Liam’s Unexpected Alpha

Lupinville #1

by Alice Cain

Liam is a shy accountant trying to hide his sexuality and stay out of trouble's way in the middle of a werewolf pack with a history of intimidation and intolerance. So what happens when the pack's new alpha turns out to be a very strong, very capable, very confident ex-Navy SEAL with a soft spot for shy bookkeepers?

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Military Fiction, Werewolves

121 pages, ebook

First published March 30, 2014

About the author

Alice Cain is a penname for an experienced romance author who decided to try something a little different. Alice is addicted to happy endings and writes gay erotic romance in several genres, including contemporary, BDSM, paranormal, and science fiction.

For the latest news and upcoming releases please visit Alice at:
http://alicecainromance.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Jenni Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

That was better than I expected it to be. No KNOTTING though. Shame.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually quite enjoyed this. It's a fast read but the story's world is fairly well fleshed out and well written. I liked both heroes and anticipate reading more about them either through other couples in subsequent books or as main protagonists again themselves. Either way I would like to read more books set in Lupinville.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a new author for me. The concept of this story was a little different, a human being bit to become the Alpha. The story for the most part was not bad, nothing too different, but enjoyable for the most part. I don't know if there are plans for future books with the characters in Lupinville, but if so, I would be interested in seeing where the author would take them.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I expected so I wasn't disappointed. Just enough uniqueness to keep it interesting too and I liked that Liam was tougher than the blurb would lead you to believe. Interesting character and world building that was balanced well for the length of the story. Definitely had me hooked into reading the next one.

[Hc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Looking forward to more in this world and to exploring this author. These two really seemed to match up for me and compliment each other very well. Great job

[Serena Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new alpha coming in from outside a pack, a total unknown, is scary enough. But add the facts that the old alphas were dictatorial bullies, and this new one used to be a human Navy SEAL, and you've got a potentially explosive situation. In this story, you don't just get Noah's reactions to having been made a werewolf and suddenly being responsible for a huge pack of them, you also have Liam's perspective - and I thought the combination of the two made for a very fun and entertaining combination.

Liam has always known he is gay, but he has also always had to hide it. The last two abusive alphas would have killed him on sight - or worse. Liam is not a hero, so he prefers to hide. Interestingly, where other people are concerned, like his sister and his best friend, he forgets about being a coward (as he sees it), and stand up for them as best he can. i loved that about him, and so does Noah as soon as he finds out. Liam may be hesitant to come out and be scared to death to fully trust anyone, even Noah, but being who he is, he also knows he has to man up.

Noah may have thought his retirement from active duty (for a ruined knee) would man a quiet life. Imagine his surprise when he finds out his "elderly neighbor" is much more than she seems, he is now a werewolf, and the alpha of the pack to boot. Natural instincts and his SEAL training may help, but what really makes him tick and motivates him are his honor and the need to do the right thing. He has quite the cleanup ahead of him! And his attraction to Liam isn't going to help with the man so hesitant to become the equal partner Noah wants, but thankfully Noah is as stubborn as he is honorable.

If you like werewolf stories where "the new guy" comes in and has to sort out the pack and its issues, if you enjoy reading about two men who need to figure out how to relate to each other independently of the pack hierarchy, and if you're looking for a read that is as hot as it is entertaining, then you will probably like this novella.

[Phaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet. And completely unexpectedly enjoyable. It’s not that I had particularly low expectations, but this particular genre does seem to lend itself to amateurish or sloppy writing. Instead I got to enjoy a fresh take on this well-used subject and setting. Love when that happens. And I definitely like what this author brings in.

It’s a little difficult to define what exactly that is, now. Something about the characters’ attitudes, the lore choices made (ha, alcohol is bad for once!), the general interactions, thoughts and reasonable reasonings. It really worked for me.

Thus I’m pretty happy right now, the only flaw being that I know a lot of the stories in this series are going to be tiny – only about five thousand words apiece – and that’s rarely enough.
This first volume could have done with being longer as well, although it did not actually feel that rushed. I can directly compare it to some similarly sized and themed books I keep reading and this one definitely makes better use of the allotted space.
And may I also mention how absolutely thrilled I am at the lack of unnecessary sex scenes? Both of the scenes in this story are relevant to the proceeding and the development between the protagonists; plus they’re not drawn-out past their hurried nature. Just what I appreciate!

