Claimed by the Mate, Vol. 1

Feral Passions #1 Included

by Kate Douglas, A.C. Arthur

FERAL PASSIONS (A Feral Passions Novel) by Kate Douglas
Welcome to Feral Passions, a luxurious private resort nestled in a preserve and staffed by dangerously sexy men, making it a haven for women who want to get away from it all. But Feral Passions is a front for a deeper, sexier secret-it's a hunting ground for these men. Men focused on meeting each woman's every need. Men who are also the beautiful wolves running wild...and who are looking for mates.

Chereza Dubios is more comfortable solving math equations than she is with her voluptuous body and meeting men. But when her younger sister and best friend trick her into vacationing at Feral Passions, Cherry finds herself attracted and torn between two men who find her curvy body and intelligent mind irresistible. Two men who share a secret-they want to share her.

But that takes trust-can Cherry open herself to love with two sensual and powerful werewolves?

THE ALPHA'S WOMAN (A Wolf Mates Novel) by A.C. Arthur
Kira Radney is all delicious curves and strong will and has no desire to be a subservient mate. When a member of her father's pack attempts to make her his mate by force, Kira has no choice but to flee. The last thing she wants is to submit to any male and their pack. But when her escape attempt leads her straight into the arms of an alpha wolf-a sexy, dangerous, protective alpha-Kira must fight against her need to be free, and her secret desire to be controlled...

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Erotica, Contemporary, Adult

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Some people just seem to know they are meant to write, but it can still take a while to figure out exactly what their career will entail. Kate Douglas started out writing radio copy for a country western radio station in 1972, wrote and illustrated an educational cartoon strip for the American Mosquito Control Association for a number of years, was a newspaper reporter for a small town weekly where she covered everything from high school sports to drug busts, and then, in the mid-1980s, decided to write her first romance.

Many submissions and rejections followed.

In 1998, she sold to a small ebook publisher before anyone knew what an ebook was, but it wasn't until 2005, a full twenty years after finishing that first romance, that she signed with a New York publisher.

In January 2006, Kensington Publishing launched their Aphrodisia imprint of erotic romance with Kate's Wolf Tales, a sexy paranormal series about a lost race of shapeshifters. She went on to write 21 novels and novellas in that series, then wrote three other series for Kensington before moving to St. Martin's Press.

She has two series with SMP--The Intimate Relations series complete with three novels and one novella of romantic suspense set in California's wine country, and an erotic paranormal series, Feral Passions, set in California's Trinity Alps.

She is also continuing her Spirit Wild series, the sequel to Wolf Tales, independently.

Kate and her husband of over forty-five years have two adult children and six grandchildren. They live in the small town of Healdsburg, California, in the heart of the beautiful Sonoma County wine country.

www.katedouglas.com and www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance for full chapter excerpts of all of Kate's books.

You can find Kate on Facebook at www.facebook.com/katedouglas.authorpage or on Twitter @wolftales

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERALL RATING 4.5 STARS

Claimed by the Mate, Vol. 1: A BBW Werewolf Menage 2 in 1 Romance contains two separate books, the first, Feral Passions is by Kate Douglas and the second, The Alpha’s Woman, is by A.C. Arthur. This book was generously provided to me in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the authors.

Feral Passions
Chereza Dubios, or Cherry, doesn’t want to go on vacation with her sister and her sister’s best friend. They are going to an exclusive resort up in the mountains where it is said that you can get up close and personal with wolves. But they convince her she needs the vacation so she gives in. Cherry is a very intelligent woman but lacks in self-confidence. She had a terrible experience ten years ago when she was eighteen which left her scarred emotionally. That was her first and last experience with a man.



Feral Passions only takes six women at a time as guests and they are staffed completely by very sexy men. Cherry can’t believe it when not one but two men seem interested in her. Still, though, her feelings about her own self-image keep her from believing that they could truly be interested in her.



Cherry’s week at Feral Passions ends up exceeding any and all expectations she could have ever had. Slowly she can feel herself becoming more accepting of who she is and the feelings she has developed for the two men are real and strong. Her week was filled with new friends, passion, good food and beautiful wolves. The men here are all so beautiful but Cherry is convinced that they might be keeping a huge secret. But her week is up and it’s time to go home. Can she say good-bye and return to her life the way it was?

The Alpha’s Woman
Kira Radney’s mother has been murdered. Just months after her death, one of her pack mates tries to claim Kira against her will for his own mate, with her own father’s permission. So Kira runs. She is an alpha female and wants no part of being claimed. But for some reason, she veers from the path she was on and ends up on the private property of Blaez who is in a rival pack to her own.



When Blaez found Kira on his property, he should have left her alone. But he couldn’t. Something about her drew him to her. He took Kira to his home for her own protection, not realizing who she was. As time passed, Kira begins to accept the members of Blaez’s pack. The attraction between Blaez and Kira cannot be denied. But Blaez has committed to never mate, to never allow himself to love someone after he lost his own parents and siblings.



As Kira finds a place amongst Blaez’s pack, her self-confidence grows as does her acceptance of what a future as Blaez’s mate might hold for her. At the same time, secrets are revealed, things set in place by the Gods that sealed Kira’s fate before she was ever born. Does that fate include Blaez? And what will happen when her father’s pack comes for her as she knows they will?

These are two separate and very different takes on werewolves. But what is the same is that both contain very sexy men and lots of passion. I enjoyed both of these so much. I am already a fan of A.C. Arthur but am so glad to have found another new author, Kate Douglas, to follow and enjoy. I suspect that both of these books might be beginnings to new series. If they are, I look forward to lots more of these sexy werewolves.

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains two stories by authors that I have previously read. They are both completely different and view the legend of werewolves in a totally different way. The first by Ms Douglas surprised me as although it's most definitely a ménage tale it felt sweet and romantic . Yes there are numerous sex scenes but the author kept them fresh and different and the characters are the sort that had me cheering for them. No real danger if honest but a little angst that the author quickly disposed of.
The second story has much more depth with far more of a mythological background involving the origins of werewolves. I really wanted to like these characters but just couldn't get my head around a supposedly strong alpha female being so wet ( absolutely no pun intended ). It's a far more graphic story but at times felt repetitive, just how often do we need to be told it's close to full moon? If honest I struggled to truly connect with the lead characters but found the supporting Pack to be interesting and quite entertaining with their dichotomy .
So two completely different stories but I'm sure each will appeal to some readers. Having read books by both authors before I was shocked to discover my previous thoughts turned on their head. I'd expected the first story to be the most erotic and the second to be far more of a romance but these authors clearly had other ideas. I'm not a huge fan of ménage and seldom seek it out but I did find this book to be entertaining and I'd certainly try more from these authors
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 4 out of 5 unicorns - I really liked it!!
***Received a copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press for an honest review

This book contains two novellas, one by each author, and it is the first volume. They are written for adults only due the content.

