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Southwestern Shifters #3
Reckless
Six months in his enemies hands has left Marcus Criswell a shell of the man he used to be—or so he thought until his destined mate rescued him from a cruel death.
Six months have passed since Marcus Criswell, Alpha Anax of the North American shifters, disappeared. Held captive, tortured and driven to the brink of madness, he still refuses to give up. Even when his captors abandon him, leaving him chained without food or water, Marcus will not accept his fate.
Until his fate changes with the appearance of his mate, Nathan Grant. Now if only the two of them can survive long enough to enjoy it.
Nathan Grant doesn’t know the first thing about shifters other than he is one and should avoid all others. He’s followed that advice all of his life. Raised by humans, Nathan is more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of being around any other shifters. One spontaneous day spent running as his wolf in Lincoln National Forest forces Nathan to reconsider what little he thought he knew, and to risk his life for one very unforgettable man.
Surviving isn’t easy, and Marcus is all too aware he’s only a shell of the man he used to be. He wasn’t broken completely, but he’s definitely fractured, and even finding his mate might not be enough to help him heal.
Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series
Six months have passed since Marcus Criswell, Alpha Anax of the North American shifters, disappeared. Held captive, tortured and driven to the brink of madness, he still refuses to give up. Even when his captors abandon him, leaving him chained without food or water, Marcus will not accept his fate.
Until his fate changes with the appearance of his mate, Nathan Grant. Now if only the two of them can survive long enough to enjoy it.
Nathan Grant doesn’t know the first thing about shifters other than he is one and should avoid all others. He’s followed that advice all of his life. Raised by humans, Nathan is more than a little uncomfortable with the idea of being around any other shifters. One spontaneous day spent running as his wolf in Lincoln National Forest forces Nathan to reconsider what little he thought he knew, and to risk his life for one very unforgettable man.
Surviving isn’t easy, and Marcus is all too aware he’s only a shell of the man he used to be. He wasn’t broken completely, but he’s definitely fractured, and even finding his mate might not be enough to help him heal.
Reader Advisory: This book is best read in sequence as part of a series
167 pages, ebook
First published April 18, 2011
16 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
Bailey Bradford
191 books552 followersA few things about me...
I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.
And it's really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I'll just let y'all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there's something specific you'd like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio:D
I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.
And it's really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I'll just let y'all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there's something specific you'd like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio:D
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 31, 2015
3 Stars
Poor Marcus.I have pity on him from the first page.He was kidnapped by the bad guys and had been tortured relentlessly until rescued by Nathan,that man was afraid of everything about shapeshifters at the beginning.They were getting to know each other and the big part was Marcus thought he had been broken and didn't deserve anything like Nathan.Ooooh ! His heart was so tender,and I knew it because I wanted to hug him whenever he wept.
This book is beyond my expectation.I've never known a strong and possessive alpha would turn out to be a bottom ! OH MY GOSH !
Love scenes are very hot and hard to breathe for me.BB never lets me down !
Did I say something about the epilogue ? Oh nooooooo,that scene was very yummy !
Poor Marcus.I have pity on him from the first page.He was kidnapped by the bad guys and had been tortured relentlessly until rescued by Nathan,that man was afraid of everything about shapeshifters at the beginning.They were getting to know each other and the big part was Marcus thought he had been broken and didn't deserve anything like Nathan.Ooooh ! His heart was so tender,and I knew it because I wanted to hug him whenever he wept.
This book is beyond my expectation.I've never known a strong and possessive alpha would turn out to be a bottom ! OH MY GOSH !
Love scenes are very hot and hard to breathe for me.BB never lets me down !
Did I say something about the epilogue ? Oh nooooooo,that scene was very yummy !
January 16, 2016
'Reckless', the third book in this increasingly fascinating series, is the most amazing of them all for me. I loved the storyline, the depth of feelings Marcus displays (both in captivity and during his painful recovery), and the heat and need between him and his newfound mate, Nathan.
Marcus is used to being in control, being further up the wolf shifter hierarchy even than his younger twin brother Aidan. The situation he is in requires him coming to terms with the fact, not only of his torture, but also of his helplessness. That is hard for him to accept, and his recovery is slow. The stages he goes through and the obstacles he encounters are harsh, but very believable.
Nathan is a wounded man as well, but in a very different way. Having been told shifters are bad all his life, he’s now faced with being mated to one of them. Everyone expects him to fit right in, but it is not easy for him to deal with Marcus and his issues, as well as his own. It makes for some great tension and had me glued to the pages.
