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.

This book was just okay to me, but it could have been better.

I think the main problem was that this is marketed as it can be read as a standalone. I would disagree.

This story takes place after things have obviously been happening to the characters. You're introduced to them, and they already have some history (not romantic for the mains in this story). I think that having not read the previous books in the series led to a disconnect for me with the characters, especially the main characters. They already have established friendships and some snark, but if you haven't read the previous books, you're just kind of dumped into this pre-existing circle.

Additionally, this holds true for the main storyline as well, and not just the character relationships. Things have been happening. There is apparently an ongoing apocalypse attempt in motion, but this book just covers the newest plan to make it happen.

Now, the other issue I had was that I just didn't really like the FMC and her mindset. I can see why she has it, but it just doesn't vibe with me. Maybe I'd feel different if I'd read the previous books and was more attached to her as a character. Hard to tell.

Overall, I'd recommend reading the previous books in the series before picking this one up. The actual story and banter was pretty decent, if I don't consider the issues I listed above.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing this e-arc.

This is the third in this fantasy series by Christi Barth and I have read and loved all three books. Certainly these are all standalone but with connected characters. Three human women meet up with 3 half humans and a wonderful paranormal storyline. The three half humans are called Nephiliam and they are supposed to protect humans from the demons of hell. Of course each one falls in love with one of the women and in this book it is Liss and Zavier. Liss thought she was the only full human in the group and wanted to be a demon slayer like the others.Zavier was the most broken of the three half humans,and this is their story. If you like paranormal tropes, this is a wonderful story and wonderful romance. I enjoyed it.

I’m super grateful to have gotten Not Always an Angel by Christi Barth, and I genuinely loved it! While I do wish I’d read the other books in the Unlocking His Heart series first, this one still held its own and was an absolute blast to dive into. The story takes place chronologically after books 1 and 2, so there was a bit of a disconnect at times when past events or character relationships were referenced. That said, it didn’t ruin the experience for me — it actually made me eager to backtrack and catch up on the other stories in the series because I need to see the full picture.

I loved the apocalyptic stakes mixed with humor and romance. The plot kept me on my toes with demons, half-angels, Nephilim warriors, and the literal threat of Heaven and Hell crumbling. There’s a fun balance of action, danger, and heart, and Christi Barth does a great job delivering both heat and humor amid the chaos.

If you love paranormal romance with sarcastic banter, high stakes, and a grumpy/fiery dynamic, you’ll eat this up. Just maybe start with book 1 to get the full, seamless experience — which is exactly what I’m about to do!

Wings, Banter, and a Snarky Angel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
🪽It’s been way too long since I’ve read an angel book, and diving into this one was like opening a dusty, feather-covered treasure chest—filled with angst, banter, and yes, some spicy celestial encounters. Even though I didn’t read the earlier books in the series (yet!), I never felt lost. That’s already a win in my book.

Let’s talk characters: Liss is delightfully prickly. I love a heroine who doesn’t want to be coddled—who sets boundaries but still shows her vulnerable side when it counts. She brings boldness to the table, but you can see when she’s struggling, and that makes her feel so real. Zavier sees that too, even if he doesn’t always know what to do with it. He’s described as the classic quiet, broody type, but honestly? His actions say something else entirely. He’s more attentive than he lets on, especially when it comes to Liss.

The banter between Liss and Zavier is chef’s kiss. Dual POV makes it even better—we get to live inside both their heads, and the tension that builds from Zavier’s “give in then pull away” routine is maddening in the best way. There’s a suggestion that he falls first, and you know I’m a sucker for that trope.

Now, tone-wise: there’s a pretty sharp shift at the beginning when Zavier flips from flirty to serious. It’s like, he’s allowed complexity but doesn’t give Liss the same grace. I was side-eyeing him a little for that. Also, while the book is peppered with analogies—some work, some don’t—I appreciated the ambition of the writing. And Zavier’s reactions? That man is a whole mess in the best way. One minute he’s withholding everything, the next he’s oversharing like he’s on an emotional rollercoaster with no brakes.

One of my favorite moments was the spontaneous overnight in London. Thoughtful gestures like that just melt me. And when Zavier admitted he had noticed Liss before? I gasped. Out loud. Liss asking for a hookup? Bold move! Queen energy! And yet… Zavier’s whole “I’m not good enough” mindset makes me want to yell why though? Give us the darkness, man. I want to know.

Now, for the supernatural side: the powers (especially the freezing—IYKYK), the mythology weaved in, and of course, angel sex. That’s all that needs to be said. A++. The villain contact twist gave off serious “serial killer emailing the detective” vibes, which was unexpectedly fun and creepy.

The only part that rubbed me wrong? The whole conflict with Maisy. I’m team Liss here. She went through something traumatic, and Maisy just blew it. And then Liss apologized first? No. I wanted a grovel, and I’m still waiting for it.

All in all, this book had me hooked with its humor, tension, and celestial drama. I’m absolutely diving into the rest of the series—I need Gideon and Eva’s story now. If you love banter, broody angels, and strong heroines who can’t be tamed, this is for you.

Just remember: what works for me might not for you—but isn’t that the fun of reading?✨

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and the author Christi Barth for the ARC!

I absolutely adored this story! It took a bit of getting used to at first, but once it started, it was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. Just a heads up, it’s quite descriptive and spicy, so it might not be for everyone.

Liss and Zavier are the odd ones out in their friend group and tensions are high. He keeps an eye on her and protects her from all things supernatural. Zavier gives me serious Cassian vibes. Tough guy with a super sweet center. This is the third book in the series but I read this as a standalone. I didn't feel like I missed out on much as everything that was needed was communication in an easy flowy way. When the story starts progressing it gets so fast paced and you don't want to put it down. Definitely an easy read with lots of fun banter filled moments.

You would think that the official blurb saying it can be read as a standalone can be trusted, right?
Well, I disagree. For someone who usually have no trouble into reading book 3 or 4 in a series without reading the previous books, this one was hard to get into. I honestly think you need to read the first books to be comfortable reading this one. I'm not saying it's impossible without it but I'm telling you, I hated how info dumpy it was in the beginning. There's too much.

About the characters, I have no idea how they were in the previous books but in the first 5% of this one, they were already lusting after each other. Her because he was holding daggers and him, for her figure or something.

And to be completely honest, I thought at first it was a sort of rewritten fanfic about ACOTAR. I guess having the first couple having a Rhys and a FMC that discovers she has powers or whatever the thing is with being the Keeper of the Key. The 3 boys Nephilim also gave me the same vibes as the bat boys.

I do think there was potential with the story and world-building but I couldn't get into the story. And I'm truly sad because I love stories about angel/fallen angel/demon stuff.

Who doesn't love a good book involving demons, angels, and trying to save the world from doom? Honestly this was such a fun read and I loved getting to know the characters throughout the book. I think I'll have to read the first two book to get a better grasp of the world and how everything works to get a better understanding of the things that happened in this book.

Thank you to Brittany and the team at Entangled for this eARC!