, quick read! Not Always an Angel blends a sweet romance with just the right touch of paranormal magic to keep things interesting. The characters are super likable, and the story moves fast — perfect for when you want something light but still engaging.

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there’s a twist halfway through that totally shook things up (in a good way!). It added a fresh layer to the story and kept me flipping pages.

If you're in the mood for something flirty, funny, and a little bit supernatural, definitely check this one out!

This is part of the Unlocking His Heart series. Liss is a powerless human in a house full of supernatural beings. She was recently exposed to a world where angels and demons actually exist, and in order to keep her safe, she is being protected by a hot Nephilim, half-angel named Zavier. When he's not out slaying demons and trying to prevent the apocalypse with his other Nephilim buddies who are also dating Liss' friends Maisey and Evangeline, Zavier is trying to avoid his attraction to Liss and her advances. With the world about to end, they must work together to pull off a miracle.

The author does a good job with the world building and character descriptions. Liss and Zavier both had some character development as the story progressed. The plot was mostly a back and forth between their budding romance and their plan to save the world, with a little action towards the end of the story.

This was a cute story that can be read on it's own, but it is more helpful if you read the other two books in the story to know some of the back story and relationships for the other characters that play a role in this story. There are references to situations that happened in previous books.

Six months ago, Lisa and her best friend were unexpectedly introduced to the world of angels, demons, magic and more. Along with this revelation came magical powers, though not for her, and 3 devastatingly handsome Nephilim. With her best friend now dating one of them, and another with a girlfriend of his own, that leaves her as the 5th wheel, except for Zavier. Zavier is the brooding, overprotective, stubborn angel that gets under her skin in more ways than one. As Liss and her friends continue to fight demons and figure out who is trying to bring about the Apocolypse, she is often left feeling alone and scared. Seeing as she is the only one of their group that doesn’t have powers, Zavier feels the need to protect her more than others. This annoys her to no end. While the sarcastic comments fly, the attraction between them ignites. But being in a relationship is a bad idea, they don’t even like each other. Yet, no one knows how long they will be alive, so maybe a little “fun” to relieve some stress couldn’t hurt, right? Attraction soon brings feelings which brings complications. While on a mission, disaster strikes and Liss’s whole world is turned upside down. How is she supposed to handle her new life? Will they win this war against the evil they have been endlessly fighting? Could she and Zavier really make a relationship work? There’s only one way to find out, but first they have to survive.

I read this book not knowing it was the 3rd book in a series, but could still pieces together what happened in the first 2 from the details in this one. I love the relationships between all the characters, especially the banter between the FMC and MMC. It’s the classic “we don’t like each other” beginning that quickly turns into more, but doesn’t feel rushed or forced. They both have traumatic emotional pasts that leave them feeling unworthy which added some depth the characters themselves. The magic, mythical creatures, and references to folklore helped show the overwhelming odds they were facing without feeling too childish. It’s a fun, cute read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining read.

I love the Unlocking His Heart series.
Not Always an Angel is a cute and wonderful paranormal romance. The book's well-developed characters and amazing plot created an enchanting reading experience.
The characters were witty, smart and such fun to be around.
I really liked the world building also. The supernatural elements of the story played out so well.
A delightful, humorous and entertaining story.
Barth did an amazing job writing this light romantic read full of magical characters that were an absolute joy to read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Thank you to Entangled for the advance reader copy. These opinions are my own.

I have read each book in this series, as they were released. And I simply love the fantastical world that Christi Barth has created. Nephilim warriors serve to protect humans in the midst of the battle between Heaven and Hell. The series focus on three Nephilim who went rogue, and each story highlights a different one. This is the third and final, and I do recommend reading the series in order for the story world to make sense.

Zavier is the brooding and quite literally tortured hero. It was always clear his path to romance would be the most difficult. And he's paired with Liss, a human who we first met in the first book of the series.

I love seeing the way they clashed and learned to work together. Her struggles with being human in the midst of a battle of gods feel so accurate as a human reader. And his struggles are so deep, and I won't give away anything by going into them further.

I really liked the broader story arc for the series. However, the ending felt so abrupt to me. Especially since this finishes the series, I really wanted an epilogue and a more fleshed out goodbye to all of the characters I have come to love.

If you enjoy paranormal romantic suspense like me
This is a book and a series you need to see!
Life changed for Liss six months before
She now has paranormal friends she can't ignore!

She's the only human amongst her friends
Which frustrates her, on that you can depend!
Especially when Zavier keeps pointing out
She can't defend herself whilst out and about.

Zavier is a Nephilim, one of the special three,
Who together work to protect humanity.
Their enemies include demons and others, too,
So protecting Liss he's determined to do.

What happens to the world, to Heaven and Hell,
This group can't foretell.
But there's danger, schemes and so much more
So all the possibilities they need to explore.

With the apocalypse now a possibility, too,
Especially if plots releasing the Titans come through,
Liss and her friends need to work together
To ensure the schemers win never.

But what happens when attraction grows?
And danger threatens all Zavier knows?
Will he finally be willing to take a chance
On a happily ever after romance?

