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Grumpy Alpha Wolf: A Cozy Small Town Age Gap Shifter Romance with Spice
A grumpy Alpha wolf. A sunshine witch. A mate bond neither could accept—or resist.
Nia Patel is a twenty-eight-year-old shifter witch from Salem, venturing to Montana to open the bakery she and her best friend Brianna had dreamed about since college. She thought she had it all figured out, but her tarot cards never told her she’d be finding her mate in those mountains.
The Red Lodge police chief and local Alpha wolf is gruff, allergic to change, and entirely too handsome for a man who still uses a flip phone on purpose. He’s also nearly two decades older than her. Even worse?
He’s Brianna’s dad.
Neither of them knows how to cross that line without risking the person they both love most. But their fated bond is impossible to ignore.
Cole Montclair has spent forty-six years building a life of duty, routine, and control. Red Lodge depends on him to keep the peace. He knows every road in town, every family feud, every wolf under his protection.
Then Nia crashes into his carefully ordered world, a lynx shifter with a penchant for magic and fancy coffee drinks—and his daughter’s best friend.
She should be completely off-limits. Instead, she challenges him at every turn. Makes him laugh when he shouldn’t. Sees through him far too easily.
But when members of his pack begin questioning whether a young lynx witch could ever stand beside their Alpha, Cole realizes the biggest threat isn’t the mate bond.
It’s the terrifying fact that Nia belongs in his life so completely, he can’t imagine losing her.
Perfect if you
- grumpy Alpha / sunshine witch
- fated mates + age gap
- best friend’s dad tension
- forced proximity in a small town
- dragon hatchling cuteness and chaos
- magical mystery in the mountains
- cozy bakery vibes and sweet treats
Steamy shifter love scenes and an HEA inside! No cheating or cliffhanger in this standalone romance. Readers 18+.
Nia Patel is a twenty-eight-year-old shifter witch from Salem, venturing to Montana to open the bakery she and her best friend Brianna had dreamed about since college. She thought she had it all figured out, but her tarot cards never told her she’d be finding her mate in those mountains.
The Red Lodge police chief and local Alpha wolf is gruff, allergic to change, and entirely too handsome for a man who still uses a flip phone on purpose. He’s also nearly two decades older than her. Even worse?
He’s Brianna’s dad.
Neither of them knows how to cross that line without risking the person they both love most. But their fated bond is impossible to ignore.
Cole Montclair has spent forty-six years building a life of duty, routine, and control. Red Lodge depends on him to keep the peace. He knows every road in town, every family feud, every wolf under his protection.
Then Nia crashes into his carefully ordered world, a lynx shifter with a penchant for magic and fancy coffee drinks—and his daughter’s best friend.
She should be completely off-limits. Instead, she challenges him at every turn. Makes him laugh when he shouldn’t. Sees through him far too easily.
But when members of his pack begin questioning whether a young lynx witch could ever stand beside their Alpha, Cole realizes the biggest threat isn’t the mate bond.
It’s the terrifying fact that Nia belongs in his life so completely, he can’t imagine losing her.
Perfect if you
- grumpy Alpha / sunshine witch
- fated mates + age gap
- best friend’s dad tension
- forced proximity in a small town
- dragon hatchling cuteness and chaos
- magical mystery in the mountains
- cozy bakery vibes and sweet treats
Steamy shifter love scenes and an HEA inside! No cheating or cliffhanger in this standalone romance. Readers 18+.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 9, 2026
This book is the literary equivalent of being snowed in at a cabin with a man who growls instead of communicates, broods instead of apologizes, and looks at you like you’re the last cinnamon roll on earth. The cozy part? Lies. The small town part? Accurate. The age gap? Delicious. The spice? Enough to make your Kindle sweat.
Our hero is the grumpy alpha wolf who has clearly never heard of therapy, boundaries, or indoor voices. He’s older, cranky, and built like the kind of man who could chop wood shirtless while contemplating his tragic past. He sees the heroine and immediately goes full “mine” with the intensity of a man who has absolutely scared off every woman within a 50‑kilometre radius.
The heroine? Sweet, warm, soft, and absolutely not prepared for a wolf shifter who treats her like she’s the last star in his sky. She’s the kind of woman who would bake muffins for the town bake sale and then accidentally seduce a supernatural apex predator by existing.
Their dynamic is pure chaos wrapped in flannel.
He’s out here brooding in corners, glaring at anyone who breathes near her, and trying to pretend he’s not one accidental touch away from imprinting on her like a deranged paranormal duck.
She’s out here trying to live her life, run her business, and not combust every time he calls her “darlin’” in that gravel‑and‑moonlight voice.
And the town? The town is watching like it’s free entertainment.
The spice hits exactly where it should: cozy, warm, and then suddenly you’re clutching your pearls because the grumpy wolf decided to stop repressing his feelings and start worshipping his mate like she’s the only religion he’s ever believed in.
By the end, I wasn’t reading—I was being emotionally manhandled by a wolf with a tragic backstory and a woman who deserved every ounce of devotion he threw at her.
It’s sweet.
It’s spicy.
It’s cozy.
It’s feral.
It’s the perfect “I want comfort but also want to be pinned against a wall” shifter romance.
