What Hides in the Shadows by Allie Santos

4 Stars

She was always meant to be his.

Whispers haunted her for years, but before her thirtieth birthday, the truth emerged—something ancient had been waiting. A deal struck before she was born had bound her to a being older than time itself, a predator who claimed her soul was always his. No matter how she resisted, he slipped through every defense, watching, forcing . . . tormenting.

He was the monster destined to be her doom.

Countless souls had vanished into his shadows, leaving death in his wake—but her light was different. He didn’t want to destroy her. He wanted to possess her.

But want had never mattered. The bargain had been struck. Her soul marked for the taking.

To survive, he would have to consume the one thing he couldn’t bear to lose.

This was a dark and smutty book in the best way possible. I do think there could be some better world building but still a good read. Love the Lord of Shadows.

Book 2 Monsters of Darkness

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Pack Down Bad by Drea Denae and Cassie James

2 Stars

The search for Mr. Right is over…

Until my new “boyfriend” walks into a bar and my best friend gets fate-induced heart-eyes at first sniff.

So, I bow out with grace and maturity… by running from the bar and jumping behind the wheel of my car in the middle of a snowstorm. When I find myself lost on an unfamiliar road outside of town, everything suddenly goes blank.

Luckily, three alphas that smell a lot like mine come to my rescue. I can’t remember anything except my name, and we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell signal or internet, but I feel… safe.

Rhys is carefree and exciting, even if his skills in the kitchen are lackluster compared to what he offers in the bedroom. There’s kind, quiet Percy, who shows me just how much he wants to take care of me in every way. And there’s Knox, the head alpha of the pack, an aloof artist who isn’t ready to welcome me with open arms. He isn’t throwing me out, either, so there’s still hope.

My fantasies of happily ever after and multiple orgasms suddenly don’t seem so far-fetched. But I should know better…

There were so many pacing issues. I also had issues with the BFF stealing her boy friend and she’s just supposed to be ok with this. Which she wasn’t which leads to Belle being too stupid to live when she runs away from them and ends up in the middle of no where. The new guys were also making stupid decisions in this book. It ended up being a meh book.

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His Second Chance by Carrie Ann Ryan

4 Stars

The rules were simple. Protect the woman I love. And try to stop loving her along the way.

Kane Montgomery Carr and Phoebe Dixon’s romance went from a fiery temptation to a fizzled out heartbreak.

Only Kane has no idea why. All he knows is that he has to keep her safe when a stalker sets Phoebe in their sights.

Yet as the two of them are forced once again into each other’s lives, the truth behind their breakup surfaces and they are forced to face the facts: the feelings and heat they buried aren’t quite as gone as they’d like.

If they give in, they’ll have to face the demons that broke them up in the first place—including a startling secret that shocks them both.

Yet if they don’t, they might lose the chance of a life time.

That is, of course, if they can survive what lurks in the shadows for them both.

This was such an amazing second chance romance. I love that it builds on all of the other stories and adds to them.

I loved the narrators as well. they did a good job bringing the people to life

Book 6 Montgomery Ink Legacy

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Knot Enough by JP Sina and Allie Santos

4 Stars

Read the warnings for this book as this book handles some very dark topics.

I’m the daughter overlooked. In a world where omegas are valued, I’m tossed aside when I never present. My daily routine is mundane—until my father tells me he got me a pack meeting, something strictly for omegas. It’s ludicrous, and I have no choice.

But that’s the least of my worries when a bag is thrown over my head. Rath may be my captor, but Kane, Oak, and Axel don’t stop him. They are set on exacting revenge—but on the wrong woman. I haven’t committed any of the crimes they accuse me of, and when their scent drives my instincts crazy, I’m forced to face the truth: the ones who were meant to love and protect me would become my ruin.

I loved Lena and the guys. I do question the ones actions and not confirming anything but what fun would that be. The guys do so much groveling to make up for what they did and it was nice. The book was well written and flows nicely. I would love more in this world.

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Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

2 Stars

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone and above all…no falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is most definitely not on her to-do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?

Football has been good to Drew—two National Championships and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turn him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is…until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives. Anna wants it to remain a hook up, but Drew sees the possibility of something great. Now it’s up to him to persuade her. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

As the saying goes, All’s fair in love and football… Game on.

The book had a pacing issue which made me hate it. It took forever to get to the plot and the HEA. It just didn’t work for me.

Book 1 Game On

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Savage Mates by Allie Santos

3 Stars

I thought I was damaged—a werewolf without the ability to shift. I melted into the shadows, unloved and overlooked, as I served a pack that didn’t care for me.

The ability to call my wolf forward was always present, but I hadn’t known, since my kind were hunted to extinction before I was born. I wasn’t any run-of-the-mill wolf; I was an Omega. Revered. Cherished. Hated.

When I shifted, I got what I always wanted. My true mates. Plural.

But they didn’t want me.

I refused to stand around, pitied as their cast off, so I left, yet being an Omega put a target on my back for any random pack to claim as theirs. So, I molded myself into human society because rejection wouldn’t break me… until they sought me out.

Their excuses were just that, excuses. They had a fight on their hands if they thought they’d get away with hurting me, because I refused to submit my heart to my savage mates.

Rejected Mates are so good. I enjoyed this read but wanted more world building and character development. Liana has a nice arc from beat down to luna and I loved how it all played out.

Book 1 Omega Heat

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One Night with You by Carrie Ann Ryan

4 Stars

Never fall for your best friend.

That’s the rule. The code.

Claire Harlow always follows rules—except this one.

However, when an attack leaves both of their worlds shaken, she decides to walk away from what could have been and hide within her own shadows. Kingston Montgomery is the man who saves the day.

At least that’s what he’s always told himself—until one day he was too late.

Now he’s trying to find his purpose while also ignoring the heat between him and Claire.

When a chance blizzard changes their plans, one night turns to two…and then there’s no going back. Only the two must overcome what they thought their relationship should be and realize what it could become. Because if they don’t figure it out quickly, the spark that ignites them could burn them both.

 

After the last book this was so less dramatic in a good way. I enjoyed these two coming together and finding their happy. The epilog for the next couple makes me want to go and read that book immediately.

Both narrators did an excellent job with the character voices.

Book 7 Montgomery Ink Legacy

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