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!

Somewhat funny, intriguing third book in series; easily 3.5 stars rounded to 4
I have looked forward to this book about the snarky couple of Zavier Carranza who is part angel and part human making him a Nephilim and his banter/snark partner all human Liss Jemison. These two met six months ago when both their lives changed with their introduction into the life of the other. After watching her friends Evangeline pair up with Gideon and Maisy meet Rhys, Liss wonders if her bad luck has left her with Zavier. Liss has recently lost her job, met up with the three Nephilim who are taking her friends away and now she finds out that they need to stop the Apocalypse! What else could happen? Do not ask!
Sorry to say this book is not nearly as good as the last two in this series. I recall laughing out loud during those two and there was more action. In this one there is quite a bit more of description rather than action. By the end of the book, it becomes a page-turner with the final battle. I honestly was on tenterhooks waiting to see how the author would resolve some of the issues and “people.” However, there were quite a few memorable moments: when Liss and Zavier are honest about their feelings with each other; when Zavier professes his love for Liss at the restaurant; when Zavier and Caraxis have their last conversation; and last but only because I can only write so much, during the final battle when choices had to be made, good and bad. I just wish that the beginning ten chapters had been as exciting. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through Entangled and NetGalley.

Liss Jemison was a normal human living a normal life until the night that she and her best friend found themselves hunted by a demon. Luckily, a trio of Nephilim warriors came along to save them and show them how to survive. Among those three is Zavier Carranza, a gorgeous grump who refuses to acknowledge the sparks between them. But with the end of the world fast approaching and the odds against them, it'll take Liss and Zavier recognizing their true feelings about a lot of things to save humanity.

It's an okay book. Liss and Zavier have a playful relationship even before things start to get serious, but the way the plot jumps between scenes sometimes left me feeling like I'd missed something. One chapter ends with the entire team planning something massive and dangerous that must be done now, then you turn the page, and Liss is in a fancy restaurant complaining about having to get out of bed. Drastic tonal shifts like this one kept interrupting the buildup of tension towards the final battle.
And the final battle was as epic as everything leading up to it implied, even though I still felt it was a tad rushed.

Overall, it has some excellent points that kept making me want to love it, but the issues with the way it's plotted kept getting in the way.

Thank you to Entangled: Amara for the chance to read this!

While enjoyable, this book didn't quite hit the mark as well as the previous two in the series. I found it hard to understand who was speaking on several occasions and missed some of the cleverness of the previous books. That said, however, it's still a fun book to read, and it provides a great ending. I'm sad I can't assign 5 stars this time,

It pretty much takes the entire book to completely understand Zavier's personality, but we do get there eventually. Liss is also complex and fun. They make a good pair, but I'm sorry there wasn't more heat. All in all, it's definitely worth reading and enjoying.

I look forward to more of Christi Barth's books.

Thank you for the ARC.

Not Always an Angel was such a fun read. I've been looking forward to reading this one since I read the first book in the Unlocking His Heart series. Zavier has an enigmatic personality, and I was so curious to learn more about him and to jump back into this unique world.

Liss is such a great character! She’s brave, loyal, and always trying to hold her own in a group full of powerful Nephilim and others with special gifts, even when she doesn’t feel like she brings much to the table. As the only human, she struggles with feeling like a liability, but she never stops fighting to matter and contribute. And then there’s Zavier. Utterly in love with Liss, completely convinced he doesn’t deserve her, and still furious at the world for everything he’s been through. He’s tormented and angry, and you can see how hard it is for him to let go of that pain long enough to accept the good in front of him. He goes through so much emotional growth as he gets closer and closer to Liss, and he deserves all the hugs.

The chemistry between Liss and Zavier is electric, and I love how much they push each other’s buttons. They bicker, tease, and challenge each other in ways that add so much to thier growing connection and their sexual tension. Watching Zavier try to keep his distance, while clearly falling harder by the second, was fantastic.

The friendships and found-family dynamic that have been building over the series are some of my favorite things about these books. You can feel how much these characters care for, support, and rely on each other. Even when they argue, there's a deep-rooted love and respect that the group can depend on.

