Guarded by the Leshy

Cara Wylde leans into Slavic folklore with a Leshy protector whose body is the forest itself — vines, bark, sap, and all. The opposites-attract dynamic between biophobic Thea and nature-incarnate Taran gives this installment a unique tension that most monster romances lack. The spice is inventive without being overwhelming, and there's a genuine sweetness to watching Thea overcome her deepest fear through falling in love with its embodiment. Best read curled up somewhere you can hear trees rustling.