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Mercy Hills Pack #1
Mating the Omega
Omega wolf Jason and his family have been on the run for six years to keep Jason from being forcefully mated to his pack’s cruel Alpha. When a brutal attack leaves his father desperately injured, Jason comes to the conclusion that it’s time to call it quits. Terrified as he is to deliver himself into an Alpha’s power, he makes a deal to mate with the Alpha of the richest pack in the country. And discovers that he’d rather mate the Alpha’s handsome Head of Security.
When Mac captures the feral shifter that climbed the walls surrounding the Mercy Hills Pack enclave, he feels for the young shifter’s fear, though he knows his Alpha isn’t the sort of shifter Jason believes he is. He’d be happy to see the two mated, except that, as time goes by, it becomes more and more difficult to deny his own feelings for the young, damaged omega.
A sudden turn of events sees Mac and Jason mated and expecting, but Jason’s old pack isn’t done with them yet.
When Mac captures the feral shifter that climbed the walls surrounding the Mercy Hills Pack enclave, he feels for the young shifter’s fear, though he knows his Alpha isn’t the sort of shifter Jason believes he is. He’d be happy to see the two mated, except that, as time goes by, it becomes more and more difficult to deny his own feelings for the young, damaged omega.
A sudden turn of events sees Mac and Jason mated and expecting, but Jason’s old pack isn’t done with them yet.
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2016
267 people are currently reading
1157 people want to read
About the author
Ann-Katrin Byrde
48 books505 followersAnn-Katrin Byrde is a writing duo comprised of Ana J. Phoenix and Kate Lowell. As a team they strive to bring you the best mpreg stories they can. They both love to write, read and dream. In their spare time, you can often catch them hunting wild plot bunnies in the fields of their imagination.
(Source: Amazon.com)
(Source: Amazon.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
August 25, 2018
I think Ann-Katrin Byrde is a real rarity among her fellow authors who write similar genre because she’s literally the only author that have come across in my path who writes Mpreg stories which are not heavy on the smut but heavy on the plot. 😁 I noticed it the first time when I listened to her Oceanport Omega series on audio and this series was definitely the same. 🙂 Despite being set in a shifter world which co-exists peacefully with humans and is rich with the diversity of alphas, omegas, betas and deltas, this book is really really low on heat. 😭 I loved the storyline because it was interesting but I didn’t like the ending. Despite both MCs getting a merry HEA with an adorable kid, there was no explanation whatsoever to the giant plot twist at the end of the series. And the author definitely needs a better editor and proof reader for her books because I noticed a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes. 😒 This was an enjoyable read but there just wasn’t enough heat and sizzling smut for me. And yeah, judge me all you want but I love my books to leave me hot and bothered and panting. I might still read the second book in the series though because Abel the pack Aloha intrigued me. ☺️
3.5 Mac likes his omega feisty and rebellious stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3.5 Mac likes his omega feisty and rebellious stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
December 28, 2016
It was quite an enjoyable read. The characters are well-written, the story arc has been explained well, the plot is quite thought out, and even the secondary characters have a lot of depth. The relationship development between Jason and Mac could have used some work, because there was all action and no communication. But I guess the action scenes implied at the growing affection between them, so I am willing to let it go.
I was happily engrossed in the story right from the beginning. I liked the sassy, strong Jason and the hot and protective Mac. I even loved the occasional new words I got to know, and I did not for a moment feel that the author had "chewed up a dictionary", like Mac joked to Abel! ;-)
But I had a few issues:-
1. Mac's POV was far too less, in my opinion. I wanted more of his thoughts and perceptions and feelings and struggles than I got.
2. The ending was insanely abrupt.
3. There were loads of typographical mistakes that I wish someone had gotten rid of.
I am going to continue reading the series, purely because the characters intrigued me. But I hope the author redeems herself by giving me the information that has been withheld from me in this one.
I was happily engrossed in the story right from the beginning. I liked the sassy, strong Jason and the hot and protective Mac. I even loved the occasional new words I got to know, and I did not for a moment feel that the author had "chewed up a dictionary", like Mac joked to Abel! ;-)
But I had a few issues:-
1. Mac's POV was far too less, in my opinion. I wanted more of his thoughts and perceptions and feelings and struggles than I got.
2. The ending was insanely abrupt.
3. There were loads of typographical mistakes that I wish someone had gotten rid of.
I am going to continue reading the series, purely because the characters intrigued me. But I hope the author redeems herself by giving me the information that has been withheld from me in this one.
August 26, 2017
I’m used to the writing in mpregs being… well, nog that good. Mostly it’s head hopping, massive amounts of insta-love and sex scenes around every corner.
But…. the writing in this wasn't all bad. Just very boring . The reason I read shifter mpreg is because I love the overly sappy cases of insta love, the growls, the MINE! We get none of that here. So even though the writing was pretty decent, there was an actual storyline, and there is no insta love whatsoever… this was also pretty boring…
Give me my insta-lovey, badly written mpregs any day..