Like the other books in the series, this is a fast-paced, action-packed, and sexy paranormal romance. It says that this could be read as a standalone, but I would probably recommend reading the first two to really understand the relationships, connections, and overarching plot. Thanks to Entangled and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC!

Just like the first two in the series, this was cute, fast-paced fun with a generous dose of sass and spice. The banter is easily the highlight—snappy, flirty, and full of quotable one-liners that had me grinning throughout.

The storyline itself is fairly predictable at this point, but that’s part of the charm. You’re not here for ground-breaking plot twists; you’re here for hot angels, swoony moments, and characters who don’t take themselves too seriously.

This was enjoyable, easy to read, and exactly what you expect going in.

If you liked the first two, you’ll be more than happy here too.

I love this series and I've been waiting for this book to come out. We finally get to see Zavier Carranza's confident, stubborn, and grumpy point of view. This nephilim's been angry and withdrawn for many years. Most recently, he's been watching as his nephilim brothers have lost their minds and fallen in love. According to Zavier, love is just a distraction and only complicates their mission to keep humans safe. He does like Maisy, Evangeline and Liss (Maisy's roomate), but sees that the focus has shifted from missions to romance. Zavier has taken it upon himself to keep his eyes on Liss. Liss is independent, caring, straightforward, and human. Liss is frustrated with her lack of supernatural abilities and doesn't want to be a liability for her power wielding friends. These two together are pretty interesting. Neither one wants to back down and they push each other's buttons in all the right ways. They both have past traumas and trust issues to work through. There are a few twists that had me laughing, gasping, shaking my head in disbelief, and cheering them on. I was a bit disappointed with the last couple of chapters, it would've been nice to have the other's perspectives. I really enjoyed this world and look forward to reading more books written by this author.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. This was the first book I read by this author. It was fun, lighthearted, and easy to read. I will defintely read more by this author, I'd like to read more in this universe. The world building was very engaging.

This book was fun but did not feel like an interconnected standalone, it felt like book three of a series which made it hard to follow at the start and then like I was missing context that would have made it a lot more impactful throughout. I would not recommend reading this without reading the others first.

That being said, I enjoyed the fast pace and the way various lore was combined. I also really liked the main FMC, Liss.

I don't love pop culture references in books, which happened throughout this one, but that's just a personal preference and Im sure others will enjoy that aspect.

I would recommend this series for folks who enjoyed the TV show Luther, as it definitely gave me those vibes, but again would suggest reading the other two books first for maximum impact.

Thanks to NetGalley and Enchanted Publishing for the ARC!

This book was a roller coaster.
I didn't realize this was the third book in the series. While you can definitely figure out what happened in the previous two, I think I lost out on a lot of time to fall in love with these characters. Instead I found Liss' snark quite abrasive. As I read on, I started to understand her, but again I think I missed out on valuable getting-to-know-you bits from the previous two books.

It took me almost a quarter of the book to really get into it. I flip-flopped between disliking the characters and then thinking they were ok. Zavier's matyr/I'm not good enough bit got kinda tedious just because it drags on and on. One thing I did like is that the author includes mythical/legendary beings from around the world.

But really what drove me crazy is how much talking there is. Even in the middle of an important scene. And for all her bravado, Liss really sucked when showtime came. I did not like how short and frankly anti-climactic the 'big fight' was. Followed by very little falling action, the book just ends.

If you've read the first two, you'll probably love it. If you're jumping in to the series for the first time, you should probably go back and read the first two.

I did not know this was part of a series when I received it. Also, it just didn't do it for me. I felt myself not caring about the main characters and their relationship. The pacing was slow and I just didn't enjoy the storyline, so I had to DNF.

I've really been enjoying this series from Christi Barth. It's cute, a bit funny, and has some very nice romantic elements. In this third installment, Liss (human) and Zavier (half angel half human). The author does a good job of building the world for this series, but I do recommend reading book 1 and 2 before tackling this one -- it will make more sense and enhance your reading enjoyment.

Zavier is a bit standoffish at the start but there is no denying his feelings for Liss. When those feelings are returned, the couple will have to stick together to save the world with the rest of their supernatural friends.

Overall, a cute romance with plenty of humor and heat.