There are surprises galore to be uncovered
And unexpected powers to be discovered.
With legends proving to be true
Can they use them to thwart what evil would do?

A great paranormal suspense-filled romance
Where humans are given an unexpected chance.
There's help from others they'd never met before
And a conclusion to make the friends smile once more.

Although the blurb suggests this is a standalone read,
I recommend first the earlier books you need to read.
For my copy of this fantastic book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

I really liked the premise of this book — a story about a hot grumpy angel falling for a human woman? Count me in!

Unfortunately, at the beginning, it didn’t quite deliver for me. The blurb claimed it could be read as a standalone, even though it’s the third book in a series. I’ve accidentally (and sometimes intentionally) read standalones from series out of order before, but this one was genuinely confusing right from the start. A lot of background information about both the main and side characters was missing, and it felt like I was jumping into the middle of a story rather than starting from the beginning.

Another thing that bugged me was the instant attraction between the FMC and MMC. There was no real build-up to their relationship — even in friends-to-lovers books, there’s usually more of a slow burn…

The banter in the book was fun, and by the end, it turned into an entertaining read.
However, I would strongly recommend reading the series in order, as I’m sure it would help avoid a lot of the confusion I experienced and make the overall experience more fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

Does Atlantis exist?!?!? This book has it all, slow burn, enemies/friends to lovers, relatable characters, exciting and engaging storyline/plot.

I received this ARC from entangled as a stand-alone read, I haven't read the other books. The author has the storyline very well written where you will be able to follow along If you haven't read her other books (which are now added to my tbr). I loved the banter in the storyline it had me laughing and fist bumping the air! I love a good strong female lead, which this book has 4!! If you want a good read give this book a read you won't regret it.

It’s a romance with a side of fantasy, where I’m more of a fantasy reader who enjoys the side of romance.

Not Always an Angel - a third in a series, is described as standalone, but not having read the first two, I don’t think I agree. There’s clearly history there that I’m missing. It tells a story of a human, Liss Jemison, whose world turned on its axis 6 months ago when she was dragged into the world of half-angels and demons and every single fantastical story you have ever heard of. Zavier’s the love interest and a half-angel with a single mission, revenge on his demonic enemy, one who have captured him and tortured for 3 months decades ago. She’s a sunshine, he’s grumpy. Both cute and clearly into each other but at times naive and little annoying. Liss wants powers of her own, and blames everyone around her for not having them, and Zavier’s too traumatised to be in a relationship.

2.5* for the story, because despite it faults I wanted to see what happens next. Extra 0.25* for banter and cultural references and the steamy half-angel spice. If you’re looking for an entry gate into fantasy, a lighthearted story that won’t traumatise you despite seemingly high stakes, but rather offer simple fluffy vibes, this may just be the one. I wish we’ve had a bit more world building and less of nothing really happens when things happen vibes. Maybe if I’ve read the first two, I’d gel with the characters a bit more, so as far as ‘can be read as standalone’ - I’m not convinced.

**Gifted e-ARC - thank you to NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for sending me this ebook for review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Christi for allowing me to read this arc!

I was so excited to read this book when I found out this was book was about Zavier and Liss! They have definitely intrigued be since their appearance in the first book. I love a grumpy/sunshine moment and Zavier definitely provides all the sass.

Overall I enjoyed the progression of this relationship, and the banter was top tier! Not all was there growth in their relationship, but their personal growth was wonderful to see.


My only wish would be that we got to see a little more of the conflict and some more of the battle. While I was happy with the ending, I was left wanting a more intense look at the saving of the universe!

Overall I give this book 3 stars! I look forward to reading more from Christi in the future!

Christi Barth’s Not Always an Angel continues the Unlocking His Heart series with a blend of paranormal romance and apocalyptic stakes. The story follows Liss Jemison, an ordinary human thrust into a world of demons and Nephilim after a party incident turns her life upside down. Tasked with preventing the release of the Titans, Liss partners with the brooding Nephilim warrior, Zavier Carranza.

The novel offers a mix of humor, tension, and romance. The chemistry between Liss and Zavier is palpable, with their banter adding a light touch to the otherwise dire circumstances. The pacing keeps readers engaged, and the stakes are appropriately high for a tale involving the potential end of the world.

However, the book doesn’t quite break new ground in the paranormal romance genre. The character arcs, while serviceable, lack depth, and some plot developments feel predictable. While the story is enjoyable, it doesn’t leave a lasting impression or offer significant surprises.

In summary, Not Always an Angel is a decent addition to the series, providing entertainment for fans of paranormal romance. It delivers on expected tropes but doesn’t venture beyond them.

DNF at 40%... this book is said to be able to be read as a stand alone, but as someone who hasn't read the rest of the series, I just couldn't get into it! The beginning was info dump central, and relationship felt like pure lust with no depth. I feel like the idea had potential, but fell off very fast for me. Maybe things would have been different had I read the series as it's meant to be read, but when a book is advertised as an interconnected standalone, I expect to be able to go in with no context and still enjoy it! Very grateful to have received this ARC though, maybe someday I will go back, start from book 1, and give it a chance, but today is not that day.