If you like shifter stories with powerful villains, intense, lovable characters and deep emotions, you will probably like this book. But it is more than a shifter story. The way emotional trauma and how people deal with it comes to the fore here as does the role love and acceptance play in healing wounds of a physical and emotional nature. I loved this book, even though it had me shuddering at some of the brutality that was referenced. A great read, and I sincerely hope there will be a next volume - soon!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Marcus is used to being in control, being further up the wolf shifter hierarchy even than his younger twin brother Aidan. The situation he is in requires him coming to terms with the fact, not only of his torture, but also of his helplessness. That is hard for him to accept, and his recovery is slow. The stages he goes through and the obstacles he encounters are harsh, but very believable.
Nathan is a wounded man as well, but in a very different way. Having been told shifters are bad all his life, he’s now faced with being mated to one of them. Everyone expects him to fit right in, but it is not easy for him to deal with Marcus and his issues, as well as his own. It makes for some great tension and had me glued to the pages.
If you like shifter stories with powerful villains, intense, lovable characters and deep emotions, you will probably like this book. But it is more than a shifter story. The way emotional trauma and how people deal with it comes to the fore here as does the role love and acceptance play in healing wounds of a physical and emotional nature. I loved this book, even though it had me shuddering at some of the brutality that was referenced. A great read, and I sincerely hope there will be a next volume - soon!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 27, 2011
Again I was disapointed. This series had so much potential, but was let down by the constant over use of sex. If they wern't having sex they were talking about it and if they wern't talking about it they were thinking about it. No mater what condition they were in, and in some cases thier condition was dire.I swear if she had one die the other would of still wanted to have sex with the body, or at least felt turned on and horny. I'm sorry but it was totally unecessery to have that much sex in a novel that without the sex wouldnt even of been half as long. A shame as the bits of story that were fitted inbetween the sex were good. I love a good shifter/angst fic as much as the next person and if Bailey had just toned down the sex to more believable levels this would of been a good fic. But for me it was just another excuse to see how many times the author could get sex, either in thought word or deed, into the story. I would like to see what happened next, but I really don't want to waste my money, and after 3 books I think its safe to say I would be. Maybe I can just find out from someones review and save myself the frustration of trying to pick out the actual story in between the sex.
April 21, 2011
Strong third installment to the series and for the most part a very emotional read. There's no way you could avoid feeling for Marcus - the torture, physical and emotional pain he suffered. I really liked his character, liked his strength and his passion for the mate he'd just found and the brother he missed so much. For some reason I also liked the fact that he preferred to let Nathan take charge in the bedroom - it made him an even more interesting, unique character.
I enjoyed Nathan, as well, and the fact he put himself in danger to save someone he'd been taught was the enemy his whole life, showed how strong and compassionate he was. He was smart and naive at the same time, providing the support Marcus' broken body and mind needed in the beginning, and later letting him into his heart and soul. The relationship between the two grew quickly, as is common with mated pairs, but seemed slower with the gentleness of subtle touches, kind words and strong embraces.
I liked seeing the characters from the other two books, as well, though I'll admit I had to go back to the synopsis' to figure who was who and where they fit. There were a couple of loose ends that I would have liked to see tied up (hopefully I didn't just miss them in my haste to get to the happy ending) - such as what happened to Alex (the guard) and the younger shifter brother who helped Marcus when he was in captivity.
I really hope there'll be another book. :0
I enjoyed Nathan, as well, and the fact he put himself in danger to save someone he'd been taught was the enemy his whole life, showed how strong and compassionate he was. He was smart and naive at the same time, providing the support Marcus' broken body and mind needed in the beginning, and later letting him into his heart and soul. The relationship between the two grew quickly, as is common with mated pairs, but seemed slower with the gentleness of subtle touches, kind words and strong embraces.
I liked seeing the characters from the other two books, as well, though I'll admit I had to go back to the synopsis' to figure who was who and where they fit. There were a couple of loose ends that I would have liked to see tied up (hopefully I didn't just miss them in my haste to get to the happy ending) - such as what happened to Alex (the guard) and the younger shifter brother who helped Marcus when he was in captivity.
I really hope there'll be another book. :0
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2013
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.0
Marcus Criswell is the Alpha Anax of the North American Shifters. He was abducted six-months ago by detractors; he's been tortured, starved, and left for dead. Nathan Grant is a shifter who was raised amongst humans. He has no knowledge of shifters or pack life. One day, while running as his wolf in Lincoln National Forest, Nathan discovers Marcus, his mate (not that Nathan knows or understands what that is). All he knows is that he must help Marcus. Nathan rescues Marcus and they escape. The two must then learn to overcome mistaken beliefs, prejudices, and ghosts of their pasts to gain their HEA.