Our hero is the grumpy alpha wolf who has clearly never heard of therapy, boundaries, or indoor voices. He’s older, cranky, and built like the kind of man who could chop wood shirtless while contemplating his tragic past. He sees the heroine and immediately goes full “mine” with the intensity of a man who has absolutely scared off every woman within a 50‑kilometre radius.
The heroine? Sweet, warm, soft, and absolutely not prepared for a wolf shifter who treats her like she’s the last star in his sky. She’s the kind of woman who would bake muffins for the town bake sale and then accidentally seduce a supernatural apex predator by existing.
Their dynamic is pure chaos wrapped in flannel.
He’s out here brooding in corners, glaring at anyone who breathes near her, and trying to pretend he’s not one accidental touch away from imprinting on her like a deranged paranormal duck.
She’s out here trying to live her life, run her business, and not combust every time he calls her “darlin’” in that gravel‑and‑moonlight voice.
And the town? The town is watching like it’s free entertainment.
The spice hits exactly where it should: cozy, warm, and then suddenly you’re clutching your pearls because the grumpy wolf decided to stop repressing his feelings and start worshipping his mate like she’s the only religion he’s ever believed in.
By the end, I wasn’t reading—I was being emotionally manhandled by a wolf with a tragic backstory and a woman who deserved every ounce of devotion he threw at her.
It’s sweet.
It’s spicy.
It’s cozy.
It’s feral.
It’s the perfect “I want comfort but also want to be pinned against a wall” shifter romance.
October 1, 2026
**𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢**
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Grumpy Alpha Wolf by Meg Ripley
𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 Booksprout 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
(out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
* 🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 DC Cole ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 MF 🌶🫑 / 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth wing / Bound by inked flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of silver and Curses
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR/ Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex
⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Paranormal Romance
* 🎧 6 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 03 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 (I 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗 1.7 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚍)
* 📖 322 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
* Dual 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝗣𝗢𝗩 / 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- 4th June 2026 (Audiobook 6th August 2026)
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉ℯ𝓇
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼- Shifter Nation: Montana Mates #1, interconnected standalone series
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- ℱ𝒶𝓈𝓉
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ❌ 𝒮𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 no. Not unique enough.
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈?✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈?❌
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇?❌
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Readers wanting an easy, low-stress paranormal romance with fated mates, an age gap, best friend’s dad, a cozy bakery, shifters, witchy magic and a straightforward HEA. If you prefer your paranormal romance heavily focused on lore, detailed supernatural societies or a relationship that develops through lots of meaningful interaction, you may find this too light.
⚜️𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝕀ℕ 𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕐:
💋 Humans
🧙♀️ Witches
🌕 shifters
⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
😍 Insta Love/Lust
👩❤️👨 Fated Mates
🫦 Opposites Attract
🌡 Yearning, Angst, Tension
💀 Forbidden romance
🧐 Age Gap
💋 Steamy open-door romance
⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
🔮 Prophecies and Mysteries
🪄 Magic
🧸 Found family
🍭 Sunny v Grumpy… apparently 😂
🧐 Age Gap
🧩 Forced proximity
💪 Alpha Hero
🐺 Fated mates
👨 Best Friend’s Dad
🏘️ Small Town
🧁 Cozy Bakery
🔮 Tarot / Witch Magic
🐉 Dragon Hatchlings
🐺 Pack Politics
💞 Interconnected Standalone
✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Fate • Family • Friendship • Duty • Acceptance • Belonging • Age-gap relationships • Pack loyalty • Prejudice • Starting over • Magic • Choosing happiness
📝Cliff Notes Review-
This was perfectly okay while I was listening, but two days later I could barely remember the plot, characters or even how the story made me feel, which rather says it all. On paper this should have been made for me: fated mates, shifters, magic and a supposedly grumpy Alpha, but Cole wasn’t particularly grumpy and I didn’t get enough of Nia and Cole actually bonding to feel the emotional payoff. The supernatural world had some really interesting ideas, but instead of exploring them I was left wondering whether I’d somehow missed an earlier book. An okay 3⭐️ gap-filler that I don’t regret listening to, but I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️(𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡- 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜?)
I don’t think reading this physically would have improved my experience because my biggest problems were with the actual depth of the story rather than the performance. At just over six hours, the audiobook made this an easy book to slip between heavier reads without requiring much concentration.
⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:
DC Cole narrates the audiobook solo and did a perfectly good job of keeping the story moving. I had the audio sped up as normal and didn’t have problems following the narration itself.
This wasn’t one of those performances where I finished and immediately added the narrator to my must-listen list, but I also don’t have anything particularly negative to say about it. The narration wasn’t what held the book back for me.
In fact, I think audio was probably the best format for my experience with this story. It was pleasant and easy to listen to while I wanted something uncomplicated between bigger books.
😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
Nothing ruined it. Nothing particularly grabbed me either.
I love fated mates. I love shifter stories. I love magic. I LOVE a grumpy man. On paper, this should have been awesome.
But first things first… WHERE WAS MY GRUMPY ALPHA?! 😂
Cole wasn’t particularly grumpy. He seemed more shocked, conflicted and completely at a loss about how he could have Nia in his life without upsetting his daughter or disrupting everything around him. That’s perfectly fine as a character, but the book specifically sold me a grumpy Alpha/sunshine witch dynamic, so I kept waiting for the emotional payoff from that trope and it never really arrived.
