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Cloverleah Pack #1

The Reluctant Wolf

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Kane Matthews, Alpha of his small wolf pack in Cloverleah has been raised to believe that mates are not possible for gay men and has lived his life accordingly. Kicked out of his home pack years before because of his sexual orientation Kane has built a solid and comfortable life for himself in the small town of Cloverleah.
Imagine his surprise when an unscheduled visit to the small town's diner unleashes a flood of emotions in the man he didn't think possible - not least of all, lust. But finding out it is possible for wolf shifters to have gay mates is just one of the things that Kane has to overcome if he is to have the forever future he has been hoping for.


Shawn Bailey never expected to find his mate. He is just too different - an "Other" who has the power to instill fear in any other shifter. After spending ten years on the run from his Alpha father he spends most days just trying to stay alive. When a chance encounter brings him face to face with his mate Shawn has to decide if the man in front of him is worth staying for.


But with hunters, Alpha challenges, Kane's parents and a smitten Alpha from another pack all interfering in Kane and Shawn's budding romance, not to mention some surprising answers about Shawn's own unique talents can these two true mates find the happily ever after they are looking for?


Warning: Some people may find the content of this book objectionable. Includes m/m, graphic sexual situations, a short BDSM scene, strong language and shifter/magic themes.

458 pages, ebook

First published February 24, 2014

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735 people want to read

About the author

Lisa Oliver

210 books954 followers
Lisa Oliver had been writing non-fiction books for years when visions of half dressed, buff men started invading her dreams. Unable to resist the lure of her stories, Lisa decided to switch to fiction books, and now stories about her men clamor to get out from under her fingertips.
When Lisa is not writing, she is usually reading with a cup of tea always at hand. Her grown children and grandchildren sometimes try and pry her away from the computer and have found that the best way to do it, is to promise her chocolate. Lisa will do anything for chocolate.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers and other writers. You can friend her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/lisaoliverauthor), or email her directly at yoursintuitively@gmail.com. If you want to chat with her on Skype, then email for contact details.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
Profile Image for Tj.
2,225 reviews68 followers
September 6, 2015
I’m having a hard time with this book. It took me a while to read. I think the hardest thing for me was the obvious editing. It wasn’t all that good but more than that was the fact this was set in the US but had “arse” and “bloody” sprinkled all through it. I don’t mind the occasion miss of certain words by authors that aren’t native to the country they are writing about but this was a constant. At first I took it to mean I was wrong where the story was set but as I read I realized I wasn’t and so it bothered me more and more and more.

The author’s story line is good. I liked the shifters in the story and the plot. I do think that the story would normally be just my thing. I love the troubled and tormented wolf running into a pack alpha that is his mate and then wanting to keep on running. The pack alpha being fiercely protective and possessive on encountering his mate. It all would normally be just the thing for me.

I think I ran into trouble first with the idea that this particular wolf wouldn’t have been more accepted. If this is some part of wolf couture wouldn’t everyone know and if not then why does Kane’s dad know right away. Also Kane’s parents came around really easy compared to what had been said went on between them and him. The story was just jumbled. I didn’t think it flowed well and at times seemed to almost double back on itself.

Overall this is a book I went into expecting to like and to some degree did but the writing isn’t consistent with what I would expect from a published work. It seems like a draft that wasn’t looked over properly.
Profile Image for Pati.
872 reviews
September 7, 2016
I was provided a free copy of this e-book by the author through the GoodReads M/M Romance Group's Don't Buy Me Love program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First and foremost I must say that this author hit on one of the things that are guaranteed to drive me insane so this whole book was a struggle for me. That issue is I expect the wording of a book to be correct for the area in which I am told that it's taking place in. Why bother telling your readers that these are American characters on American soil and then use British diction? I would have been happy with it had I just been told that they were in England.

I should not have read a book filled with arse, bloody, blokes, whilst, smelt, leant, "too right", gobsmacked, motorbike, tidy bin, bums, hanger bars,petrol tanks,etc.etc. And I'm sorry but we have motorcycles with handle bars and gas tanks, we sit on our asses or butts, we have kitchen counters and in America pissed means angry not drunk. Furthermore there are even letters that are put together that aren't even words.... cos & be cos are not replacements for because and recce?? Not sure what that is supposed to mean. I could go on about the many grammatical errors but I will wrap up my rant with just a few well intended words of advice. Please get an american to line edit these books.

