Shew! When I say I want an emotionally damaging book, this delivered! I went through every emotion you can imagine while reading this. Zalayuh is dealt a tough hand in life, and I felt every emotion she went through. I loved the plot, and the roller coaster the entire book took me through was so worth it. This is a fast paced book but did not lack in emotional impact in any way for me, it was worth the ride to get to that ending.

Fave Quote
"Complicate my life more... please,"

Spice was about a 3
(That slow burn was burning though)

This story was absolutely heart wrenching. I demolished it in one day.
From page one I was HOOKED.
Zalayuh's growth throughout , her grief , her everything is just stunning to read, to feel to know.
And Quinnlyn's pure dedication is so powerful.
The real , raw emotion of this book had me absolutely sobbing.
The pregnancy and grief was hard enough to get through, but to add in the 90's setting with the mixed couple was a home run.
Adding in a little of Quinn's POV was a bonus for me I love seeing from both POV's. And I'm a sucker for it.

** ARC read provided by NetGalley**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes:
Captive X Guard
Hate to love
Shifter
So much hurt but also healing
Teenage pregnancy
Child loss

This book absolutely destroyed me and broke my heart in the best way possible.

The way this story is written pulled me in so quickly and easily I did not want to put it down. I was constantly turning the page desperate to learn what was going to happen next.

The majority of the book is written from the FMC’s point of view but towards the end we do get to see from the MMC’s point of view and gave us such a different perspective of the same situation and personally I loved how it tied everything together.

Zay’s story, while heartbreaking, was also so empowering and written with so much care and compassion. I truly felt her emotions and think the author did a great job capturing the devastation and loss she was feeling.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Quinn in the beginning (obviously) but he so quickly redeemed himself and seeing his point of view and WHY he had to do what he did, and how he protected and supported her through her loss was moving.

I really can’t recommend this book enough, I only wish it was longer because I want MORE.

please check trigger warnings and be mindful of your mental health.

I started the book without having any expectations, and I was truly blown away by the story.

This story you very quickly, and the main events happen fast as well. The difficult moments were described so realistically I cried like a little child during several scenes. The emotion completely overwhelms you, and you feel such immense pain.

Quinn was so caring, so devoted, thoughtful, supportive, and loving. He makes you realize that love isn’t always just words and good sex - it’s care. It’s making warm food for the person you love, giving them a small gift, or simply being there.

Being there and listening, truly hearing what the other person is saying, even through their silence. Wiping away tears, even the ones you didn’t cause.

It was genuine and beautifully written. I was left speechless.


So many emotions, so much sadness, so much happiness.

I’m giving it 5 ⭐️ because the book was a fantastic read.

I started the book without having any expectations, and I was truly blown away by the story.

So real, so heavy. A reality for many women.

The story pulls you in very quickly, and the main events happen fast as well. The difficult moments were described so realistically that even someone like me who currently doesn’t want children cried like a little child during several scenes. The emotion completely overwhelms you, and you feel such immense pain.

Buuut our MMC was so caring, so devoted, thoughtful, supportive, and loving. He makes you realize that love isn’t always just words and good sex - it’s care. It’s making warm food for the person you love, giving them a small gift, or simply being there.

Being there and listening, truly hearing what the other person is saying, even through their silence. Wiping away tears, even the ones you didn’t cause.

It was genuine and beautifully written. I was left speechless.

Now let’s talk about the werewolves. My obsession with them started in early childhood with Teen Wolf, and here they were portrayed wonderfully. We get a clear understanding of the hierarchy, how everything works, and why which I really appreciated, because I don’t like when something is simply mentioned without being properly explained.

So many emotions, so much sadness, so much happiness.

I’m giving it 4⭐️ because I wish the book had been a little longer, and in my opinion, the villain’s death was a bit too easy.

Everything else was chef’s kiss.

This was really engaging from start to finish. I would absolutely check out more from this author. I would recommend this one to my followers.

I want to be honest with you before you read this review. I have experienced child loss myself and I picked this book up knowing what was inside. What I did not expect was how deeply it would reach me.

J.L. Rosenauer perfectly captures the thoughts that go through your mind in the weeks and months after losing a baby. The kind of thoughts that are rarely spoken out loud because child loss is one of the most taboo and lonely forms of grief there is. Seeing those feelings written so truthfully on the page made me feel seen in a way I did not know I still needed.

If you have experienced child loss, please know that this book describes those moments in vivid detail, and you will be transported right back to them. Only you can decide if you are ready for that. But I can tell you that for me, it healed part of my soul.

Watching Zay slowly find her way through the devastation and come out the other side into peace, love, and a true family is quietly extraordinary. And Quinn, in the second half of the book, gives her exactly the kind of love and support she deserved all along.

This is not an epic paranormal romantasy. The werewolf storyline is really a backdrop for a deeply human story about surviving the unsurvivable and daring to believe in a beautiful life after. For readers who come to it understanding that it will stay with them for a long time.