But…. the writing in this wasn't all bad. Just very boring . The reason I read shifter mpreg is because I love the overly sappy cases of insta love, the growls, the MINE! We get none of that here. So even though the writing was pretty decent, there was an actual storyline, and there is no insta love whatsoever… this was also pretty boring…
Give me my insta-lovey, badly written mpregs any day..
May 4, 2017
I liked the premise, and I was into the story until about the halfway mark, but once Jason met Mac the story fizzled. Jason's POV is in the first-person, while Mac's is in the third, so the transitions between chapters were kind of clumsy.
Also, this is more of an action story, what with Jason being chased by thugs hunting him down for an evil alpha who wants Jason's True Omega powers.
I didn't feel the connection between Mac and Jason, and the ending was crazy abrupt. Jason gets attacked by the evil alpha, and then he has a baby, and then it's over. But what happened to the attacker? I felt like a chapter was missing.
Also, this is more of an action story, what with Jason being chased by thugs hunting him down for an evil alpha who wants Jason's True Omega powers.
I didn't feel the connection between Mac and Jason, and the ending was crazy abrupt. Jason gets attacked by the evil alpha, and then he has a baby, and then it's over. But what happened to the attacker? I felt like a chapter was missing.
February 20, 2018
3.5 Stars
This was one of those books I walked away from thinking, “yeah, I enjoyed that,” but then I went and read the reviews of a few very trusted GR buddies who took issue with a couple of things and it made me contemplate some story elements I hadn’t considered along the way. It didn’t make me second guess myself, as my rating stayed intact, but it did make me reflect on a few things that hadn’t really occurred to me while I was reading.
For me, this story starts off really well, following nineteen year old true omega Jason and his father as they are on the run from their particularly vicious and archaic old pack. Their desperate circumstances, along with their constant state of fear and sense of isolation is palpable, and led to quite an exciting and nerve-racking introduction to this story.
As a true omega, Jason is highly sort after, but where he should be coveted as a precious and rare shifter by his shifter brethren, most alphas seem to just wish to use Jason for his breeding capabilities, with absolutely no concern for his own desires or even his personal safety. For years, running has been the only option for Jason and his family, but after losing his mother and later watching his dad get attacked to the point of impaired health, Jason decides to take matters into his own hands and find himself a pack that is willing to offer him and his father shelter and protection, and in exchange, Jason will offer himself physically to the alpha of the pack.
Lucky for Jason, the pack he zeroes in on is the Mercy Hills pack, which is affluent as far as shifter packs are concerned, and is made up of a group of good, compassionate and intelligent shifters, which initially throws Jason for a loop considering how horribly he’s been treated by his fellow shifters in the past.
The Mercy Hills alpha – a kind man named Abel – agrees to take Jason and his father in, but it soon becomes apparent that Abel is not interested in mating with Jason, but instead, Abel’s second-in-command, Mac, might just be the man for the job.
There was no insta-love here, which, again, is rare for a shifter mpreg story, but I liked it. There was an obvious spark between Jason and Mac from the get-go, but both were initially under the assumption that Jason would mate with alpha Abel, so both put their growing feelings aside for what they considered to be the greater good. It seems like this dynamic could have led to an awkward situation, but Abel was such a good man and he very clearly preferred to have his best-friend mate with their packs newest addition over himself, so there was no drama there.
Up until the point that Jason and Mac actually mated (around the halfway mark), I was really enjoying the story and liking all the characters that were being introduced along the way. Unfortunately, it seemed, at least to me, that once they were mated, their relationship progression became non-existent, which was a bit of a shame. There was all the mine/possessive/growly stuff that I do so enjoy, but it wasn’t as exciting or absorbing as I often find these mating dynamics to be.
Although the romance itself wasn't as compelling as I'd hoped, there was an interesting court-room element later on in the story that made up for any romantic shortcomings I felt, wherein Jason and his new pack were legally fighting his old packs claims to his person. It touched on some interesting themes, especially considering the segregation of humans and shifters within this particular shifter world, and then further going on to assess the rights of omegas as equals to their alpha/beta counterparts. I thoroughly enjoyed this particular element of the story and look forward to how it manifests later as the series progresses.
Overall, I warmed to this story and its characters. I liked the writing style (especially for a shifter mpreg story) and I enjoyed the audio narration (by Nick J. Russo), which I listened to on and off as I read along. The ending was a tad abrupt, though, leaving me with questions I hope are answered in the sequels.
This was one of those books I walked away from thinking, “yeah, I enjoyed that,” but then I went and read the reviews of a few very trusted GR buddies who took issue with a couple of things and it made me contemplate some story elements I hadn’t considered along the way. It didn’t make me second guess myself, as my rating stayed intact, but it did make me reflect on a few things that hadn’t really occurred to me while I was reading.
For me, this story starts off really well, following nineteen year old true omega Jason and his father as they are on the run from their particularly vicious and archaic old pack. Their desperate circumstances, along with their constant state of fear and sense of isolation is palpable, and led to quite an exciting and nerve-racking introduction to this story.
As a true omega, Jason is highly sort after, but where he should be coveted as a precious and rare shifter by his shifter brethren, most alphas seem to just wish to use Jason for his breeding capabilities, with absolutely no concern for his own desires or even his personal safety. For years, running has been the only option for Jason and his family, but after losing his mother and later watching his dad get attacked to the point of impaired health, Jason decides to take matters into his own hands and find himself a pack that is willing to offer him and his father shelter and protection, and in exchange, Jason will offer himself physically to the alpha of the pack.
Lucky for Jason, the pack he zeroes in on is the Mercy Hills pack, which is affluent as far as shifter packs are concerned, and is made up of a group of good, compassionate and intelligent shifters, which initially throws Jason for a loop considering how horribly he’s been treated by his fellow shifters in the past.
The Mercy Hills alpha – a kind man named Abel – agrees to take Jason and his father in, but it soon becomes apparent that Abel is not interested in mating with Jason, but instead, Abel’s second-in-command, Mac, might just be the man for the job.
There was no insta-love here, which, again, is rare for a shifter mpreg story, but I liked it. There was an obvious spark between Jason and Mac from the get-go, but both were initially under the assumption that Jason would mate with alpha Abel, so both put their growing feelings aside for what they considered to be the greater good. It seems like this dynamic could have led to an awkward situation, but Abel was such a good man and he very clearly preferred to have his best-friend mate with their packs newest addition over himself, so there was no drama there.
Up until the point that Jason and Mac actually mated (around the halfway mark), I was really enjoying the story and liking all the characters that were being introduced along the way. Unfortunately, it seemed, at least to me, that once they were mated, their relationship progression became non-existent, which was a bit of a shame. There was all the mine/possessive/growly stuff that I do so enjoy, but it wasn’t as exciting or absorbing as I often find these mating dynamics to be.
Although the romance itself wasn't as compelling as I'd hoped, there was an interesting court-room element later on in the story that made up for any romantic shortcomings I felt, wherein Jason and his new pack were legally fighting his old packs claims to his person. It touched on some interesting themes, especially considering the segregation of humans and shifters within this particular shifter world, and then further going on to assess the rights of omegas as equals to their alpha/beta counterparts. I thoroughly enjoyed this particular element of the story and look forward to how it manifests later as the series progresses.
Overall, I warmed to this story and its characters. I liked the writing style (especially for a shifter mpreg story) and I enjoyed the audio narration (by Nick J. Russo), which I listened to on and off as I read along. The ending was a tad abrupt, though, leaving me with questions I hope are answered in the sequels.
October 31, 2016
Good little story that was surprisingly well-written! I went in thinking a bit of fluff...and whilst it is to an extent, there was actually a decent story in there too I thought. I liked the writing style and it was easy to get into, the characters were also likeable enough…although I do think some of it felt a bit rushed.
There was definite insta-lust going on and the length of the book maybe made everything seem a bit rushed towards the end? The final chapter read almost like an Epilogue and considering the events of the chapter before, there were quite a few things left unanswered, so it felt like there was a chapter missing almost… And looking ahead at the next in the series, it's about a different couple, so I don't know if it will provide the info I was looking for, although it might still cover the unexplained elements in the rest of the series. I will likely pick up the next in the series to see what happens.
There was definite insta-lust going on and the length of the book maybe made everything seem a bit rushed towards the end? The final chapter read almost like an Epilogue and considering the events of the chapter before, there were quite a few things left unanswered, so it felt like there was a chapter missing almost… And looking ahead at the next in the series, it's about a different couple, so I don't know if it will provide the info I was looking for, although it might still cover the unexplained elements in the rest of the series. I will likely pick up the next in the series to see what happens.
October 28, 2016
Good little shifter-fluff-with-mpreg-plus-KNOTTING story, now with bonus plot!
August 25, 2017
2.5 stars
A/B/O AU with mpreg, some mentioned knotting, different main character POV, and a HFN.
I found myself off kilter with this from almost the beginning because of the accents in the narration (more on that later) and because of the truly odd, to me, shift between Omega wolf shifter Jason's first person POV to Alpha wolf shifter Mac's third person POV.
I did like the way that the mpreg was handled (don't worry - no ass babies!), and how omega discrimination was set up and there is some interesting world building, but I felt there was more telling than showing too often.
There's no insta-love "true mates" mating, which was a little disappointing, but I enjoyed Mac and Jason's relationship (as far as I was shown *grumbles*).
Factor in that just as the story was getting its legs underneath itself it abruptly ends leaving a plethora of unanswered questions to the point it almost felt like a cliffhanger (it doesn't have a cliffhanger, it just felt like it), and it didn't work for me that well.
I listened to the audiobook and, while I enjoyed Nick J. Russo's narration, I was a little confused why Jason, his father, and his old pack had more southern accents.
