Moonlight Keeper

Return of the Ashton Grove Werewolves #1

by Jessica Coulter Smith

Broken. Damaged. And nearly without hope.

Aria McFay has suffered at the hands of her uncle and his twisted pack, but she’s not giving up just yet. When she manages to escape, the first place she runs is to Ashton Grove, Georgia, and her childhood friend, Lucas Adams, in hopes the pack will take her in and protect her.

Heartbroken, yet determined.

Seeing Aria again only serves to remind Lucas that he’s known his destined mate since he was ten years old, except Aria never knew, because Lucas didn't feel worthy of her. He’s worked hard to build a life for himself in Ashton Grove, but how can he claim her after everything she’s been through? Even he isn’t that selfish.

What the heart wants…

Aria may be damaged, but she still wants Lucas just as much as she did when they were kids. But the sexy wolf seems determined to keep their relationship as friends only. What will it take to make him see her as something more than his childhood friend? If Aria can’t have Lucas, she doesn’t want anyone.

HEA. No Cliffhanger. No Cheating.

79 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2017

About the author

Jessica Coulter Smith is an acclaimed romance writer with a passion for storytelling. Her works showcase the power of love and its ability to transcend boundaries, capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide. With a unique writing style and perspective, Jessica continues to inspire and entertain readers from all walks of life.

Reviews

[Rebecca Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up Aria was the rabbit shifter princess of her wolf pack. She grew up friends with Lucas and she expected them to be mates one day but then her parents died. Aria went to lived with her uncles pack where she was held captive and was horribly abused for several years. The last straw was when they announced that she was to marry the beta of the pack, a man she hated. She was locked in, starved and they even tried to drug her. Luckily she was able to escape through loose boards in the floor and dig her way out. She ran hoping to find sanctuary at her friend's pack. When she arrived, she found out her friend was dead. One of the alphas asked her what she was running from so she told him of some of the abuses. To her surprise, her old friend Lucas was a member of the pack and he was offering to take care of her. Aria is happy to be with him again but discouraged when Lucas never mentioned that they were mates.

Lucas has known he and Aria were mates since they were teens. He felt unworthy of the rabbit princess and wanted prove his worth. While he was gone, she moved to her uncle's pack and he thought he had lost his chance with his mate. Lucas is thrilled when Aria comes asking for sanctuary with his new pack. He will do anything to protect her now and he is furious about how her uncle has trerated her. He wants to claim Aria as his but he is afraid that her abuse will make her cautious of mating anyone.

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

[Ilse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Ashton Grove series about shifters. Aria escapes her abusive Uncle Remus and his pack. She flees to Ashton Grove, Georgia where she has been communicating with another shifter, Amber, that the pack had taken in. She also knows a member of the pack, Lucas, because she went to school with him. They had been childhood friends. Lucas left and went to Ashton Grove to become a better man. He knows Aria is his mate and he doesn't feel that he was worthy of her. Will the pack take Aria in? Will Lucas finally confess his feelings? Only reading the book will reveal the answers.

A short story that is a fast, entertaining read.

[Mollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Susan Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

More supernatural beings in Ashton Grove, great read