Plot:
Simple. Lily is a Breeder. Chaz is her One. Kade is his Alpha. Once they get rid of the Rogue Pack who also want to Do Lily, they'll be able to have themselves a cowboy menage HEA.
Comments:
- Paranormal erotic romance with Shifters (wolves), lust imperative and Breeders (women who are born to breed within a Pack) set on a cowboy ranch.
- 3902 kindle locations, 48002 words
- m/f, m/m, m/f/m. Spanking and mild D/s behaviour during m/m and m/f/m. The men are in a pre-existing m/m relationship. Lily is joining them to make a "Pack".
- Many of the sex scenes take place in "under duress" situations. While Lily is always willing, and an active participant, they aren't exactly preceded by Grand Romantic Gestures and Words to Fill Your Heart with Joy. Sex with the wolves literally at your door isn't exactly romantic.
- Timeline is around four days. Everything happens in a *very* short timeframe.
- According to her web site, Allister is working on a spin off series "The Lone Wolves of Shay Falls". First book "Disowned Cowboys" has recently been accepted by Siren Publishing.
Opinion:
This is a surprisingly good book. I say "surprising" because two thirds of the way through I was all ready to write a really snarky review about how if they'd just told Lily what was going on, treated her like an adult, then half the problems they kept hitting would just disappear and they'd be able to get on with the HOT monkey sexin'. Really, one of my major pet peeves is a heroine that keeps feeling so darn guilty for things totally out of her control. Lily goes into conniptions because she brought all this Bad Doodoo onto them. And yet It Isn't Her Fault. She did *nothing* except exist. On the other hand, Chaz and Kade *should* feel very guilty (and being Alpha men, they don't) for failing to explain *anything* to her. They tell her only enough to get her to do what they want, never enough so Lily understands The Big Picture. My goodness that's frustrating! BUT that's kinda the point of the book. In their defence the whole tiny little timeframe and Bad Stuff constantly coming their way didn't leave a lot of time for D&Ms. Things Happen. Best Laid Plans and all that. So my review changed.
This is a really Good Book. There is a heck of a lot of action, enough rockin' sex, and interesting characters. The author takes us on an exciting ride as Lily is thrust down the Rabbit Hole into a world of werewolves, lust, sex, Breeders and de-virgining. Allister creates an interesting Paranormal World with surprising depth and characters with layers. She doesn't allow the characters (particularly the men) to fall into a specific stereotype; for example Chaz and Kade take turns being both D and s in the bedroom (and shower, forest, office...), and their wolves and relationship with them is well-developed and interesting. I particularly appreciated how Allister tries to blend real wolf pack dynamics with how werewolf packs would function, and what it would mean to be a lone wolf.
I am surprised I liked this book. I can't quite give it 5 stars, mostly because I was so frustrated part way through. Lily verges on TSTL and too often I just wanted to slap Kade and tell him to treat Lily and Chaz as adults! But it is a book I look back on and think "yeah, that was clever". It was a snapshot of time, fate playing games with them, and Allister acknowledges that. Consider this a high 4 stars and give it a go.
Aside:
The whole "Breeder" thing. If you're going to accept there are people who just happen to turn into wolves, how about we also accept there are women who just happen to match them; women who look all their lives for their One, who are attracted to The Pack, who make men lust for them. It isn't really too much to suspend disbelief and not ask too many questions, is it? I personally don't think the author needed to do an in-depth explanation of where Breeders come from, if Lily is genetically predisposed or how many others there are out there... It wasn't necessary and Allister, thankfully, resisted. Of course, it sets Allister up for a series of books that explores werewolf and Breeder dynamics...
-CR-