However, I did give this two stars because I do like the characters, not only Kane and Shawn but most of the supporting cast of characters as well. They all came across as nice guys. However, sadly I must say that was about all that I liked about this book that I'd thought I'd love. Shawn's powers were a little too over the top for the story line for me to find believable because I just kept thinking, "If he could do that then this would have never have happened." Not that they weren't intriguing and cool powers because they were, just a little too omnipotent.



Profile Image for Al *the semi serial series skipper*.
1,659 reviews854 followers
July 30, 2020
Still on my losing streak for MM. I thought this was going to be the one that changed my reading slump but that didn't happen.

Kane, the alpha of a small pack of five is at a diner when he smells his mate. Thing is his mate is very skittish so he has his pack mates go to the diner he works at everyday so his mate knows that he recognizes he's his mate but is giving him time to accept it. One night someone shoots at his mate and he is brought to Kane's home and he reluctantly accepts Kane's help.

Kane is ecstatic to have found his mate, he had to leave his old pack 15 years ago when his father told him that gay men cannot have mates and it is a sickness, he left with his cousin and along the way he got the other wolfs. Shawn on the other hand has magic and his pack hated that he could do magic and considered it a sickness that could also be cured. Shawn is on the run from his father and then later his uncle who is trying to kill him and take over the pack, hence the people that tried to shoot him.

Shawn, a virgin is very shy, he's never really settled in one place and his magic basically makes him want for nothing. He is happy to be within the fold and warns them that he might bring trouble to the pack, Kane assures him that they are ready for anything as long as they stay together.

Where the story starts to disintegrate is when Kane's mother comes with a Shaman because she has heard Kane is about to mate to the evil Shawn so she wants him to be cured. The Shaman tells her that Kane and Shawn are mated and that there is nothing wrong with their bond. His mother exhibits a personality change that I got whiplash. She had not seen her son for the past 15 years because she was told that being gay was bad, immediately she finds that not to be the case she is the best mother ever, even going on to say that she's going to tell Kane's father he is footing the bill for their mating ceremony. When Kane tells her that he doubts his father is going to agree , she alludes to having power over her mate and shes going to encourage him to. If she has that power wouldn't she have fought for Kane in the first place? Why would she wait 15 years with no contact from her son and all of a sudden she is concerned about what he does. It makes no sense and it annoyed me.

But wait, there's more. Kane's father comes and he's forgiven without even speaking. They hug it out like bros and everything is settled. Again, I was infuriated. How is it that he drove his son out for 15 years because he was gay and no he is fine with it. I do not get it.

During the mating ceremony we find out that shy, quiet Shawn was a DOM. I don't believe it. Shawn is a DOM all of a sudden and a popular one at that. He remained a virgin though. It was also funny because all those time he was a popular Dom using his name no one found him but when he comes to this small town in the middle of nowhere, then he is found.

Then Kane is jealous for no reason, when he is the MANWHORE. Shawn saw one of Kane's conquest draped all over him and he didn't throw a fit, he removed the guy and gave him a stern talking to. It also happened again, one of Kane's conquest wanted to fight Shawn so he can be Kane's lover and Shawn calmly showed him that was not happening. Kane on the other hand accused Shawn of cheating on him with his own pack member just because Shawn would not answer him telepathically when they were together. I get if you don't trust your mate ( actually I don't get) but the pack member that had never shown any interest and you know his character for the longest, you think he would do something that horrible.

This book was just too much, so many unbelievable things combining to make unbelievable things. I got the box set for this one but I am not interested in continuing.
99 reviews
April 24, 2014
Beta readers are wonderful - PLEASE USE ONE
Profile Image for Jilrene.
938 reviews80 followers
October 9, 2014
I received a free copy of this book via the Goodreads Don't buy My Love program in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult review to write. I really liked the story. Both MCs are likeable, and the secondary characters are somewhat fleshed out.

The background: Kane left his pack under duress when his parents disapproved of him being gay. Shawn left his pack under duress because not only is he gay, but he is also something else. Shawn’s father wanted to kill him, so Shawn had to stay on the run until he meets his mate, Kane. The story is a little different and I really liked Shawn. Kane too, but mostly Shawn. Griff, Kane’s best friend, is pretty cool. The other members of Kane’s little pack are introduced and have the occasional impact. We also meet, for the briefest of times, Kane’s family. I liked Shawn’s otherness, although it does make him pretty powerful and I’m not sure why he kept running. Well, I guess since he’s a good guy he couldn’t just keep killing all the people trying to kill him. That’s not what good guys do. This story has the mates are fated line and then there is the insta-love. Not my favorite, but not that big of an irritant for me.