They were from Montana, I thought? I have spent time all over Montana and no one sounds like that... at most they have a slight drawl.
That niggle aside the narration was good but I wanted more world building and ultimately was disappointed it failed to answer some of the bigger questions I had: what are the True Omega powers, what happened with the accident, or to Orvin, or to Jason's father, or the timeframe between birth and the epilogue...to name a few.
This was a miss for me overall, but the narration was entertaining, and your mileage may vary.
A/B/O AU with mpreg, some mentioned knotting, different main character POV, and a HFN.
I found myself off kilter with this from almost the beginning because of the accents in the narration (more on that later) and because of the truly odd, to me, shift between Omega wolf shifter Jason's first person POV to Alpha wolf shifter Mac's third person POV.
I did like the way that the mpreg was handled (don't worry - no ass babies!), and how omega discrimination was set up and there is some interesting world building, but I felt there was more telling than showing too often.
There's no insta-love "true mates" mating, which was a little disappointing, but I enjoyed Mac and Jason's relationship (as far as I was shown *grumbles*).
Factor in that just as the story was getting its legs underneath itself it abruptly ends leaving a plethora of unanswered questions to the point it almost felt like a cliffhanger (it doesn't have a cliffhanger, it just felt like it), and it didn't work for me that well.
I listened to the audiobook and, while I enjoyed Nick J. Russo's narration, I was a little confused why Jason, his father, and his old pack had more southern accents.
They were from Montana, I thought? I have spent time all over Montana and no one sounds like that... at most they have a slight drawl.
That niggle aside the narration was good but I wanted more world building and ultimately was disappointed it failed to answer some of the bigger questions I had: what are the True Omega powers, what happened with the accident, or to Orvin, or to Jason's father, or the timeframe between birth and the epilogue...to name a few.
This was a miss for me overall, but the narration was entertaining, and your mileage may vary.
January 2, 2024
I was pretty surprised by this story. A mpreg shifter novella... by an author I'd never heard of (not that that means anything....)? Yeah, I expected an okay-ish story with a lot of smut, flat characters, and a plot that was thinner than a sheet of paper. And I was okay with that. I just wanted to start the year with some good ole omegaverse debauchery and move on.
What I got was a story with very little smut, a plot that actually held my interest, and likable characters that I wouldn't mind following into their own stories. For a novella, I was impressed. Jason and Mac, our shifter MCs, had great chemistry, and I liked them being together. I just wish the story was longer so we could've seen how that relationship grew.
The chapters that focused on Jason were written in the first person POV, while the chapters focused on Mac were in third person. I'm not sure why it was written that way, but it was kind of weird. It didn't take away from my enjoyment... just something I noticed.
My only real complaint had to do with the world building. I got some sense of what the relationship between humans and shifters was like, but i didn't understand how the shifter world worked as a whole. I also didn't understand the biological breakdown of the shifters. There were alphas, betas, omegas, and... gammas? Jason said his father wasn't an alpha or a beta, just an average delta wolf. Was he considered a gamma?
Apparently, you don't have to be an omega to get pregnant, and I would’ve liked to know more about that. Also, it was never explained what power a "True Omega" has. Jason being one was the main reason he and his father were running away from his former pack, so I'm confused as to why it was never fully explained. I'm sure the upcoming books will get more into it, but that last thing really bugged me.
Since I'm not judging this like a full-length novel, I can say that I really liked it. It's a great start to a series with future books that are much longer (though, seriously, why is book 6 over 750 pages? 😨). 4 stars
What I got was a story with very little smut, a plot that actually held my interest, and likable characters that I wouldn't mind following into their own stories. For a novella, I was impressed. Jason and Mac, our shifter MCs, had great chemistry, and I liked them being together. I just wish the story was longer so we could've seen how that relationship grew.
The chapters that focused on Jason were written in the first person POV, while the chapters focused on Mac were in third person. I'm not sure why it was written that way, but it was kind of weird. It didn't take away from my enjoyment... just something I noticed.
My only real complaint had to do with the world building. I got some sense of what the relationship between humans and shifters was like, but i didn't understand how the shifter world worked as a whole. I also didn't understand the biological breakdown of the shifters. There were alphas, betas, omegas, and... gammas? Jason said his father wasn't an alpha or a beta, just an average delta wolf. Was he considered a gamma?
Apparently, you don't have to be an omega to get pregnant, and I would’ve liked to know more about that. Also, it was never explained what power a "True Omega" has. Jason being one was the main reason he and his father were running away from his former pack, so I'm confused as to why it was never fully explained. I'm sure the upcoming books will get more into it, but that last thing really bugged me.
Since I'm not judging this like a full-length novel, I can say that I really liked it. It's a great start to a series with future books that are much longer (though, seriously, why is book 6 over 750 pages? 😨). 4 stars
November 1, 2016
Meh...
Not my favorite MPreg or MM Shifter story. It seemed a bit immature in a way and while I realize Omegas are naturally submissive, I would have liked to have seen Jason in a stronger role. For me, I think the main issue was that I wanted more. More description, more sex, more background story, more of the budding romance between Mac and Jason and also more world-building.