My much bigger problem, though, was depth.
The story kept introducing things that made me think, WAIT… tell me more about THAT, and then merrily wandering away from them.
Nia isn’t simply a witch. She’s a lynx shifter AND a witch.
I’ve read plenty of shifter romances and that immediately caught my attention because combining shifter biology with magical abilities isn’t something I encounter constantly. Where does that come from? How does her magic interact with shifting? Is it hereditary? Is it unusual? How do other supernatural groups view someone who is both? What are the rules?
I wanted the lore.
And considering this is book ONE of Montana Mates, I expected considerably more foundation for the supernatural world. There are different shifters, witches, packs, magic, dragons and supernatural abilities, but I never felt as though I properly understood how the pieces fitted together.
Then there was the romance.
Fated mates are one of my favourite tropes, so I have absolutely no problem accepting an immediate supernatural connection. But the mate bond can explain why two people are drawn together. I don’t want it to replace the relationship.
Nia and Cole simply didn’t spend enough meaningful time together for me. I wanted conversations. Banter. Little moments. Emotional intimacy. Learning about each other. I wanted to understand why these two people would choose one another even if fate hadn’t already filled in the paperwork.
Instead, I got attraction and fate, but not enough relationship.
By the time we reached the declarations and HEA, intellectually I understood that they’re mates and they’re in love. Emotionally? I wasn’t there with them.
🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
This is probably where most of my problems originated.
There are actually loads of interesting ingredients here. Nia is a lynx shifter witch from Salem. Cole is the Alpha of a wolf pack and the local police chief. We have different supernatural species, magical abilities, tarot, pack politics, dragon hatchlings and a supernatural community existing within a small Montana town.
The wider supernatural system needed more foundation. This is book one of Montana Mates, so I expected it to establish the rules of this corner of the world. Instead, I felt as though everyone else already had the handbook and I’d accidentally missed orientation day.
The weird thing is that I liked the ideas. That’s why it’s frustrating. Give me the lynx witch lore! Give me the pack history! Explain the magic! Tell me how these different supernatural species coexist! Tell me how unusual Nia actually is!
There was potential sitting everywhere, but the story didn’t dig deeply enough into it for any of it to stick.
🧝♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
I liked Nia. Her combination of lynx shifter and witch immediately made her interesting, and I liked her personality, her friendship with Brianna and the idea of her starting this completely new chapter of her life by moving to Montana to open their bakery. Her magical abilities were probably one of the things I most wanted the book to explore further.
Cole was… fine. And I think “fine” is unfortunately the problem. He’s older, attractive, an Alpha, a police chief and Nia’s best friend’s dad. Those ingredients should have created a character with enormous presence.
Instead, two days later I’m struggling to remember much about him beyond those facts. He wasn’t the grumpy Alpha I was expecting from the title and marketing. He was more uncertain and concerned about everyone else’s reactions to the relationship. Again, nothing inherently wrong with that. It just wasn’t particularly memorable.
And while I liked Nia and Cole together, I needed much more of them actually interacting.
A review I agreed with said that if these two hadn’t been fated mates, they probably wouldn’t have ended up together, and that’s exactly where the emotional problem sits for me.
Fate introduced them. The relationship still needed to convince me.
The side characters actually helped make the world feel more alive, and I enjoyed the different supernatural characters and the dragon storyline. But even there I sometimes felt potentially interesting conflicts were resolved incredibly quickly.
🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This wasn’t bad. That’s actually the easiest way to explain it.
It was okay. Good, even. Just nothing exciting.
I enjoyed myself while I was listening. I finished it without struggling. There were characters I liked, supernatural ideas that interested me and a romance built around several tropes I normally adore.
Without looking it up to jog my memory, I genuinely struggled to tell you the plot, character names or even exactly how the story made me feel.
But considering this contains fated mates + shifters + witch magic + an Alpha + age gap + best friend’s dad + supernatural creatures + supposedly GRUMPY MAN, this should have been practically genetically engineered for me.
Instead, it just… passed through.
The biggest missed opportunity was the world itself. Nia being both a shifter and a witch immediately made me want history, rules and lore. The different supernatural species made me want to understand how this society works. As book one of a new interconnected standalone series, I expected those foundations to be laid here. I genuinely wondered whether I’d accidentally picked up a later book and was expected to already know everything.
The romance needed the same extra breathing room. Don’t just tell me they’re fated mates and therefore destined for one another. Make me fall in love with them falling in love.
That’s the bit I missed.
𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;
𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜
https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_...
IᑎՏTᗩ
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***********************
𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!
SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action / fade to black
🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times
🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- Grumpy Alpha Wolf by Meg Ripley
𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 Booksprout 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐢𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.
⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
(out of 5 stars, my rating scale is at the end)
* 🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 DC Cole ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* 📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
* 🌡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 MF 🌶🫑 / 5 -𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
* Which books have I also given this same rating? (𝑠𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛)
5⭐️ Fourth wing / Bound by inked flame / Anathama / The Lies of Lena / Of silver and Curses
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain so Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR/ Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex
⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
* Genre- Paranormal Romance
* 🎧 6 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 03 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 (I 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗 1.7 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚍)
* 📖 322 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
* Dual 𝐹𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝗣𝗢𝗩 / 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚢𝚕𝚎 𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
* 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲- 4th June 2026 (Audiobook 6th August 2026)
* 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 or 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 driven? 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉ℯ𝓇
* 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 & 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗻𝗼- Shifter Nation: Montana Mates #1, interconnected standalone series
* 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲- ℱ𝒶𝓈𝓉
* 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? ❌ 𝒮𝒶𝒹𝓁𝓎 no. Not unique enough.
* 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝒾 ℯ𝓃𝒿ℴ𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈?✅
* 𝒲𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓃ℯ𝓍𝓉 𝒷ℴℴ𝓀 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓈ℯ𝓇𝒾ℯ𝓈?❌
* 𝒲ℴ𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒾 𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 ℯ𝓁𝓈ℯ 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓇?❌
* 𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖔? Readers wanting an easy, low-stress paranormal romance with fated mates, an age gap, best friend’s dad, a cozy bakery, shifters, witchy magic and a straightforward HEA. If you prefer your paranormal romance heavily focused on lore, detailed supernatural societies or a relationship that develops through lots of meaningful interaction, you may find this too light.
⚜️𝕊ℙ𝔼ℂ𝕀𝔼𝕊 𝕀ℕ 𝕊𝕋𝕆ℝ𝕐:
💋 Humans
🧙♀️ Witches
🌕 shifters
⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
😍 Insta Love/Lust
👩❤️👨 Fated Mates
🫦 Opposites Attract
🌡 Yearning, Angst, Tension
💀 Forbidden romance
🧐 Age Gap
💋 Steamy open-door romance
⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
🔮 Prophecies and Mysteries
🪄 Magic
🧸 Found family
🍭 Sunny v Grumpy… apparently 😂
🧐 Age Gap
🧩 Forced proximity
💪 Alpha Hero
🐺 Fated mates
👨 Best Friend’s Dad
🏘️ Small Town
🧁 Cozy Bakery
🔮 Tarot / Witch Magic
🐉 Dragon Hatchlings
🐺 Pack Politics
💞 Interconnected Standalone
✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Fate • Family • Friendship • Duty • Acceptance • Belonging • Age-gap relationships • Pack loyalty • Prejudice • Starting over • Magic • Choosing happiness
📝Cliff Notes Review-
This was perfectly okay while I was listening, but two days later I could barely remember the plot, characters or even how the story made me feel, which rather says it all. On paper this should have been made for me: fated mates, shifters, magic and a supposedly grumpy Alpha, but Cole wasn’t particularly grumpy and I didn’t get enough of Nia and Cole actually bonding to feel the emotional payoff. The supernatural world had some really interesting ideas, but instead of exploring them I was left wondering whether I’d somehow missed an earlier book. An okay 3⭐️ gap-filler that I don’t regret listening to, but I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️(𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡- 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑟 𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜?)
I don’t think reading this physically would have improved my experience because my biggest problems were with the actual depth of the story rather than the performance. At just over six hours, the audiobook made this an easy book to slip between heavier reads without requiring much concentration.
⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:
DC Cole narrates the audiobook solo and did a perfectly good job of keeping the story moving. I had the audio sped up as normal and didn’t have problems following the narration itself.
This wasn’t one of those performances where I finished and immediately added the narrator to my must-listen list, but I also don’t have anything particularly negative to say about it. The narration wasn’t what held the book back for me.
In fact, I think audio was probably the best format for my experience with this story. It was pleasant and easy to listen to while I wanted something uncomplicated between bigger books.
😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
Nothing ruined it. Nothing particularly grabbed me either.
I love fated mates. I love shifter stories. I love magic. I LOVE a grumpy man. On paper, this should have been awesome.
But first things first… WHERE WAS MY GRUMPY ALPHA?! 😂
Cole wasn’t particularly grumpy. He seemed more shocked, conflicted and completely at a loss about how he could have Nia in his life without upsetting his daughter or disrupting everything around him. That’s perfectly fine as a character, but the book specifically sold me a grumpy Alpha/sunshine witch dynamic, so I kept waiting for the emotional payoff from that trope and it never really arrived.
My much bigger problem, though, was depth.
The story kept introducing things that made me think, WAIT… tell me more about THAT, and then merrily wandering away from them.
Nia isn’t simply a witch. She’s a lynx shifter AND a witch.
I’ve read plenty of shifter romances and that immediately caught my attention because combining shifter biology with magical abilities isn’t something I encounter constantly. Where does that come from? How does her magic interact with shifting? Is it hereditary? Is it unusual? How do other supernatural groups view someone who is both? What are the rules?
I wanted the lore.
And considering this is book ONE of Montana Mates, I expected considerably more foundation for the supernatural world. There are different shifters, witches, packs, magic, dragons and supernatural abilities, but I never felt as though I properly understood how the pieces fitted together.
Then there was the romance.
Fated mates are one of my favourite tropes, so I have absolutely no problem accepting an immediate supernatural connection. But the mate bond can explain why two people are drawn together. I don’t want it to replace the relationship.