My problem with the book is the language. The author uses a strange mix of British/Australian (Sorry! I can’t tell the difference.) slang and American slang. Arse was the worst. This is set in the US, but we don’t say arse. You might occasionally find someone saying bloody, but not arse. Then there are times the wrong word is used. I’m not sure if it was a typo or just a wrong choice. I didn’t write those examples down, and now that I’m writing my review I can’t think of any. Finally, there is the over the top mushy things. All the “my love” and “hon” and “my friend” just about sent me into a diabetic coma. For two men, they talked a lot.

So, what do I rate it? Plot gets 3.5 stars for the otherness. Writing, well that’s 2 stars at best. So, if I average those I have 3 stars. I liked it, so that’s fair. What’s really funny is I want to read Griff’s story. Griff deserves his HEA.
Profile Image for Hc.
2,361 reviews35 followers
November 15, 2015
All was going well until....

First bombshell, a practically indestructible wolf 'other' who at times can just 'snap' his fingers. It's too easy, no challenge. He doesn't HAVE to work at things (like dinner, taking or putting on clothes, etc.) like 'normal' people.

Kane's mother. It's been 15 years! Now all of a sudden she wants to come and look down her nose and tell her son (after 15 years) to stop this foolishness and do right. She even brings a shaman to 'cure' him. Then after the shaman tells her how it truly is, she changes her tune right fast. Does this work for me? NOPE! Too fast on attitude and acceptance changes from her.

Shawn's past. He was a MASTER dom. Really? The innocent, never touched boy on the run for ten years but he worked as a Dom in a club?

And now that these two are mated on both sides with the 'mind thingy' and have professed their love, they are STILL having trust issues? Kane gets jealous because Shawn is outside with Troy and misconstrues the situation. I just don't think at this point this should be an issue any more.

Now bring dad, who beat and kicked him out do an about face...

Though I finished this, I'm not sure how cus I had issues will all of the above.
Profile Image for Kelly (Maybedog).
3,524 reviews239 followers
October 3, 2015
Shawn is a not uncommon name for girls here in the states. We also don't say arse. If she doesn't know how we talk ("you're a nutter, aye."), why set it here with American chars? It's absurd hearing Britishisms out of American characters' mouths. Petrol? Blokes? Really?

Head jumping.

What is a deep wooden floor?

What motorcycle rider in his or her right mind wouldn't wear a shirt riding? They're called leathers for a reason. I'm not saying it isn't done, I would just think people who live and breathe bikes and who cared if they lived or died would be smarter than that.

Making hero almost invincible and able to fix others makes it less thrilling.

If he could cure bullet injuries within a few minutes, he wouldn't be sore the next day.

Yes the hunters were evil but the good guys were way too callous for being good guys. And no leather place would perform on unwilling subs.

Now it's just stupid. Shawn was ostracized and hated and felt alone with no friends ever and a virgin but he was also a leather master well respected all over? Really?

And now he can translocate four people at once to a place he's never been? Then why did he need a tunnel for escape?

In the space of one scene this went from almost four stars to two.

Way to much boring sex.

Tiny mom big boys trope.

"A mating bond and no one would try to come between them." Um, yes they are, that is the point.

"He's quiet and nice." Yeah and apparently a guy who pretends to be a Dom on stage but isn't one. Huh?

Mary Calmes made her panther shifter some amazingly powerful one of a kind but he wasn't perfect and it happened throughout several books. That's how you do this, not this all at once thing.

This is barely half done and so after pointing out the imbecilic nature of this magic man taking off his clothes to shift, I'm going to stop pointing out all the stupidity unless it's really serous.

"I'm so pissed at you I could hit you"?!?! NOT NOT NOT NOT OKAY. You don't say that to your partner EVER! Down to one star.

The father's about face is stupid and annoying and then to have to fight to have your fated mate?? That is beyond dumb. What if the mate were tiny and weak? DUMB DUMB DUMB. Totally contrived peril.

So little emotion at the big climactic scene except two dimensional anger from evil villain. Egads.

This Dom but not a Dom is so so so stupid. Even if it's not sexual, BDSM is very intimate. It has to be to be safe. Kane is so jealous about everything else but has no problem with his lover leading someone else to orgasm on stage? DUMB DUMB DUMB.