I loved Feral Passions from the beginning. I think it was easy to connect with the characters especially since they were readers of paranormal romance. I loved the characters and especially this idea of Feral Passions which is like a relaxation resort inside a wolf preserve. It was definitely a feel good story. I usually like a lot more action, but everything clicked that I didn’t need it in this story with the drama and characters just working.

In The Alpha’s Woman, it took me a while to get into the book. I thought I didn’t like it, but I think it is because Blaez is a jerk. As you learn more about him, he grows on you as you start to understand. I really loved Kira’s fire. I did like this story, and there is more action and drama in this story.

I recommend this book to my wolf shifter friends because you will enjoy it :)

[April Symes · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A gifted copy was provided by the publisher for my honest review*
Claimed by the Mate, Vol. 1: A BBW Werewolf Menage 2 in 1 Romance contains two separate books.
Feral Passions-by Kate Douglas--Chereza Dubios, or Cherry doest want to go on vacation with her sister and her sister’s best friend. Cherry is a very smart woman but lacks in self-confidence , that you can do it spirt. Years ago something terrible happened to her that hurt her emotionally to make her feel, behave this way emotionally. That was her first and last experience with a man. Feral Passions only takes six women at a time as guests and they are staffed completely by very sexy men. Cherry can’t believe it when not one but two men seem to be interested in her. Still, though, her feelings about her own looks keep her from believing that they could truly be interested in her. Cherry’s week at Feral Passions ends up going beyond what she thought would happened and she can finally put her ghosts of her past to rest once and for all. Her week was flush with new friends, outstanding foods and two men who rocked her world but as they say all good things must come to an end and Cherry fills that her men are keeping secrets from her. As her week is ending and she is going home, what secrets are they keeping and will see say good bye to a love of a lifetime?
My rating: 4.5 stars ****

The Alpha’s Woman--A.C. Arthur Kira Radney’s mother is murdered. Just months after her death, one of her pack mates tries to claim Kira against her will for his own mate, with her own father’s permission. Kira is NOT going to stay around to watch as she is the last of the line to be mated then killed. She is tired of being the one who is scarified to the greater good so she ends up making a run and getting away while the getting is good. Being that Kira is an alpha female, she knows the rules but she is tired of being played by them and being used when there is nothing for her in them. Kira veered off course and ends up on rival property and Blaeze finds her. brings her back to stay with his pack and with him. He does this to keep an eye on her but really to watch her, Their romance had a rocky start but by the end of their story , it came together beautifully. Kira and Blaeze were a couple that at first glance didn’t seem like a couple but by the end of the story fit together like a glove. This story had a more tense and mysterious feel, almost thrilling feel that romantic but overall this does work. I did like this story and hope to read more from this author.
My rating : 4.2 star stars ****

My rating: 4.5 stars ****

[Eva Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join Cherry Dubios as she is overcome by Feral Passions at a private resort and then join Kira Radney as she succumbs to secret desires while on the run in two sensational new paranormal romances.

Cherry Dubios is more comfortable solving math equations than with her voluptuous body and meeting men and the reader can’t help but get caught up in all the passion as Cherry is tricked into vacation at private resort and becomes torn between men. The attraction Cherry feels to the two sexy men is an inferno of scorching heat and the sex scenes which include m/f/m scenes are even hotter but the two men have their work cut out for them in getting past Cherry’s emotional distress and insecurities if they have a hope of getting their heart’s desire. The characters are strong, captivating and grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning while the fast paced and smooth flowing plot inflames readers with lots of turmoil, passion and romance with the well written scenes and details bringing it all to vibrant life.

Kira has no desire to be a subservient mate, so when a male tries to force her, she has no choice but to flee and the reader can’t help but be drawn into the story as she flees right into the hands of an Alpha male that’s like no other. Well written scenes and details capture the imagination while the fast paced, smooth flowing plot captivates readers with lots of suspense, turmoil and passion as the strong, compelling characters draw the reader in and refuse to let go. The chemistry between Kira and her dominant alpha is red hot and the sex scenes are scorching and while the Alpha doesn’t mind teaching Kira to give in to her secret desires he has no intention in caring for someone which has lots of tension building throughout the story right along with expectations as Kira is unaware of her true destiny.

Both worlds are fascinating in their own way with lots of sexy characters and interesting elements so was there any wonder that I was completely ensnared by them both, which makes me so very excited since that both stories are just the beginning to each of those worlds.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS TWO BOOKS IN ONE..
I was personally unaware of that when asked if I would read and review this one.

I feel their overviews do them justice, so no need to recap.


Now as far as book one goes.. I loved the plot and thoughtfulness the writer put into the book. I did find the female lead to be rather whiny at times, but overall turned out well. Actually would have liked more thought put into the ending by the author. (Note: There is some M/M action, which I was also unaware of.)

Book two.. I actually put this book on hold for a week, so I didn't really get to caught up in the fact there were two books in one.
I did take a little bit of a time getting into this one. Once I got pasted the heroine's immature nature, I dove right in a fell in love.
Sorry, sometimes I just want to punch these girls in the face and say "Get a grip!"

The author's "labeling" did come acrossed rather old fashion at times. There are some confusing parts at first, but all is solved by the end of the book. But the male characters were scrumptiously, yummy.


Over all I enjoyed both reads. Actually finding while I loved the idea of a vacation spot intriguing, I did get more out of book two (as a reader) than book one.

**I received a digital copy of this book, in exchange of an honest review**

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book features two stories by authors I have never read before, one of which I will definitely add to my must read list while the other.... Kate Douglas wrote a fantastic paranormal ménage romance featuring Cherry, a voluptuous woman with some issues to overcome and two shifters, Brad and Caine. There are a few secondary romances also going on in this story with the other shifters and the heroine's sister. I found this story to have some extremely hot scenes that I thoroughly enjoyed. I would definitely look for more from this author.
The second story by A. C. Arthur I just couldn't finish. The characters and storyline just didn't hold my interest enough to continue.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 15, 2015


FERAL PASSIONS (A Feral Passions Novel) by Kate Douglas

Welcome to Feral Passions, a luxurious private resort nestled in a preserve and staffed by dangerously sexy men, making it a haven for women who want to get away from it all. But Feral Passions is a front for a deeper, sexier secret-it's a hunting ground for these men. Men focused on meeting each woman's every need. Men who are also the beautiful wolves running wild...and who are looking for mates.

