I love the Ancients Rising Series so much and Ancient Guardian was no exception. This was my first fantasy romance series and I've had so much fun reading it. The books can all be read as standalones but I think you get the most enjoyment when you read the series, and they are pretty easy and fun reads.

This book is Orion and Violet's story and takes place outside of New Orleans. Violet and her sisters live in a more rural area and Orion has been living in their home and protecting the area after waking up from his hibernation. After more threats keep rising up, Orion has to decide if he wants to be an Alpha again and accept the risks and responsibilities than come with it all while dealing with some past trauma and his feelings for Violet.

I really enjoyed the book and that we got to see another territory establish themselves, but King's territory was still there and mentioned. I did miss my usual suspects, but this was a very nice change of pace. We do get quite a bit of Prima in this book which I was so happy about, I loved learning more about her, and she is pretty badass. I thought Violet was a very capable character, she was a doctor and was a leader in her community and always helped when needed. Orion was very charming too and I loved that he had a cute dog! I did think they waited too long to be together. I would have liked more scenes of then with tension or pining.

My only tiny issue was once the book progressed I found myself really enjoying the relationship between Laurel and Cale more. They had banter, straightforwardness and so much chemistry oh my gosh. I get they were not the mains, but I fell in love with them and just wanted more from them.

This was another knockout for this series and for Katie Reus. She is my comfort author and this could not have come out at a better time for me. Absolutely would recommend.

Orion and Violet were perfection. I really loved everything single minute of their relationship. While it was love at first sight, I really liked the slow burn aspect. The author always does some paragraphs from other characters' POV, and we got quite a bit about Laurel and her mate. I wonder if they'll get their own book or if this is it? Overall, a really enjoyable romance!

This is the 9th book of the series and takes us out of the city for awhile. We get to see how the rural communities are getting along after the Fall.

Orion wakes from his slumber to find the world a very different place. He happens on a community of humans and decides to stay and protect them. Violet is the de facto leader and Dr to the small town, SHe welcomes Orion into her home and community.

I enjoyed seeing another part of the world building by this author. However, I did miss our familiar faces. The intensity and camaraderie were just not quite the same as the previous stories. I'm hoping these folks may pop up again in future books.

A good read but not my favorite of the series. Overall, the whole series is excellent!

A big thank you to NetGalley and KR Press, LLC for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is part of a series, but it does read well as a stand alone. I have read some of this series, but not all. I really enjoyed this one-it didn't seem as dark as some of the previous ones. Violet and Orion were very cute and sort of funny. I loved Baris!!! 4 stars I think most paranormal romance readers will enjoy this.

This was an interesting story. I read the first 2 in the series and never got the chance to read the rest. I was so excited for the chance to read this one. It didn't disappoint.

This is set in a human run community close to New Orleans after The Fall. The Fall was when supernatural factions came out of hiding in an attempt to rule the world. Society as they knew it crashed.

This story takes place some time afterwards. Violet and her sisters help run a community of survivors in a parish in Louisiana. One day, Violet decides to go take a dip in a pond and while there spots a naked stranger. Thinking he must be injured and being a doctor, she attempted to approach him to offer aide but he disappeared before she could.

We soon discover that the man, Orion, is a dragon shifter who has just came out of hibernation that lasted decades if not centuries. He awoke into a confusing world and left to try to figure out this new world. He shortly returns to the human run community and most especially to Violet who he feels a connect to. He remains to protect her from danger.

A year had passed when the story picks up in the 2nd chapter. Orion had been there for months, pretending to be a human, living in a spare room in the home of Violet and her sisters, and secretly patrolling at night with 3 wild shifter brothers, killing bloodthirsty vampires that seek violence on their land.

I very much like this story. It is not only am written but kept me locked in enough to finish in 1 day. Good length, good character development, and fascinating characters. I want to know more about the various supporting characters. I'll just have to try to tra k down digital copies of the rest of the series and hope I can keep up with updates when/if new ones come out in the future. I'm sure there will be since there just has to be.

It does not end on a cliffhanger but some of the the supporting characters need their own story. I especially wonder about Prima. Maybe she was in earlier stories and I either missed her or i haven't read ones including her yet.

