Alpha (Alpha Bites) (Volume 1) by Mandy Rosko

Alpha Bites #1

by Mandy Rosko

***For my Free Starter Library, sign up for my mailing list at mandyrosko.com/contact.php (copy and paste the link into your browser)**** For this lonely alpha, searching for his mate has been his life's biggest mission. Right up there with getting revenge on the mutt who killed his father. Billionaire Garret Maxwell has been searching for his mate for decades. When he finds her as a child, his arrangement to see that her family is cared for until she is of age goes awry when the family suddenly vanishes, and he is left to search again. Only now he has to find Miranda Hart before his sworn enemy can get to her first. Miranda is living out of her car, struggling to make payments for her mother's medical bills when a monstrous hand smashes in the window and drags her screaming into the dark woods. A few bites and scratches later, and she'll have a bigger problem than her trashed car. From nowhere, a large, looming figure with a monstrous wolf head, fur, and claws, comes to her rescue. Did she mention the wolf-like head? It can talk, and it can also transform into the most handsome man Miranda has ever seen in her life. Like he walked right out of a Men's Health Magazine, when Garret claims she is his mate, Miranda is stunned, but, come on, with a body like that, she doesn't exactly mind either. Though Garret wants nothing more than to press loving alpha bites all over the tender thighs and breasts of his woman, a number of obstacles get in his way from making that sweet claim. Like his sworn enemy who wants to kill his mate for revenge. That would be a big one...

Genres: Shapeshifters, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Werewolves, Audiobook

Mass Market Paperback

First published March 22, 2016

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Mandy Rosko lives as a hermit and she works in Ottawa, Ontario. Every once in a while she peels herself away from writing and Internet surfing to socialize with real people. She loves videogames, Sailor Moon, and her dog.

For Brand New Monthly PNR Romance Novellas delivered to your inbox before anyone else, along with other goodies and gifts, become an Alpha Member at https://www.patreon.com/mandyrosko (Copy and Paste the link into your Browser)

***For a limited time, sign up for my email list for a Free Starter Library, The Vampire's Curse, Burns Like Fire, & Sold To The Enemy! http://mandyrosko.com/contact.html (Copy ad paste the link into your web browser)***

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/12/2020)! 🎁

[JoAnn W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alpha” by Mandy Rosko had me howling... but not in a good way. The promise of a wild ride with wolves, dragons, and bears drew me in instantly. It’s like a furry fantasy come to life! Unfortunately, the pace of the book confused and frustrated me.

First off, I felt like I needed GPS because I was lost from the get-go. The book started off at a nice pace, but died. I believe this book encompased a few days, but the odd pacing and events that occured made little sense. I loved the overall idea of this book, I just feel the execution was off.

Overall, Alpha had the potential to be a success, but it just missed the mark for me. It’s like ordering a steak and getting served a salad - not quite what you signed up for. Unless you’re a die-hard shifter fan this may be a pass for you...

[MyzanM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flat characters. A heroine that was either whiny or gushed over how handsome her alpha was. An major a*^#ole for a hero.
Weak plot with lots of loose ends....why/ how did her father disappear? What was wrong with her mother? How did Garrett know it was her screaming? When did they meet the first time? How?

I guess I could read the next installment and hope for some answers, but I doubt I would get any. Besides, I really don't feel like wasting a afternoon reading this series.

[Kimberly Talbot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Dragged out too long.

I don't know what I was expecting here but this wasn't it. I think that it's because I read shifter books expecting certain things to happen and most of them didn't happen here. That's both good and bad. It's good because it gave me a different way of reading paranormal books bad bad for the same reason. While glad that it wasn't an insta-love shifter read, the Alpha wasn't as alpha as I wanted him to be. I get the giving her time to get adjusted to him, it seemed to me that he relied on everyone else to make it happen. This could have been so much better, imo.

[Skeletta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike many romances I've read, there wasn't smut to this one and you had to wait till the end for it. Things kept getting in the way. I liked how more than on shifter type was involved vs only wolves. The concept of more than one alpha within the pack was a liked detail too, is different. This isn't a very long book, but I did enjoy it. Thank you. =D

[Linda Rea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda was struggling to make ends meet, sleeping in her car just so she could send money for her mother’s care when a monster grabs her.
Garrett has been looking everywhere for his mate so when he realized Dennis was after her he grabbed her and ran. Miranda wakes up to find life as she knows it has just changed.