Chereza Dubios is more comfortable solving math equations than she is with her voluptuous body and meeting men. But when her younger sister and best friend trick her into vacationing at Feral Passions, Cherry finds herself attracted and torn between two men who find her curvy body and intelligent mind irresistible. Two men who share a secret-they want to share her.

But that takes trust-can Cherry open herself to love with two sensual and powerful werewolves?

REVIEW: 3 stars--FERAL PASSIONS is the first installment in Kate Douglas’s new, contemporary adult Feral Passions erotic, paranormal romance series. Feral Passions focuses on the Feral Passions exclusive resort owned and operated by a pack of male wolf shifters looking for mates. This is wolf shifters, best friends and lovers Cain and Brad, and human female Chereza (Cherry) Dubios’s storyline.

NOTE: FERAL PASSIONS is a ménage romance with graphic depictions of MM, MFM, and MMF sexual situations.

Cherry is a woman whose self esteem and self confidence has been low for a number of years due to her size and a horrific, sexual experience and bullying in high school. Along with her sister Christa, and Christa’s best friend Steph, the three women have booked a week’s stay at Feral Passions Resort where each will meet their future but not necessarily what each had expected. The storyline follows the building relationship between Cherry, Brad and Cain, as well as getting a glimpse into Christa’s new found relationship with Steph and two other wolf shifters (Wils and Ronan) who believe they have found their future mates. Cherry is a strong, independent woman who loves to read paranormal romance storylines, and in this Cherry begins to suspect that the men of Feral Passions are not what they appear to be.

FERAL PASSIONS is an entertaining and easy read; an erotic, paranormal storyline with a little bit of humor, passion, $ex and a happily ever after with very little conflict or angst-in fact, the conflict(or misunderstanding) was but a blip on the radar and for all intents and purposes was unnecessary and quick to resolve.

••••••••••••••••••

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE ALPHA'S WOMAN (A Wolf Mates Novel) by A.C. Arthur

Kira Radney is all delicious curves and strong will and has no desire to be a subservient mate. When a member of her father's pack attempts to make her his mate by force, Kira has no choice but to flee. The last thing she wants is to submit to any male and their pack. But when her escape attempt leads her straight into the arms of an alpha wolf-a sexy, dangerous, protective alpha-Kira must fight against her need to be free, and her secret desire to be controlled...

REVIEW: 3 stars--THE ALPHA’S WOMAN is the first installment in A.C.Arthur’s WOLF MATES paranormal romance series. This is Blaez and Kira’s storyline- a tale steeped in mythology, a hierarchal society, and a history that goes back hundreds if not thousands of years. The storyline does not focus on shifter wolves but a hybrid species with supernatural powers, increased speed and special abilities.

Kira is an alpha female who is on the run in the hopes of staying one step ahead of her father and his pack. With the recent ‘accidental death’ of her mother, Kira’s future is now in the hands of the males of her father’s pack-a father who is aware of his only child’s potential for great power and rule. Finding herself a ‘virtual’ prisoner of an enemy pack, Kira knows that to escape would mean years on the run ending with her death or imprisonment by the very people with whom she was raised. What ensues, is a slow building relationship between Kira and Blaez, and the revelation that Kira’s future and fate lies in the hands of the wolf with whom she is falling in love.

THE ALPHA’S WOMAN is a slow building storyline wherein Kira’s past, present and future are revealed a little at a time, and Blaez’s true nature and power is not revealed until the very end. There are hints and clues that point at the potential for greatness for both of our leading characters; and the storyline is awash in mythology, wolf lore, and the inception of shifters in a world run by gods and hybrids, wolves and humans. The $ex scenes are aggressive and erotic; consent is dubious on a couple of occasions.

•••••••

FINAL THOUGHTS

CLAIMED BY THE MATE is a two part paranormal, romance anthology with pluses and minus that affected my enjoyment or lack there of. Each author and storyline is different in voice, content, structure and writing style. The BBW aspect is addressed in FERAL PASSIONS wherein the heroine’s self esteem and lack of confidence is measured by her size and perceived lack of beauty and attraction by the opposite sex. THE ALPHA’S WOMAN barely touches upon the BBW except to offer up a derogatory comment by the heroine’s pack members who are disgusted by the size of her hips and a$$. In both storylines the big and beautiful woman is the object of ridicule and derision before eventually finding someone who accepts the heroine for all of her perceived faults and extra pounds. I am not a big fan of the BBW storylines as the attitudes about size and beauty add fuel to the perceived notion of fat shaming in modern society regardless of the inevitable happily ever after at the end-it is the path towards happiness that is doused in shame and self deprecation. And if a size 16 is considered too big to be loved, then we all have bigger issues at hand.

FERAL PASSIONS is more fluff than substance focusing on the erotic nature of the ménage love affair; ALPHA’S WOMAN is not a ménage storyline but a story steeped in tradition and lore, and finding the one woman ‘selected’ to be the other half of your soul.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

[Frannie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 1/10

I was excited to read this book when I found out that it has poly relationships. The representation is better than most books but still not great. And everything else was just… bad. I mean there’s a reason the book isn’t more popular than what it is.

- characters had no personality and were all virtually indistinguishable from one another. Cherrys literal only personality trait was that she was self conscious about her body

- conversations felt very stilted and unnatural

- not to mention the speed dating. You’re telling me this woman, who was so traumatized by her high school relationship that she hasn’t dated in 10 YEARS, is gonna make out with this guy within 2 minutes of knowing him? And then two chapters later she’s having a threesome. What? Point is, pacing was way off.

- after a while, I wanted something exciting to happen. There was no conflict in the story. No resistance or big plot twists. Just… lots of smut that wasn’t very well written.

- oh, also, while I appreciate that the main character was overweight, I absolutely hated the “you’re not fat your beautifullll” vibes

I could go on and on but you get the point.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not big into bundled books unless they are a series bundled together so I’m not sure why I agreed to do this one, but I’m glad I did. The two books included are decent little afternoon distractions. Other than the fact they are both paranormals about werewolves, they are as different from each other as they can be. One was fluffy and sweet and the other one was a little bit darker and with more meat to it. The second one doesn’t even have a menage in it so it doesn’t really match the title given the book on Goodreads. Oh, that title on Goodreads is “Claimed by the Mate, Vol. 1: A BBW Werewolf Menage 2-in-1 Romance”. Quite the mouthful, huh? I’m kind of glad that’s not what was on Netgalley or I would never have hit the request button.

