Brutal Claim by Lee Savino

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The High King of Ulfaria needs no introduction. What I need is an omega.

And now, I’ve found one. Kim. She is small and perfect, as I knew she would be.

I will demand her obedience, then I will give her the perfect nest and allow her to bear my heirs.

She vows to defy me, but one way or another, she will submit.



Hold. My. Beer.

Brutal Claim

A Brutal King with a Surprisingly Gentle Heart

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💚
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😋😉😎🤯
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Solo Narration

Characters and Plot Summary

Kim starts this book already carrying the weight of everything she survived in the first installment, and I felt that history in every choice she made. She is stubborn, smart, and tired of being treated like a pawn. When she is taken to Ulfaria and forced into the orbit of Aurus, the high king, their dynamic sparks immediately. One of the earliest scenes that hooked me was when Kim tries to escape the palace by scaling a balcony wall, only for Aurus to catch her in the act. Instead of dragging her back, he watches her with this mix of irritation and fascination that sets the tone for their entire relationship.

Aurus is powerful and intimidating, but the story gives him moments of vulnerability that made me care about him more than I expected. His first private conversation with Kim, where he admits he does not know how to rule a mate without breaking her spirit, showed me he was not just another domineering alien king. Their bond grows through conflict, especially during the scene where Kim challenges him in front of his own warriors. That moment shifts their dynamic from captor and captive to something more equal, even if neither of them is ready to admit it.

The plot moves fast, with political tension on Ulfaria, rival clans testing Aurus’s authority, and Kim caught in the middle. The scene where the two of them fight side by side during an ambush was one of my favorites because it proves they work better as a team than either of them wants to admit.

Highlights and Limitations

One of the biggest highlights for me was the emotional push and pull between Kim and Aurus. Their chemistry is not just physical. It is rooted in the way they challenge each other. When Kim refuses to bow during a formal ceremony, Aurus’s reaction is equal parts fury and admiration, and that complexity made their relationship feel alive.

I also loved the worldbuilding details, especially the customs of Ulfaria. The trial scene where Aurus must defend Kim’s right to stay by his side added real stakes and made the romance feel intertwined with the political plot.

If I had one limitation to point out, it is that I sometimes wished Kim had more time to process her trauma before being thrown into the next intense moment. There is a scene where she confronts Aurus about the way he handled her earlier capture, and I wanted that conversation to last longer. It was powerful, but it wrapped up faster than my personal preference.

Narration

Jasper Woodcock brings a deep, resonant voice to Aurus that fits the character perfectly. His delivery during the scene where Aurus confesses his fear of losing control was one of the strongest narration moments in the entire audiobook. Kim’s chapters have a sharper, more emotional tone, and Woodcock manages to shift just enough to make her voice distinct without sounding unnatural.

The action scenes are especially well performed. During the ambush sequence, the pacing of his narration made the tension feel immediate. I listened to that part twice because the performance added so much energy to the moment.

If I had to nitpick, there were a few quieter emotional beats where I wished the narration softened a little more, especially during Kim’s internal reflections. Still, overall the performance elevated the story.

Final Thoughts

By the time I finished Brutal Claim, I felt genuinely invested in Kim and Aurus as a couple. Their relationship is messy, intense, and full of growth, and I appreciated that the book did not shy away from showing both their flaws and their strengths. The political intrigue kept the plot moving, and the emotional moments landed more often than not. I walked away wanting to see how their bond evolves in the next book, which is always the sign of a satisfying installment in a series like this.

If you enjoy alien romance with strong character dynamics, high stakes, and a hero who learns to meet his match, this one is worth the listen.

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