We just got the bare minimum on everything and it felt like it was incomplete. I will not be continuing this series.
On to the next!
August 7, 2017
This review can also be found at https://shansbookshelf.wordpress.com
3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mating The Omega is the first book in the Mercy Hills Pack by Ann-Katrin Bryde. It falls under the genre m/m fantasy romance.
This book was defiantly different not bad different or anything just well .. Different. I can honestly say I've never read anything like it before. Yes it was m/m romance and I've read loads of them and yes it was about wolf shifters; I've also read books with shifters, but no I've never read anything like it before.
What was so different well, it was a Mpreg book. Your probably thinking what the hell is that, because I was and basically it just means that a man can get pregnant. I've looked it up and it says that it's mostly common in shifter books and so since this is a shifter book I get it. This though different to anything I've ever read didn't bother me. Yeah I kept thinking the main character was a girl at times but I got over it.
What bothered me about this book was how perfect everything seemed. Okay I love HEA like the next person; I hate books that don't have them, but this one was very unrealistic. Don't get me wrong the two main characters were great together and I loved them but I wanted more. The storyline lacked the entertainment to keep me interested for long periods of time. I found that I got bored through this book and some parts had me rolling my eyes more than once.
Saying all this the characters were great and I did manage to finish this book. I'm still curious enough to read the next two in the series, which also have higher ratings so maybe it will get better.
Overall, the book had a lot of potential to be better than it was. The ending was cute but like I said very unbelievable. I love the main characters and maybe that's why I wanted more for them. I will be reading Abels book which is next so we will see.
3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mating The Omega is the first book in the Mercy Hills Pack by Ann-Katrin Bryde. It falls under the genre m/m fantasy romance.
This book was defiantly different not bad different or anything just well .. Different. I can honestly say I've never read anything like it before. Yes it was m/m romance and I've read loads of them and yes it was about wolf shifters; I've also read books with shifters, but no I've never read anything like it before.
What was so different well, it was a Mpreg book. Your probably thinking what the hell is that, because I was and basically it just means that a man can get pregnant. I've looked it up and it says that it's mostly common in shifter books and so since this is a shifter book I get it. This though different to anything I've ever read didn't bother me. Yeah I kept thinking the main character was a girl at times but I got over it.
What bothered me about this book was how perfect everything seemed. Okay I love HEA like the next person; I hate books that don't have them, but this one was very unrealistic. Don't get me wrong the two main characters were great together and I loved them but I wanted more. The storyline lacked the entertainment to keep me interested for long periods of time. I found that I got bored through this book and some parts had me rolling my eyes more than once.
Saying all this the characters were great and I did manage to finish this book. I'm still curious enough to read the next two in the series, which also have higher ratings so maybe it will get better.
Overall, the book had a lot of potential to be better than it was. The ending was cute but like I said very unbelievable. I love the main characters and maybe that's why I wanted more for them. I will be reading Abels book which is next so we will see.
November 3, 2016
Jason is an Omega on the run. His father is helping him, but gets injured. So Jason decides it's time to quit running. He offers himself to an Alpha, which he hopes will treat him well. Luckily for him, the Alpha is great. Just not that interested in Jason. The Alpha's Head of Security is interested. But it takes a little push to get them together. I liked the story and immediately continued to the second one. Unfortunately I had to give that one up.
When you read this book it seems like a HEA. But no, in book two the treat of Jason's old pack still hangs over their head. So book one for this couple is actually a HFN instead of a HEA. And I didn't like that. Also book one gave no indication that the judge's sentence would be harsh on the pack finances. But in book two the sentence is impossible and leaves the Alpha with sleepless nights.
So when you read this book as a stand alone (and see it as a HEA), it is nice. But reading it together with book 2 and suddenly there are more worries. And book 2 was boring as fuck. I could not continue. So I don't even know how the story with Jason and Mac ends.
This book should get bonus points for accuracy when it comes to natural behaviour. With lions it is common to kill the mate of the lioness and then kill the cubs, to make sure the lioness comes into heat again. This is also done to the Omega's. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but is is accurate. And also one more thing I didn't really like. This is especially true for book 2.
When you read this book it seems like a HEA. But no, in book two the treat of Jason's old pack still hangs over their head. So book one for this couple is actually a HFN instead of a HEA. And I didn't like that. Also book one gave no indication that the judge's sentence would be harsh on the pack finances. But in book two the sentence is impossible and leaves the Alpha with sleepless nights.
So when you read this book as a stand alone (and see it as a HEA), it is nice. But reading it together with book 2 and suddenly there are more worries. And book 2 was boring as fuck. I could not continue. So I don't even know how the story with Jason and Mac ends.
This book should get bonus points for accuracy when it comes to natural behaviour. With lions it is common to kill the mate of the lioness and then kill the cubs, to make sure the lioness comes into heat again. This is also done to the Omega's. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but is is accurate. And also one more thing I didn't really like. This is especially true for book 2.
October 29, 2016
This was a very interesting read. It had a much deeper meaning than I was expecting. It touches on some serious subjects. To me, how omegas and shifters as a whole were treated is very reminiscent of women's rights and discrimination against people of color. Like I said, much deeper than I was expecting yet very engaging.
March 10, 2021
The story was just okay. It started out good but the tension that was built at the start, with Jason and his father on the run from an abusive alpha and his pack, fizzled out once they got to Mercy Hills. It would have been fine if there was a bit more relationship development between Jason and Mac, as they were sweet together, but I just didn't feel any attachment or investment after the first part of the story.
The world-building was interesting and I liked the set-up for the series going forward. Unfortunately, what should have been a tension-filled dispute between the packs, considering the lengths the Montana pack went through to track them for years and the fact that Jason is supposed to be a rare powerful omega, turned into a last-minute two-paragraph ambush followed by an unsatisfying, abrupt ending. I don't see myself continuing with the series.
The world-building was interesting and I liked the set-up for the series going forward. Unfortunately, what should have been a tension-filled dispute between the packs, considering the lengths the Montana pack went through to track them for years and the fact that Jason is supposed to be a rare powerful omega, turned into a last-minute two-paragraph ambush followed by an unsatisfying, abrupt ending. I don't see myself continuing with the series.
August 6, 2016
Having recently discovered the writings of Ann-Katrin Byrde, it was a no-brainer in my mind to go looking at her backlist. Considering she writes paranormal shifters with mpreg, a favorite genre and trope of mine, I knew I'd find more of her books to enjoy. The description for 'Mating the Omega', her first book in the 'Mercy Hills Pack' series, had me more than intrigued so I was happy to dig in.
Jason and his dad have been on the run from their old pack alpha for six years. Jason is a True Omega, not that he has a clue what that is since he seems to be the only one in existence, and since he was thirteen his former alpha has been trying to mate him, breed him, and use his powers. As far as Jason is concerned, the only powers he has is his ability to nurture and grow things. His mother was killed in the first attack allowing him and his dad to get away, but lately the time between discoveries has been growing steadily shorter and they're tired.
"Living hand to mouth, sleeping in the car, and always looking over our shoulders was hard on him. He’d never entirely recovered from the beating. It worried me, and I’d come to the conclusion that our roving days had to end. But I needed to find the right place to end them."
That's how Jason ends up climbing the wall of the enclave belonging to Alpha Abel Mercy Hills in hopes he can find one fairly decent alpha who won't bother him too much, isn't disgusting, and will get his dad the medical help he needs. The way Jason faces off against Abel and his head of security, Mac, just made me fall even harder for him. Jason stirs feelings in Mac, also, because he sure doesn't behave the way most docile omegas do. I loved Jason's bratty attitude and his generous, caring heart.
It's very obvious in the beginning that the views Jason grew up with in his pack are not necessarily the same for every pack, and Jason is shocked to learn that the Mercy Hills Pack treats their people with respect, even the omegas. In this world where humans know about them but the shifters are kept on a tight leash having to live in enclaves and need papers to come and go, Jason and his father have been running not just from his old pack but the human police also. I was fascinated by the world building as it's a unique take I hadn't seen before. The shifters have curfews, have to wear bright yellow tags on their collars to indicate what they are, and have to go through checkpoints to show their papers… it reminded me of Nazi Germany and the treatment of the Jews before and during World War II.
This was so much more exciting than I ever dreamed it could be. I can't share a whole lot because I don't want to spoil it, but Jason's old pack wasn't about to let him go and I loved the direction the author took the plot in as I'd never even considered it. The pregnancy and birth was done very well although I would have loved to see more of the happy family. Now I'm going to have to jump straight into the next book because this world is addictive!
Jason and his dad have been on the run from their old pack alpha for six years. Jason is a True Omega, not that he has a clue what that is since he seems to be the only one in existence, and since he was thirteen his former alpha has been trying to mate him, breed him, and use his powers. As far as Jason is concerned, the only powers he has is his ability to nurture and grow things. His mother was killed in the first attack allowing him and his dad to get away, but lately the time between discoveries has been growing steadily shorter and they're tired.
"Living hand to mouth, sleeping in the car, and always looking over our shoulders was hard on him. He’d never entirely recovered from the beating. It worried me, and I’d come to the conclusion that our roving days had to end. But I needed to find the right place to end them."
That's how Jason ends up climbing the wall of the enclave belonging to Alpha Abel Mercy Hills in hopes he can find one fairly decent alpha who won't bother him too much, isn't disgusting, and will get his dad the medical help he needs. The way Jason faces off against Abel and his head of security, Mac, just made me fall even harder for him. Jason stirs feelings in Mac, also, because he sure doesn't behave the way most docile omegas do. I loved Jason's bratty attitude and his generous, caring heart.