Feral Passions by Kate Douglas: It was cute. Not a lot of character development going on, but I still enjoyed the story. Cherry’s sister Christa and her friend Stephanie drag Cherry to a weeklong retreat at a resort called Feral Passions. Unbeknownst to them, Feral Passions is run by a werewolf pack looking for mates. I didn’t buy into the premise that a group of super hot, sweet, sexy guys couldn’t attract women so they resorted to setting up a women’s only retreat so they could find their mates. That was completely far-fetched and unbelievable, but I just decided to ignore all that and go with the flow.

Brad and Cain were just sexy on top of sexy. A couple already looking for the female mate to complete them. I do wish more time had been spent exploring them as a couple before they chose Cherry as their third. I also wish Cain’s alpha-ness had been explored more. He was hot and yummy to start with, but I would have enjoyed a little more alpha-hotness that I thought he could have easily delivered.

I liked Cherry, but I didn’t like that all the drama in the book came from Cherry’s self-image issues because she was a size 16. That’s not a storyline type that I enjoy and it makes me doubt the heroine. Other than that, she was smart and was really nice. I didn’t love her as an h, but there was a lot to like.

I also enjoyed the other guys in the pack. We did get a glimpse into two more of the pack members getting their HEA with Cherry’s sister and her best friend, but it was almost like an afterthought story that was added later. I think I would have enjoyed a Feral Passions bundle where all the guys got their HEA’s, including the full story of those four. Overall it was a short, super sweet bit of paranormal fluff and perfect for an afternoon distraction when you need to escape things but don’t want anything you have to think too much about.

Spice’s Rating: 3 Stars

The Alpha’s Woman by A.C. Arthur: This one was more my cup of tea. It had some drama, action and a little bit of mystery to it. It’s hard to world build in a novella, but AA did a decent enough job at it. I did find myself wanting more but was content with what info was fed to me. The storyline included a backstory that has angry Gods causing the creation of the Lycans and Goddesses that select mates for important powerful alphas.

Kira is fleeing from her pack since her father is determined to force her to mate with a member against her wishes. She doesn’t want to be controlled anymore and she also doesn’t want to be put in a “little woman” role where she fades into the background. She ends up being caught by the super sexy but definitely broody alpha-hole Blaez. Both find themselves fighting destiny and the fates to no avail.

There was a lot going on for such a short little book. Some things were over-explained and other things I found myself wanting more in-depth explanations. This would have made a great full-length novel, but even the novella was decent. I even found myself checking out the author’s page on Goodreads.

Spice’s Rating: 3.5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and more, check out http://edgyreviews.com

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved, loved loved Feral Passions. Something about it worked for me on a lot of levels. All the characters had chemistry. I liked that Brad and Cain saw Cherry and liked her for all her quirks and hangups. I liked the man-lovin' they had going on. I liked the whole vibe at the resort. Flat out, I just liked the entire story and would totally be down with more in this world.

I did like the Alpha's Woman, but I had a few rage-y moments when it came to her former pack. Those guys give shapeshifters a bad name. Or maybe it was just her father and his minions. I don't know. Either way, I totally got why Kira cut and ran. I didn't quite get her desire to cross the country on foot (or paw) and the way she really didn't take any precautions when she was crossing into other packs' territories, but I went with it. As one does when one runs across hecka sexy wolves. Speaking of which, I liked the slightly different take on the usual werewolf mythology. That was fun.

Overall, a fun, steamy collection chock full of sexin' and my favorite shapeshifters. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Douglas - five stars Arthur - zero stars Claimed by the Mate is actually two books in one. “Feral Passions” by Kate Douglas, and “The Alpha’s Mate” by A. C. Arthur. I have reviewed both, one a wonderful story – the other? Not so much.
 
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Parents can be so hateful. So cruel and full of spite, destroying the souls of their children on a whim, trying to force their will, destroying their child’s self-esteem. It never goes away. The pain of knowing that you are not enough, not good enough, not perfect enough, for your parents to love you.
 
Cheraza “Cherry” DuBois knows all about being unloved. She has her father’s height, his big bones, big breasts and lush hips. She isn’t out of proportion, she is just a big girl. And her parents hate her for that. While her sister got summer camp, Cherry got fat camp. And when she lost her virginity in the back of a car, while the guy took photos and spread them all over the net to humiliate her, he wasn’t punished. Oh, no. While she was kicked out of school and made a pariah by everyone who knew her, her parents made it worse. They cut all ties and threw her out of their lives like garbage. Their daughter wasn’t perfect, she was an embarrassment, and they made sure she knew it.
 
Now, ten years later, Cherry lives her own life as a marketing analyst, loving her work, but locking everyone but her sister, Christa, and Christa’s best friend Steph out of her life. Cissy and Steph have always been there for her. Always supported her. So when they beg Cherry to come along on a girl’s only vacation, a week at a private wolf preserve, how can she say no? A week in the northern California mountains, at a preserve and resort where only six women a week are allowed, where women can “get in touch with nature without the hassle of guys and all that testosterone-driven need to hike farther, climb higher.” Six women, the total focus of a bunch of really hot guys who are determined to make sure they enjoy their stay. Well, they do encourage you to bring along books, or knitting, or painting, or whatever other hobbies you wish to pursue. No Wi-Fi or cell phone reception, so the idea of total relaxation is quite appealing.
 
The landscape is gorgeous. The wolves come close, and the air is fresh and clean, just what a San Francisco girl needs to clear her head and relax. And it allowed me to relax as well as I pictured the landscape of the story in my mind. I could almost smell the air and see the wildflowers and the wolves. Kate Douglas paints a beautiful picture of the preserve. And of course, the massage that Cherry gets at her cabin made me way jealous… sigh.
 
Feral Passions is a lovely little paranormal romance that I truly enjoyed and will read again. I haven’t read Douglas before, but this book encourages me to check out her other works. I loved her understanding of Cherry’s pain and inability to see herself as anything other than ugly and unlovable because of what her family and others did to her. I also loved watching as she began to grow and change, beginning to believe in her own worth as a human being. Thank you, Ms. Douglas, for your eyes-open approach to Cherry’s situation and how her parents destroyed her ability to see good in ____________________________________.
 
The second book in this two volume set, The Alpha’s Woman by A. C. Arthur was diametrically opposed to the mindset of the first book. Honestly, it clashed so deeply with the strong woman character of the first book I found it disconcerting. Kira Radney is the daughter of an alpha wolf, and the mythology of the story is different than most paranormal romance werewolf stories. Here, the wolves came about through Zeus being Zeus, i.e., a complete and total jerk. Fast forward and the wolves have been segregated on earth, away from utopian Arcadia, and are now two warring tribes, the Hunters and the Devoted. The Hunters want to kill off all the Devoted, who wish to live in harmony and peace with humans and the other hidden creatures as well. The Hunters simply with to hunt, kill and rut. Kira is an alpha, born to the Hunters, but when her mother is murdered and her father tries to foist her off on a brutal beta so that she can be controlled, she takes off, only to find herself captured by yet another alpha. An alpha who captures her and drags her back to his home, only to mind rape her and pull the whole “you are going to take it, and not come until I allow you to” crap that some women, for some stomach twisting reason, think is ‘sexy.’ When it got to the alpha telling Kira that she was going to learn to be strong and in control, then tying her to a weight bench and raping her – well, that is when I stopped reading. That sort of cold, manipulative, demeaning savagery makes me sick, and I had to put the book down and walk away. How is rape teaching a woman that she is in control of her own life? The whole ‘out of control’ sexual content of the book, and the weak-minded female character thinking with her vagina instead of her head, was diametrically opposed to the strong female character of the first book. I wouldn’t have put these two together on a bet.
 
So, one beautifully done book and one bit of sickening, over-sexed savagery. Kate Douglas will get more of my attention, while Arthur will go on my “not again, even if there is nothing else left in the world to read” list.
 
I received Claimed by the Mate from the publisher in exchange for a realistic, honest review. As you can see, I honestly loved the first, honestly despised the second! Five stars for Feral Passions, zero stars for The Alpha’s Mate.

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claimed by the Mate is actually two books in one. “Feral Passions” by Kate Douglas, and “The Alpha’s Mate” by A. C. Arthur. I have reviewed both, one a wonderful story – the other? Not so much.

Parents can be so hateful. So cruel and full of spite, destroying the souls of their children on a whim, trying to force their will, destroying their child’s self-esteem. It never goes away. The pain of knowing that you are not enough, not good enough, not perfect enough, for your parents to love you.

Cheraza “Cherry” DuBois knows all about being unloved. She has her father’s height, his big bones, big breasts and lush hips. She isn’t out of proportion, she is just a big girl. And her parents hate her for that. While her sister got summer camp, Cherry got fat camp. And when she lost her virginity in the back of a car, while the guy took photos and spread them all over the net to humiliate her, he wasn’t punished. Oh, no. While she was kicked out of school and made a pariah by everyone who knew her, her parents made it worse. They cut all ties and threw her out of their lives like garbage. Their daughter wasn’t perfect, she was an embarrassment, and they made sure she knew it.

Now, ten years later, Cherry lives her own life as a marketing analyst, loving her work, but locking everyone but her sister, Christa, and Christa’s best friend Steph out of her life. Cissy and Steph have always been there for her. Always supported her. So when they beg Cherry to come along on a girl’s only vacation, a week at a private wolf preserve, how can she say no? A week in the northern California mountains, at a preserve and resort where only six women a week are allowed, where women can “get in touch with nature without the hassle of guys and all that testosterone-driven need to hike farther, climb higher.” Six women, the total focus of a bunch of really hot guys who are determined to make sure they enjoy their stay. Well, they do encourage you to bring along books, or knitting, or painting, or whatever other hobbies you wish to pursue. No Wi-Fi or cell phone reception, so the idea of total relaxation is quite appealing.

The landscape is gorgeous. The wolves come close, and the air is fresh and clean, just what a San Francisco girl needs to clear her head and relax. And it allowed me to relax as well as I pictured the landscape of the story in my mind. I could almost smell the air and see the wildflowers and the wolves. Kate Douglas paints a beautiful picture of the preserve. And of course, the massage that Cherry gets at her cabin made me way jealous… sigh.

Feral Passions is a lovely little paranormal romance that I truly enjoyed and will read again. I haven’t read Douglas before, but this book encourages me to check out her other works. I loved her understanding of Cherry’s pain and inability to see herself as anything other than ugly and unlovable because of what her family and others did to her. I also loved watching as she began to grow and change, beginning to believe in her own worth as a human being. Thank you, Ms. Douglas, for your eyes-open approach to Cherry’s situation and how her parents destroyed her ability to see good in herself.

The second book in this two volume set, The Alpha’s Woman by A. C. Arthur was diametrically opposed to the mindset of the first book. Honestly, it clashed so deeply with the strong woman character of the first book I found it disconcerting. Kira Radney is the daughter of an alpha wolf, and the mythology of the story is different than most paranormal romance werewolf stories. Here, the wolves came about through Zeus being Zeus, i.e., a complete and total jerk. Fast forward and the wolves have been segregated on earth, away from utopian Arcadia, and are now two warring tribes, the Hunters and the Devoted. The Hunters want to kill off all the Devoted, who wish to live in harmony and peace with humans and the other hidden creatures as well. The Hunters simply with to hunt, kill and rut. Kira is an alpha, born to the Hunters, but when her mother is murdered and her father tries to foist her off on a brutal beta so that she can be controlled, she takes off, only to find herself captured by yet another alpha. An alpha who captures her and drags her back to his home, only to mind rape her and pull the whole “you are going to take it, and not come until I allow you to” crap that some women, for some stomach twisting reason, think is ‘sexy.’ When it got to the alpha telling Kira that she was going to learn to be strong and in control, then tying her to a weight bench and raping her – well, that is when I stopped reading. That sort of cold, manipulative, demeaning savagery makes me sick, and I had to put the book down and walk away. How is rape teaching a woman that she is in control of her own life? The whole ‘out of control’ sexual content of the book, and the weak-minded female character thinking with her vagina instead of her head, was diametrically opposed to the strong female character of the first book. I wouldn’t have put these two together on a bet.

So, one beautifully done book and one bit of sickening, over-sexed savagery. Kate Douglas will get more of my attention, while Arthur will go on my “not again, even if there is nothing else left in the world to read” list.

I received Claimed by the Mate from the publisher in exchange for a realistic, honest review. As you can see, I honestly loved the first, honestly despised the second! Five stars for Feral Passions, zero stars for The Alpha’s Mate.

[Kayla Stump · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish the book. I really tried. The sex scenes were packed in like canned tuna. The plot around the sex scenes was almost nonexistent, mostly conversation about what had happened in the bedroom. While I applaud the author for trying to diversify her stories with a plus-size character, I think the book fell short of actually inspiring body positivity. There was a lot of self-deprecation, which is realistic for most women, but not conducive to the goal of body positivity.

[Robin Franks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning

Great story to start the Feral Passions series. The premise of the lodge for females to visit in hope that the guys would find their fated mate is one I really like. Can't wait for the next story in this series. I would recommend this story to any adult reader who enjoys sexy shifter romances.

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice stories but...

I love reading stories written by women of color however, I think they as the writers should get better proofreaders for their projects. The quality of the work goes way down with the number of typos and grammatical errors that get passed into the public. It makes reading very difficult and unenjoyable.

[Jenny Harshman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Focusing just on the third story- The Alphas Mate. I liked the premise and the power given to female lycans. Also love how a small tight pack basically adopted her. I do which they didn’t get to make the story of lycans so complex, going all the way to Zeus. But besides that it was entertaining enough.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sexually written. Great storyline. Recommend reading.

[Rhapsody Phoenix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh!

[Kat Crumb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to reading more from kate

[Gem Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very spicy and satisfying ending

[Amy Softa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating for first story only, minus one star for DNFed second story.

I didn’t pay that close to the description when I decided to give this one a go, I saw it was shifter romance and though why not. I did not realize that it was a mixed couple/LGBT (does MMW count for that genre?) story line. I have been meaning to diversify my romance reads and this one is definitely something I’ve not read before, I believe the only LGBT romance I’ve read is one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Some people might not be into this, but I was open to exploring what this branch of the romance genre has to offer.

FERAL PASSIONS (A Feral Passions Novel) by Kate Douglas

This is the first story I’ve read by this author and it has left me wanting more! I was delighted that this is story one for a new series because there are so many more characters’ stories that I want to follow. It is a fun set up and has the potential to offer a lot of fun and sexy situations for the women vacationing at Feral Passions resort! I loved Cherry and couldn’t help but identify with her as I too am far from perfect in the weight department. She played out every woman’s fantasy though as she wound these two men around her fingers and lost a bit of her heart in the process. Being the story is only 166 pages long things moved pretty quickly, but I think the vacation setting worked well for that, who hasn’t wanted to go have a fling while away from responsibility. Now this was my very first triad pairing and over all I kinda dug it. I think it might be an easier adjustment for those looking to try LGBT romance as there is still some hetero sex involved in the plot. There wasn’t really any graphic gay sex described, it was mainly just talked about, but I don’t think it would have been a big deal for me. After a while I start skimming the sex scenes anyway and go for the emotional connection building which to me is the heart of a good romance story line. This one did not disappoint and I was rooting for this couple from the beginning. Much of the story is told from Cherry’s pov, but we also get to dip into the smexy pair of shifter’s minds a couple of times too. I liked how the author make them as vulnerable as the female lead in regards to rejection and making things work out. I look forward to another stay at this resort of yummy shifters and can’t wait to get to know more of the pack.

This story’s rating: 5 Stars


THE ALPHA’S WOMAN (A Wolf Mates Novel) by A.C. Arthur

This was also my first read by this author and unfortunately it did not go as well as the first story in this anthology. I ended up DNF at chapter four. My main problem was the female lead character that sounded awfully like a petulant horny teenager who was constantly telling men you aren’t the boss of me and you can’t make me. The main lead male she is was being paired up with where I left off was alright, but a little dark and heavy personality wise for me. The first book was so light-hearted that this was a drastic switch in tone that I wasn’t in the mood for. I’m not ruling out another of Ms. Arthur’s books in the future, but is one was just not for me.

This story’s rating: DNF no stars


So one out of two isn’t too bad I guess. That is something nice about anthology reads they let you get a sample of different authors and figure out who you might like to commit to a longer read with. In this case Ms. Douglas is someone I am going to be keeping my eye out for in the future! The first story was fun and I would recommend the title based upon that read alone. Then give the second story a try to see if you liked it better than I or save it when you are in the mood for something a little more serious.

[April Hollingworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of April Hollingworth

Okay as this is a double book and author, I’ll do my reviews in order for each story. So first of all Feral Passions (A Feral’s Passion Novel) by Kate Douglas:
I found this story hot and sweet. I enjoyed how the men of Feral Passions are looking for their mates and of how they have their rules on claiming pre-set. I found all the men a fascinating bunch, even those you just slightly meet. As for the Cain and Brad, I found their relationship with one another beyond beautiful, and how they interact with Cherry is heart-warming and special. You couldn’t help but love the three of them and hope that everything would work out alright. As with life, insecurities and doubts do play a part in this story, as well a growth and opening up. A beautiful story that catches you by the hand and takes you on a journey. I loved it.

Now for the second book in this book, The Alpha’s Woman (A Wolf’s Mate Novel) by A.C. Arthur:
I found this book intriguing. You have a strong woman whose life is literally turned upside down by the death of her mother. And for her own safety she runs away only to find herself quite literally swept of her feet and held captive by an Alpha of incredible dominance and sexiness. Sounds good, except Kira doesn’t want to submit to any male, no matter how attractive he is. Now this story has another story going through it, one of different packs and their laws and a desire to be dominant to quite literally rule over all others, well maybe I should say one pack does and the other doesn’t. At the heart of this is Kira, who basically want’s none of it, yet is a prize beyond all others. All in all, I enjoyed this story.

The Review:

Feral Passions (A Feral’s Passion Novel) by Kate Douglas
Welcome to Feral Passions, a place where women are the only guests on a luxurious resort hidden away in a preserve and staffed by very dangerously sexy men. But Feral Passions is more that it appears. It is in fact a hunting ground for these delicious men. Men determined to meet every woman’s deepest desire. Men who are in fact the beautiful wolves running wild and searching for mates.
Chereza Dubois is more comfortable in solving math equations than she is with her voluptuous body and meeting men. So when her sister and best-friend trick her into coming with them to vacationing at Feral Passions, Cherry finds herself in an unusual situation. Torn between finding two men attractive who also find her curvy body and intelligent mind irresistible. They want her, and they also want to share her, with each other. But Cherry finds trusting hard enough, never mind opening herself up to the sensual love these powerful werewolves are offering her. Can Cherry open herself up to trust them, or will these powerful werewolves be unable to claim their mate, due to the pain of Cherry’s past?

The Alpha’s Woman (A Wolf’s Mate Novel) by A.C. Arthur
Kira Radney is a full figured woman with a will of iron. She has no interest in becoming any male’s subservient mate. When a member of her father’s pack tries to force her to become his mate, she has no choice but to flee. She will never submit to any mate and his pack. When her escape attempt brings her straight into the arms of a protective, sexy alpha, Kira must fight against her own desire to be free over her secret desire to be controlled, by the right wolf.

FTC Advisory: Amy Goppert through NetGalley provided me with a copy of Claimed by the Mate, Vol 1 by Kate Douglas and A.C. Arthur. Published through St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feral Passions by Kate Douglas Review

First Impression: Well-written with engaging characters and dynamic and intriguing storyline

The Trinity Alps Pack males have opened a female-only resort on pack lands in hopes of finding mates for themselves and continuing their bloodline. In this first Feral Passions story, werewolves Brad and Cain meet Cherry and both are drawn to her and certain they want her for their mate, but what they don’t know, is whether Cherry could ever want to be and live with them as their chosen mate.

I really enjoyed this story. It was sexy and fun and who doesn’t want to meet and spend time with two hot, sexy alpha male werewolves at a resort in the wilderness where they want to pamper and protect you all day and all night? I mean, seriously, talk about the stuff fantasies are made of. Well, the hot sexy alpha part at least, not so sure about the werewolf part, but if I were Cherry, I know I would be.

I have to admit, I don’t often read threesome stories or even erotic werewolf mates stories in general, but since I was invited read this by the book’s publicist, I decided to take a chance. And I am so glad I did because this first story surprised me with how much I enjoyed reading it. It was well-written, fast-paced, and so magnetic that I was chapters into my reading before I realized I needed to stop and take a few notes for my review post. To me, that’s always a good sign for a great read. I love when stories and books sweep me away and blank my mind to anything but the characters and the world I’m reading them in, and this story did that so very well.

Kate Douglas is a new to me author, but I have to say, I think she made me a believer in reading erotic paranormal romances about werewolves finding their mates. Feral Passions is an excellent read and a fantastic start to the author’s new series of the same name.

Rating: 5 Stars


Alpha's Woman by A.C. Arthur Review

First Impression: Fantastic and surprising opening that drew me in and intrigued me right away. I instantly felt for Kira and what she’s been through and wanted her to break free to build a new and better life for herself.
Alpha’s Woman by A.C. Arthur is the first story in the author’s new Wolf Mates series and it proves itself to be not only a fantastic first book in a brand new series but a well-thought out read to boot.

As this isn’t my normal kind of read, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I have to say, I enjoyed this story a lot. It’s steamy, well-written, and vastly entertaining. I loved Kira and Blaez, and I loved how hard they fought the connection between them and how much they had to work to prove themselves to each other and to the rest of the pack.

I’m anxious to see where this series goes in the future and to find out how it further connects, if it will, to the author’s Shadow Shifters series.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Overall Book Thoughts:

Claimed by the Mate by Kate Douglas and A.C. Arthur is an overall great read with two fantastic wolf mate tales. The first a delicious menage about two handsome male wolves on the hunt for their third, a female, and the second, an uber entertaining tale about an alpha werewolf with secrets and an alpha female out to find herself and the place where she belongs.

Rating: 5 Stars

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a two-fer of BBW shifter romance. One wild erotic ride, and one suspenseful adventure. Both stories can be read on their own.

FERAL PASSIONS is the first story, and I liked it best. Cherry has always been put down for her weight and has a painful past with men. She's conned into a week-long vacation by her sister and her sister's BFF. While staying at the beautiful, isolated, mountainous wolf reserve, Feral Passions, Cherry is stunned and suspicious of the interest she receives from two of the ranch hands, Brad and Cain. Both men are stunningly beautiful, as are the rest of the staff. Cherry was approached by a good looking man before, and he tore her world apart, so she's loath to accept their overtures--until she decides to follow her heart and treat this as a fling.

Brad and Cain share a secret with their fellow males on Feral Passions land-they are werewolves. Capable of shifting into their wolf forms at will, they entertain the female-only clientele in the hopes of finding a mate. For Brad and Cain this is more of a challenge, as they are themselves a couple, and looking for a third. Could Cherry be The One? They have a very sexy week trying to convince her.

This is a lighthearted breezy read with lots of sexytimes and a bit of minor conflict. I loved how Cherry was a bright woman, and had those guys all figured out! I also loved how sensual the sexytimes were, and Cherry's willingness to accept Brad and Cain as a pair. Delish! 4 Stars.

THE ALPHA'S WOMAN was not my favorite, but still interesting.

Kira is an Alpha female, raised to the perfect mate to an Alpha, but there isn't an Alpha in her current pack for her to mate. Her current Alpha is her father, and he's turned his back on her, allowing his Betas to assault her in the attempt to claim the top of the pecking order. She flees and ends up dragged into a new pack, against her will. Blaez is an Alpha who will never claim a mate. His parents tried that, and were destroyed by vengeful Greek gods, leaving Blaez and orphan. He can't bear to lose another family, but he also won't leave Kira on her own, knowing some other pack will claim or kill her.

This story has a lot of world building and mythology that doesn't advance the romance. Most of the time Kira and Blaez were at odds, and unhappy with Blaez's highhandedness--yes, Blaez even made himself angry. The story jumped a bit, and left me wanting more romance, for sure. That said, I enjoyed the end. 3 Stars.

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two stories in this set, both werewolf shifter stories but quite different in style and worldbuilding. Here's my review of these two stories.

Feral Passions by Kate Dougles

This story is all about the Feral Passions resort, the men who run it being wolf shifters who are looking for suitable mates. The guests are women who are there to be pampered at their luxury resort. Despite the shifter theme, there isn't much worldbuilding in this one - the guys just exist as shifters but we don't see much of their change back and forth. . It's quite a steamy story, with Cherry hooking up with Brad and Cain. She comes to realize that the wolves who hang around the property are likely the men who work there (the eyes give it away) but finds this to be rather exciting and isn't scared of the idea at all, making her the perfect fit for these two men. There are several steamy ménage scenes in this one, but the overall feeling is a lighthearted and sweet romantic story, with little angst. Cherry has some self esteem issues due to her weight but Cain and Brad have no problem showing her their feelings about her, all good. I quite enjoyed it - 4 stars.

The Alpha's Mate by A.C. Arthur

In this story, Kira has left her pack and an emotionally controlling father. She's the alpha female, but not interested in a relationship with any of the males of her pack, though it doesn't stop one of them from trying to force her to be his mate, and thus the reason for her going off on her own to look for her own future. She's a strong and resourceful woman. There is a lot more worldbuilding in this story than the previous one, with different packs of lycans, and their history as descendants of Greek Gods being definitely a unique way to explain their existence (one I hadn't heard before anyway). The hero of this one is Blaeze, who finds Kira in the woods and brings her back to stay with his pack, ostensibly to protect her and fighting his own feelings towards her. There are several steamy scenes in this story, but some of them I didn't feel really fit the relationship that Kira and Blaeze were developing, they just seemed to be put in to up the heat level of the story. It was definitely a more tense and suspenseful story and less romantic than the first in the set, though these two get their happy ending. 3 stars.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I RECEIVED AN ADVANCE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW!!

Paranormal reads are normally hit or miss for me, but when I was asked to read and review a BBW paranormal romance, I took a chance. I'll be reviewing each story individually.

Feral Passions by Kate Douglas
I really loved this story! There wasn't a lot of world building in it, but it didn't really need any. It was very easy for me to identify with Cherry, and to connect with Brad and Cain. I loved how protective and cherishing they were of Cherry and how fun they made her week. The characters and setting were all richly described and I could actually picture much of it as I was reading. This sweet and gentle romance grabbed my attention from the get go, and I couldn't sleep until I finished it! I would heartily recommend this story to others and I rate it at 5 out of 5 stars! I definitely will be looking for other books in this series!

The Alpha's Woman by A.C. Arthur
Unfortunately, I had a very opposite reaction to this story than the first one. I actually hated it! It reminded me too much of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Were-Hunter world, and came across as a bad rip-off of it. It did have a lot of world building in it, to the point of being too much, which wound up leaving me confused and having to refer back to earlier parts of the book to keep things straight. Throwing Selene into the mythology angle was confusing for me, because as far as I knew, she was before the pantheon of Zeus and Artemis, which made her involvement in this story hard to reconcile. There were inferences of rape, and even Blaez forced Kira to have a masturbation session when she had clearly said no and don't make me do this. That immediately soured the story for me at an early point and I had to force myself to keep reading. Thus, I formed little connection to the characters and was unable to find anything redeeming in the story. I would not recommend this to others and will not be reading the author in the future. I rate this 1 out of 5 stars.

Overall, I would love to own a copy of just the Feral Passions story, but would warn anyone purchasing this book to avoid the second story in it.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book is way to hot. Enjoyed both stories as they complemented each other.
Feral Passions- Kate Douglas

Cherry had come with her sister & her sister's friend on a trip to relax and recharge. This resort is like no other, it is run by some seriously hot men and there are wolves and the preserve as well.
Cherry is shocked when one of the men, Brad takes interest in her as she is larger than most girls. She hopes that he is not going to use her and make fun of her afterwards as she doesn't think that she can go through that again. Brad & his partner Cain have been looking for the perfect woman for years and they know that Cherry is the one. There is so much that they need to tell her but they don't want to chase her away. Cherry knows that there is something going on with the men and the wolves but should she say something?. Cherry knows that her time is up but she is going to miss the two men but can it be true what they said that they want her in their lives forever. Will the men come for her or will she be hurt again. This story is smoking hot and Cherry is not a think stick woman but someone will curves and meat on her bones but is what I liked about the story is that the men love her for herself.

The Alpha's Woman-A.C. Arthur
Kira has been on the run for a while now and she is looking for answers about herself. She is about to find her destiny but she won't just accept it's terms. Blaez knows that he needs to protect her from her family and he knows that they will come for her as she is a Alpha female and she is a very special lycan. He thinks that he can protect her and have her and in the end just let her go. Their attraction to each other is off the charts and they both fight it as they both don't want forever or do they? What happens when it is time for Kira to leave will Blaez let his mate go? The pack is on the way and they want Kira back and if that means killing Blaez & his beta's then so be it. But Blaez will not allow that to happen and he will do whatever he needs to keep Kira safe and with him.
A great read that keeps you interested and damn so hot. Two great reads happy to recommend to others.I received a ARC copy in exchange for an honest review via St Martin's Press & the author(Netgalley)

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book contains two stories. The first Feral Passions by Kate Douglas I would rate a 4 star. The second story The Alpha’s Woman by A.C. Arthur I would rate a 2 star at best.

Feral Passions by Kate Douglas – I have read many books by Kate Douglas and was excited to read this one. I am really not a fan of ménage relationships, but, somehow she makes them work. I love that the main female character was comfortable in her own skin and was willing to just relax and enjoy whatever happened. I would have preferred some more background on the resort and some of the secondary characters. All the characters were well written, and the lead guys were very charming.

As a shifter story, the wolves were enjoyable (as they were so human friendly). There were great interactions among the three lead characters and their relationship progressed and grew as the story went along.

The Alpha’s Woman by A. C. Arthur – This story was very hard to get through. We kept being told that the lead female character – Kira – was a strong alpha wolf. Yet, she never acted like one. She ran away from her pack with no clear idea where she was going. She got captured and kidnapped in the woods – what no fighting said kidnapper off? Nope figured she just settle in and chat up the guys.

Blaez – the (hero???) has no redeemable qualities at all. He keeps informing Kira how he will take care of her and protect her, yet, never shares any information at all with her. In trying to “make her strong” he essentially straps her down and rapes her. Now, keep in mind she has just run away from an abusive jerk who tried to rape and claim her. Now she is just doing whatever Blaez says. How is this a strong female character?

While Feral Passions was an enjoyable read, I could barely get through The Alpha’s Woman.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

50/50 Feral Passions - Kate Douglas 4.5 Stars
Work-minded Chereza DuBios has been talked into going to a women-only private resort with her sister and her sister's best friend. After putting up with others' negative opinions about her voluptuous body, including her parents, she has a hard time accepting that two of the lodge workers might be interested in her. What she doesn't know is that the resort was designed for shifter men to find a mate in the right environment that will accept them.
This was a really good, hot read. The characters were well drawn out. The author did a great job in creating a world I'd like to read more about.
Great read with great characters. I recommend it to anyone that likes this genre.
The Alpha's Woman by A.C. Arthur 3 Stars
Kira Radney's mother was murdered three months ago. That should have made her Alpha Female of her father's pack. Instead, it left her vulnerable to attacks. She ended up fleeing. While trying to get to her mother's people, she's taken by Blaez, an alpha of another pack, and locked in his house under his reasoning that he's protecting her.
I was iffy about this story. There were pieces I didn't like, pieces that really didn't make much sense, and other pieces I didn't mind. There were parts of Blaez that were bothersome until you read more and got to know him. Kira didn't have too much depth until about halfway through the story, which is about where it picked up my interest. Overall, not bad. I probably wouldn't buy it by itself, but not a bad read while included with other stories like in this set.
**I received an ARC for this story in exchange for an honest review**