Nia and Cole simply didn’t spend enough meaningful time together for me. I wanted conversations. Banter. Little moments. Emotional intimacy. Learning about each other. I wanted to understand why these two people would choose one another even if fate hadn’t already filled in the paperwork.
Instead, I got attraction and fate, but not enough relationship.
By the time we reached the declarations and HEA, intellectually I understood that they’re mates and they’re in love. Emotionally? I wasn’t there with them.
🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
This is probably where most of my problems originated.
There are actually loads of interesting ingredients here. Nia is a lynx shifter witch from Salem. Cole is the Alpha of a wolf pack and the local police chief. We have different supernatural species, magical abilities, tarot, pack politics, dragon hatchlings and a supernatural community existing within a small Montana town.
The wider supernatural system needed more foundation. This is book one of Montana Mates, so I expected it to establish the rules of this corner of the world. Instead, I felt as though everyone else already had the handbook and I’d accidentally missed orientation day.
The weird thing is that I liked the ideas. That’s why it’s frustrating. Give me the lynx witch lore! Give me the pack history! Explain the magic! Tell me how these different supernatural species coexist! Tell me how unusual Nia actually is!
There was potential sitting everywhere, but the story didn’t dig deeply enough into it for any of it to stick.
🧝♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
I liked Nia. Her combination of lynx shifter and witch immediately made her interesting, and I liked her personality, her friendship with Brianna and the idea of her starting this completely new chapter of her life by moving to Montana to open their bakery. Her magical abilities were probably one of the things I most wanted the book to explore further.
Cole was… fine. And I think “fine” is unfortunately the problem. He’s older, attractive, an Alpha, a police chief and Nia’s best friend’s dad. Those ingredients should have created a character with enormous presence.
Instead, two days later I’m struggling to remember much about him beyond those facts. He wasn’t the grumpy Alpha I was expecting from the title and marketing. He was more uncertain and concerned about everyone else’s reactions to the relationship. Again, nothing inherently wrong with that. It just wasn’t particularly memorable.
And while I liked Nia and Cole together, I needed much more of them actually interacting.
A review I agreed with said that if these two hadn’t been fated mates, they probably wouldn’t have ended up together, and that’s exactly where the emotional problem sits for me.
Fate introduced them. The relationship still needed to convince me.
The side characters actually helped make the world feel more alive, and I enjoyed the different supernatural characters and the dragon storyline. But even there I sometimes felt potentially interesting conflicts were resolved incredibly quickly.
🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This wasn’t bad. That’s actually the easiest way to explain it.
It was okay. Good, even. Just nothing exciting.
I enjoyed myself while I was listening. I finished it without struggling. There were characters I liked, supernatural ideas that interested me and a romance built around several tropes I normally adore.
Without looking it up to jog my memory, I genuinely struggled to tell you the plot, character names or even exactly how the story made me feel.
But considering this contains fated mates + shifters + witch magic + an Alpha + age gap + best friend’s dad + supernatural creatures + supposedly GRUMPY MAN, this should have been practically genetically engineered for me.
Instead, it just… passed through.
The biggest missed opportunity was the world itself. Nia being both a shifter and a witch immediately made me want history, rules and lore. The different supernatural species made me want to understand how this society works. As book one of a new interconnected standalone series, I expected those foundations to be laid here. I genuinely wondered whether I’d accidentally picked up a later book and was expected to already know everything.
The romance needed the same extra breathing room. Don’t just tell me they’re fated mates and therefore destined for one another. Make me fall in love with them falling in love.
That’s the bit I missed.
𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;
𝕋𝕚𝕜𝕋𝕠𝕜
https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_...
IᑎՏTᗩ
https://www.instagram.com/your_bookis...
***********************
𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:
⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!
SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action / fade to black
🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times
🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more
June 26, 2026
This book has the unfortunate distinction of being a mid series book without any indication in the listing. I think I may have found the prequel but it's a guess based on one scene in the end of THIS book. If you're like me, you will find yourself wondering what the background is all about because of the lack of series clarity.
Unfortunately this means I also feel lost about a lot of the world building. There's a vague hint that humans seeing shifters might be a taboo but they keep mentioning being "out" around humans, so it's baffling. You're just dropped into the town with the FMC and very few clues.
Speaking of the FMC, we have Nia, the likeable but most skittish confident FMC possible. She's a dichotomy and we have no idea why. She moved cross country and gets terrified by fate? Cole isn't significantly better as an MMC. He's a born and learned leader, chief of police and pack, but he's terrified what anyone will think of him dating a younger woman. They're like chihuahuas in a thunderstorm, shuddering in fear whenever they're in the same building. The worst part about this is they're relatively likeable characters, not a ton of depth to them, but neither is completely awful. They just don't quite make sense.
Much like Nia's magic which is bizarre and even she hasn't a clue what she can do, despite knowing what she is. It's really just the main plot thread of the book perhaps - vagueness for the fun of not telling the story. Considering the book is more than 100 pages long, the lack of decent world/character/plot building is annoying. Considering the completely useless plotlines around Eve and Joel, its a lot of wasted pages.
The relationship resolution is abrupt, and goes over as smoothly as a baseball bat to the head. You get your hea but not the story to support it.