Five stars without hesitation. I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

From the dedication alone, I knew this book was going to wreck me emotionally. The Southern atmosphere and 90s nostalgia felt incredibly authentic, and as someone who lives in the South, every detail hit perfectly. I was hooked from the very beginning.

I became deeply invested in Zalayuh’s journey. Even after reading the trigger warnings, Chapter 11 completely shattered me. I was sobbing for her. The emotional depth of this story pulled at every heartstring in the best and most painful way.

This is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it. The rawness, trauma, healing, and ultimately hopeful ending felt so real and beautifully handled. And Quinn- He genuinely surprised me. There were multiple moments where I found myself thinking, “Hell yeah.” The deeper we got into Zalayuh’s healing journey, the more I fell in love with him too. The spice was perfectly steamy just like we expect it to be with a protective warewolf.

This was such a beautifully written love story with a fantasy twist through the werewolves, but at its core, it’s a story about survival, healing, and finding love after pain. I’ll absolutely be recommending this book to anyone willing to listen to me.

This was DARK,and honestly a little unsettling. All while being emotional, and completely addictive in a way that had me hooked from the first chapter 🖤🦌
This is definitely one of those books that pulled me into a twisted atmosphere and kept me there the entire time. The tension, the obsession, the emotional intensity… EVERYTHING felt heavy in the best way possible.
The relationship dynamic was so complex and toxic but also weirdly emotional and vulnerable underneath it all, which made it impossible to look away. J.L. Rosenauer really knows how to write damaged, morally grey characters that completely consume your thoughts 😭
And the MMC??? Absolutely unhinged, possessive, obsessive, and terrifyingly devoted. The kind of character that makes you question your sanity because WHY was I blushing at some of the things he said LMFAO 😩
What really stood out to me was the atmosphere and emotional darkness throughout the story. There was actually good story buidling and It wasn’t just shock value because there was genuine emotional pain, trauma, and desperation woven into everything, which made the story hit even harder.

If you love:
🖤 dark romance
🖤 obsessive MMCs
🖤 toxic but addictive dynamics
🖤 emotional intensity
🖤 possessive energy
🖤 morally grey characters
🖤 unsettling atmosphere
🖤 books that leave you emotionally damaged

…this book will absolutely ruin you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this book through NetGalley.

My Little Doe pulled me in from the start and ended up being such an emotional ride. This is not just “dark romantasy with wolf shifters.” There is SO much more going on here with grief, trauma, pregnancy, survival, healing, family, and learning how to feel safe again.

I really liked Zay. She was strong without being written like nothing could touch her. She was falling apart, but didn’t let that get in the way. Her love for Aspen, her little sister, stayed at the center and that made her feel so real to me.

And Quinn? Ugh. Quinn was perfect. Not because he magically fixed everything, but because he gave her what she actually needed: patience, safety, care, and space to heal. Their connection is slow, but it makes sense because it is built on trust first, not just attraction. Quinn’s perspective added even more weight and made his protectiveness feel earned.

The pendant. December 7. Two hundred and forty seconds. Will forever live with me rent free. It added another layer to Zay’s grief and made everything she was carrying feel even heavier.

The darker tone and slow-burn pacing worked so well because the story gave the heavier moments room to breathe instead of rushing the healing or the relationship. From beginning to end, this was so well written, especially with how sensitive some of the subject matter is. It never felt heavy just to be heavy.

The ending was just perfect for the story and made the whole emotional journey feel worth it.

I’d recommend this to readers who like emotional dark romantasy, wolf shifters, slow-burn romance, protective MMCs, found family, healing arcs, and stories that handle heavier themes with care.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to J. L. Rosenauer, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I genuinely do not even know how to put into words what this book did to me.

My Little Doe completely consumed me from the very first page and took me on one of the most emotional reading experiences I’ve had in a long time. I started this book today and somehow ended up finishing it the same day because I physically could not stop reading.

This story was heartbreaking, dark, emotional, healing, beautiful, and painfully raw all at once.

The way this book handled grief, trauma, loss, survival, pregnancy, healing, family, and love felt so incredibly heavy and real. Every emotion hit deeply. There were moments where my heart genuinely hurt for these characters.

Zay absolutely stole my heart. She was written with so much depth and vulnerability. Even at her lowest moments, even through unimaginable grief and trauma, she never stopped surviving. She felt delicate at times, but underneath that was unbelievable strength and resilience. Watching her growth throughout the story was honestly beautiful and emotional to experience.

And Quinn… I adored Quinn. He wasn’t written as someone there to magically fix everything. He was patient, protective, caring, and gave Zay the space and safety she needed while still loving her fiercely. Their connection felt emotional first, which made the romance hit even harder.

What stood out most to me was how emotional this book felt from beginning to end. The atmosphere, the pain, the healing, the love — everything felt immersive. It wasn’t dark just for shock value. Every heavy moment had purpose and emotional weight behind it.