Good that sexual violation can effect even an alpha male. Stupid that an alpha male as powerful as Kane couldn't get a non alpha shifter to get away from him. And he feels that violated but he didn't ask for help. And the shifters are supposed to know what their mates are feeling but super powerful Shawn didn't know his mate was in trouble? Why was this even put in there?

If Shawn is this powerful and knows it, why did he fear bullets so much? Couldn't he have simple made a spell making him impervious to bullets? Why did he need sophisticated electronic gadgetry when he could conjure up a viewing orb in a few seconds?

This is the dumbest shifter story which is sad because it's not poorly written. It had so much potential but flipped in the telling so the first part didn't match the rest at all.

1.25 stars
Profile Image for Ronie Reads.
1,562 reviews28 followers
September 3, 2024
A fast past read! Just one gripe. There are a lot of subplots. There being so many books to finish the series. It's going to take some time to read
Profile Image for Veronica of V's Reads.
1,528 reviews44 followers
June 4, 2014
I received a copy of this book via Goodreads' Don't Buy My Love program in exchange for an honest review.

Kane is a strong lead. He's a gay wolf shifter who has stuck out on his won after being run out of his pack by his father, the Alpha, for being gay. Being an Alpha wolf is something one is "born to" and Kane becomes the Alpha of a pack of five gay shifters--one being his long-time friend Griff. They all work together in an auto/motorcycle restoration business small western town, called Cloverleah.

One day Kane pops into the local diner and is overwhelmed with the scent of another wolf. One that sends his libido racing. Kane had long been told that gay wolves had not "true mates" but his body disagrees. Meeting Shawn, Kane senses something different--beside the fact that Shawn clearly wants to bolt.

Unwilling to let Shawn run in fear, Kane gets his packmates to visit Shawn at work, to let him know they are harmless to him. They may be, but Shawn's father isn't. He's sent hunters after Shawn for the past decade. See, Shawn's a wolf--but he's also MORE. A Shifter Guardian who holds a crapload of magical powers. The hunters shoot Shawn and Kane's the one who can reach into the magical haze and pull out the spelled slugs.

The two men claim each other as mates leading to a "war" between packs. We get interference from Kane's home pack--and resolution of old grudges and alliances newly forged.

What I liked:
Kane and Shawn are both strong leads. They are interesting and compassionate. Supporting characters play important roles and have their own mini-arcs in the story. The story is interesting, if a bit verbose.

What I didn't like:
The instalove was too INSTA. We barely met Kane and he was obsessed with an unknown party.

The complete lack of "American" diction in this "American" tale. Lookit, I'M AMERICAN. AND YET I LOVE BRITISH BOOKS. Do not write in British slang and slap in a couple of city names like Denver and San Antonio and expect this to be translatable. IT IS NOT. The characters sound like "blokes" I'd find in Liver-freaking-pool, not the American West. There is a cadence and syntax specific to idiom and colloquial speech. Men in America do not sound like the men in this book--not even the gay men. Sorry.

The book needs a complete line edit. There are multiple mistakes per page with regard to spelling, word choice, grammar and punctuation. It is a travesty and demonstrates to me, an avid and voracious reader, that the author has little respect for my comfort or enjoyment. Because, frankly, it is painful to have to continually mentally exchange the proper word, or intimate the intended meaning from a poorly punctuated statement. It tells me the writer is a poor editor and needs to shell out some cash to someone competent in this enterprise. Also, if the book is to be set in America, I would suggest finding a US editor--one who could assist in removing any and all Briti-cisms from the text.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,440 reviews141 followers
June 13, 2021
DNF 2014, 2017, and 2021

So. I’ve tried to read this book three times over the past seven years. Same conclusion. Amidst an interesting story arc, we have coarse, sophomoric writing and no editing. And a slew of other issues, but I’m just going to move on.
Profile Image for Sarah.
525 reviews11 followers
May 17, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this story. If you enjoy authors like Lynn Hagen, Toni Griffin and Stormy Glenn then you will probably enjoy this book. It is a cute paranormal M/M romance.

Kane Matthews was kicked out of his pack for being gay. He was always told that gay wolves will never be gifted with a mate by the Fates. When Kane left his pack he formed a new one with other wolves that were kicked out because they were gay. Kane is the alpha of the pack and the group own and work at a custum auto shop.