This was the best book in the series to date. I was apprehensive about the torture and abuse inflicted upon Marcus and the resulting PTSD that he was sure to suffer. But I thought that BB handled it nicely. Marcus is one hot alpha (ruff!) and I adored him. I also enjoyed Nathan; he complemented Marcus well. BB's non-alpha characters (read: Gabe and Zane (I'm still pissed about that)) have a tendency - IMHO - to be chicks-with-dicks. Happily, Nathan didn't really fall into that category. Hooray! BB writes some steamy sex scenes and this book did not disappoint. Fortunately, there was a better balance of plot/sex in this installment.
Lastly, I subtracted 1/2 point for Gabe's conversion ceremony. WTF?!?!? That was jacked up.
Bottom-line: my fave book in the series so far.
Marcus Criswell is the Alpha Anax of the North American Shifters. He was abducted six-months ago by detractors; he's been tortured, starved, and left for dead. Nathan Grant is a shifter who was raised amongst humans. He has no knowledge of shifters or pack life. One day, while running as his wolf in Lincoln National Forest, Nathan discovers Marcus, his mate (not that Nathan knows or understands what that is). All he knows is that he must help Marcus. Nathan rescues Marcus and they escape. The two must then learn to overcome mistaken beliefs, prejudices, and ghosts of their pasts to gain their HEA.
This was the best book in the series to date. I was apprehensive about the torture and abuse inflicted upon Marcus and the resulting PTSD that he was sure to suffer. But I thought that BB handled it nicely. Marcus is one hot alpha (ruff!) and I adored him. I also enjoyed Nathan; he complemented Marcus well. BB's non-alpha characters (read: Gabe and Zane (I'm still pissed about that)) have a tendency - IMHO - to be chicks-with-dicks. Happily, Nathan didn't really fall into that category. Hooray! BB writes some steamy sex scenes and this book did not disappoint. Fortunately, there was a better balance of plot/sex in this installment.
Lastly, I subtracted 1/2 point for Gabe's conversion ceremony. WTF?!?!? That was jacked up.
Bottom-line: my fave book in the series so far.
July 6, 2011
Best of the first three.
From the plot holes left, I'm hoping there will be at least one more in the series.
This author is getting better with every book, although they all suffer from 'way-too-much-sex-itis'. No one seems to be able to drive anywhere without giving/getting head/laid/screwed, and these guys drive a lot. Hours and hours of driving in this series to date.
From the plot holes left, I'm hoping there will be at least one more in the series.
This author is getting better with every book, although they all suffer from 'way-too-much-sex-itis'. No one seems to be able to drive anywhere without giving/getting head/laid/screwed, and these guys drive a lot. Hours and hours of driving in this series to date.
February 23, 2016
4 Stars
I’m so glad I decided to persevere with this series! It’s getting progressively better with each subsequent story. This has to do with a number of aspects, the first being that the writing has substantially improved, both in terms of quality and plot, with the storylines becoming more intricate and the characters becoming more complex. The second reason probably has to do with my utter love of book series in general. The longer I’m immersed within a fictional world, with an expanding scope of awesome characters, the better! And the characters in this particular series are most definitely becoming more lovable with prolonged exposure (like Gabe from book #1 – at the time he was a lacklustre character for me, but now even the mention of his name gets me excited for some feisty fun).
There is still a shit-ton of sex, but its good sex, so how can I rightly complain? I will say that the tendency within this series to divert from getting too emotionally heavy, by constantly flinging raunchy sex scenes at the reader, is still a nagging issue.
I’m so glad I decided to persevere with this series! It’s getting progressively better with each subsequent story. This has to do with a number of aspects, the first being that the writing has substantially improved, both in terms of quality and plot, with the storylines becoming more intricate and the characters becoming more complex. The second reason probably has to do with my utter love of book series in general. The longer I’m immersed within a fictional world, with an expanding scope of awesome characters, the better! And the characters in this particular series are most definitely becoming more lovable with prolonged exposure (like Gabe from book #1 – at the time he was a lacklustre character for me, but now even the mention of his name gets me excited for some feisty fun).
There is still a shit-ton of sex, but its good sex, so how can I rightly complain? I will say that the tendency within this series to divert from getting too emotionally heavy, by constantly flinging raunchy sex scenes at the reader, is still a nagging issue.
