ARC Review
This book is the combined edition of Red and Beast, so originally it was two books.
Lillian has a hard choice to make. She either has to stay abused with Corbin or be with the beast out in the woods, who is cursed and can't even leave. The thing is, she doesn't know really what to do because she wants to take over the pack, which belonged to her grandfather before Corbin's father took over and took him out. She truly just wants to do what is right, but this all leads back into that choice I mentioned.
To accept the beast and what she feels would be dire. She thinks they'll kill her grandmother, who is her only family. So she leans more to staying in the pack, accepting Corbin as hers, and that way she can regain what she feels was taken away from her family. But that means accepting the abuse.
Lillian has a victim mentality. She stays, because she thinks she has to and that she's obligated. When she seeks guidance from the one woman who should help her, she is often left with more questions than answers, but that is because Grandmother is cursed and can't tell her. It has to be Lillian's choice - which she tries to tell her multiple times. Of course, that gets easier as Lillian figures things out for herself because then her grandmother can tell her yes or no.
Of course, Lillian doesn't act like an alpha, but she also had to hide it because of what it could mean should the new alphas find out. It's a hard habit to break as well when she is so used to having to keep it hidden and not being one.
Her shifting had also been hidden and only came out on the night the beast broke into her house - no one saw it though. Her powers are very fickle and don't come out when she wants them to. This just makes it harder on her.
Don't even get me started when she shifts for the challenge to save her grandmother. Like they finally work, but then she has to submit or they'll end her grandmother.
There are crumbs, and foreshadowing dangled throughout the book. Nothing is revealed instantly, but it is wrapped up in a sweet little bow at the end, where she finally finds her happily ever after. She just has to survive the nightmare first.
I'm really excited because I know in the second book, it is Corbin BUT there is a cute holiday novella of Lillian and her beast at the end.