The book begins with Kane going into the local diner. He and his pack have been busy at the shop so he hasn't been there in a while, but as soon as he enters he knows there is another wolf there. He also smells something that begins to drive his wolf crazy. It takes another pack member coming in and realizing what Kane smells is his mate. Kane is excited at the prospect of having a mate, but when he meets the other wolf, he realizes he needs to tread lightly because his mate looks ready to flee.

Shawn has been on the run for over 10 years. His pack has been trying to kill him ever since they realized he was Other on top of wolf. He realizes Kane is his mate, but is fearful to belong to another pack.

Once Kane realizes someone is out to kill his mate, he doesn’t waste time and claims Shawn. Since Kane’s pack is made up of individuals who were kicked out because they were different, the members readily accept Shawn and his other gifts. The rest of the book is Kane and Shawn solidifying their relationship and confronting the individual out to kill Shawn.

Overall it was a fun, easy read. Yes, the author uses a lot of terms that are not typically used in the US, even though the book takes place in the US. If that sort of thing bothers you, you will have a hard time with this book. It was easy for me to overlook that. What makes the book for me are the characters. Both Kane and Shawn are alpha males and the author did a great job showing that. Neither one is more dominating than the other. Also, the other members of the pack are great. I will definitely buy the other books to read their stories.

If you are looking for a light and easy paranormal romance, then this is a nice choice.
Profile Image for Alicia.
79 reviews7 followers
June 4, 2014
(I received this book free in return for an honest review.)

So I admit that I really like the gay, wolf-shifter books, which probably pushed my rating a little higher than it should be, but I'm gonna back it up.

First the ding...and others have mentioned this, but the use of a town named Cloverleah, the word arse, and the character's names made me think Ireland, yet the story is obviously set in the USA. I overshadowed this with other obvious American flirting, expressions and motorcycles.

Now the good stuff, I felt the story-line and character development went a long way toward making this a really good book. Alpha Kane is a strong leader and respected both in and out of the pack. He leads a small pack of gay shifters, always being told that a true-mate was never a possibility. There is just enough information on the other pack members for the reader to not get lost among the characters.

Kane's mate, Shawn take the other point of view. He is a wolf on the run, hunted first by his father, then by his uncle. Shawn had "magic," but he still relies on the mundane to assist him in his vigilance. Just when the two men discover each other, all hell breaks loose and Shawn is shot by the hunters. There follows love and war and perhaps the story dragged on a little longer than it should have. Still, I enjoyed the interactions between Kane and his parents and the the other packs that assist in helping Shawn defeat his uncle. Each interaction allowed the two MCs to learn more about each other and to establish a greater bond in the end.

I'll admit I read the excerpt for book two, which focuses on Kane's cousin and Beta Griff, and it looks like it's another fun ride.
Profile Image for Rellim.
1,676 reviews43 followers
April 26, 2023
Audio included in KoboPlus at the time of this review

DNF @ 35%

Yikes. As others have mentioned, the most glaring issue with this book is that it’s set in the US, but written using British vernacular. Not just a few times missed by edits. No care was taken whatsoever and nearly every sentence uses terms/phrases we wouldn’t regularly use in the US, especially the South. Bloody, mate (friend), bin/rubbish (trash), brekkie, arse, pissed (drunk), bloke, petrol, etc. Add in the number of words used incorrectly (or perhaps pronounced wrong - see below) and it was difficult to concentrate on the actual story.

Narration:
This was my first time listening to John York. He wasn’t a great choice for this story. Compounding the discordant British writing, he has a distinctly Canadian (Minnesota/Wisconsin?) accent. This book is set in & features characters from the South. It makes for a bizarre auditory experience. Frankly a bad southern accent would have been more palatable. I don’t feel I’m a stickler for mispronunciations - they happen and regions impact that as well - but there were a LOT of words that weren’t how I’d ever heard an American pronounce them and certainly not a Southerner. There were also times where the text called for certain vocal characteristics (deep, soft, angry, happy, etc) where the delivery was the opposite.
Profile Image for Skye Blue ☆*~゚ლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆.
2,805 reviews28 followers
April 26, 2016
Hmmm.
Somewhat entertaining....but a lot of holes.

If you can poof people different places, why wouldn't you just poof the bad guys away when they attack you. Why get shot multiple times and run and hide. Just poof them to the other side of the country and go on with your day.