It's very obvious in the beginning that the views Jason grew up with in his pack are not necessarily the same for every pack, and Jason is shocked to learn that the Mercy Hills Pack treats their people with respect, even the omegas. In this world where humans know about them but the shifters are kept on a tight leash having to live in enclaves and need papers to come and go, Jason and his father have been running not just from his old pack but the human police also. I was fascinated by the world building as it's a unique take I hadn't seen before. The shifters have curfews, have to wear bright yellow tags on their collars to indicate what they are, and have to go through checkpoints to show their papers… it reminded me of Nazi Germany and the treatment of the Jews before and during World War II.
This was so much more exciting than I ever dreamed it could be. I can't share a whole lot because I don't want to spoil it, but Jason's old pack wasn't about to let him go and I loved the direction the author took the plot in as I'd never even considered it. The pregnancy and birth was done very well although I would have loved to see more of the happy family. Now I'm going to have to jump straight into the next book because this world is addictive!
March 30, 2024
It's Howling the movie with the Australian werewolves. Love it
November 5, 2018
Audio Review 23Aug2018: 4 Stars
Bumping up the original rating a bit because I thought Nick J. Russo did a great job with the narration; he is one of those performers that can really make a book come to life. Not that I didn't enjoy it the first time around (see below!), but for some people the auditory sensory input just heightens the experience. I am totally one of those people...provided it is done well. And again, NJR did that really well.
I still feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but given what I know now of the series (how most of the characters show up repeatedly and even if the story is not their story, we get to know how they are faring...if only for a little bit) I'm more inclined to let it go. Still loving this 'verse AKB created.
Original Review 05May2017: 3.8 Stars
Other than an ending that felt both rushed and flat, I really liked this book. I loved the world-building; this is not a typical shifter story with the werewolves on the periphery or hidden completely. Instead, they were treated as second-class non-citizens, cooped up in enclaves, wearing distinctive symbols announcing their status, forced to get permission for travel, not allowed in most public facilities & discriminated in employment, disallowed certain professions while being paid less in jobs trying to earn a living.
That's not even including how horribly females, omegas and True Omegas are viewed & treated within their own communities.
Sounds scarily familiar (for at least 3 different reasons), but I felt it was done in a way that didn't diminish the suffering & struggle of others throughout history.
I'm definitely interested in the next installment...hopefully focusing on Abel.
Bumping up the original rating a bit because I thought Nick J. Russo did a great job with the narration; he is one of those performers that can really make a book come to life. Not that I didn't enjoy it the first time around (see below!), but for some people the auditory sensory input just heightens the experience. I am totally one of those people...provided it is done well. And again, NJR did that really well.
I still feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but given what I know now of the series (how most of the characters show up repeatedly and even if the story is not their story, we get to know how they are faring...if only for a little bit) I'm more inclined to let it go. Still loving this 'verse AKB created.
Original Review 05May2017: 3.8 Stars
Other than an ending that felt both rushed and flat, I really liked this book. I loved the world-building; this is not a typical shifter story with the werewolves on the periphery or hidden completely. Instead, they were treated as second-class non-citizens, cooped up in enclaves, wearing distinctive symbols announcing their status, forced to get permission for travel, not allowed in most public facilities & discriminated in employment, disallowed certain professions while being paid less in jobs trying to earn a living.
That's not even including how horribly females, omegas and True Omegas are viewed & treated within their own communities.
Sounds scarily familiar (for at least 3 different reasons), but I felt it was done in a way that didn't diminish the suffering & struggle of others throughout history.
I'm definitely interested in the next installment...hopefully focusing on Abel.
March 22, 2017
3.5
Another highly readable shifter Alpha/omega story. I've read this basic plot quite a few times--frequently in books I DNF--but somehow this felt fresh and intelligent. Byrde's got a gift for avoiding annoying contrivances, formulas, and lame-ass crap in her shifter stories, which makes her a goddess worthy of worship for us poor addicts. Her stories manage to feel sweet and healthy without being sappy or dumb. She's clearly interested in undermining the usual Big Dominant Alpha, sweet, submissive omega dynamic: her omegas very consciously don't want to get trapped in the cliches of their society. It's a worthy representational goal, just one I don't happen to share, but then I tend to prefer darker fics in my omegaverse. I wouldn't mind more and more complex omegaverse worldbuilding, but again I REALLY like that stuff.
I plan to try the next book in this series, though I was shocked to see it was a gargantuan 130,000 words, which is insane for a shifter romance. I have my doubts that Byrde--or anyone not writing TW fanfic--can sustain an m-preg shifter story for that length, but so far I've had good luck with her stuff so fingers crossed.
