Just wanna hear some thoughts.
What do women think of harem stories?
CacackleLasson Yeah, I sometimes see a novel with harem tag, and when I read, the MC is Female, and then in the story lots of Male are fighting over for the MC love and affection and attention, and then oh I realize its a reverse harem. 
But still, if the story is good enough, I dont mind reading them eventhough Im a male. But not as much love I have for reading a non reverse harem novel. 
CacackleLasson I'm a woman, and I prefer harem stories to reverse harems. Why? Because there is some plot.
My experience doesn't come from novels, in this field, but mainly animes. In general, if the main point of the story is collecting love interests, I soon drop and look for something else. If it's a romance, I can't stand harems or love triangles.
If the harem part is there just for fanservice, then I don't care too much.
For example, my favourite anime with harem tag is "Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou". Another good one is "Kore was zombie desu ka?" (the first season is hilarious, then it becomes boring)
I don't know if it's true for novels as well, but in animes and mangas, there isn't a real intention of having all the girls (it kind of happens by chance, or for some unknown reason), so I don't think there's anything bad about it.
Reverse-harems, on the other side, have that exact intention: collecting boys. That's the focus of the plot, and it's awkward and boring.
Your question was too vague, so I'm not sure what you wanted to know exactly. I hope I helped you
Precisely.
In Anime, LN, Manga, there are many harems like SAO. The MC actually have only one girlfriend. Although the MC is surrounded by girls but hey, isn't that real life too? I know many people will scold the MC for being a Beta MC for not going after the other girls but the MC is true to his girl friend while nice to the other girls. He is just trying to be a nice guy. Nothing wrong with that.
Avidfan why is not going with other girls a beta
- Edited
CacackleLasson Because apparently alpha males are hypermasculine chads who sleep with every single woman under the sun, and if you're not an alpha, you're a beta. Also, because many of these readers who throw these insults are most likely hormonal teenagers who have no idea how relationships work in reality, and they are just there to read the sex scenes. So if the protagonist doesn't give them what they are here to read, they get mad.
Tomoyuki Im actually writing what you are describing and I'm somewhat concerned since the name of my MC is Chad. And he has only one love interest and the theme is beta to alpha, Im concerned people might poke me and they will say he is still beta.
HotRedFlaming Alpha isn't about sleeping around, rather it's being attractive to other people (like, all girls want to be with him and all boys want to be him)
I personally find interesting those characters that could have everything, but they choose not to
xiaohai_23 I see, thus far no one is complaining so I might be doing okay.
That not what the hormone rich male teens think. They have another term for that and it call the omega lol..
They just have no idea that in real life, people needs to socialize due to jobs and social circle hehe.
Avidfan can u describe an omega
Avidfan Oh my, are you talking about that thing like Alpha, Beta, Omega from werewolves BL stories?
It makes me shiver because it's like the opposite of the scientific meanings of the words. I seriously can go along with that concept, so I haven't read stories about werewolves just because of that. I can't force myself to open the first chapter after the synopsis.
HotRedFlaming well, in girl's stories, the omega is like the one that is destined to be with the alpha (which is so confusing if you have common sense LOL)
Now I'm curious what is it in boy's stories
According to some, it is the worst mc...
Alphas are the ones that lead the pack and the only ones that breed, Omegas are the ones that are at the bottom of the hierarchy completely, and betas are the ones in between. A protagonist will be called omega when he's pushed around more than usual.
You are prolly a girl...cos these are the internet slangs used by the males. Tomoyuki above has explained very well =)
Avidfan Ah, ok. This makes more sense.
It'll help me forget about the ABO from erotic novels and the likes.
Avidfan ok, thanks. I should have figured it out sooner :D
Honestly most harem stories have plots that leave the reader unsatisfied, angered or betrayed. And thats why most of my friends and i tend to stay clear of the tag.
Dare43564 whats the reason
CacackleLasson Personally, I hate harems.
I'm referring to the types where the ML has a whole load of women that he sleeps with, and be with. Like, he can't keep it in his pants. The women are normally portrayed as beautiful women with a variety of personalities, mostly spoilt, stupid, wilful, etc with a handful of strong women who aren't in their right minds for sharing a man ... imo.
I don't mind if the guy has a whole truckload of women lusting after him, but he only responds to one, is faithful to one, and remains with one. The same one, mind you. I don't even know why some would regard this as a harem.
A harem is basically where the women are all who the guy sleeps with and keeps by his side. They share one man.
It just doesn't vibe with me because I like the fantasy that a man can love and be faithful to one woman, no matter how many fling themselves at him.
I don't mind harem as long as the guy sticks to only one girl and very vocal about his relationship with her. Meaning he wouldn't hesitate to say to anyone that 'hey, this is my gf or she's the girl I like. Etc. Etc.'. I don't like it when guys are being very vague and stringing along the other girls who like him. Which is mostly the case in anime/manga/light novel harems. That's why I don't watch/read those types. It always irritates the heck out of me.