Virgin, master dom? okay?

I did like that Shawn stood up for himself when Kane got jealous...but he did get awfully upset.

This had a lot of potential. I just thought the amount of power that Shawn had, was really weird with how much he was supposed to be victimized.
Profile Image for 315.
692 reviews26 followers
August 16, 2015
DNF... Classic case of too much. Seems the author was writing without an outline and was making bits up to add to the story along the way as it grew and just forced the story off course. Just became a clusterfuck of twists and turns that didn't work and read like WTfuckry.
Profile Image for Kim Stone.
1,553 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2020
New to me author. This is a mm shifter story about alpha werewolf Kane and his mate Shawn who has some added powers. Great secondary characters.
Profile Image for Donna.
3,384 reviews42 followers
April 15, 2016
Let me start with what bothered me about this story... Please refer to Kelly H. (Maybedog) review ... she pretty much sums up all of my points (perhaps a little more aggressively than I would have been) and even a few I missed! I don't know about other copies of ebooks, but there were several instances where words were missing, and I spent valuable reading time trying to figure out what was being said... grrr! I will say that I liked the premise of the story and I truly wish that someone had sat down with the author and said, "Hey, we have got to fix this!"

I was hoping to see that these issues had been resolved in the next installment of this series, but the reviews are not encouraging... bummer! :(

As always, though, I gave the story three stars because I know that every author puts their heart into every story they write, and even though the story didn't work for me there will be others that will truly enjoy it, and last but not least... it takes a brave person to take a little piece of their soul and put it out there for the masses to devour... that bravery deserves to be rewarded regardless of how the book worked or didn't work for me! I am sure that I will find another book by this author, sometime in the future that will be the perfect read for me... I will continue my search until I do! :D
Profile Image for Issa.
419 reviews21 followers
June 19, 2014
2.25 stars. Kicked out of his pack 15 years ago for being gay, Kane has forged a new life and a new small pack (of fellow gay wolves) in a custom bike shop. One day while eating at the diner, he smells something wonderful he’s never experienced before. Come to find out what he smells is his mate, something unthinkable as Kane has been told from the beginning same sex mates were impossible. But here he is but Kane’s mate has a bucket full of issues on his heels.

Shawn never expected to find a mate as well but can’t deny his connection to Kane. Shawn’s been on the run from his pack for 10 years. Being a cook at Kathy’s diner is just one position in a long string that keeps him ahead of the hunters on his tail. But Shawn has secrets and hates to bring Kane into his seemingly nightmare of a life. For Shawn is not only a wolf, he can control magic and the difference makes him a target.

I initially thought this would be a story about the push/pull of Kane and Shawn and the mating bond. But when Shawn is injured by hunters, his secrets come out and the two men do the mating thing very early in the story. So I reassess and decide it’s actually about their fight against the hunters and when Shawn decides to make a stand and at the midway point sending a message back to his pack basically telling them to come get him, I believe I’m right. But there are so many tangents that I still don’t know what to think.

First the good because there were points I liked. The beginning for one. I enjoyed Kane and Shawn’s initial shock at realizing they were mates and Kane’s ill thought out courtship of Shawn. I also enjoyed their sexy times and the issues with the mating. In addition, Kane’s pack is wonderful. Quirky and supportive they add so much color to the story and are a great foil for Kane. Pushy too but that’s family for you.

Kane and Shawn are a mixed bag for me. I did like them but not always how they are written. Kane is a great Alpha. Forward thinking, supportive, strong but by the end becomes a submissive puppy. Shawn blows hot stating one thing then doing another. But overall I thought they were a good pair. My biggest issue with Shawn is the magic. We learn he can do anything with magic, virtually anything, and I couldn’t understand why a guy who can do anything is on the run fearing for his life.

It’s as we settle into wait for the showdown that loses me completely because so much happens that feels out of place or just plain odd. It was just too much.

The final problem I had was language. It ripped me out of the story a dozen times as I went crazy trying to figure out where this story takes place. I’ve skimmed a few times and can’t find a city or state name but we have a diner and Shawn lived in San Antonio so all signs point to the US. But while they start out using words like butt or oddly, bum, it quickly moved to arse, arsehole, and petrol tank, which made me wonder when in the heck we’d moved across the pond. The Britishisms just didn’t fit.

This story had great potential, I really liked parts of it, but it couldn’t seem to figure out what kind of story it wanted to be.

