Raven: Part One

Forbidden Desires, Book 8

By: Piper Scott, Virginia Kelly

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Bertram Drake, the most mysterious Drake brother, leads a life shrouded in secrecy. Taken from his brothers at a young age and shaped into a weapon to be used by the dragon council, he has one sole purpose: obey the orders given to him, no matter what they might be.

Once a perfect jewel of the Pedigree, Sorin’s sparkle has been dulled. Taken from his cloister and sold regularly to the highest bidder, he has learned two vital truths.

The first: that dragons are monsters who will stop at nothing to get what they want. And the second, most terrible truth of all: that egg madness is a lie—omegas are not saved from a lifetime of pain even when they are separated from their eggs.

When Sorin’s newest buyer mysteriously dies, Sorin sees it as his chance to escape from the hellish life he’s been forced to lead. The only obstacle? A handsome agent of the council who has been tasked with ending his life.… and who has custody of his eggs.

Raven: Part One is a 100,000 word omegaverse mpreg-ish romance set prior to the events of the Forbidden Desires series. It contains action, adventure, heartbreak, laughter, and more than its fair share of steam. For maximum enjoyment, Raven: Part One is best listened to following the events of Clutch, Bond, Mate, Swallow, Magpie, Finch, and Peregrine.

Please use the Look Inside or Download Free Sample feature to examine the Content Warning for possible triggers.

©2023 Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly (P)2024 Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly

On the edge of my seat!

Holy heck, what a fantastic book! But dang does it get heavy. Fair warning that your heart will break for Sorin and Bertram many times over. Sorin’s story (aka Raven) especially is one of pain and trauma and so much sorrow. And we finally get to know Bertram and WOW did I love him. He has a very intense moral code and it’s really put to the test once he meets Sorin. His life is literally changed forever, in both good and bad ways.

Many, many questions from the series are answered in this book and I’m confident the rest will be answered in part two. I was emotionally devastated by the end of part one, but ready to watch these guys find their HEA in part two.

So yeah, be prepared for a very heavy story with lots of trigger warnings!

Amazing Series

Waited forever, and loved every minute of the series and this book. Can't wait for part 2

I don't need a heart anyway.

This book series has kept me company since last year, when it was first recommended to me, and it kept me hooked especially because of its originality within the omegaverse trope.
If you enjoy well developed lore, distinct, well fleshed out and lovable characters with very satisfying romance you’ll certainly enjoy it as much as I do.

Given that this is one of the last books (and I want to avoid spoilers) all I’m going to say is that as far as emotional roller coasters go, Sorin and Bertram take the entire damn bakery. I don’t mean that lightly, I mean that you’ll literally get no reprieve from your feelings. Happiness is emphasised but then again so is, well… pain. Lot’s of it. I was also quite frustrated at certain situations but a good book is one that makes you feel in spades, in my opinion.
Sorin and Bertram are by far the most complex characters in the entire series, so no wonder they get two books of their own, with lot’s of grey areas and a few blacks too. Sorin’s anguish is relatable in a way that made me angry for him, but that’s a good character for you. Bertram is good through and through which I didn’t expect but then again, understand.
I found myself going “yeah, this does justice to the title of the series”. lol

Mr. Ferraiuolo’s performance was incredible as usual. There’s this gentleness in which he narrates that makes the book very pleasing to follow, he also has this very theatrical cadence that elevates the work he’s reading and honestly I wish I could describe this better but words fail me.
His narration is smooth as silk and I love his accents and distinct ‘voices’ he used for different characters. Sorin’s ‘voice’ was slightly anguished which fit him to a T and Bertram was quite collected/composed.
I also appreciate how we’re gifted with music during the opening and the ending of his performance which is such a nice, considerate touch and again, it elevates the experience.

Wonderful book series with a wonderful narrator and I’m honestly so glad he’s back to complete it!

Narration is chef's kiss

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

5 stars for Michael Ferraiuolo. His narration is top tier. He brought each character to life. Plus he brings the emotion with him. One of the best out there and each time I hear him he proves why. Great job!