CacackleLasson Those feeling emerge from the cliche turn of events. Stupidity of the leads and how they only think about themselves. The only think about their issues but they forget the other characters and use them as disposables.
Personally, I don't like harem (be it harem or reverse harem) I prefer the one where the protagonist loyal to the love interest, so it's just one person. (Male and female)
However, I do have read novel that the MC has harem and fine with it since it's not the main focus of the story. The example will be "Wu Dong Qian Kun" and "Warlock of the Magus World"
Both have harem tag, but the story didn't revolve on that point and only ever touched the harem topic after several hundreds, nearly 1000 chapters. (Well, I did skip the chapters when it's about their relationships with their women, though. Since it's not many, I'm not that bothered as the story is good in overall and I read the story mainly because of the plot)
Well, this is just my opinion and personal taste
Peace 
PsyberRose Wait a minute. I know Im not a master who know or understand about harem or even about alpha beta omega delta gamma sigma epsilon etc. But the way this one describe about harem ; MC has lots of women chasing after him, but the MC only have one wife/girlfriend/one woman only that the MC choose and being loyal too, and the other women still try to get together with the MC (lots of pelakor?) even saying they dont mind sharing the MC with other women, but the MC still with his decision with only one girl and the decline the others softly/politely, and then the readers also really like the other girls and also really wants them to be with the MC, but since the MC did not, they would call him a Beta MC?
Because an Alpha male, usually on a pack (wolf pack? Or any other pack?), have to take care (breed? Mating?) with lots of female under them? So if MC choose only one, he is not Alpha, but Beta? And since lots of female are already introduced, its Harem?
Hmmm.... this is reminding me of some old harem manga; "I'S" and "Ichigo 100%" and "Love Hina" and some other too.
Also reminds me of some webnovel ; "Release that Witch" and "The Novel Extra" where I also really-really-really wants them to be harem, but they are not harem. And they have lots of lovable different kinds of female characters there.
Why? Why! WHYYYYYYY!!!!!! 
NAZEDAAAAA.....
Ahhh, I want to share my opinion but I'm not a woman xD
But when I talked to many of my females' friends, their opinion is that woman/man is disgusting . "not only want him/her but the other too".Bite off More Than You Can Chew.I Just basically share their thought.
When the harem means a lot of girls chasing a man (or a lot of men chasing a woman), it sounds like a kind of author's power trip.
Specifically, about a man getting a harem, It's like he's showing off how super cool his MC is by making him a women's magnet. Honestly, it always seems like when a guy does something right, he has the right of being awarded sex and devoted waifus.
Well, sometimes a harem can happen because a guy got a device that allows him to become this women's magnet... Like, what if in real life a man didn't need to be nice and minimally decent to get sex? Just... get a device/spell/goddess' blessing?
Considering the number of fiction in this regard, it seems like a pretty common fantasy.
About woman with a reverse harem, it's the same thing, she's so special all men around are chasing/doting on her. Like... They don't need to go to any lengths to become prettier or interesting or do anything special, just breathe...
Power trips.
I think you guys have mostly summarized this topic pretty well. Harem is ultimately just a type of wish-fulfilment fantasy.
Now there are two types, harems and pseudo-harems.
When the author introduces girls but mc only chooses one, or when the mc doesn't choose at all and just conveniently ignores the fact that having a relationship is a thing, that is a pseudo-harem.
Most of these are bad bcause, the author introduces all these girl characters just to get them rejected. THis is mostly to conduct waifu wars, and lead to fans blaming the Mc for being a beta and not satisfying all the girls.
In my opinion, the fact that he didn't choose all means that he is an alpha, cause like just because all of them love you is not an excuse for you to betray yourself and just give in and please em' all.
Then there are harems, where the mc actively has a relationship with multiple girls. The thing here is, such a thing is not health but really toxic. Just like men, women are possesive to, so sharing means that they have underlying motives like being protected by your power, or something like that.
I mean all emperor's royal families are a fucking mess where half-brothers kill each other, Like come-on man isn't it obvious what the problem with harems is by now!!!
Those where the females do accept and are genuine often come off as sub-par characters and one-dimensional.
Like Honestly I don't get to understand why strong characters will agree to this stuff.
The only harem that has actually worked is I think, A will Eternal by Er Gen. The reason being, you don;t really care much about the female characters. Even if they are one dimensional and have very little screen time, they aren't the focus of the story. So it's fine.
ThePotatoKing Really? Alpha means he didn't choose all? I thought Alpha means take them all?
so here is the definition:
Harem is a kind of story in Japanese anime and manga where a male character is surrounded and loved by many female characters. ... The term orginates from the Arabic word "hareem" which literally means women and was also used to refer to one man many women like a sultan hareem.
That is the original harem all about.
But later on this genre developes.
Many of what so called harem stories often about females in the palace who fight and scheme to get the emperor's' love and attention and the power. And this theme becomes very popular and huge especially after the success of the story Zhen Huan Zhuan (Empresses in the Palace)
Now as a female, I personally think that harem genre is offrensive. It is degrading females. As if they have no value that they have to fight all over for a man.
