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wildfaeriecaps's review
4.0
Eh. It was good. But so many things were glossed over and nothing really came as a surprise. Also, I pretty much hated Drake for 80% of the book? Maybe he was well-meaning, but he was also a narrow-minded jerk. I dunno. Just not for me, I guess, though I love the idea of shifters-as-familiars rather than the stereotypical wolf pack.
jacqueleenthereadingqueen's review
4.0
This was a new to me author and the start of the series. It was a good start. The world building was easy to follow and it provided a different take on shifters than is the usual. The shifters in this pack, or familiars as they are called, all shift into different breeds of dog. It is alluded to that other animal familiars are possible, but none are encountered in this book. There is the ABO distinction, however there is no mpreg or possibility of it. The familiar inside them also isn't really a separate entity with whom the person can speak with. They are the same when they shift, albeit slightly more instinctual in nature.
The purpose of these familiars is to have a separate form they can shift into when they need to protect a witch. That is what the species is born for: protecting vulnerable witches. Witches bond with a familiar for this purpose and it seems these bonds can be strictly platonic. I got the inkling that they may also be of a romantic nature as well. I thought this was a cool twist on the normal witches and their familiars relationship.
As to the romance aspect of the book between Alpha Drake and Addison I felt there was a bit more to be desired. I didn't really feel the strength of their chemistry as much as usual and I would say there was only moderate steam for a shifter novel. The two didn't even have full on sex until after 80% in. I would have liked to see a little more passion on their way to bonding is all. I liked the characters so maybe it's just me wanting more.
The end introduced the possibility of who will be focused on in book 2. I have to admit that little tidbit had me intrigued so the author did their job in hooking me into the series.
**A copy of this book was provided by Gay Romance Reviews for an honest and unbiased review**
The purpose of these familiars is to have a separate form they can shift into when they need to protect a witch. That is what the species is born for: protecting vulnerable witches. Witches bond with a familiar for this purpose and it seems these bonds can be strictly platonic. I got the inkling that they may also be of a romantic nature as well. I thought this was a cool twist on the normal witches and their familiars relationship.
As to the romance aspect of the book between Alpha Drake and Addison I felt there was a bit more to be desired. I didn't really feel the strength of their chemistry as much as usual and I would say there was only moderate steam for a shifter novel. The two didn't even have full on sex until after 80% in. I would have liked to see a little more passion on their way to bonding is all. I liked the characters so maybe it's just me wanting more.
The end introduced the possibility of who will be focused on in book 2. I have to admit that little tidbit had me intrigued so the author did their job in hooking me into the series.
**A copy of this book was provided by Gay Romance Reviews for an honest and unbiased review**
k8books's review
4.0
The book starts out with Addison losing his father, becoming alone in the world again. Feeling lost, he decides to take a walk and ends up at one of his father's favorite spot. Unfortunately his moment of peace and reflection is broken by an attack on a woman; whose dog turns into a naked man! A beginning to his story of discovering who he is and where he came from.
Drake is the youngest leader his pack has ever had. Trying to open a small store to bring in new pack members to gain additional financial stability is where he is focused. Fated mates are only in the stories that the elders share to the pups growing up. Along with the stories of fated mates come the fear and warnings of humans.
Will Addison be able to open his mind and heart to a world that he never knew existed? Will Drake be able to give into his heart and not let Addison go without a fight?
I loved that the author brought in different types of dogs into this story. It strayed from the typical shifter, fated mate novels. It was my first book from Beth Laycock and I cannot wait for Penhul Pack 2 book!
Drake is the youngest leader his pack has ever had. Trying to open a small store to bring in new pack members to gain additional financial stability is where he is focused. Fated mates are only in the stories that the elders share to the pups growing up. Along with the stories of fated mates come the fear and warnings of humans.
Will Addison be able to open his mind and heart to a world that he never knew existed? Will Drake be able to give into his heart and not let Addison go without a fight?
I loved that the author brought in different types of dogs into this story. It strayed from the typical shifter, fated mate novels. It was my first book from Beth Laycock and I cannot wait for Penhul Pack 2 book!
tobcont's review
3.0
I’ve never read dog shifter books before but it was interesting. Addison is a nice guy stuck in a boring life. I really liked Addison but he deserved better treatment. Drake is a jerk but it’s kind of understandable why he is that way. It’s a slow falling for you story. I enjoyed the ending and it left me with questions that I would read book 2 to get the answers to.
onceupon_a_bookdream's review
3.0
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
The Alpha's Mate is the start of a new MM paranormal romance by Beth Laycock. In this book we have Alpha familiar Drake who ends up with a human as a prisoner but it turns out that Addison is not as human as he thought he was. Drake was brought up with the belief that females mated with males and to be a good alpha he was to mate and produce offspring to keep help his pack grow. Even if Drake doesn't believe in fated mates he can't ignore his connection to Addison and when Addison's life is at stake he will have to ignore what he was raised to believe in order to claim him as his own.
"I had no idea what the future held or what it would look like, but no way was I giving up on Addison, on us, without a fight."
This is a decent start to a shifter romance series. Unique from one's I read in the way that the pack is made up of witches and their familiars who all just happen to be different breeds of dogs. The author does a good job of making the history and lure of the pack easy to understand. I instantly liked Addison's character while Drake took a bit to warm up to. The intimate scenes were well done and on par with what I expect with shifter books, there's knotting but no mpreg.
I genuinely liked and was left intrigued with Drake's inner pack circle and I'll most likely be picking up the rest of the books in the series as they release.
3 star
The Alpha's Mate is the start of a new MM paranormal romance by Beth Laycock. In this book we have Alpha familiar Drake who ends up with a human as a prisoner but it turns out that Addison is not as human as he thought he was. Drake was brought up with the belief that females mated with males and to be a good alpha he was to mate and produce offspring to keep help his pack grow. Even if Drake doesn't believe in fated mates he can't ignore his connection to Addison and when Addison's life is at stake he will have to ignore what he was raised to believe in order to claim him as his own.
"I had no idea what the future held or what it would look like, but no way was I giving up on Addison, on us, without a fight."
This is a decent start to a shifter romance series. Unique from one's I read in the way that the pack is made up of witches and their familiars who all just happen to be different breeds of dogs. The author does a good job of making the history and lure of the pack easy to understand. I instantly liked Addison's character while Drake took a bit to warm up to. The intimate scenes were well done and on par with what I expect with shifter books, there's knotting but no mpreg.
I genuinely liked and was left intrigued with Drake's inner pack circle and I'll most likely be picking up the rest of the books in the series as they release.
3 star
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