3 stars - I liked it

When alpha dragon shifter Orion woke from his millennia-long hibernation he found the world much changed and a band of humans struggling to survive. A year later he has found a family in this little community but they don’t know he is a shifter, but with the rising threat of rogue vampires Orion has to finally admit what he is and claim this territory, and hopefully the woman he is obsessed with.

For two characters that were completely new, I really enjoyed these two. Orion and Violet’s story was sweet and filled with a lot of pinning for each other. These two have been attracted to each other since they met but have not made a move for various reasons. The vampire threat pushes them to admit their feelings and finally mate. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship because while this is a fated mates story, it felt more like friends to lovers because of how long they took to mate.

“You are everything… You’re the reason I wake up every morning, sweet Violet. When I look at you, you’re the only thing I see, the only thing that matters. The darkest part of me wants to shackle you to me, to keep you forever no matter what.”

What really surprised me in this book was that we actually get two romances! Violet’s sister Laurel falls for the dragon shifter Cole who was part of King’s envoy to this hidden community. I enjoyed this extra romance and actually wished there had been a few more scenes of these two together but was still happy with what we got.

The villains in this are rogue vampires and while they did a lot of damage they weren’t much of a threat to a dragon. I did enjoy the angst and danger in this but thought it was wrapped up a bit quick. I really thought the vampire would be more of a challenge with how powerful and old he was but I can also understand that not much can stand up to dragon fire. I still enjoyed all of this book though.

Overall, this was another great couple. I really love this series and hope we get to see more of Orion and Violet, and this community, in future books. Also please write a panda shifter book now that I know that is a thing!

Trigger Warnings: arson; death of friends (including children); references to abusive parents; kidnapping;

Another good installment about after the Fall. Ancient Guardian deals with Orion and his community. Violet is his mate, but he hasn't done anything about it. This is a smaller community that Violet and her 3 ssters live in an sort of run. Evenyone comes to them with problems. Violet is a doctor and is kept pretty busy. Vampires are trying to take over and they have to deal with that. A large group shows up from another district and wants to allie themselves with this group. We have met quite a few people in previoius books about this group. They have a couple dragons with them that want to stay witth this new group, so more peope are matching up. I loved that there was a panda shifter. Orion was so jealous - it was cute. I couldn't put the book down - it was very entertaining

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

As this is the first book I have read in this series, there is background information that I have missed but that did not take away from this story. I loved the two alphas in this story, Orion the dragon and Violet the human female, and how the author has developed them as strong individuals who are attracted to each other but neither are fast to act on their feelings. I enjoyed the different paranormals and how they work together to keep their territory safe from vampires. It’s a well developed storyline, with great characters and a HEA. This is a story that is definitely worth reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley and are voluntarily leaving a review.

Before 'The Fall', Violet and her sisters were living their lives, their way, away from their home town of Robichaux, Louisiana. When the dragons attacked all four sisters headed home. Their parents, who had been scientists, had established windmill farms in the community setting Robichaux up for success after the terrible dragon attack. These farms are what sustain the territory and help their people to thrive and survive.

Dragon shifter Orion was in hibernation during The Fall. His childhood was far from ideal and later in life he lost the members of his clan to an unknown disease. When he woke up from his deep sleep he kept his dragon side a secret. He was afraid he would be associated with the dragons who attacked but it was also a way to better understand and learn his new surroundings. One thing Orion knew for sure was that Violet was made for him. He made himself a valuable asset to the Robichaux community in many ways but the one unknown to the humans around him involved fighting off supernatural attacks to their community.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Orion and Violet make a kickass Alpha pair. I love everything about the 'Ancients Rising' series and 'Ancient Guardians' is an amazing installment to the series. Even though the community of Robichaux was greatly impacted by 'The Fall' they have been mostly sheltered from what is going on in the world. Because the community is able to sustain itself, they have had no need to trade or work with other territories. With no known interaction with supernaturals they could have lashed out at Orion but they were accepting. When considering how hate filled our current real world situations are it was refreshing to see such acceptance.

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I really enjoyed this one.
While I love King, his territory and all the characters there. It’s nice to have a change and this was kind of the best of both worlds.

Orion is an ancient alpha dragon who woke from his millennia-long hibernation to the woman he wants to spend his life with. He’s looked after her, her sisters and their community. Without anyone knowing what he is.
But things change. Their territory is under threat.