May 6, 2011
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
The story revolves around Marcus and his mate Nathan who rescues him from his abductors.
Being held prisoner and tortured for six months Marcus is a broken shell of his former self, scared both physically and mentally. After the wolves who abducted him left him to die, he's rescued by his mate Nathan. In the process Nathan has to kill one of Marcus's captors and has a hard time coping, since he was raise by Rick, who's human. Because of the traumatic event from his childhood that left him in Rick's care, both of them have think of shifters as bloodthirsty killers, so he is horrified by his wolf's actions. In they end up healing each other. Marcus helps Nathan come to terms with his being a shifter, while Nathan helps Marcus heal emotionally and mentally, as well as accept the physical scars left by his ordeal.
At the same time we follow Marcus's twin Aidan and his search for his brother. Aidan took over the Alpha Anax position in Marcus's absence even though he hates the politics involved.
When Marcus finally contacts Aidan we get an emotional reunion and Marcus takes over once again as Alpha Anax.
I liked the story, but I have to say the books heavy on the sex and kinda light on the story so at times I found myself wishing for more of the story. One pleasant surprise was that our badass Alpha Marcus turned out to be a bottom, while Nathan who's much smaller was a top. At the same time though Marcus was still the dominant one in the relationship. Also, the part of Marcus returning to the AA position was skimmed over and not dealt with. And while it was said that all the packs he was AA for were for once on the same page when it came to finding Marcus it still would have been nice to get a bit of insight into him returning to his position. Especially since the were some challenges thrown Aidan's way while he was keeping his brothers place.
Another thing I found strange was the fact we didn't find out anything further about Nathan's shifter background. For example his unusual coloring is mentioned several times, so I'm guessing it wouldn't be that difficult finding out which pack his parents were, especially considering his dad was alpha and he did what he did. For me it would have been a nice addition to the story if that was furthered looked into and Nathan got some closure. After all there's a pack out there to which he belongs so it could have gotten some mention at the end.
On a side note it was nice to see the MC's from the previous books, and have Gabe finally turned into a wolf shifter. (Apparently he wanted to wait till Marcus was rescued so he could lead the ceremony.)
From how things were left unresolved regarding the villain Joshua Dobson, who was behind the abduction I guess the next story might revolve around Alex and Sean, Dobson's younger brother. We'll have to wait and see.
Two things that bothered me are the cover, which while it's nice shows only what's supposed to be Marcus in both human and wolf form, while Nathan is nowhere to be seen. The other is a number of spelling errors, missing words and articles, plus some words that were supposed to be deleted but were forgotten.
All in all it was an enjoyable read, but not without minor issues.
The story revolves around Marcus and his mate Nathan who rescues him from his abductors.
Being held prisoner and tortured for six months Marcus is a broken shell of his former self, scared both physically and mentally. After the wolves who abducted him left him to die, he's rescued by his mate Nathan. In the process Nathan has to kill one of Marcus's captors and has a hard time coping, since he was raise by Rick, who's human. Because of the traumatic event from his childhood that left him in Rick's care, both of them have think of shifters as bloodthirsty killers, so he is horrified by his wolf's actions. In they end up healing each other. Marcus helps Nathan come to terms with his being a shifter, while Nathan helps Marcus heal emotionally and mentally, as well as accept the physical scars left by his ordeal.
At the same time we follow Marcus's twin Aidan and his search for his brother. Aidan took over the Alpha Anax position in Marcus's absence even though he hates the politics involved.
When Marcus finally contacts Aidan we get an emotional reunion and Marcus takes over once again as Alpha Anax.
I liked the story, but I have to say the books heavy on the sex and kinda light on the story so at times I found myself wishing for more of the story. One pleasant surprise was that our badass Alpha Marcus turned out to be a bottom, while Nathan who's much smaller was a top. At the same time though Marcus was still the dominant one in the relationship. Also, the part of Marcus returning to the AA position was skimmed over and not dealt with. And while it was said that all the packs he was AA for were for once on the same page when it came to finding Marcus it still would have been nice to get a bit of insight into him returning to his position. Especially since the were some challenges thrown Aidan's way while he was keeping his brothers place.
Another thing I found strange was the fact we didn't find out anything further about Nathan's shifter background. For example his unusual coloring is mentioned several times, so I'm guessing it wouldn't be that difficult finding out which pack his parents were, especially considering his dad was alpha and he did what he did. For me it would have been a nice addition to the story if that was furthered looked into and Nathan got some closure. After all there's a pack out there to which he belongs so it could have gotten some mention at the end.