I received a copy of story as part of the M/M Group DBML program
Profile Image for Karine DS.
223 reviews2 followers
October 3, 2015
Ce premier Opus est un vrai petit bijou, on assiste à un véritable coup de foudre entre Kane et Shawn. Leur première rencontre dans ce petit restaurant est tout d'abord un choc pour Kane dont la rencontre avec son compagnon lui paraissait tellement improbable. Une fois l'effet de surprise passé, la rencontre reste courtoise néanmoins chargée de tensions sexuelles.

Shawn quant à lui est mitigé, cela fait 10 ans qu'il fuit à cause de sa différence, le danger qui le poursuit n'est jamais loin. Il reconnait également son compagnon, mais sa plus grande peur est que celui-ci le rejette comme les autres.

L'Alpha de la meute de Cloverleah croyant bien faire en lui laissant du temps afin d'éviter sa fuite, réalisera son erreur lorsqu'un événement inattendu précipitera leur rapprochement.

Kane est honnête, loyale, fort physiquement et mentalement, mais quand il réalise ce qui a failli se produire, l'intensité de leur connexion devient puissante. La découverte de la particularité de son compagnon n'est pour lui et sa meute en aucun cas un problème.

On découvre alors une complicité grandissante, un lien puissant qui toutefois reste fragile du fait des peurs , des doutes de Shawn qui ne veut mettre personne en péril, surtout son compagnon ou un membre de la meute. Pourtant un combat semble inévitable, une vengeance reste à assouvir et le loup sauvage et solitaire ne pourra y échapper afin d'obtenir la liberté d'exister.

La meute de Cloverleah est soudée, dévouée corps et âme et d'un soutien infaillible envers les siens. Ses membres sont un concentré de testostérones, leurs liens sont solides, ils sont une famille, ils prennent soin des uns des autres. Griff, Troy, Dean et Scott apportent à ce récit un brin d'humour exceptionnel, leur caractère sont très différents, et l'histoire de chacun amène pour la suite de formidables perspectives.

Le couple Kane - Shawn est très attachant, tendre. Leur fusion est animal, érotique, d'une passion dévorante. Leur Amour, leur connexion leur donnera-t-elle la force de tout affronter ensemble ?

Venez le découvrir à travers la plume de Lisa Oliver qui a su me transporter littéralement au sein de ses loups.

Elle vous charmera de ses mots sensuels, emplie d'action et d'événements inattendus mais surtout charger d'un véritable amour sincère et palpitant jusqu'à la fin !
99 reviews3 followers
October 1, 2015

Dès que j'ai vu la couverture et lu le résumé j'ai tout de suite eu envie de le lire et franchement je ne regrette pas. Déjà personnellement le fait qu'il s'agisse d'un roman M/M et que les protagonistes soient des loups garous, cela démarrait très bien.


Kane est l'Alpha d'une meute atypique: elle n'est composée que de cinq membres (Griff, Troy, Dean, Scott) des loups garous exclus de leurs meutes car gays. Alors qu'il est persuadé ne jamais pouvoir connaitre le bonheur de l'amour, ce dernier va soudain se trouver face à son compagnon. Le soucis c'est que ce dernier, Shawn, au lieu de se jeter sur lui va plutôt préférer prendre la suite. Car Shawn est un loup quelque peu particulier qui fuit des chasseurs depuis plus de dix ans.


On s'attache très vite à cette meute dont les membres sont très soudés et forment une véritable famille. Je vais d'ailleurs attendre avec impatience de connaitre la suite de leurs aventures notamment celles de Troy et Griff.
Ce qui me plait le plus dans cette histoire de compagnon c'est ce lien qui est crée, qui ne peut jamais être brisé et qui fait clairement rêver.


Mais ce que je retiens le plus, c'est l'humour quasi constant qu'il y a dans ce roman mais aussi cette joie de vivre qui existe notamment au sein de la meute mais aussi avec certains amis de cette dernière.
L'action est aussi très présente tout comme la tension face à tous ces chasseurs humains et loups garous ennemis.


Le couple Kane/Shawn est très touchant: nous avons droit à des superbes déclaration d'autant plus quand on sait qu'elles viennent d'hommes virils et dominants; mais il y a aussi des scènes de jalousie d'anthologie. Ces deux là sont fragiles à cause de leur enfance, synonyme de rejet mais leur lien va beaucoup les aider, les sauver même. Les scènes entre ces deux là sont très érotiques: beaucoup de tension sexuelles et de très belles scènes assez chaudes mais sans vulgarité.


