Healed in the Alpha's Embrace

Wolves Of Blackwood #1-2

by Sadie Sears

Zoey never imagined the man she once loved would become her worst nightmare.

Trapped in a gilded cage on a remote compound, she endures the escalating violence of George, a powerful alpha shifter who controls every aspect of her life. But when George’s fury turns lethal, Zoey realizes she must escape—for herself and her young son, Roland.

With the help of her family, Zoey embarks on a perilous journey, fleeing from the man who once promised to love her. From hiding in motels to outsmarting her abuser at every turn, Zoey is determined to break free, no matter the cost.

In the quiet town of Boldercrest, Zoey finds refuge—and something she never Noah Alexander, a former champion boxer and the town’s new gym owner. The moment their eyes meet, everything changes. Noah is more than just a man of strength and power—he’s her fated mate, and he will stop at nothing to protect her.

But even in a town shielded by a pack of shifters, the shadows of Zoey’s past threaten to destroy everything she’s fought for. With George on her trail and danger closing in, Zoey must face the demons of her past and trust in a love that promises both healing and danger.

Can she outrun the monster who wants to claim her? Or will the truth of who she is—and who she’s meant to be—save her from the nightmare that’s haunted her for so long?

Healed in the Alpha’s Embrace is both parts of the Wolves of Boldercrest Duology, a story of survival, fated love, and the healing power of knowing you’re worth fighting for.

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

669 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2025

About the author

A team of authors who love to write paranormal shifter romance!

Reviews

[Zoe May · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give credit to any author who takes on the challenge of writing a story surrounding sensitive subjects that are really difficult to dive into.

For the most part, Healed in the Alpha’s Embrace did that.

It covered domestic abuse as a whole with key talking points surrounding coercive behaviour and the healing journey of taking control back from an abuser.

Having a loving support system is so important and we absolutely see this from Zoey’s perspective.
The book dives into close familial relationships and mending those fractures that have been caused through trauma and hurt.

I liked the small town atmosphere and the feeling of a community rallying together to protect their own from outside threats.

However, digging into the actual writing there are so many repetitive conversations in this duology that it could have been cut down to one book. It drags out the plot unnecessarily and makes the reader lose interest.

The switching of POV’s could also be strange as it would re-hash events from the end of the previous chapter, but with slight differences in dialogue and actions which could be confusing. I found myself having to re-read certain sections where I was convinced I had missed something where someone's actions were different from what I had just read.

BEWARE - Slight spoiler incoming...

There are two chapters where this completely fell downhill for me. If this was intentional, I don’t quite understand why. But did we forget Zoey was in the passenger seat of the car? It was incredibly frustrating that Zoey disappeared during a dangerous confrontation/kidnapping scene that involved her own child. She wasn't mentioned once as soon as the car came to a stop.

Overall I think the topic of abusive relationships and the impact they have on an individual really shines throughout this story. Watching Zoey slowly overcome her fears and regaining her trust really makes you root for her and Roland to have a happy ending they deserve.

I wasn't 100% invested in Zoey and Noah's relationship. They were sweet together, but I think there's a much longer road to go in their healing journey before fully committing to forever.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get past the repetitive writing and Zoey's complete disappearance to give this a higher rating. But I fully appreciate how domestic abuse is handled within this story.

[tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.07

Very repetitive and overly dramatized. I loved the relationship between the two main characters, but I felt like there was always too much going on. A decent read, just way too long for so little plot.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2/5 stars

POV: Dual, 1st Person
Length: Novel
Relationship: MF

Primary Tropes/Features: Paranormal romance, Shifter romance, Human/Shifter couple, Fated mates, Single Mum, Slow burn, Protector hero, Friends to lovers

Secondary Tropes/Features: Small town, Pack dynamic & life, Touch her and die, Found family

Content warning: A trigger warning is included at the start of the book. This book includes: Domestic abuse (on page & off page events discussed), Manipulation and Gaslighting (on page & off page events discussed), Emotional trauma (on page), PTSD (on page), Threat of death (on page), Mental and emotional abuse (on & off page), Physical abuse (on & off page), Escape and flight from and abuser (on page), Separation Violence (on page), Violence (on page), Gun related violence and injury (on & off page), Child endangerment (on page), Kidnapping (on page), Murder and death (on & off page), Threatening behaviour (on page), Grief (on page), Drunk driving causing death (discussed not seen)

This is ultimately a story of healing and allowing yourself the opportunity to move on from the past and because of that Noah and Zoey's romance was a slow burn one.