On a side note it was nice to see the MC's from the previous books, and have Gabe finally turned into a wolf shifter. (Apparently he wanted to wait till Marcus was rescued so he could lead the ceremony.)
From how things were left unresolved regarding the villain Joshua Dobson, who was behind the abduction I guess the next story might revolve around Alex and Sean, Dobson's younger brother. We'll have to wait and see.
Two things that bothered me are the cover, which while it's nice shows only what's supposed to be Marcus in both human and wolf form, while Nathan is nowhere to be seen. The other is a number of spelling errors, missing words and articles, plus some words that were supposed to be deleted but were forgotten.
All in all it was an enjoyable read, but not without minor issues.
October 10, 2015
This was a pretty good book. This is book 3 in the Southwestern Shifter Series six months after book 2. Marcus Criswell, Alpha Anax of the North American shifters, disappeared. Held captive, tortured and driven to the brink of madness until the one man who he has been looking for his whole saves him his mate. Nathan Grant who is a wolf shifter grew up without a pack he was raised by a human after his mother was killed by his father Nathan thought that shifters were dangerous he was told this by the man that raised him Rick. Marcus twin brother Aiden took his place as the Alpha Anax while looking for his brother he has had to face challenges by others who want to take his place. Joshua Dobson the man who has left Marcus for dead he wanted to take over. While out on a run Nathan came across Marcus's scent despite his fear of other shifters Nathan is unable to abandon Marcus and waits until he has no choice but to enter the camp and attempt to rescue Marcus. Because Nathan has had no interactions with other shifters since he was a young child he does not understand why he is drawn to Marcus and compelled to help him regardless of his fears. Marcus on the other hand immediately recognizes that Nathan is his mate but is too ashamed of his physical appearance and emotional trauma to let Nathan know what is going on. Fortunately this is not enough of a deterrent to keep him from accepting Nathan’s help to escape his captors. Nathan had to show Marcus that he cared about him even in this current state. The sex scenes were hot and emotional and when Aiden finally found his brother it was even more emotional. This book was very well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to read the next book in this series Alex.
April 22, 2011
This series just keeps getting better and better. I was immediately drawn into the story by the despair and pain coming from Marcus. My heart went out to him, hoping he could find the strength to hang on just a little bit longer. And then bless his heart, Nathan came to his rescue even though he was terrified. I was really impressed with Nathan's character. For such a little guy (but don't tell him that!) he had enormous strength and courage and a fierceness to protect Marcus even when he didn't understand why. With Marcus being the Alpha Anax their role reversal in the bedroom was a little surprising but it clearly worked out for them. Not only was Nathan compassionate and caring, but his snarky temperament added a lot of humor when it was most needed. He kept Marcus from dwelling on his physical insecurities and helped him to emotionally heal as well. Nathan was perfect as the mate to the Alpha Anax. They were such a good couple. I also enjoyed that Aiden, Zane, Mika and Gabe were a strong part of this story too. Aiden's reunion with his brother brought tears to my eyes, and the possibility of Gabe and Nathan (the twin terrors) becoming best friends had me cracking up. The ending was wonderful but I'm still really anxious to find out about the well-being of little Sean, the shifter who risked his life to help Marcus, and to see how Alex deals with the mating of Marcus and Nathan. There is also the matter of retribution for the traitors who tortured Marcus. The next book can't come quickly enough!
March 16, 2014
These are getting better as the progress. I read the first two because I wanted to read Marcus's story. I love a damaged/abused/kidnapped hero. I thought the amount of damage shown was pretty good - not overly graphic or anything but with enough description so you could really feel what was happening without being hardened or hit over the head with it. Nathan being the top did not work for me all too well (which is why the lost star) - Marcus as Alpha is just so overpowering all the time that it's hard to really "see" him in that role. I put off reviewing this until I'd read a couple more, and I have to say that this evens out and becomes a much more believable dynamic by book 6. It's not I didn't think he could make that choice consciously but on every other level I just had a hard time feeling he would be that way. I think it's a shifter dynamic and a power one. You have to believe that power exchange fundamentally works and it's not until later that you see the sort of give and take and the moments of relaxation and peace that you are able to go there. JMHO. I'm very addicted to this series - it is very rare lately that I read a series in order and all of them but I'm on #6 and I have no intention of stopping!