This book completely wrecked me in the best possible way.

If you love:
🖤 emotional dark romantasy
🖤 healing journeys
🖤 protective MMCs
🖤 grief and survival stories
🖤 slow burn romance
🖤 found family
🖤 emotionally intense reads
🖤 damaged but deeply lovable characters

…this book will absolutely stay with you.

There were a few triggers that made me think twice. But over all this was a pretty good book to read. Very dark and please check your triggers

this book was so good! I enjoyed every minute of it. It broke me and healed me at the same time and i will be recommending this to eveeryone!!

Wrecked.

Tomato-faced, snot-blocked, curled-up-crying-because-you-can-relate kinda wrecked. The sound trauma is so accurately described it was like reading a page from my own history. The emotional bleed left me wrecked initially. I found as I the further I read, the more Zalayuh fell apart, then slowly pieced back together, had a profound cathartic effect on me. You see, I experienced the loss of a 26 week pre-term infant. I was blessed to have shared 32 days with my little Wesley. Every second was a miracle. This layer of Zalayuh’s journey made her flesh and bone to me. This part of Zalayuh and Quinnlyn’s story hit the hardest. Initially it felt the biggest part of their story . . .

Bliss.

Strange that I said the loss of an infant “initially felt the biggest part of their story”, right? But, it isn’t really. Once you take in what came after that loss. How she gets to being-whole-after. Who’s next to her *after* is big. That someone is solid, steady, quietly cares, lets her heal at her own pace, picks her up when all she wants to do is stay on her knees. And this, for anyone that has suffered ANY sort of loss, is massive. Everything Quinnlyn does, though it’s not always understood, he does . . . for her.

Zalayuh’s voice came through the pages so clearly, like I was sitting with an old friend while she caught me up. Reading MY LITTLE DOE in the right ‘voice’, which came surprisingly easy here, really amplified the quality of the writing. Quinnlyn and Zalayuh are very well-fleshed, making them a breeze to solidify as very ‘real’ people—even with the Shifter trope. *Zalayuh’s reaction to witnessing the shift is, in my opinion, about as close to what I’d picture the average Joe/Jane’s reaction would be.

J.L. Rosenauer has most assuredly created a smart, emotionally charged love story, whose HEA is hard won—but, in the end, worth every teardrop that fell from my eyes.

*** Recommended ***

Thank you NetGalley and J.L. Rosenauer for the ARC.

MMC:
✨Quinnlyn
FMC:
✨Zalayuh
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Tropes:
👉dark shifter romance
👉enemies to lovers
👉soul mates
👉touch her and ☠️
👉forced proximity
👉on the run
👉interracial relationship
Triggers:🛑see content warning page/author’s website for full list🛑
💥18+
💥 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
💥violence, abuse, captivity
💥prejudice
💥drug and alcohol addiction/abuse
💥death, ⛔️ graphic loss of infant ⛔️
💥⛔️ premature birth ⚠️ PLEASE SEE CONTENT WARNING PAGE⚠️
💥psychological - So much going on here.

My Little Doe captured my heart and wouldn't let go. This was the story I didn't know I needed and it was beautifully done. I could not put this one down and squealed a little at the end. “Complicate my life more… please."

This is set in the 90s in Tennessee and Louisiana so be aware of the time period. Be sure to check your triggers on this one as there is pregnancy loss, kidnapping, substance, fighting along with healing, found family, yearning, and a happy ending the characters deserve. There are also wolf shifters!

I really enjoyed My Little Doe. I loved reading about the mid 90's. Growing up in the 90's, this book made me feel so nostalgic. There were Block Busters, Toys R Us, vhs tapes, pay phones!! I loved the 90's vibe. Zalayuh the fmc is 18 and pregnant. She goes through a lot not knowing she has a knight in shining armor. When things blow up and she loses her baby he is there to pick up the pieces. When they go to Louisiana I absolutely loved the southern atmosphere. Titi Lina was one of my favorite characters. There are some difficult scenes so please check your trigger warnings. This is a time where racism still reared its head. The ending was very satisfying and gave closure to the story.

This book was a healing journey of learning how to survive, grief, loss and to just keep pushing.

The way the author wrote Zay captured the raw emotions and denials a person goes through when they are experiencing grief and loss. Not only did she lose a child in a very traumatic way but she lost her family, especially her baby sister Aspen. Her world was turned completely upside down when she was kidnapped and held hostage because of the child she was carrying.

Quinn, I did not like in the beginning of this book. Just like the slow burn this book is, so did my feelings slowly change for him. Yes he wasn’t the best by helping keep her captive but it’s what he did next when we seen who he truly was when he took her away.

Both Zay and Quinn are both on a journey in this story and the growth from the ups and downs we see from each one of them makes this so worth it.

I recommend checking your trigger warnings on this one and it is a very dark emotional story that deals with some heavy topics.

Thank you NetGalley for supplying me with this ARC to be published June 30, 2026