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, easy read that was well-paced and interesting. I don't read a lot of werewolf/shifter books but the idea of a human getting turned and becoming the alpha of a pack seemed too intriguing to pass up.

One of my least favorite tropes is misunderstandings used as conflict, so I really liked how Liam and Noah communicated. Sure there were some issues but they weren't drawn out just to give the character angst or anything.

Maggie is the shit. Enough said.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Interesting. I liked how Noah just knew what to do, instinct kicked in. I also loved Liam. He may have been shy and quiet, but he was fiercely protective of his friends/family. It was nice to see the small guy have a backbone.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a nice enough story and well written. I think if this was the first shifter story I have ever read then I would have liked it so much more.

Unfortunately it is similar to all the other mid-range shifter stories out there. Enjoyable but instantly forgettable too.

[jules0623 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Makhda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has gentle alpha in it.
If you prefer your alpha to be that way, pick this up. ;)

[Sabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, Good..... so good.

[H J H…c · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little read. I think I was hoping for more emotional drama between the two MCs, but for the short read it was I understand why there wasn’t more.
I loved the final fight scene, it was well written and I had no problem living in the moment.

[Flavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livro rápido e gostosinho de ler. Eu achei muito interessante os personagens, mas principalmente o Noah, gostei muito de ir descobrindo sobre a matilha com ele e tudo mais. Tirei uma estrela pelo final deles do nada fazendo sexo na frente de metade da matilha, pelo menos não é descrito.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit wary about reading this story. Not only because it was self published and an author I hadn't read before but also because it could have been one of those bad, write-by-the-method stories. But, not only does Ms Cain write well, I found I finished the story before I realised I was halfway through.

“Liam’s Unexpected Alpha” is a good story about an ex-SEAL who steps in to help when his elderly neighbour is assaulted only to end up becoming a werewolf. Noah is well past thirty and his age, combined with experiences as a SEAL, means he handles his transformation into a mythical being more easily (mostly) than many other humans might. And despite the fact that Ms Cain has titled her story “Liam's Unexpected Alpha [Erotic gay romance]”, the sexual encounters are not gratuitous or many in number.

I really enjoyed the way that Ms Cain manages to explain things like destined mates, Noah’s ease in shifting (once he gets there), and Noah’s relative ease in handling his new life without either overexplaining or expecting the reader to take things on faith. And the result of Noah’s confrontation with his neighbour’s grandson is actually very believable, even with the grandson’s werewolf strength being a disadvantage to Noah.

I would recommend this story to anyone who loves a good paranormal about a human handling being thrust into the werewolf community and the pack’s reactions to both the fact he is the only turned human in the pack and the fact that he is gay when until now, LGBTQ pack members have been severely dealt with. Anyone who enjoys a good romance with a bit of drama is sure to enjoy this book. I certainly did. And even though it might not be a blow-me-away type of story, I liked it so much I bought more of Ms Cain’s stories and it is permanently on my ereader.

Definitely recommended if you want something light to read.

[Daesy · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Grammar**

The book's plot is simple but i found it interesting and i didnt get bored. Maggie the granny that likes to walk around naked is a funny char and i liked her. The bad boys seems a bit stupid and the epilogue with Liam and Nick pratically having sex infront of half pack....well...i didnt like it.
Nick is an ex-Navy Seal that for a wound cant be on service anymore, he is around 35 and with a lot of free time. He watches his neighbours a lot, and this is the reason his life changes soooooo much. One day he sees Maggie nephew beating the woman and he tries to help. He doesnt know that the guy,like half the village population,is a werewolf. Nick wins we cant understand how....anyway he is dying and Maggie bites him. Nick becomes the new Alpha. He is a good Alpha and tries to fix a lof of problem the former one had left.
Liam is a shy and lone wolf of 216 years or so, but he seems not older than Nick. Both the guys have started to fall in love before Nick was transformed but both of them had only watched their object of desire from a distance, now with this change they cant stop this attraction anymore,they are destined mates. Nick finds out that also Liam is gay, both of them have had previous experiences and the things go pretty fast btw them. The first sex scene btw them is a bit rough but is consensual so who cares.....