Unfortunately this means I also feel lost about a lot of the world building. There's a vague hint that humans seeing shifters might be a taboo but they keep mentioning being "out" around humans, so it's baffling. You're just dropped into the town with the FMC and very few clues.
Speaking of the FMC, we have Nia, the likeable but most skittish confident FMC possible. She's a dichotomy and we have no idea why. She moved cross country and gets terrified by fate? Cole isn't significantly better as an MMC. He's a born and learned leader, chief of police and pack, but he's terrified what anyone will think of him dating a younger woman. They're like chihuahuas in a thunderstorm, shuddering in fear whenever they're in the same building. The worst part about this is they're relatively likeable characters, not a ton of depth to them, but neither is completely awful. They just don't quite make sense.
Much like Nia's magic which is bizarre and even she hasn't a clue what she can do, despite knowing what she is. It's really just the main plot thread of the book perhaps - vagueness for the fun of not telling the story. Considering the book is more than 100 pages long, the lack of decent world/character/plot building is annoying. Considering the completely useless plotlines around Eve and Joel, its a lot of wasted pages.
The relationship resolution is abrupt, and goes over as smoothly as a baseball bat to the head. You get your hea but not the story to support it.
June 11, 2026
Montana Mates
Wanted so much for Mia to find her true place . Will be looking forward to Brianna's and want more interaction with Eve's dragons. I love follow up stories about off springs we have been introduced to five so far.
Wanted so much for Mia to find her true place . Will be looking forward to Brianna's and want more interaction with Eve's dragons. I love follow up stories about off springs we have been introduced to five so far.
August 16, 2026
Nia and Brianna have dreamed of opening a bakery since college, and the two of them finally have that chance now. Moving to Montana, Nia is ready to help bring their dream to life when she meets Cole – police chief, alpha of the pack… and Brianna’s dad. And, what’s more, he’s her mate. Cole is stubborn and set in his ways, but when he meets Nia, his whole life is flipped upside down. As the two of them find themselves drawn to one another, they both realize that things are way more complicated than ever… and Brianna can never find out.
This was a cute small-town romance with shifters and magic and dragons and I was all about it. I loved that we got different shifters (dragons, wolves, lynxes, oh my) and we got to see some of the dynamics for each group. I loved the romance between Nia and Cole – daughter’s best friend/best friend’s dad trope was done well here. I enjoyed the spice, though I do wish there was more of it. In terms of the way Brianna handled everything, I don’t know how I feel about it. On the one hand, I can understand being genuinely mad at my dad and bestie if that was me, but with the whole fated mates thing that is literally explained and talked about and revered in the shifter world, I did find her response cruel. But her feelings were hurt, so I get it. I do wish the whole plot with Eve was slowed down just a bit as I do think that was resolved rather fast, but I also appreciated that it didn’t take away from the romance and the subplots surrounding it. Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author/the rest of this series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a cute small-town romance with shifters and magic and dragons and I was all about it. I loved that we got different shifters (dragons, wolves, lynxes, oh my) and we got to see some of the dynamics for each group. I loved the romance between Nia and Cole – daughter’s best friend/best friend’s dad trope was done well here. I enjoyed the spice, though I do wish there was more of it. In terms of the way Brianna handled everything, I don’t know how I feel about it. On the one hand, I can understand being genuinely mad at my dad and bestie if that was me, but with the whole fated mates thing that is literally explained and talked about and revered in the shifter world, I did find her response cruel. But her feelings were hurt, so I get it. I do wish the whole plot with Eve was slowed down just a bit as I do think that was resolved rather fast, but I also appreciated that it didn’t take away from the romance and the subplots surrounding it. Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author/the rest of this series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 11, 2026
Finding your mate
I quite enjoyed this story in the Shifter Nation : Montana Mates new series.
It features police chief Cole and new to town baker Nia as they try to navigate how difficult it is finding out they are mates.
Cole happens to be nearly 2 decades older than Nia which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but they’re unsure whether his wolf pack will accept her as Luna, being that she is a lynx.
But the bigger problem is Nia’s best friend is Cole’s daughter Brianna and that surely doesn’t help matters.
Can they work through all this?
Will Brianna and the pack accept this?
A steamy at times story with drama, danger, magic, a fractured friendship and forgiveness.
Great characters and a lovely storyline.
I’m looking forward to more books in this series.
I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by DC Cole, who I always enjoy listening to.
Thank you Meg Ripley and Booksprout for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
I quite enjoyed this story in the Shifter Nation : Montana Mates new series.
It features police chief Cole and new to town baker Nia as they try to navigate how difficult it is finding out they are mates.
Cole happens to be nearly 2 decades older than Nia which wouldn’t normally be a problem, but they’re unsure whether his wolf pack will accept her as Luna, being that she is a lynx.
But the bigger problem is Nia’s best friend is Cole’s daughter Brianna and that surely doesn’t help matters.
Can they work through all this?
Will Brianna and the pack accept this?
A steamy at times story with drama, danger, magic, a fractured friendship and forgiveness.
Great characters and a lovely storyline.
I’m looking forward to more books in this series.
I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by DC Cole, who I always enjoy listening to.