August 6, 2011
Book three in the Southwestern Shifters series, Reckless, left me feeling disappointed. There is far too much dependency on sex. If it was just the act then it would have been alright, but every thought, every memory, and every comment made somehow made reference to sex. Ms. Bradford is a better writer than that. The first and last third of the book was exciting and action-packed, but the middle third was painfully boring. For every one sentence of action we were then forced to suffer through pages of analyzation of how each character thought, felt, related it to something in their past, projected its effect on their future, and how it would surly lead to sex. This was so painful to read that several times I put the book down swearing that I'd had enough. Luckily though, I did finish the book, because in the end the good won out over the bad. It was a close fight, but good did win.
I give Reckless three stars.
April 27, 2011
This one is probably my favorite in the series so far. I loved seeing the previous couples, but even more so, I absolutely adored Marcus and Nathan. They were so great together. I loved the emotion and progression of their relationship, and I liked how Nathan was a shifter but didn't really know anything about them...thought that was different. I really enjoyed this one, and am looking forward to the next book the series...maybe Alex's story? Whoever it is, I can't wait!
March 12, 2013
The story was great, and the sex scenes are getting better. Bradford was getting kind of repetitive, and still is a bit, but is getting better.
April 28, 2013
Strangely enough, there’s a tiny chance I liked this volume slightly less this second time around. Which is not saying all that much since I straight-out loved it back then. I still think it’s great, but I also see some issues. Mostly minor ones that do not take away from the story’s impact.
I do love that no punches are pulled as far as Marcus’ condition is considered. No “beautiful victim”, nope. Those six months of torture have changed his body and it shows. Although it’s sad to read, I can’t even begin to say how much I approve of that.
Luckily, there’s significantly less sex than in the previous two books. (Except towards the end.) Mostly due to Marcus’ condition and the fact that the other POV characters are too depressed over his disappearance to frolic around for titillation of the reader. Again, good choice!
There’s a bit of annoying repetitiveness here and there, reiterating precisely what has been explained before. While at the same time certain things the protagonists see in each other’s memories are kept sketchy until the official reveal – even though they both have seen them and even refer to them. That’s… a little clumsy, perhaps, and a lot disorienting, that mix over over-information and overmuch secrecy.
Back to the protagonists, both of whom I enjoyed.
So supposedly it has always been Marcus’ dream to become Alpha Anax? That’s not really what was said in the previous book.
I do like Nathan. Yes, he’s prickly, but I love the way he thinks, a mix of self-deprecating, cocky, and no-nonsense honest. He’s great and he crashes through the usual stereotypes.
While I’m normally picky about endearments (especially corny ones), I love Nathan’s “sweetheart” for Marcus. It’s a perfect juxtaposition to Marcus’ rank and at the same time an extrapolation of their sexual roles in the relationship, all flavoured with emotion.
Another thing I appreciate about this series is that the fated mates theme is (thus far) worked in a way that underscores the idea of two people simply being perfect for each other – as opposed to how it often is done, where you feel it’s just a device to push strangers into an intimate relationship and guarantee the never-leaving, never-cheating bit.
So, as far as fated mates go? This series is making the best of the idea. And thank god there’s no talk about fate, personifying it and going on about how “fate knows what she’s doing” just to prove why people who hate each other should have hot monkey sex.
Good deal, all of it. A riveting, intense story that only slowed down towards the end when the sex took over.
That said, here’s what really bugged me, and it’s not even related to the plot in this volume.
I am sorry but I can’t shut up about this. Having had sex at the age of sixteen with someone aged twenty is not automatically abuse. A sixteen-year-old definitely can be mature enough to match with a twenty-year-old. To treat the holy eighteen as the point up to which everything's paedophilia/abuse is ludicrous.
In this case? Sure, maybe it was a kind of abuse; that’s impossible to say without knowing more of the situation (guess we’ll find out in the next volume), but given what Aidan and his people learn here there’s no reason to jump to those conclusions.
That kinda thing irritates me.
Irritation is not the note I want to end on. ’Cause this is a fantastic story in that it turned around the usual premises concerning alpha status, dominance and sex, and even the physical strength and self-doubts. Looking forward to the next.
I do love that no punches are pulled as far as Marcus’ condition is considered. No “beautiful victim”, nope. Those six months of torture have changed his body and it shows. Although it’s sad to read, I can’t even begin to say how much I approve of that.
Luckily, there’s significantly less sex than in the previous two books. (Except towards the end.) Mostly due to Marcus’ condition and the fact that the other POV characters are too depressed over his disappearance to frolic around for titillation of the reader. Again, good choice!
There’s a bit of annoying repetitiveness here and there, reiterating precisely what has been explained before. While at the same time certain things the protagonists see in each other’s memories are kept sketchy until the official reveal – even though they both have seen them and even refer to them. That’s… a little clumsy, perhaps, and a lot disorienting, that mix over over-information and overmuch secrecy.
Back to the protagonists, both of whom I enjoyed.
So supposedly it has always been Marcus’ dream to become Alpha Anax? That’s not really what was said in the previous book.
I do like Nathan. Yes, he’s prickly, but I love the way he thinks, a mix of self-deprecating, cocky, and no-nonsense honest. He’s great and he crashes through the usual stereotypes.
While I’m normally picky about endearments (especially corny ones), I love Nathan’s “sweetheart” for Marcus. It’s a perfect juxtaposition to Marcus’ rank and at the same time an extrapolation of their sexual roles in the relationship, all flavoured with emotion.
Another thing I appreciate about this series is that the fated mates theme is (thus far) worked in a way that underscores the idea of two people simply being perfect for each other – as opposed to how it often is done, where you feel it’s just a device to push strangers into an intimate relationship and guarantee the never-leaving, never-cheating bit.
So, as far as fated mates go? This series is making the best of the idea. And thank god there’s no talk about fate, personifying it and going on about how “fate knows what she’s doing” just to prove why people who hate each other should have hot monkey sex.
Good deal, all of it. A riveting, intense story that only slowed down towards the end when the sex took over.
That said, here’s what really bugged me, and it’s not even related to the plot in this volume.
‘So you were a kid and he was the adult?’ Aidan’s stomach clenched at the thought of being sexually abused as a teen, but if what he was saying was true then that was exactly what had happened.
I am sorry but I can’t shut up about this. Having had sex at the age of sixteen with someone aged twenty is not automatically abuse. A sixteen-year-old definitely can be mature enough to match with a twenty-year-old. To treat the holy eighteen as the point up to which everything's paedophilia/abuse is ludicrous.
In this case? Sure, maybe it was a kind of abuse; that’s impossible to say without knowing more of the situation (guess we’ll find out in the next volume), but given what Aidan and his people learn here there’s no reason to jump to those conclusions.
That kinda thing irritates me.
Irritation is not the note I want to end on. ’Cause this is a fantastic story in that it turned around the usual premises concerning alpha status, dominance and sex, and even the physical strength and self-doubts. Looking forward to the next.
January 3, 2018
This is a continuation from end of book 2 and we got too know Marcus in that book it made his plight in this one all the more emotional so we are immediately on the edge of our seats praying for him to not get hurt any more. We then meet Nathan, who we love straight away because he plans to save Marcus. I really like the fact the he knows nothing of shifter politics or what shifters are really like, he is faced with what he thinks shifters are all like with the people holding someone captive and torturing them but he also has the dichotomy of what he can feel of Marcus. What I like about this is that it means they start off on an even footing and that way they are just people getting to know one another rather then alpha and subordinate.
The message of this book, well all of the books so far, is that victims of violence are strong people who survive and should be treated as such rather then pitied and thought of a weak and in need of protection. It says that if they want protection they will ask. It is a strong and positive message that you can overcome anything if you have love in your life. I will be reading book 4 as soon as I have finish writing this and have hight expectation of it and I know Ms Bradford will deliver!!
The message of this book, well all of the books so far, is that victims of violence are strong people who survive and should be treated as such rather then pitied and thought of a weak and in need of protection. It says that if they want protection they will ask. It is a strong and positive message that you can overcome anything if you have love in your life. I will be reading book 4 as soon as I have finish writing this and have hight expectation of it and I know Ms Bradford will deliver!!
January 15, 2014
Can I say this was too repetitive? I had high hopes for this, since I like Marcus and I think I am going to always love Nathan :) Him and Gabe together. EEK!!! Maybe my 2 favorite friends??
I think they should have done A LOT more talking and A LOT less sexing. TOO MUCH! Nathan knows NOTHING about the shifter world, yet they never talk about it? Yeah, cause that makes sense.
Oh and if I were Marcus, I would have called Aidan A LOT sooner than he did.
So what about Nathan
Overall, I was kind of disappointed, but it was still good--even if I had to skim parts of it.
I think they should have done A LOT more talking and A LOT less sexing. TOO MUCH! Nathan knows NOTHING about the shifter world, yet they never talk about it? Yeah, cause that makes sense.