[Jess Reads2Much · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Only 4 hours long in audiobook format and I couldn't even get through it as background chatter. The writing was very amateur feeling and the Billionaire werewolf (dumbest phrase I've ever had to type in a review) was a really insensitive jerk. I don't care if you're an alpha you don't have to be an asshole 0⭐

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read...

Delightfully written. Dramatic and passionate. A shifter book that has lots of WTF moments. Lots of funny in each character. The sister takes it there all the time.

[TeaReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. Not for me. Third Person POV (which isn't my favorite to begin with), but I still gave it a chance. Got to chapter 3 and was so confused. So many people introduced and lots of action. I couldn't keep up with it and gave up since I wasn't invested in the characters yet

[Capri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf

[Rise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope...
Didn’t finish. Silly book. Right from the start. Won’t read another

[Sin Ying · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jasmine Wilkes · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 star rating. Just going to say that there was very little plot, flat character developement and a very rushed and at times confusing story.

[Ashante Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is ok with a slow burn but that narrator... OMG... He was so animated and even had sound effects.. Kept me engaged in the book. Kudos to you sir

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little pallet cleanser.

[Susan Burgess-Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Mandy Rosko and I have to say it was a very good book. I really liked how Mandy took a different outlook on the shifter and how they can shift. I am not going to say anything how she did this because I don’t want to give anything away about the book. Actually it would be a good reason for you to get the book and read it. The story line is excellent and the characters are all perfectly matched and work well together. Even the minor characters’ work into the story line perfectly. This is a book that you do not want to miss. Your attention is grabbed at the beginning of the book and held till the end of the book. I really believe this is a book that will peak anybody’s interest. I recommend this book to mature readers 18 years of age or older. If you want a good paranormal romance book to read, grab your copy today.

Garret Maxwell is a billionaire, but he is also a wolf shifter and Alpha to his wolf pack. He just happens to be 102 years old and he is lonely and looking for his mate. He has been looking for her for decades. He is also looking for the wolf shifter who killed his father. He finds his mate when she is a child, and makes arrangements with her father to take of her until she is of age to be with him. Little did Garret know, but her father moved her and her mother elsewhere and then took off with the money. Garret had to start looking for her all over again. He has to find her before his sworn enemy finds her and takes her away from him forever.

Miranda Hart is homeless and is living out of her car. She is working two jobs and trying to find a way to get another job so she can her friend Lois back the back rent she owes, and so that she can contribute more money to her mother’s care in the facility she is in. She has closed the diner down and headed for her car so that she can get some rest before having to work the next day. Then all of a sudden the glass on her car is smashed and something or someone drags her through the broken window screaming while they drag her towards the woods. Little did she know that because of the scratch that the creature gave her was just the beginning of her problems and far worse than what they kidnappers did to her car.

Just when she has lost all hope a strange but large looming figure with a monstrous wolf head, fur and claws comes to her rescue. Imagine her shock when she found out it could talk and turn into a very handsome man that makes her feel things she knows she shouldn’t. What she couldn’t believe was that he is telling her that she is his mate, and with a body like his she is wondering what could be wrong with that?

Garret is trying to make his claim on Miranda as his mate, but whenever he does things keep getting in the way of his wanting to lay claim to her. One of the main obstacles that keeps getting in his way is the sworn enemy of his family, Dennis, that wants revenge for the death of his father as well. That is a big obstacle. Will Garret be able to claim Miranda and will Miranda let him? Will Miranda stay with Garret and become his mate? Or will Dennis get his revenge and take Miranda from Garret?

No spoilers. ARC free book given in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review For honest review. Miranda is human and Garrett is a alpha wolf there's a war with another clan that was kick out of his clan years ago and Miranda was caught up in it all he protected her. Very very good.

[Maghon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is the first book I've read by this author but I absolutely loved it!! It was a great read and I of course adore werewolves so it was awesome! Oh and my second favorite thing is dragons and there's one of those too!! So we have Miranda and Garrett! This is the introduction to the pack and their story.