Another highly readable shifter Alpha/omega story. I've read this basic plot quite a few times--frequently in books I DNF--but somehow this felt fresh and intelligent. Byrde's got a gift for avoiding annoying contrivances, formulas, and lame-ass crap in her shifter stories, which makes her a goddess worthy of worship for us poor addicts. Her stories manage to feel sweet and healthy without being sappy or dumb. She's clearly interested in undermining the usual Big Dominant Alpha, sweet, submissive omega dynamic: her omegas very consciously don't want to get trapped in the cliches of their society. It's a worthy representational goal, just one I don't happen to share, but then I tend to prefer darker fics in my omegaverse. I wouldn't mind more and more complex omegaverse worldbuilding, but again I REALLY like that stuff.
I plan to try the next book in this series, though I was shocked to see it was a gargantuan 130,000 words, which is insane for a shifter romance. I have my doubts that Byrde--or anyone not writing TW fanfic--can sustain an m-preg shifter story for that length, but so far I've had good luck with her stuff so fingers crossed.
April 17, 2016
This book was a pleasant surprise! I read a lot of m/m mpreg alpha/omega stories (it's like crack, I swear!) but many are not written well. And many are like 15 pages and basically PWP.
I was definitely surprised by the quality and the quantity of story with this, I really loved the characters. There was emotion, romance with some sweet moments and some sexy ones, a real relationship between Jason and Mac, and other characters that I'm interested in reading about, too.
At the same time, I do think that there are some plot points that need to be expanded upon, like the difference between a true omega and a regular one, is there more to Jason needing to have a great garden (I kept thinking that tied into his powers but it was kinda never expanded upon). And I felt like the ending was crazy rushed, which is a bit sad since the pace of the overall story up to that point was just fine.
I'm looking forward to more from this author, more in this series especially!
I was definitely surprised by the quality and the quantity of story with this, I really loved the characters. There was emotion, romance with some sweet moments and some sexy ones, a real relationship between Jason and Mac, and other characters that I'm interested in reading about, too.
At the same time, I do think that there are some plot points that need to be expanded upon, like the difference between a true omega and a regular one, is there more to Jason needing to have a great garden (I kept thinking that tied into his powers but it was kinda never expanded upon). And I felt like the ending was crazy rushed, which is a bit sad since the pace of the overall story up to that point was just fine.
I'm looking forward to more from this author, more in this series especially!
March 16, 2018
This book was interesting enough to keep me listening. So maybe it wasn’t quite a 2 star rating. But, parts dragged. The world building was lacking, although what was there proved interesting. And then it just ended. Oops, no exit here. That left me feeling unfulfilled.
There was one major mating scene with knotting. Other than that, most of the sex was off page. The narration was great, the book, not so much. I don’t think I’ll invest more time in this series.
There was one major mating scene with knotting. Other than that, most of the sex was off page. The narration was great, the book, not so much. I don’t think I’ll invest more time in this series.
May 24, 2016
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. I really enjoyed this one. I liked how their shifter word was a little different. I thought both Jason and Mac were so sweet together. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 8, 2016
I really liked her take on the mpreg genre.
March 8, 2021
Não esperava muito... Acabei me apaixonando pela história apresentada ❤ Tava querendo ler um omegaverse, mas confesso que tenho um pé atrás com esse gênero, pois boa parte dos alfa são criaturas tóxicas além da conta. Para minha surpresa... Eis que conheço Mac que é um alfa maravilhoso! Gostei tbm de Jason que não é um ômega submisso como muitos que conheci em certas histórias, realmente foi um casal agradável de conhecer 🐺❤🐺 Só não dei 5 estrelas porque acho que deveria ter mais 100 páginas ( só para eu curtir mais do Mac, Jason e o baby deles).
January 15, 2022
3 stars
Solid start to the series, but still didn’t fully find out Jason’s power… although you can make an educated guess
Also something about the writing was addictive and I was glued to this story right from the start.
I do feel like there were scenes that faded to black then time jumped in to the next chapter which was annoying. Also this was told in dual POVs, Jason’s was in 1st person while Mac’s was in third which took a minute to get used to.
Overall can’t wait to see where this series goes! Can’t wait to read Abel’s book!
Solid start to the series, but still didn’t fully find out Jason’s power… although you can make an educated guess
Also something about the writing was addictive and I was glued to this story right from the start.
I do feel like there were scenes that faded to black then time jumped in to the next chapter which was annoying. Also this was told in dual POVs, Jason’s was in 1st person while Mac’s was in third which took a minute to get used to.
Overall can’t wait to see where this series goes! Can’t wait to read Abel’s book!
September 25, 2021
5 stars audio
3 low angst feel good stars story
3 low angst feel good stars story
May 17, 2016
Started out well, but the ending felt rushed and... Incomplete?! Yeah, something was off for me.
April 28, 2016
KOLL
M-preg shifters. Not bad, but just okay.
M-preg shifters. Not bad, but just okay.
February 17, 2018
This was a good make your heart happy kind of book. It wasn't too heavy and is a quick cute read.
I thought Jason was adorable.
The ending though I didn't get. It was rushed and had no real ending, I hope this storyline is continued in the next book.
I thought Jason was adorable.
The ending though I didn't get. It was rushed and had no real ending, I hope this storyline is continued in the next book.
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