Oh and if I were Marcus, I would have called Aidan A LOT sooner than he did.
So what about Nathan
Overall, I was kind of disappointed, but it was still good--even if I had to skim parts of it.
November 2, 2011
The quantity of the sex while still excessive was toned down a bit in this installment which I can only describe as a good thing. Alas, the number of editing errors increased proportionally. I liked Nathan, but he had so many of Gabe's quirks that I had to wonder if he wasn't a redux version of the man. I also enjoyed seeing the top/bottom roles assigned in an unpredictable manner, I just wish they'd stuck with them instead of forcing the switch. And I don't care if you just found your mate, if you'd been kidnapped and tortured for six months the first thing you do is let the people you love know you're okay. As if a jaunt into town to use a phone would have put such a crimp in the new relationship. The best of the series so far even with the given issues.
May 11, 2011
I like this series in general, it's always interesting to read)
Also I liked a lot of emotions of all kinds showing in this story.
While I'm not a fan of alphas bottoming in bed on a regular basis (it's contradictory for the nature of alpha IMO) and it was an unexpected suprise, I still liked this couple.
And Gabe and Nathan meeting and them together in one place? Two major spitfires and masters of snarkiness? Oh goody, everyone else better take cover XD kidding
Can't wait for the next book(s) and the story of Alex and Sean (?)
Also I liked a lot of emotions of all kinds showing in this story.
While I'm not a fan of alphas bottoming in bed on a regular basis (it's contradictory for the nature of alpha IMO) and it was an unexpected suprise, I still liked this couple.
And Gabe and Nathan meeting and them together in one place? Two major spitfires and masters of snarkiness? Oh goody, everyone else better take cover XD kidding
Can't wait for the next book(s) and the story of Alex and Sean (?)
May 15, 2011
The thing about this was that at the beginning I really felt Marcus' pain but the minute he met Nathan, he totally forgot about contacting his brother who was very painfully worried about him. I found that it was strange that the one thing you've been thinking months about, he didn't act on it when it was crucial at all. That and I really like this. There could have been more plot but I really liked how Bradford branched out and had us exploring various places throughout the book.
June 6, 2011
The start was really good and pulling. How Marcus and Nathan met was full of action even emotional, which was great. I liked the start a lot.
But as soon everything started to develop around their sex in the small house it started to be boring. I couldn't connect with all the characters that's why I just didn't enjoy the book fully. In general it was enjoyable read.
But as soon everything started to develop around their sex in the small house it started to be boring. I couldn't connect with all the characters that's why I just didn't enjoy the book fully. In general it was enjoyable read.
April 21, 2011
The best one of the series. Definitively.
I love Marcus and Nathan and their relation and their personality and how they are not conventional (I mean the sex) and well, you see the portrait...
Can I try and predict the next one of the series? Alex and Sean Dobson?
I love Marcus and Nathan and their relation and their personality and how they are not conventional (I mean the sex) and well, you see the portrait...
Can I try and predict the next one of the series? Alex and Sean Dobson?
March 18, 2012
Tortured hero... that's my other kink. And it was perfect. Nathan was fierce and protective despite his smaller frame. Absolutely right just for Marcus. And Gabe is finally in shifters family. Hoping next book will be Alex and Sean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2013
4.5 stars. Very good continuation of the series.
Can't wait to read the next.
Can't wait to read the next.
September 6, 2015
This was my favorite book of this series. It had all the right elements, a good plot, vivid and fun characters, and surprises in relationships. I really thought it was entertaining and fun.
July 22, 2015
With each book the series seems to get better. Not as many sex scenes and more plot which I like. Now is hoping the next one is just as good as this one.
February 8, 2017
So this series doesn't bring anything new to the shifter trope, or maybe I've just read too many shifter romances - I don't know. I liked it better than the previous book, but I still want more depth to the plot and characters to really enjoy the book. It ended up on the meh side of things, to be forgotten as soon as it's put down.
January 10, 2023
Big powerful Alpha preferring to be a bottom!! Hot Hot Hot! Bailey does magic when she writes steamy scenes. Never disappoints to convey the emotions.
The moment when Aidan and Marcus meet again was so emotional and heartbreaking. It was well written.
The moment when Aidan and Marcus meet again was so emotional and heartbreaking. It was well written.
November 19, 2017
**4.5 STARS**
December 15, 2016
this was a good addition to the series. I liked that Marcus and Nathan are not the typical pairing
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