Zoey was a character who embodied a blend of grace and caution. At her core she was a fighter with an inner strength that ran much deeper than she realized but she was vulnerable and broken in a way which meant she couldn't recognize that within herself. As she struggled to overcome her past, face her trauma and her PTSD her journey to building her confidence and self worth lasted the whole book and it was one with plenty of ups and downs but made you endeared to her as a character. Noah was stuck in a state of trying to carve out a piece of life for himself when faced with having no choice but to take on responsibilities that should have never been his. But Zoey and Roland entering his life opened up a part of himself and made him realise wants for his own life that he didn't know he'd been searching for. He was an intense but kind and playful individual with his own journey of growth that whilst more subtle in some ways, when compared to Zoey’s, was as interesting. They had their own flaws which added to their characterisation and romance development. I cannot fault them for how they were written and was interested in learning more about them as the book progressed.

Zoey and Noah’s romance worked as a slow burn one for multiple reasons. I find that sometimes with a fated mates romance that organic development of romantic feelings falls to the wayside but with this being a shifter/human dynamic the friends to lovers approach gave way to laughter, honest conversation, support and quiet companionship that allowed for healing and a more genuine development. Within the context of that dynamic, Zoey’s past, and events of the book the approach that Noah took allowed for a deeper level of trust to be built and for Zoey to feel empowered in her own ability to protect herself and her son. I enjoyed their friendship dynamic and the non-sexual intimacy scenes showed their potential and enjoyment of one another’s company well. This wasn’t the spiciest of romances but those scenes also served well to further develop their dynamic.

This is a book which monopolises on the difficult/triggering topic of domestic violence and its associated themes. Using them to highlight the complexity and everyday experience for some domestic violence victims and to create a fictional romantic suspense with plenty of twists and turns. Whilst I don't begrudge the focus on these topics and healing and don't want to diminish the likely very real emotions and thought processes of escaping an abuser and separation violence. I do need to highlight that the romance felt as though it became a secondary or at times tertiary plot line. The constant near misses with Zoey’s ex and the repetition of scenes where she struggled with fear and began crying for no reason made this book feel unnecessarily dragged out by the 50% -ish mark. Unfortunately by 70% my interest had waned before I was ultimately reading just to finish the book, not because I was liking it. That isn’t to say I don’t think the topics in this book were handled with respect and thought out, because they were. But I’d be lying if I didn’t mention how the dragged out plot and constant addition of more things happening made it feel like things were being thrown into the mix purely for effect and therefore the respect and care that themes like this should be given, considering their very real presence, diminished.

Secondary plot lines were minimal, with the book focusing on the romance plot and the separation violence plot, but I have to say I did enjoy the exploration of pack dynamics and life through Noah and his family, and Roland (Zoey’s son) going through his first shift. It added some much needed world building which I wished had been developed a little more. When it came to secondary characters there was a mix of good and bad ones. The book does a good job of showcasing the importance of a support network whether it be friends, family, or a found family. Through those closest to Noah and Zoey is how we got this and I enjoyed the plot line of Zoey and Roland finding their true family. Though when it came to secondary characters Roland, rightfully so, stole the show. He was an adorable character who brought in that humour that usually comes from children in romance books but we got more than that. He was a brave and protective young boy but to counteract that we had him facing his own trauma from his past and the fear he had of being like his dad. I wished this had got a little more attention but what we were given was, in some ways, enough and I loved his relationship with his mum and the one that developed with Noah.

‘Healed in the Alpha's Embrace’ was a book with enjoyable moments, and a suitable level of respect for its difficult themes. However the drawn out plot made events of the book appear with a shock factor only purpose and made for a repetitive narrative that lessened my enjoyment a lot.

[Rozebudzz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zoey and Noah

This is 2 books combined into one. So over 600+ pages. The main theme is domestic violence and it’s repetitive. The plot is basically one long ass therapy session where Zoey tells her DV story repeatedly to everyone.There’s a sub-plot where her abuser is actively looking for her and her son and his threats are escalating. But it’s the repetition that I found difficult to read. So I skipped over most of that.

I also wasn’t impressed with Noah at first. He acted like a man-child for a bit. He had to give up something he loved to step up as alpha of his pack and he repeatedly whined about it. Every time he had to deal with a problem in his pack, he whined that he’s not ready, he was never meant to do this, if only his brother hadn’t died, his father doesn’t care about him, blah blah. He did grow up in part 2.

There are triggers that should be taken seriously. The plot dragged for a bit. It’s a story about healing and starting over and that always takes awhile. Dual POV, no 3rd act breakup.

[Aleshia Merwin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off good

The beginning was good, but as the story went on it was like the characters couldn't keep their actions straight. They would flip flop their intentions and forget certain things.
Is father seemed to do this the most.
He'd be pushy about the alpha business, be cool about his son putting his relationship first and giving him time, them back to pushy.
Encourage him to try a relationship, then tell him humans are complicated even though his own wife is human? I'm so lost with this.

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be better than it was, and I managed to get to 70% in the book, but I found the characters to be pretty annoying. I applaud the author for delving into domestic abuse, but the repetative nature of the mental dialogue, whether from Zoey or Noah, was irritating. It seemed like it was pretty drawn out and could have been significantly shorter because nothing was really happening, just the same old nonsense.

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars not 4

This review is based off the original advanced reader copy I received of the book.

To start with this was definitely one of the more challenging reads I have done in a long time.

So readers please know your triggers, and never be afraid to stop reading for a time or all together.
There is no shame in admitting a topic is too much.
That the all too real situations may be knocking too close to home.

For anyone in the united states needing mental support especially in an emergency.
Please call 988 if you do not want to call your local emergency services.

That being said, I did find a connection to this story.

Noah is an alpha, a wolf shifter, and a champion boxer who returns home to fullfill his role.

Zoey is a human who originally falls in what she had believed to be love.

With her partner named George who is also an alpha, and a wolf shifter.

They have a son together named Roland who is age 8 at the beginning of this story.
Who is born with the wolf shifter traits, but is not old enough to actually shift.

This story is told in a 668 page duet or two parts.

The characters have believable personalities, characteristics, and backstories.
There were instances that were captivating, and page turning.
Yet, those were fleeting, and easily interrupted.
Particularly because, of the issues I will point out next.

Although, personally I think the story could have been told with at least 5,000 words less.
There was a lot of repetitive dialogue, and redundant words.
I found approximately 250 instances of missing punctuation.
There was approximately 3,396 contracted words used up until chapter 39.
When I stopped highlighting after the 60th one used in that chapter.
There were also 817 instances of and, but or because used to start a sentence.
Which 90 percent of the time is unnecessary.
The sentence could have easily been started with the word following.
Thus making it both a proper sentence, and allowing the words to flow more freely.

There are a lot of issues with the over use of contracted words.
Past tense, and present tense can easily become twisted. Even within a single sentence.

Redundancies can easily occur one example being: she’d had

The words will always flow more smoothly, and the reader will always have easier comprehension.
When contracted words are not used so excessively.
I am not saying never use them, but to use them sparingly.

That being said. I feel the author did a fairly good job handling the topics she wrote about.
Although I think the therapeutic aspect could have had a few more tools brought into the story.
What is shared was composed, and presented in the correct manner.

The book had a decent conclusion, and stopping point.

The intimate scenes were open door explicit.
Although they were fairly repetitive, and did not showcase all of the traits of a mating wolf.
They also were not very creative.


This book is filled with many instances of violent acts throughout the majority of it.
So again the reader should be conscientious of their triggers. If they have them.
Especially if you are a survivour.

I applaud the authors efforts on writing about this all too real topic.
As well as show casing the all too real incidents too many have faced in real life.
Whether they be all by the same people or a particular incident occurred independently.
Regardless it never changes the reality of the incident being abusive.

I personally think that with a stronger edit, and the reduction of redundancies.
This novel could easily have surpassed 4 stars.
Unfortunately in this current state, in my opinion, this is impossible.

Again I received a free advanced reader copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest albeit critical review.

[Jessica Fowler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over the top melodramatic soap opera vibes

This book is over 600 pages and some well placed edits would have made it a much more satisfying 300 page book. Blah blah it's a duology, two for one, yay, but no. The substance is really only suitable for one single book. The author just went over the freaking top and slowed the plot down to sloth speed. Worse than the dramatics and slow speed is the ridiculous scene changes between perspectives. Notably, at the end of part one we see a scene in Noah's POV and when part two starts in Zoey's POV there's suddenly a bunch of conversation and action that never happened and wouldn't fit into the Noah pov. Add in things like Zoey was in the car but somehow she is nowhere to be found in the same scene a few paragraphs later and it just gets old fast.

The characters are not great. Zoey is borderline idiotic ( if you have a killer stalker you do not open unidentified boxes) and there is zero depth to her character. We get it, the FMC had a traumatic past, show me another facet of her. And the woman couldn't manage to stand unassisted way too often (to be fair, this may have just been multiple times in a single chapter but it pissed me off and now I feel like it was her default setting - bad event, collapse like scared prey animals. Noah was better but a bit on the boring side because of all the melodrama.

The antagonist is actually well presented and the arc/resolution goes well but! The final resolution is a bit oddly sequenced and threw up a few questions. If Noah knew Leon why didn't he reach out sooner? If George's money was gone how was he controlling his people with money? And what was the deal with the list he was looking for? Why write that in if it was completely ignored otherwise? Also, the final George scene was melodramatic, inefficient, and resulted in yet more drama. We get it, you wrote a darker novel but come on, stop with the soap opera and get to the point.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoey and Noah . . .

The storyline is composed of the two books of the Wolves of Boldercrest Duology merged into one (so there may be some redundancy). Zoey looked at herself in the mirror, noting the damage George had done to her this time. His violence was escalating and she started to realize that she needed to escape or he would kill her with the next attack. She wasn’t a shifter as he was, and he enjoyed that the damage would last awhile and prove his dominance over her. His temper was unpredictable and devastating. And she had been suffering for years now. Her mother had been abused by her father, so this treatment was not unfamiliar and made her apprehensive near men. But George, a powerful Alpha, was amazing when she first met him, attentive, caring, loving. He was so protective -- but she didn’t know the significance of his possessive part. She had ignored her stepfather Sam’s doubts about George, even though her stepfather was also a shifter. George began isolating her, telling her that the ones she called friends were holding her back or using her, so she ignored their warnings. Having possession of her, at first, he became critical of her to shake her confidence. And then the violence began. She and her son Roland were both trapped and isolated in the compound with no one to turn to for help. When she finally convinces someone to help her, to at least provide a phone, she was ready to make her escape plan.

In her continuous running to avoid George, Zoey meets Noah Alexander, formerly a champion boxer, and he recognizes that she is his fated mate. Will he be able to protect her from the danger that relentlessly stalks her? Will he claim Zoey and Roland as his family? Can she ever find peace and love she can trust?

[Anne Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story. Long...though not an afternoon read. Story is easy to read. Drew me in from first chapter.

I liked how the author worked through the emotional hurts of abuse. How it can impact generationally.. how it impacts those around us. I liked how she showed the struggles with healing. Using a shifter book.

Was relatable reminded me of watching someone I love heal after a tramatic experience. Blamming herself for things others did/caused. The romance added to it (slow burn) showing loving again is possible. I also liked how author worked through minor misunderstandings that caused rifts in relationships. A dad who seemed aloof but loved deeply on the sidelines causing a rift. A mother too hurt to let anyone in. At the same time showing where healing is needed and forgiveness and relationships with flags. Describing how Zoey wouldn't have let the evil man in if he started with where it ended up. No the abuse started with decent sounding concessions. That hindsight showed flags. By the time she woke up she had no support (in her eyes) no regular contact at least. No easy way out.

Book is R rated under a dozen open door scenes. I skipped easily as scenes slowly switched to more inimate .it's not woven into every chapter like some books. Pretty clean when not in scene. Does have triggering concepts. However I think the healing/moving on aspects make the book worth a read.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brynette Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 58%. The first book was okay, but there were a few inconsistencies. Most notably, at the start of the "escape," FMC's stepfather is driving. But then he is already at the sister's house when the FMC drives up after being on the road for several days and trying to lay a false trail for her ex to follow.

The 2nd book was so poorly written that I couldn't stick with it by the 5th chapter of Part II. Every likable character and nearly every scene harps on "it's not your fault" to the point of annoying redundancy. Plus, when the FMC is recalling a business event with her ex, who strung her along in the first book by dangling the promise of a marriage, she refers to herself as his wife. The MMC takes over the role of Alpha but has no Beta or any other shifter friends that are named, despite this being his lifelong pack and despite everyone knowing he would become the Alpha since his brother died 2 years earlier. It makes zero sense that the father of the MMC pressured him into returning home and prepare to take over the pack, but then dad continues to try running everything his way with total disrespect for his son's position. The author clearly lost track of the story's details.

[Jaedin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept me captivated and I did not want to put it down!

Seeing Zoey’s healing journey through the emotional and physical abuse she went through with amazing. I feel like her character truly spoke to the ins and outs of healing. We got to see her confidence grow, her learning how to trust herself and those who truly care for her was beautiful. I also enjoyed how we got to see how it affected Roland, but I wish we would’ve seen more of how he worked through it.

Noah just made me want to swoon, like his patience with her was just top notch and I just loved the fact that it felt like they were truly made for one another. I think I loved the fact that his wolf basically wanted to scream from the rooftops that she was his. And his relationship with Roland was absolutely adorable. Add in the healing of his own relationship with his dad was beautiful. This book felt like a healing journey all around and not just for Zoey. I do think it could’ve been a bit shorter, there were some parts where it felt very repetitive.

This book had one of the cutest epilogues that I’ve read in a while🥲

["They Did What?" · Rating 4 out of 5]

“a chance to rewrite our stars”
This is a duology that has been combined into one book. As such it makes for a long read and I appreciate being able to read beginning to end without a wait. However, for me it also felt as though some things were repeated often, kind of as a catch up so you can get into the groove again when reading book “two”. I loved how through understanding, strength, patience and support Noah was able to be there for Zoey and Ro even though he was dealing with a massive number of emotional issues himself. This is an in-depth, well developed story with so much emotion that pulls you in from the very first page.
Follow along on this roller coaster with loyal and not so loyal side characters, a villainous ex, hurtful and sad pasts, edge of your seat conflict, survival, abuse, redemption, inner struggles, passion, and love while you cheer them on in finding peace and normalcy. "This is my honest review of an advanced reader copy."

[Heather Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healed in the Alpha’s Embrace follows the adventures of Noah and Zoey. The chemistry between these two characters is undeniably irresistible. I absolutely adored getting to know both Noah and Zoey as well as witnessing their story come to life through the pages of this book. I love that they have a happy ending to their story with them being happy together as a mated couple. I would most certainly encourage other readers to checkout and give this book a read. I’m looking forward to reading more amazing romances from this author in the future. Healed in the Alpha’s Embrace is amazingly written, well balanced and beautifully executed by Sadie Sears. She continues to showcase what an incredible author she is with each book I’ve read by her thus far. In my opinion, she creates and writes phenomenal romances which I love reading.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be prepared to take your time reading this book. It is a complete duology that deals with hard topics through all the pages. Zoey has been given no choice but to surrender to her partner, a shifter alpha, who has humiliated, abused and diminished her. She flees the relationship with her child, just to land in Noah' arms. He is a gym owner and an alpha shifter himself who finds his fated mate in Zoey. This story revolves around the domestic abuse arc. She was young and alone, the years of abuse have made her resilence, guarded without losing her caring soul. She is the one that brings conflict but also one who knows there is a chance of a HEA in the horizon!


Great characters, the setting is perfect to bring the feelings of the MCs, flawed characters that are relatable, and a bit of magic bring this couple together.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sherry Sias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book.

First off, trigger warning of Domestic Violence. Hopefully, this doesn't keep you from reading Zoey, Roland and Noah's story.
Zoey being abused by her partner, George, finally realizes she needs to leave to keep her son, Roland safe. She secretly gets ahold of her family and makes plans to escape.
Noah, a famous boxer, retires and comes home to become the next Alpha. When he sees Zoey for the first time, he realizes she is his fated mate.
George tries to find her, eventually he does.
Being under Pack protection, Zoey and Roland have guards watching and protecting them....but George keeps finding ways to get to them.
Can Noah keep them safe and be able to claim Zoey as his fated mate?
Will Zoey and Roland be able to move past all the abuse from George and accept the love offered by Noah?
Their story brought tears to my eyes throughout. One of the best reads of the year. A must read!!!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah and Zoey / George / Roland. George a man who promised to love her is her abuser she must escapr for her protection and her son Roland. With the help of her family she manages to stay a step ahead until she doesnt. Hes a former chamion boxer and owner of the gym in her latest place of refuge. He just happens to alo be her fated mate.
Loved the bookcover. Great world building. Great Characters. Didnt want to put it down , I had to see what was happening next. But gotta work and eat and sleep. Did think it could have had some cut out to make it a little shorter.The charecters do have a story all their own and makes for an intriguing and entertaining read. Noah is a delicious, dangerous, compasionate, passionate and sexy alpha male.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Momma_Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was wonderful! The main characters were great! Could have been a LOT shorter though.

Very repetitive, especially the last half. By the end I was beyond ready for it to be over. I honestly struggled to make myself continue the last quarter of the book.

The ease with which everyone was able to accept criticism, that they needed help or to talk to someone, every step of the healing process, and talk openly and honestly about their feelings and struggles was very unrealistic. In a perfect fairy tale world everyone would be supportive, honest, and immediately open to therapy or whatever else was needed for healing. In real life it is never that simple.

Also hated that the adults got the therapy they needed but the child involved never got the therapy he needed but also somehow came out of everything totally ok without it.

[Penny Thibodeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how brave and strong the author created the child alpha Roland character to be. It added so much more to the story than a simple love story. I thought the author also did a nice job relaying the events that the FMC went through in her abusive marriage when asked how did the abuse get to that point. As a reader who has not experienced an abusive relationship, I was able to see how easily a person can fall into one if they ignore the signs or red flags along the way. The author also did a great job sharing the inner turmoil that the MMC was struggling to choose between his love for boxing or his new Alpha role. Check it out for yourself!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Bonk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete duology

Let me start by saying 8 am a mood reader and with that being said I didn't let that affect my review. This book seemed like it took me so long to read. And normally a bok this size would be finished in 2-3 days and I finally finished 5 almost 6 days later. Honestly I'm pretty sure that when I started reading it I thought that it was the kind of book that I wanted to read at the moment. However once I got to reading I realized that I wasn't as into it as I normally would be when I'm in the mood. With that being said I
absolutely loved this book even though it took me a while to read. The storyline was amazing it was both heartwrenching and heartwarming and at times full of suspense and tears.

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

As others have mentioned, there will be scenes where two or more people are interacting and a new person joins and it’s like side characters disappear from the author’s memory.

Scenes will happen from one POV and the next chapter will be the same scene from a different POV, but details are different, like who says what.

I really started to notice around the 70% mark that the amount of continuity errors and repetition began to increase and it got bad enough that I just didn’t want to keep going. I pushed through to 90% because I wanted the resolution, but I realized I didn’t really care anymore.

I usually give 1 star when I can’t finish, but this was a long enough book that it’s impressive I got this far without giving up.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and therefore not sure what toe expect. This is an emotional journey about two people and a young boy. This may contain triggers for some but I love the way the author gave strength and support along the way. The story is about Noah, Zoey and young Roland. This story deals with abuse but I think the author does a great job showing the strength of the characters as they move forward, overcome and heal. The story is good but it does drag a bit and is some what repetitive. I still enjoyed this story. I found strength in Zoey and Noah; they both struggled, but in different ways.

[CM · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
Zoey & Noah
Good story, great FMC and MMC. Few things took away from the book for me.
-repetitive could have been shorter with better editing, less repetition. Multiple times the FMC kept saying “I’m sorry. “due to all the trouble that her ex brought to the situation and then repeatedly multiple people kept saying “you can’t be blamed for his actions”
-she was the MMC‘s fated mate. He knew it the first time he saw her. The people around them knew it. Her sister told her about it. But it wasn’t till the close to the end of the book that he told her about it. It reminded me of the FRIENDS episode of “they don’t know that we know that they know that we know “.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Healed in the Alpha’s Embrace tackles the difficult subject of domestic abuse with care, highlighting coercive behavior, trauma, and the importance of healing within a supportive community. Zoey’s journey and the small-town atmosphere are moving, and the themes of family and recovery are well handled. However, the story suffers from repetitive dialogue, redundant POV shifts, and uneven pacing that drag the plot out unnecessarily. With stronger editing this could have been a powerful read, but in its current form it feels overly long despite a solid and important message.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angelica Haney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sweet and I enjoyed Zoey’s healing journey and all of the struggles she had to overcome to find her happily ever after with Noah.
While I enjoyed it over all this book was too long. I realize this is technically 2 books in one but even so it dragged in the middle. I also had some issues with the fated mates term and the importance seemingly given and the over stressing of needing to have a conversation with Zoey about the term but that important conversation never really happened. She was already aware of everything by the time it did happen and Noah had already been calling her his mate so the impact of this big moment we were building up to fell flat in a major way.

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶 🌶🌶🌶
Slow-Burn
Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence
Fated Mates
HEA
A really well written shifter romance. Some repetition. But the way the author handled such a sensitive topic as domestic violence and the struggle to edcape and heal was very well done. It felt like the main focus of the story, and I felt compelled by the journey of Zoey and Noah. It wasn't a quick Meet Cute where fated mates fixes all; it was a slow burn journey of healing and discovery and needing to find yourself and learn to forgive yourself and learn to love again before you can love another or allow another to love you. Trust and learning. Overall, it was very well done as a DV recovery story with a HEA.

[Juanita Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, Happy Ever After

Full of fear of her shifter husband and anguish for her future alpha son, human Foly manages to get away to her half sister. As she struggles to overcome all the obstacles in her future, she meets Noah, who recognizes who she is to him. Retiring from boxing to become the next Alpha in his Pack, keeping Foly & Ro safe while helping them heal is full of conflicts and passion. Struggles to learn about Noah's pack family, accept the fact that she needs to quit saying "I'm sorry"; realize she can have happiness & a new family with Noah. But. . . there are problems she needs to solve before she becomes the woman who's strong enough to face them .

[Kathleen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of healing from both Noah (who is a retired professional boxer, who lost his twin brother). and Zoey who recently escaped from her abusive ex.
I loved seeing both characters growth. I loved both Zoey and Noah. But I also loved Sam, Heather, Ro, Christian and Angela . We also had healing from side characters too. I particularly loved the strength of Zoey and Noah. I definitely look forward to more from Sadie.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Madeleine Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. It's about Noah and Zoey. She and her son Roland has been abused by her ex, so there are trigger warnings, Roland's was more mental abuse. It shows a realistic view of the healing they went through to feel safe with Noah and the way she went backwards sometimes to go forwards with her healing. Noah is a famous boxer who was strong and kind letting her know that he was waiting for her and that he always would. Noah was also great with her son Roland, who he came to see as his own. The story and plot was great. I would recommend this to anyone but be mindful of the triggers.

[Paula Elsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Story!

First let me say I have never read a shifter book. I had no interest in this type of story, however, this book showed up in my Facebook feed and caught my attention. This author knows how to tell a story. I laughed , held my breath when things got intense, and actually felt sad in a few places. The characters are believable, the plot realistic, and there is plenty of excitement. I’m not sure I’m sold on the shifter genre, but I am sold on this author and will be reading other books by her.