Thank you Meg Ripley and Booksprout for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
August 23, 2026
mixed feelings
I liked Nia as a character and I found her abilities really interesting and I wish there had been more story about her origins and powers. Cole was an okay character there just wasn’t much to him other than being hot, older and Briana’s dad. I don’t mind an instant mates thing along as you see why they are put together but they hardly have one conversation, make out once and when Briana finds out what they are then they don’t speak and when Briana says she’s okay they just get married, they don’t interact and bond enough for their instant mates connection to be believable. Also I found it odd that Eve was scared enough to lay her eggs and run away from Joel but after one vision from Nia everything is hunkydory. I did like all of the different supernaturals in the series and the idea of the story was good.
I liked Nia as a character and I found her abilities really interesting and I wish there had been more story about her origins and powers. Cole was an okay character there just wasn’t much to him other than being hot, older and Briana’s dad. I don’t mind an instant mates thing along as you see why they are put together but they hardly have one conversation, make out once and when Briana finds out what they are then they don’t speak and when Briana says she’s okay they just get married, they don’t interact and bond enough for their instant mates connection to be believable. Also I found it odd that Eve was scared enough to lay her eggs and run away from Joel but after one vision from Nia everything is hunkydory. I did like all of the different supernaturals in the series and the idea of the story was good.
July 26, 2026
Read for the plot but felt disappointed
Overall, I feel a bit disappointed. I decided to read because of the plot idea of the book, even though it's written not in my favorite writing style.
So, here it is what I liked:
1) idea of how magic works in the universe
2) Noisy and irritating supportive characters. They make the book more alive
And what I did not like:
1) Unnecessary descriptive passages together with the lack of necessary description. For example, when the FMC enters into a new house and there are no descriptions whatsoever.
2) The MMC. He is indecisive, with his all attention to the opinions of others
3) Love proclamations after about 5 small talks 🤦♀️
Overall, I feel a bit disappointed. I decided to read because of the plot idea of the book, even though it's written not in my favorite writing style.
So, here it is what I liked:
1) idea of how magic works in the universe
2) Noisy and irritating supportive characters. They make the book more alive
And what I did not like:
1) Unnecessary descriptive passages together with the lack of necessary description. For example, when the FMC enters into a new house and there are no descriptions whatsoever.
2) The MMC. He is indecisive, with his all attention to the opinions of others
3) Love proclamations after about 5 small talks 🤦♀️
June 29, 2026
A cute meet your mate story
This is a sweet and easy to read meet your mate story. The premise is that a young woman Nia moves to help her best friend Brianna from college make their dreams a reality. They planned to open up a coffee shop.
The shocker is that when Brianna’s dad arrives and shakes Nia’s hand electricity shocks them both. They have a mate reaction! This story is how they navigate being mates. There is a preview of the next book in the series at the end. There is happy ending. Read On.
This is a sweet and easy to read meet your mate story. The premise is that a young woman Nia moves to help her best friend Brianna from college make their dreams a reality. They planned to open up a coffee shop.
The shocker is that when Brianna’s dad arrives and shakes Nia’s hand electricity shocks them both. They have a mate reaction! This story is how they navigate being mates. There is a preview of the next book in the series at the end. There is happy ending. Read On.
August 12, 2026
Brilliant narration from DC Cole
Nia is going to Montana to open the bakery her and her best friend Brianna have always dreamed of. Being a lynx shifter witch and twenty eight she believes it will be not easy but not too stressful Ahh now Cole who is an Alpha wolf and the police chief is nearly twenty years old, gruff, hates change and worse Brianna’s dad.
Off limits doesn’t even cover it. The chemistry, humour, banter and yes drama. Pure chemistry and great characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Nia is going to Montana to open the bakery her and her best friend Brianna have always dreamed of. Being a lynx shifter witch and twenty eight she believes it will be not easy but not too stressful Ahh now Cole who is an Alpha wolf and the police chief is nearly twenty years old, gruff, hates change and worse Brianna’s dad.
Off limits doesn’t even cover it. The chemistry, humour, banter and yes drama. Pure chemistry and great characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 29, 2026
Sorry, this was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be this sexy age-gap book where the MCs try to resist each other and have to hide their sexual tension from everyone until they are discovered eventually… They kissed for the first time and were caught like 37% or so into the book. Then we have dragon babies come into the picture and there’s a thing with dragon shifters. And then the MCs say I love you and get engaged without actually talking and getting to know each other at all except for some small talk. And it’s over.
June 9, 2026
A new beginning!
Nia may have left the comfort of her coven sisters and shifter friends to open a bakery/coffee shop with her best friend but she gained a whole lot more by meeting her mate and finding her rightful place. And FAMILY comes in all different colors and species!! ❤️❤️
Nia may have left the comfort of her coven sisters and shifter friends to open a bakery/coffee shop with her best friend but she gained a whole lot more by meeting her mate and finding her rightful place. And FAMILY comes in all different colors and species!! ❤️❤️
August 13, 2026
Excellent
Great story. Great characters. The drama, suspense. I really like including where the female lead character came from, that they still mention and still that connection. It'll be interesting to see how the second bookturns out this one was really good. What a great way to start the series.
Great story. Great characters. The drama, suspense. I really like including where the female lead character came from, that they still mention and still that connection. It'll be interesting to see how the second bookturns out this one was really good. What a great way to start the series.