Zhen Huan Zhuan is a great story. But one story like that is enough. It is too much for me o see and read females are scheming, fighting and even killing to get the love and power.
That is my two cents.
so here is the definition:
Harem is a kind of story in Japanese anime and manga where a male character is surrounded and loved by many female characters. ... The term orginates from the Arabic word "hareem" which literally means women and was also used to refer to one man many women like a sultan hareem.
That is the original harem all about.
But later on this genre developes.
Many of what so called harem stories often about females in the palace who fight and scheme to get the emperor's' love and attention and the power. And this theme becomes very popular and huge especially after the success of the story Zhen Huan Zhuan (Empresses in the Palace)
Now as a female, I personally think that harem genre is offrensive. It is degrading females. As if they have no value that they have to fight all over for a man.
Zhen Huan Zhuan is a great story. But one story like that is enough. It is too much for me o see and read females are scheming, fighting and even killing to get the love and power.
That is my two cents.
GegeSadewa That's just it. I don't get it why one would regard harem simply because lots of women want the MC. If he ends up with one, chooses only one - it's strictly speaking, not a harem.
But I guess it's tagged as such when you consider anime/manga.
In wuxia novels though, it follows the Chinese style type of harem ie the MC has lots of women after him and he ends up with lots of women (if not all).
As for the Alpha Beta Omega thing. Rugh, just don't think logically and follow the flow of what has been determined in werewolves novels to be the way it is.
I have always find an obvious difference between harem and reverse harem. In harem the MC is collecting girls and in reverse harem the boys are fighting for the girl and it just gets boring.
PsyberRose based on wulin jianghu info, harem is when sultan, emperor or king have a "certain place" where his women are surrounding him and he could go round and around just for his own happy time. No wonder there are also lots of eunuch at that time. It is so they could not NTR their boss. 
Well, at least not physically.
At that time, there are no mentioning of alpha beta and the like of it. But then come our time of when readers just like to brand the MC are beta or not just because they fit or not with their taste.
Just imagine an emperor/king, with their harem, and they are beta.
GegeSadewa Yeah, I know that is what harem is i.e. Sultan's harem. That's why I can't understand why they want to label a guy having tons of girls after him to be a 'harem' when it's not. Unless he gets with all of them.
¯_(ツ)_/¯
when did topic go to male leads and your choices... Damn. this subject should be anwered by women. stand by guys! Behold! I wonder what momen think about harem novels as well. dont spoil their thoughts
nyype uh, yeah. Um, sorry.
All right ladies, please give us insight of your opinion. 
Whats that? No, we cannot read minds, so please tell us directly.
And yes, lots of us are dense, sorry about that.
CacackleLasson Truthfully it digusts me especially if the novel plot is interesting. Most harem stories changes the story turning a smart interesting mc to one whose dick leads him making the story boring. The women don't have substance, they might have different personalities but after being saved, they turn to the ideal mc filled bimbo fc. I also see the writers as closed in otakus longing for what they can't have in reality.
CacackleLasson Truthfully it digusts me especially if the novel plot is interesting. Most harem stories changes the story turning a smart interesting mc to one whose dick leads him making the story boring. The women don't have substance, they might have different personalities but after being saved, they turn to the ideal mc filled bimbo fc. I also see the writers as closed in otakus longing for what they can't have in reality.
As I sit here reading all the replies to this topic it is sad that many do not know all the different Dynamics to their own answers. I myself love harem and reverse harem stories. I am a natural alpha female in the human world. In human world there is also Alphas, betas, gamas, and omegas. It Is Not Just With Werewolves HaHa! Even in our prison system, houses are broken up into these people classifications to avoid more problems than normal and conflicting personality types. A male that seems to not use his advantage of having the harem around him is considered more of a beta, Because of the alpha, their strength and desires can be insatiable and would more enjoy the use and affection of multiple partners. I have also met other human alphas that are monogamous and do not have a problem and desire being with one partner and loyal. I on the other hand am very sexually insatiable, therefore harem stories excite me due to the fact that I would have enough partners to keep me happy and more satisfied when I've already worn out one or two for the day. ;) But yes in harem stories the MC usually prefers one and sticks more to them. Just like a real royalty situation where a king would have one main queen and a selection of concubines to use when she wouldn't be putting out or he was bored. Which is still true to real life. Even if I was allowed my own harem which would actually consist of males and females I would still have my favorites of each that I would dote on more.
The people who seem to not prefer harem stories are the more monogamous people, and that's completely great and fine for them. It does seem the more sexually intrigued a person is the more they would fancy harem stories over not. It's really just the type of person.
Not a female, but I find I enjoy romance novels with harem themes. As in: The MC has many people wanting for them, but has always had/keeps their sights set on one romantic interest. The others are pretty much there for comedic support, when it comes to romantic situations. It's the kind of vibe I go for with my story. My MC is male, and all the women want him, except the one he wants. He constantly shoos the others off while pursuing her and her alone, showing his devotion towards that one person.
But, that's just my opinion as an avid male reader.