This is one of my favourites from this series.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

Reading a book that makes you feel immersed in its world is extraordinary. Ancient Guardian , the ninth book in the Ancients Rising series does that. It features alpha dragon shifter Orion who awoke from a long hibernation into a different world. He finds a band of humans working to survive in Robichaux Parish, Louisiana. For the last year, he has been living among them, keeping his nature secret, and keeping predators away from them. However, an enemy has escalated threats, including against the woman he loves, but has kept in the friendship zone. Violet Robichaux and her three sisters have helped organize their small farming community after The Fall. She’s fallen hard for Orion, but hasn’t acted on it. However, when a visiting group of supernaturals and humans want to strike an alliance, multiple secrets are revealed.

Violet is approachable and well-trusted. She’s a doctor, well-respected, and a leader, but she doesn’t know how to protect herself physically. Orion is a natural leader. He’s protective of others, but feels he’s unworthy. His childhood experiences were a nightmare and still affect him millennia later. Their characterization has depth, as does that of several secondary characters.

Besides great characterization, the world-building is well-done. Life in a community after much of the globe suffered destruction isn’t easy and the challenges the humans face are considerable. The plot is intriguing, full of suspense, twists, intense moments, and some emotional scenes. The story builds suspense in a way that pulls readers into the lives of the characters. There are a few steamy scenes in the second half of the book. My only quibble was with the ending where certain information was revealed about some of the secondary characters. It felt rushed. Their stories could have been told in two more books. Themes include leadership, trust, protection, love, greed, secrets, family, and friendship.

Overall, this was a fun and entertaining novel that has depth to it. I recommend it to those who enjoy paranormal romantic suspense with action scenes, romance, and some intensity to the underlying themes. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as other books by this author.

KR Press, LLC – Author Collective 20 and Katie Reus provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be June 27, 2023.

Ancient Guardian is a paranormal dragon shifter romance. It is book 9 in the Ancients Rising series. I unfortunately did not read any of the other parts of the series so I was a little behind on the context of the post apocalyptic
world in what we know as Louisiana. Once I got caught up it was an interesting story of a community trying to rebuild and finding out who they can trust. What I find creative is that the story mostly centers around our two leads, Violet and Orion. But, we get to see the start of other couples with Violet's sisters; Laurel with Cale and Rose with Baris. If you like paranormal romance then I think this series is work checking out.

Ancients Guardian is such an immersive and original paranormal romance series and one that keeps getting better and better. I’ve talked in past reviews about how much I love the world-building, which takes place in a supernatural, post-apocalyptical United States where the government has fallen and new territories are being formed. With paranormal threats encroaching on their territory, Orion, an ancient dragon shifter, is determined to protect the people who welcomed him into their group.

The majority of the other books in the series take place in what was once New Orleans, but this book shifts gears a bit and takes place in a small community outside of the New Orleans territory. It was a great change of pace, and I liked seeing how other smaller communities fared after the fall. Though small, Orion and Violet’s territory has a lot to offer, and a potential alliance with King and the New Orleans territory seems like a great match. And since Orion has been protecting his territory from vicious and deadly vampires, King and his people, who have faced the same problems, have a lot to offer too. What one community lacks, the other can provide, whether it’s protection, medical supplies, food, or care.

Though there are a few characters that we’ve seen in previous books in the series, there is a whole new cast of characters to fall in love with. Violet is a great protagonist and the leader of her community alongside Orion. She’s a human healer, and she and her sisters returned to their home after the Fall. I like all of the sisters, and I can’t wait to learn more about each of them.

I have to say Reus sure knows how to create hunky and soft-hearted alpha males who are protective and honorable and so incredibly swoon-worthy. Orion is the perfect example – a fierce and fearsome leader, he is a total cinnamon roll for Violet. A human healer, Violet has no idea Orion is a dragon shifter, and he is afraid to tell her and everyone else even though he’s been living with them for a year. Nevertheless, he is respected within the community, and most people look to him and Violet for guidance and leadership. It was so interesting to see the pair gain a more definitive leadership role, work with their people, and start a potential alliance with others.