STORY REVIEW

4.5 stars

Bertram Drake has always been a bit of a mystery. He has made appearances in his brother's books but they were always small and left with many questions. This is his story and let me tell you it was a good one.

Bertram Drake was picked by his father at a young age to work for the council. He was taken away from his siblings to become a weapon for the council. The council claims his job and his missions are for the greater good of the dragon world. For hundreds of years, Bertram believed this that is until one day he meets an Omega who flips his world upside down.

Sorin is an omega who has been used and abused by many dragons. Sorin is also a rarity. He has been able to have multiple clutches. Which is why he has been tossed around from one dragon to the next. The last dragon who has used him to produce a clutch has put him through nothing but torture. Sorin is tired of the treatment. All he wants is to be able to do is keep his clutch as all his previous were taken from him. During the delivery of his last clutch, he tries to escape but is caught. However, something odd happens to the dragon who has kept him captive. This leads to the council sending one of their dragons to investigate and kill the omega. The dragon sent is none other than Bertram Drake.

This was so much better than I expected. If you want to talk about forbidden love this is the ultimate type.

Where is part two?! I literally can't wait!!

Finally (almost) i've waited for what feals like years for more books in this series! I love this world and these dragons, its like seeing people you missed but have been parted from, you can almost hug them but this was part one, you will be kept looking at them until part two, then you can embrace them. I love this narrator for this series, now, please please give me part two!!!! ❤️

Amazing!

This is an amazing final book! Raven has been a long time coming but it was soooo worth the wait for this epic two part story! Since the book was broken up into two parts, I love all the back story we got about Bertram and Soren. Their beginning was equal parts heartbreaking and magical and I loved seeing them finding their way to each other. While their story certainly doesn't have a HEA right now, their love for each other is so strong. Michael did an amazing job with the narration but I really didn't expect anything different! Michael always delivers a fantastic story and adds so much life to the characters without distracting from the authors words. Can't wait to start part 2!

Holy smokes

I have been both looking forward to this book and dreading it all at the same time. Raven is a much harder read than the rest of this series but it answers so many questions. These characters have found their way into my heart. I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in part two. And Michael Ferraiuolo does his usual superb job with the characterizations.

Brilliant & Fascinating! Story, Series & Narration

This is a fascinating series, one that has blown me away from the first book “Clutch” and it is definitely a binge worthy series, so if you haven’t started yet, what are you waiting for? The writing, plot and world building is absolutely brilliant, as are the character growth and development, from the get go. Raven is the series finale and in this book the authors give you Bertram Drake and Sorin/Raven’s story, both characters have appeared in earlier books, but little is known about them, so the authors take you back in time to their beginning, singly and how they are connected. I won’t give anything away, but my opinion of both characters was unfavorable in the earlier books, especially Raven, yet that has shifted now that their true selves and motivations have been revealed. I still have some unanswered questions and am hoping all the pieces fall in place in the second part, because there is definitely more to come. Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly, that you for this amazing story and wild and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 Michael Ferraiuolo delivers an outstanding performance, bringing the characters and story to life from the pages to your ears. He has a complete understanding of the characters he is portraying, giving each a voice that is both fitting and believable. His take on the two leads is absolute perfection, grasping every aspect of their personality, and he is just as amazing performing the roles of all the side characters, too. You can hear how much heart he puts into his performance as he captures all the characters’ emotions and has you feeling them all. Ferraiuolo is a versatile voice artist and an entertaining storyteller who elevates this already brilliant story to another level. Thank you for another fantastic listen.

Yep!

A totally engaging storyline, and absolutely wonderful characters I can't wait to listen part two, the narrator was spot on with the feelings.

The End of An Amazing Series

Wow! I can see why Raven is in two parts! After Part One finished, I immediately began listening to Part Two. I had to know what was going to happen next! This is definitely not a standalone because all of the stories are intertwined. Events from the other stories happen, and we are given more insight of certain events. I really enjoyed Bertram and Soren's first part of their story. Michael Ferraiuolo is a superb narrator! I'm so glad he was able to narrate this entire series. I can't imagine anyone else doing it.