I must say that i liked the main couple, but the best char is the old lady(she is 600 years old or so).

Next.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was a relatively fast read, but you get enough information on the characters to like them. Noah and Liam (both names I love, btw) are a nice personality combination. Though Noah's a made wolf, you get the feeling that Fate is playing a bigger role in this than just destined mates. I felt as though Noah's path in life lead him exactly to where he needed to be. That he was destined to become an Alpha wolf and perhaps that's why he was so attracted to Liam to begin with. My one complaint when I immediately finished the book last night, had been Noah's easy acceptance of what had happened to him. Now that I had a chance to sleep on it, I'm willing to chalk it up to fate.

Liam's a protector for his family, is a loyal friend and stands up for what's right, but Liam is not a fighter. He avoids fighting at all costs, keeps his head down and stays under the radar, but in no way does that make him a coward.

Maggie is a hoot and as much a she sometimes seems to be completely off her rocker, there's a method to her madness. Many of the characters that you come across are not always what they seem to be. Some of the story threads were wrapped up, just a little too quickly and a little too neatly for my liking, but I'm hoping that this will not the last we see of these characters and this world.

[Trish Edmisten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in a matter of hours and really enjoyed the characters and the story. I'm a sucker for werewolf stories, but the plot here intrigued me more than most. Former human becomes an alpha and changes the workings of the pack isn't something I've seen before.

The story was well written and well edited and there's a lot going on.

My only real complaint was the fact that while it was a fast paced read, it was far too short, particular for it's price tag. $3.00 for a 103 page story seems a bit much, but that's me.

I would like to have seen the author slow down and really take the time to explore how the pack reacted to this shift in culture, how they came to accept a gay alpha, and how, if at all, it divided or united them. It felt like there was a rush to the finish line here that kept me from giving the story a higher rating.

I particulary liked Maggie, the pack matriarch. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her to come in future novels.

[Sierra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sexy book with a very hot ex-SEAL guy who is thrust into the role of werewolf--and alpha at that. Noah's sexiness to me stems from his solid, comforting presence; he just steps in, righting past wrongs and reassuring everyone. He provides the warmth and stability that the pack needs, but is able to kick ass if things get out of hand. Liam is a bit of a weak character, sort of cowering with his head down (which I realize is important for the story line but just didn't work for me). What kept me from enjoying this book more was the way the bad guys were dealt with--one gets community service in a battered women's shelter after repeatedly abusing another woman in wolf form! I think there were some characters who by werewolf, human, and just plain rough justice rules should have been killed that weren't. This made the whole book a lot harder to take seriously. Otherwise a nice read and good enough that I want to read more of the series.

[Rachel Wilder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author for me- I liked it. Yes, it was fast paced and not long but the price point was spot on and the characters well written. I loved the duel POV’s and the idea that a tough ex- Seal gets to be alpha by accident. Liam was sweet and caring and a bit of excitement and danger spiced it up. Will deff look for more by Alice Cain.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, really enjoyed the relationship build up between the geeky accountant and the ex-Navy SEAL turned to werewolf alpha. Looking forward to where the author takes the residents of Lupineville in the future.

[Izzy Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has all the right parts werewolf, soldier, hot guys check but in the end I just didn't feel it. Liam didn't even get any romance and except for one short chase no hot nookie either. I don't think I'll read the next one unless it's free.

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I expected but good.

That protection grill idea is brilliant.

Excellent quote: "He knew from his SEAL days that the easiest way to make a terrorist was to exclude them from the society where they were supposed to belong."

That was really good for a shifter book.

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun reading so fat, but I find almost all the stores are kinda similar.. We need something that makes the reader go"wow, but damn I didn't see it coming". A I got for now is its sweet and axe scenes not bad but it's lacking some wow factor and more action

[~RMG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Barely 2 stars - Plot development was pretty weak. Things just happened too quickly and smoothly to be believable.

[terranova.books · Rating 2 out of 5]

that could be a good book. But isn't

[♥~♥❇ ★~Lyne~★ ❇♥~♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story thoroughly. Looking forward to reading the next story in this series.

[Lasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gaa-chan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars