Leave Me

Shift MC #1

by R.A. Frick

Can the reluctant Alpha go home again?
***

Riley Jones had grown up, and he wouldn’t mind showing his bullies they were wrong at his ten-year high school reunion, but the real pull was the sliver of hope Riley’s childhood best friend and secret crush would attend. When Riley’s latent shifter blood presented him as an omega, every shifter in their lakeside town was sniffing him out…including his old friend, King.

Fowler King was an alpha wolf and motorcycle mechanic who only went home when his father was ready to be buried. As a trans man in a big city, King hadn’t shifted in years, but he could never resist helping a friend in danger... With whatever he needed.
***

Leave Me is the first book of the Shift MC series. The series is about a motorcycle club of wolf shifters set in the woods of Northern California, with ABO shifters and a small town of LGBTQIA+ characters. There is heat and fated mates, but no mpreg.
***

#abo #shifters #smalltownromance #secondchance #friendstolovers #firstheat #motorcycleclub #transcharacters #lgbtqromance #gayromance #slowburn

Genres: Shapeshifters, Omegaverse, M M Romance, Werewolves, Adult, Transgender

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2025

About the author

R.A. Frick is a queer author of steamy queer romance, often with angst, always with a HEA! Focusing on non-binary, trans, and gay characters is close to RA's lived experiences, though they have written everything from YA dystopian time travel to dark taboo romance, and added paranormal romance to their repertoire in 2025.

RA's books have been on multiple bestseller lists, and they are usually found writing with their corgi in Northern California.

Reviews

[Louise Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the story. I felt the connection between the MCs and liked how their romance developped. I really enjoyed the writing and am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many elements to this story but the author ties them up so well.

Riley comes back to town for his tenth high school reunion and he really wants to show the bullies he grew up. An omega who has some shifter blood but isn't a full shifter, still has all the alphas sniffing around him.

But he's only interested in one, his oldest friend Fowler King. Who came home for his father's funeral, not the reunion. An alpha, son of the pack alpha - though he was trans and that was the reason he hadn't been home in many years - and he would fall in love with Riley if not for his only partial shifter blood.

Of course, a lot more happens, and they find a way to be together, after overcoming quite a few obstacles on the way.

I don't think I've ever read an a/b/o story with a trans alpha (or omega, for that matter) and I really liked that element of this story.

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

[Sara Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley has had a crush on King but he thought it wasn’t returned, King’s father him leave because of how he felt about his body. He went through college and his transformation alone then started a custom motorcycle business with his friend Hudson. Riley went to college then was a reporter for a magazine came home decided to stay awhile. King’s sister called him to tell their father died and needed to come home and he got a letter from his father apologizing for what he had done to King. Riley went to the funeral just to get a glimpse of King and later he found out things about his father. Kono his cousin told King to get Riley out or others would be coming after him. King was asked to be alpha and made Riley happy it meant King wasn’t leaving and Riley got a surprise too!.

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

[Nina Diab · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Riley was presenting. Riley was an omega. Riley is going into heat. Riley might be my mate. The thoughts ran on repeat in my head, but my wolf only had one thought:
Protect.'

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a sweet second chance romance. Good world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Riley and King. They were really cute together and the chemistry between them sizzled. I liked when King's protective instincts took over when Riley presented as omega and went into heat. I also liked the supporting characters. This is the first story I've read by this author and I would read more. 4 stars

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I absolutely loved this book! I've never read anything like this before, but omgosh, it was so good. I love Fowler and Riley. I love them being near friends, Accepting one another, having a crush on each other, and then finding love with each other.
The acceptance, unity, family/ friendships were amazing. I could read about Fowler and Riley and all of them all day long.
The author did an amazing job with this one. ❤️.

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

[Stephanie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood best friends to happily ever after.
Riley and King endured their share of struggles. Finding themselves back in the same town many years later, truths about what really happened all those years ago began to emerge.
Finally realizing there was more to their 'situationship' that just a friendship, Riley presented as an omega. King knew he was his mate.

Sweet, heat, and a life well deserved.

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

[Jkirstyj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, Fowler and Riley who were childhood best friends find themselves together again and everything clicks into place when they realise they both always have had more than friendship between them! Both characters have great chemistry! I can’t wait for more books in the series.

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

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fowler a trans man left his pack, his best friend and never looked back. Riley missed his best friend but life went on. He traveled all over the world for the articles he wrote but was ready to settle down. Fowler comes back home for his father's funeral and when he sees Riley everything changes. I really enjoyed this book.

[J K H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book - Fowler and Riley really are meant for each other. The acceptance that everyone has for Fowler is beautiful and I was so happy to see him come home and find his fated. So many fantastic moments - action, suspense and so much heat!!

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former best friends to lovers, trans rep

I really enjoyed Riley and Fowler as a couple.
They were really sweet and steamy together.
The overall acceptance of the town and found family aspect were wonderful as well.

[Cheyenne Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different type of shifter romance that does not make it seem like it is overly done or anything. It was overall a really good read.

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

[Ren]

DNF as it wasn’t holding my attention. I might go back to it at a later date.

[Elise H · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,25⭐️