Violet and Orion have a wonderful, slow-building, angsty love story, which transitions beautifully from friendship to romance. The pining and longing are fantastic, and there’s a secondary romance in the story that’s fantastic too. While the main romance is a slower building friends-to-lovers story, the secondary romance is more of a steamy, insta-love. And, whew! Their chemistry sizzles right off the page!

If you like paranormal romance with unique magical worlds, great characters, suspense, and swoon-worthy romances, you should totally check this series out! Special thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This is a super cute and swoony paranormal romance.. I liked it very much.. It is sweet and charming, with lovely characters. Definitely a relaxing read after stressful day.

This one is one of my favorites in the series. I loved that we got to see more in the series but in a different location and a different group of people, and yet we still got to see some of the previous characters. Prima especially. I would have loved to have seen Willow though. That dragonling has stolen my heart. Well, all the dragonlings have. They are just a fun part of this series.

I loved the couple. I enjoyed the idea of Violet and her 3 sisters helping to create a community of people to rebuild their small portion of the world. I loved the chemistry between Violet and Orion. These two had more of a slow burn romance due to Orion's hesitancy, but I didn't mind that since there was so much going on in the story. And my favorite thing is that we got more than one couples romance in this book. Fun read!!

Another hit from Katie Reus. If you want a good paranormal, romantic with a little suspense, look no farther. Dragons. Secrets. Sex.

Violet and her sisters live in a little community after The Fall but their territory wasn't destroyed as bad as other places. Violet is a doctor and is sorrow like the mayor. While out one day she sees a naked man but when she gets to where he is, he vanishes.

Orion is an Alpha dragon shifter and has lived with Violet and the sisters for about a year now. He had recently awaken after being in hibernation for over a millennia and the world has definitely changed. He has kept his dragon a secret because dragons are what killed Violet's parents and his afraid she won't accept him. He had a horrible childhood and he knows he wants to mate with Violet but doesn't really know a lot about it. He keeps their perimeters of the territory safe along with some wolves.

When vampires keep coming into their territory, Orion and his friends, they are determined to put a stop to it. But then Violet is taken and Orion will burn the place down to find her.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley*

Ancient Guardian (Ancients Rising Book 9) by Katie Reus
This series is fantastic - Katie knows how to pull you in and keep you there. Alpha dragon shifter Orion and human doctor Violet are both strong H/h working together to keep their small community safe. There are lots of new family/friends as well as enemies. Mystery, suspense, murder, laughs, tears, discovery, multiple relationships and plenty of steam to get us to a very HEA,
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Easy-to-read Great world building Action-packed Wonderful characters Unpredictable Steamy Scary Witty Page-turner Entertaining Tear-jerker Happily Ever After.

A Katie Reus book is always worth the read, and Ancient Guardian is no exception. That said, this addition to her excellent Ancients Rising series does lack a little of the plot substance I'm used to in a Reus book. Otherwise, it's beautifully composed with wonderful characters you wish were real.

This novel takes us outside of the New Orleans territory, which is a great change of pace. It also frees us from the sometimes overwhelming cast of characters populating the city. Here, we meet members of a more rural area, unofficially led by doctor Violet and dragon shifter Orion, with the help of
Violet's equally botanically named sisters and a trio of wolf shifters. It is of note that Orion and the wolves have been keeping their supernatural halves hidden for not-so-clearly formed reasons. Orion has only only been there a year (fresh from a millenia-long hibernation), and how he ended up living with the sisters when there are several vacant homes is a bit unclear.

Anyway, Violet and Orion have been fighting their attraction for the whole year, again for vague reasons, but the arrival of a delegate from New Orleans at the same time vampire attacks are in the rise sort of jump start things.

I adored Violet and Orion even if I didn't understand why they waited so dang long. Man, I love my husband but would toss him over for a dragon like Orion in a hot minute. Violet is also impressive; I love that she's a skilled doctor and community leader who is definitely dragon worthy.

I just wish there was a little more to the plot. The villains are fairly easily disposed of, and (being vague to avoid spoilers) I wasn't surprised at all how Violet finds herself facing the main one. And again, I didn't fully understand what was keeping Violet and Orion apart aside from the "not good enough for her" refrain.

All that aside, I will always pick up a book by this author. Her supernatural world is superbly crafted, one of the best ones out there.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!