J'ai trouvé l'idée du personnage de Shawn très original et franchement ça serait parfois sympa d'avoir certaines de ses capacités.


En bref, j'ai adoré et j'attends la suite!!!!


Boulimique des livres
Profile Image for Michelle Rae.
27 reviews1 follower
June 8, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a decent shifter love story centering around two alphas. Kane is forced to leave his pack when his family cannot accept he's gay. Like a true Alpha, Kane creates his own pack/family, offering friendship, belonging and protection to those in his care. Shane though, is a lone wolf, wary, separate and always alone. Not a pure wolf, and possessing magic, Shane was forced to flee for his life and years later, he's still running. When the mating bond strikes, these two dominant men will meld their lives together, despite murder attempts and alpha-instincts.

I enjoyed the characters in this story, not just our two MCs but the secondary characters as well (Grif and Dean in particular). And the life-or-death part of the plot provided some much-needed tension. But for me, the suspense was sometimes ruined by the author's reliance on Shane's magic as a plot device. His magic seemed nearly limitless and I tired of him twitching his fingers and creating food and clothes, healing bruises and doing other, bigger things (yes, I'm trying to avoid spoilers).

Along with the finger-twitching magic, the other thing that sometimes threw me out of the story was the author's frequent use of British slang. Most of the time I could ignore it but every once in awhile, I had to stop and puzzle out what the author meant. While sometimes distracting, it didn't really detract from the story for me.

Overall, this was an okay book. I'll probably check out Book 2, since I liked Grif and that's his story.
Profile Image for Roger - president of NBR United -.
712 reviews28 followers
June 7, 2014
I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review through the DBML program of the M/M Romance Group at Goodreads.

I love strong characters when they get together. Kane and Shawn are both wolf that have been banished from their original pack. Kane for being gay and Shawn because he is not a pure wolf shifter but also an other. Both are gay. Shawn's uncle Xavier is trying to kill Shawn and anyone who helps him. Xavier is afraid of Shawn because he know that Shawn could wipe the floor with him and take over if Shawn wanted to. Shawn is a virgin and Kane has had many one night stands. They are both overly jealous even though Shawn usually has better control over his. this is a great read and should be enjoyed.
Profile Image for Karen BookAddict.
522 reviews37 followers
August 20, 2016
Lu en vf. L'histoire est mignonne mais tout est trop rapide, facile, degoulinant de bons sentiments et de mievreries et du coup on n'a aucune intensite, aucune profondeur. Le style est aussi beaucoup trop simpliste et plat. N'ayant pas lue la vo je ne sais si c'est la faute de la trad...
Profile Image for Viridiana Kholin.
163 reviews30 followers
November 10, 2016
Tedious.
Urgh, people need to stop putting BDSM everywhere, it's getting really old.
The book wasn't really interesting to begin with, but the last straw was learning that Shawn was a virgin BDSM Master... what ? Yeah.
DNF at 48%
Profile Image for Candice.
2,955 reviews134 followers
June 17, 2014
3.5 Stars

There were a lot of errors, but I looked over them. The story itself was good. I moved on to the 2nd and 3rd.
Profile Image for Fatimama.
1,017 reviews65 followers
May 6, 2018
This had potential but asked too much for me to suspend my disbelief.

Shawn is supposed to be a virgin yet he was a master Dom as a job. He didn't like it and he just did it to pay the bills. He's supposed to be so powerful that with the snap of his fingers and power of his thoughts, magic happens and things appear / disappear.

As for Kane, his dad almost beat him to death and he was banished from his pack for being gay. After 15 years, his parents approach him and they all are ok with each other. Eh? I know this is fiction but familial relations don't get resolved just like that.

All in all, the small pack intrigued me and I still read the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Greyson.
594 reviews
October 27, 2025
2⭐️I have been burning for some gay werewolves that aren’t part of the omegaverse, so I’m happy to see it here. What I’m not happy about is the writing. It was creepy that they kept referring to Shawn as “boy”. The dialogue was almost unbearable. The chemistry was barely there. I hated the pack leader. And, the individual characters didn’t seem to have their own voices, with narration or in paper. One of my favorite things about characters in a book I’m reading is when you can tell who is saying what without it being stated, just because each character is their own person. This did not have that. Will not be reading the next book in the series.
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