Hollow Oak Mates Series by Kala Aster, Milly Taiden

She crash-landed in a cursed town with wild magic in her veins and a warlock’s claim on her soul.Cora Thorne wasn’t looking for a fresh start —but the Veil took her anyway. Now she’s stuck in Hollow Oak, where the trees whisper secrets, the muffins glow at dawn, and the town’s lion-shifter ranger growls like she’s already his.Callum Cross protects this place with claws and silence. He doesn’t trust Cora’s fae blood, her too-bright magic, or the way she hums under her breath like she belongs... moreShe crash-landed in a cursed town with wild magic in her veins and a warlock’s claim on her soul.Cora Thorne wasn’t looking for a fresh start —but the Veil took her anyway. Now she’s stuck in Hollow Oak, where the trees whisper secrets, the muffins glow at dawn, and the town’s lion-shifter ranger growls like she’s already his.Callum Cross protects this place with claws and silence. He doesn’t trust Cora’s fae blood, her too-bright magic, or the way she hums under her breath like she belongs.But the relic buried beneath the forest is waking. Her curse is tied to it. And the only thing more dangerous than what’s coming… is what’s sparking between them.Read on for sentient brooms, soul-deep bonds, snarly kisses, ancient curses, and a grumpy shifter who’d burn the forest down before he lets her go. HEA Guaranteed! less

Katniss Greaves came to Hollow Oak chasing a missing girl — and walked straight into the arms of something ancient, angry, and breathtakingly alive.The town wasn’t on any map. The mist watched her. And the man across the street? He didn’t smile. He growled.Emmett Hollowell doesn’t like strangers. Doesn’t like questions. Doesn’t like the way the seer with the sharp tongue and haunted eyes makes his wolf pace like it remembers her.He tells her to stay out of the woods. She doesn’t listen... moreKatniss Greaves came to Hollow Oak chasing a missing girl — and walked straight into the arms of something ancient, angry, and breathtakingly alive.The town wasn’t on any map. The mist watched her. And the man across the street? He didn’t smile. He growled.Emmett Hollowell doesn’t like strangers. Doesn’t like questions. Doesn’t like the way the seer with the sharp tongue and haunted eyes makes his wolf pace like it remembers her.He tells her to stay out of the woods. She doesn’t listen. Now the Veil has opened, the past is bleeding through, and the only thing more dangerous than what’s waking beneath Hollow Oak… is what’s waking inside them.Because the girl he was sent to protect is his mate.And the monster who broke him once wants her next.Read on for small-town secrets, shadow curses, mate-marking magic, and a grumpy wolf who falls hard for the woman digging up the past. HEA Guaranteed! less

Moira Marsh just wanted to digitize some dusty records, not get yeeted into a magical town with a possessed book, a bloodline full of secrets, and a grumpy panther shifter claiming she’s his fated mate.Lucien Vale was supposed to be a mild-mannered bookstore owner. He’s also the town’s supernatural enforcer, emotionally repressed cat dad, and apparently the only thing keeping Moira’s runaway magic from cracking the fabric of reality... moreMoira Marsh just wanted to digitize some dusty records, not get yeeted into a magical town with a possessed book, a bloodline full of secrets, and a grumpy panther shifter claiming she’s his fated mate.Lucien Vale was supposed to be a mild-mannered bookstore owner. He’s also the town’s supernatural enforcer, emotionally repressed cat dad, and apparently the only thing keeping Moira’s runaway magic from cracking the fabric of reality.Now the grimoire won’t shut up, ancient evil’s knocking at the veil, and Moira might be the only one who can stop it—if she doesn’t set something on fire first.No pressure. less

Luka Ashe was perfectly content being Hollow Oak’s resident grizzly grouch.He had a quiet workshop, a collection of haunted woodworking commissions, and zero interest in mating, dating, or feeling anything deeper than oak grain. Until a necromancer with too much eyeliner and a snark problem summoned half the spirit world—and his inner bear got very interested in sharing territory.Leenah Carrow talks to ghosts, rolls her eyes at supernatural politics, and doesn’t do “help... moreLuka Ashe was perfectly content being Hollow Oak’s resident grizzly grouch.He had a quiet workshop, a collection of haunted woodworking commissions, and zero interest in mating, dating, or feeling anything deeper than oak grain. Until a necromancer with too much eyeliner and a snark problem summoned half the spirit world—and his inner bear got very interested in sharing territory.Leenah Carrow talks to ghosts, rolls her eyes at supernatural politics, and doesn’t do “help.” But when a spiritual uprising starts brewing, she somehow ends up soul-bonded to the town’s most emotionally constipated shifter.Now the two of them are knee-deep in ancestral curses, magical prenups, aggressive dead people, and one sacred grove that definitely isn’t zoning-code compliant.There’s also kissing. And spiritual warfare. And a bear who keeps carving her name into things.They’re saving the town.Probably.He thinks she’s his fated mate. She thinks he needs therapy and maybe a rabies shot.Read on for grumpy-sunshine tension, sacred mate marks, ghost tour chaos, and a bear shifter who builds furniture like foreplay. HEA Guaranteed! less

Freya Bloom wanted to sell tinctures, avoid commitment, and pretend her grandmother’s roses weren’t weeping black sap.Instead, the town’s magical plants are dying, an ancient dryad is waking up cranky, and Hollow Oak has decided she’s their last line of defense.Enter Kieran tiger shifter, reluctant hero, and aggressively hot in a “built my porch and ruined my boundaries” kind of way. The town council says he’s her magical backup. The universe says he’s her mate. Freya says absolutely not... moreFreya Bloom wanted to sell tinctures, avoid commitment, and pretend her grandmother’s roses weren’t weeping black sap.Instead, the town’s magical plants are dying, an ancient dryad is waking up cranky, and Hollow Oak has decided she’s their last line of defense.Enter Kieran tiger shifter, reluctant hero, and aggressively hot in a “built my porch and ruined my boundaries” kind of way. The town council says he’s her magical backup. The universe says he’s her mate. Freya says absolutely not.But the evil in the woods has other plans — and so do her roses.She’s a legacy witch with control issues. He’s a lone shifter who’s allergic to feelings. Together, they’re Hollow Oak’s least qualified save-the-world plan.Read on for fated mates, botanical disaster, dryad curses, and a cinnamon roll tiger who only growls when you’re naked. HEA Guaranteed! less