August 28, 2026
The reviews were so gushing how wonderful it was. But i did not see that I like the idea of the book, but the Brianna character was so childish and bratty. It seemed like parts of the story dragged in details but the romance was very short like an afterthought. Cole and Nia hardly even spoke to each other
October 16, 2026
Perfect Spinoff
Excited to help her best friend open the bakery they always dreamed about while they were in college. Nia had no idea that her move from Salem, Massachusetts to Montana would bring her to her fated mate.There is plenty of Happiness but also grief and anger. But in the end everything is as it should be
Excited to help her best friend open the bakery they always dreamed about while they were in college. Nia had no idea that her move from Salem, Massachusetts to Montana would bring her to her fated mate.There is plenty of Happiness but also grief and anger. But in the end everything is as it should be
June 11, 2026
I enjoyed this book, first time reading this author and I am looking forward to the next in the series.
An easy enjoyable read, it did tug on my heartstrings a couple of times and a tear may have been shed.
An easy enjoyable read, it did tug on my heartstrings a couple of times and a tear may have been shed.
June 12, 2026
I'm so happy to finally get the spin off of this series. Nia was one of my favorite young witches, so it was fun to get to her HEA.
I'm not a big fan of age-gap relatioships, and that it was her BFF's dad made this one a little uncomfortable to read.
Overall though, it was a solid start to this lovely setting in Montana. I'm really looking forward to Brianna's story. I love the dragons in this world :)
I'm not a big fan of age-gap relatioships, and that it was her BFF's dad made this one a little uncomfortable to read.
Overall though, it was a solid start to this lovely setting in Montana. I'm really looking forward to Brianna's story. I love the dragons in this world :)
June 27, 2026
Good read.
No cheating.
No ow/om drama.
No Virgins
No separations, but they didn't even get together till ch. 18....which i wasn't a fan of.
Epilogue- one month
HFN-married.
HEA-Married with kids.
No cheating.
No ow/om drama.
No Virgins
No separations, but they didn't even get together till ch. 18....which i wasn't a fan of.
Epilogue- one month
HFN-married.
HEA-Married with kids.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2026
Grumpy Alpha Wolf : A Cozy Small Town Age Gap
Wow just great adventure and what a love story. Two best friends and a fated mate . The drama of it all but you just need to read this book and find out what really matters.
Wow just great adventure and what a love story. Two best friends and a fated mate . The drama of it all but you just need to read this book and find out what really matters.
July 14, 2026
DNF
I tried really hard to finish this book but unfortunately due to it being 3rd person, it was already a hard sale. Then the lack of world and character building just sealed the deal.
I tried really hard to finish this book but unfortunately due to it being 3rd person, it was already a hard sale. Then the lack of world and character building just sealed the deal.
July 28, 2026
Liked the storyline, premise and, characters but it felt surface level so it was hard to connect to characters and the story. I would have loved to see more interactions between the fated characters to show them falling in love rather than relying just on the bond.
August 7, 2026
not so grumpy wolf
He was not grumpy just shocked and at loss how to have it all.
Loved many parts and side stories. But would have rather it cut and more time on their getting to know each other. The last (at last) bit did not sell it to me. Lust yes. But in love, nope.
He was not grumpy just shocked and at loss how to have it all.
Loved many parts and side stories. But would have rather it cut and more time on their getting to know each other. The last (at last) bit did not sell it to me. Lust yes. But in love, nope.
August 11, 2026
I absolutely loved this story. The narrators are amazing and the storyline is fantastic. I love that she was able to get her happily ever after. I also enjoyed the different types of fantasy species. The baby dragons had me in awe.
August 15, 2026
The story could be really really nice but we suddenly go from them not being able to look at each other to love declarations and champagne. It would need some more build up maybe ? It has potential but it stayed untapped 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2026
This is my first time reading this author. The book was by no means spicy except if compared to a PG romance. The pace of the story was well timed. I didn't like the daughter character who acted like a spoiled brat rather than a 28 year old woman. It is not your typical shifter romance.
October 8, 2026
A Great Read
I thoroughly enjoyed Cole and Nia’s story! It was a quick read but it had all the necessary components to make it a great story! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
I thoroughly enjoyed Cole and Nia’s story! It was a quick read but it had all the necessary components to make it a great story! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
June 10, 2026
Nia and Cole
This was a fast read with an interesting story. The main characters are loveable, and there is a happily ever after with no cliffhanger. I read it in one day.
This was a fast read with an interesting story. The main characters are loveable, and there is a happily ever after with no cliffhanger. I read it in one day.
August 14, 2026
Age has no place in Love
Excellent read! It has all the components of a best seller! I don’t want to give too much away but this has romance, battles and a few surprises.
Excellent read! It has all the components of a best seller! I don’t want to give too much away but this has romance, battles and a few surprises.
August 23, 2026
Fun read
Good characters in an interesting story. Personally I enjoy shifter stories and fated mates. Looking forward to book two next.
Good characters in an interesting story. Personally I enjoy shifter stories and fated mates. Looking forward to book two next.
August 27, 2026
😀
Oh I loved it I can wait to read more from this author. Hope that a new book will be out soon . off to another book
Oh I loved it I can wait to read more from this author. Hope that a new book will be out soon . off to another book
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