Miranda has been living out of her car. She waitresses and works at a store. She has no life because she needs to afford things and all her money is sent back to her mother whom is sick. One night after an especially hard day, she's closing up the diner, walking to her car, and she's attached by monsters and bitten. She is rescued but it's already happening. When she wakes up, she's turning into something she doesn't understand. And worse, Garrett makes her feel safe but scares her beyond belief. He knows she's his mate but she has no clue about all of this. Garrett being the alpha is serious and expects to be taken serious. When she continues to step on his plans to make her his mate, he is having to learn patients. It's funny really. But there's a bad guy. The one who but Miranda. He wants to make Garrett and his pack suffer. He will stop at nothing to take them down.

I loved the whole story, I loved the myths surrounding the shifters and I especially loved how it finally turned out ok but not without some serious blunders along the way. I also really like the author's writing style! And when Garrett got mad, he made his dragon best friend do something for him that almost broke my heart. It was crazy. But oh so good! I absolutely cannot wait to see what's going to happen with the next book!!! 5 PAWS!!!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alpha is the start of a PNR series featuring shifters such as wolves, bears, and dragons. In this story, we’re introduced to Garret, the alpha of his pack, who has been searching for his mate. He learned of her existence when she was a child, and thought he had left her in the care of her father until she reached maturity. But his mate – Miranda – fell on hard times with her parents and has been struggling the past few years to make ends meet. When Garret does find Miranda again, she is being attacked by an enemy of Garret’s. During this fight, something life altering happens to Miranda. Soon after, Garret and Miranda have to overcome what has happened and secrets from their past in order to be together as mates.

I enjoyed this story, as I normally do most shifter/paranormal romance books. I especially liked reading about Miranda’s new experiences once she’s brought into the pack (not wanting to be spoilery saying too much). It was hard for me to like Garret’s character at first. He was the epitome of alpha, but arrogantly so. He would do or say some things that would make him a real d-bag if it weren’t for who he was and the circumstances of their world. I did eventually come around when he became more open and vulnerable to Miranda. The end of the story leaves us with an intro to book 2 of the series, and a bit of a cliffhanger when it comes to Garret and their pack’s enemy. A series I’ll be keeping up with for sure.

[Elizabeth/snoopypeach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda is homeless sleeping in her car. She's working long hours at a grocery store and as a waitress to get back on her feet. Exhausted after a long day all she wants is to curl up and sleep, being attacked by monsters was not what she expected

Garrett is the alpha of his pack of shifters. He knows Miranda is his mate, but she doesn't know anything about him or shifters. When she's attacked, any chance of easing her into his life is blown away.

This was an interesting and exciting paranormal romance. Some of the concepts I haven't read before and I thought they really worked well in this story. I have to admit in the very beginning I felt a little lost until I got into the story. Once I understood more about the characters and the story it was smooth sailing from there. The characters are fantastic and they leave you eager to learn more about them. I found that i wasn't only interested in the main couple but many of the secondary characters as well. The story itself was fast paced and easy to get absorbed in. From wolf, bear and Dragon shifters, to old pack rivals this story packs a punch and I couldn't put it down until it was over. This is the first book in a series that's looks like it will have one couple highlighted in each book. I can't wait to see what happens next!


Received an ARC copy for an honest review.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda is living out of her car, needing every penny she earns to take care of her mother’s medical bills. One evening after lock up she’s just minding her own business when she’s surrounded by several man, when it’s clear those men don’t have the best of intentions she’s scared out of her mind. When the same men start shifting into big bad angry wolves with seemingly one purpose, to kill her, she’s more than freaked out!
Than another big bad wolf enters the scene and gets rid of the others and saves her. With scratches and bumps and bruises she’s taken by the wolf who rescued her. Trust into a world she didn’t knew even existed she has a crash course of what is happening. She also learns more about her past.
Garret is more than upset to find Miranda fighting for her life. How it has come this far he had no idea, as far as he knew he was paying her father to take care of his future mate but what she tells him is far from the situation he had hoped she was in. he’s walking on eggshells around her, knowing he has to tell her everything sooner rather than later.
Danger, love, heartache, friendship, all emotions pass by at some point in this captivating story. The turmoil some go through to give others their space… loved the interaction within the group. Can’t wait to dig into the next story in this series!
Free copy given in exchange for an honest review

[Mimirureviewbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandy Rosko is a new author for me and I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this paranormal romance, it was very well written. This review is for Alpha, the first book in the Alpha Bites Series. The author has develop a paranormal story regarding shifters, drama, danger, disputes and a lot of twist and turns but also love. This is the story of Garret Maxwell and Miranda Hart; Garret Maxwell is a billionaire shifter looking to find his mate for many years. He found her once but Miranda was a child so he made a deal with her father toward when Miranda's became an adult then she'll be his mate, but her father never kept his end of the arrangement and the family drop out of sight. Time passes and Miranda's having a lot of troubles in her life, leaving in a car and trying to help with her mother illness. She's attacked by bad wolves and Garret saved her and claim her a his mate. But will Garret be able to keep her safe from his enemies? What will happens next?? GREAT STORY!!!
Looking forward to next book in this series.

[Linda Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

She has been struggling for years. Living in her car and working as many jobs as she can is not a good life. He has known she is mate since she was a child. He has waited and now it is time for him to act. Will he be able to convince her to be his mate and understand the life of a shifter?

Garrett and Miranda are in for a lot of changes once the truth is revealed. Miranda goes from penniless to extreme wealth. She also learns all about alphas and shifters. He has waited so long and doesn't have much patience left. He wants his mate.

We also get introduced to the other clan members and her best friend, Lois. I really liked how the author developed so many great characters and that some of them get their own stories. Each story does end with a cliffhanger for the next book so be prepared to want to read more in the series. I also like that we get both Garrett and Miranda as narrators. I feel like that helps me feel closer to the characters.

I received a copy in return for a honest review,.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garret/Miranda

This was my first read by Ms. Rosko and I was not disappointed. I am intrigued by the pack dynamics and the shifting modes. If I am remembering correctly, the shifters can appear human, animal/human hybrid and full on animal/beast. I haven’t read too much else where there was the in-between human and full animal/beast. I also liked the notion of mates being scented through bloodlines.

Received a copy of the book after becoming a Patron of the author on Patreon

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want the rest of the books in this series and can hardly wait for the next one to be out.
Billionaire Garret Maxwell has been searching for his mate for decades. When he found her as a child,he made arrangements with her father to see that her family was cared for until she was of age, but her father never kept his end of the bargain !
Miranda a human is living out of her car,she is struggling to make enough money for her mother's medical bills , she is attacked by a group of evil werewolves ,and is bitten by one, which starts a transformation in her body. She is rescued by Garret who has finally found her. Garret’s sworn enemy what's to kill Miranda will Garret be able to keep her safe? What happens ? I was gifted a copy for an honest review barwatts@telus.net

[Diana Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Alpha Wolf Billionaire Garrett and living out of her car deli worker Miranda. Garrett has been searching for Miranda for decades, her father was receiving money to take care of her until she came of age , instead he took off leaving her a mountain of debt. To make matters worse, Garrett's enemies found her first and nearly killed her before Garrett caught up with them. This is a sweet and sexy read about finding your mate and not caring that they can turn into what looks like the wolfman from movies. Miranda surprises herself and Garrett by accepting who and what he is. Really enjoyed the way this story played out 4☆'s.

[GingerOrange · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romance:2.5
Steaminess:2
Action/suspense:2
Overall:2

Hmm... Not a fan of this book. It seemed rushed.

The main characters Garrett and Miranda, they had so much potential to be awesome hero and heroines. But they fell short and they were just uninteresting. The other characters were likewise boring and unimpressive.

The plot line was rushed and boring. The villain and story behind his motive seemed weak and poorly thought through. The action was anticlimactic.

So overall, this was a big disappointment for me. Didn't hold my interest and unmemorable.

[Les · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book a 2-star rating because I wasn't a big fan of the writing style. And, although the alpha was super sweet and romantic at times, he was also an extremely possessive dick. I had assumed that it would be an erotic, sexual and sex-filled novel, but when it finally got the sex part, the author decided to skip ahead and include little-to-no details and instead go straight to the deed. Then the ending was horrible, it sprung out of nowhere, with no indication that we were nearing the ending.

P.S. Wouldn't recommend this book to anyone I know, sorry.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miranda Hart is Garret Maxwell's mate. She is attacked by an old enemy and rescued by Garret and his pack. As Miranda is to find out this is no ordinary pack. She also finds herself now a shifter. This is the first book in a series. There are many surprises and secrets learned. The characters are well written and the storyline has enough mystery that you won't want to put it down. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.