Bound to You

Bound to You #1

by Alyssa Brandon

A stubborn teen faces off with her brooding, indifferent (but super hot) soulmate in this unique and sexy take on a classic paranormal romance story.

She's met her mate . . . and he's met his match.

Megan Ross has been waiting her whole life for her mate to come and sweep her off her feet. But the wolf she meets on the beach is NOT the sweet gentle boy she's been dreaming of. Instead, he's a warrior, one whose suffering has led him to lock his heart away in a prison as cold and hard as a diamond, who fights to resist the bond and their deep attraction.

Far from home, with a soulmate who is still a stranger, Megan learns that the path to true love isn't quite as straight and easy as she thought . . .

Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, Alyssa Brandon’s debut novel Bound to You is guaranteed to make readers swoon, sigh, and maybe even cry before it's over.

Praise for Bound to You:

"When alpha werewolf Megan meets her one true mate, alpha warrior James, she inherits more than she anticipates—his dysfunctional pack, moodiness, and dangerous secrets. . . . Megan's wry voice makes her likable. . . . The writing will draw teens into this quick, enjoyable read." —School Library Journal

Praise for Bound to You from the Swoon Reads community:

“Holy hotness! I love Megan for being a spitfire and there are no words for James and his, well, everything. . . . Loved it.” —Gabby Benson, reader on Swoon Reads.com

“To put it simply I was hooked. One of the best werewolf stories I've read.” —Cinda Edana, reader on SwoonReads.com

“It is so totally swoonworthy. And James was just plain sexy. I want one of him.” —E.E. Annavas, reader on SwoonReads.com

“This book had me laughing, crying, and swooning a lot!” —Ronda Rigdon, reader on SwoonReads.com

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, Young Adult, New Adult, Supernatural

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2013

About the author

I'm a Wattpad author, book lover, university student and dog owner. My big passion is urban fantasy but I enjoy a good romance or thriller just as much. My love for writing and story-telling came to me early and I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t thinking up stories.

As well as winning the Watty Award 2013 (Werewolf)I was named one of Wattpad’s most followed people and The Hard Mate [Original Version] one of Wattpad's most-read Paranormal stories 2013.

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Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care that I've read this four months early or that the Goodreads rating is 3.3 stars (before I added my 5-star rating). I LOVED THIS BOOK.


***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Bound to You by Alyssa Brandon
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Publication Date: April 10, 2018
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A teen werewolf finally meets her destined soulmate only to discover that he's not quite what she expected in this steamy debut romance.

She's met her mate . . . and he's met his match.

Megan Ross has been waiting her whole life for her mate to come and sweep her off her feet. But the wolf she meets on the beach is NOT the sweet gentle boy she's been dreaming of. Instead, he's a warrior, one whose suffering has led him to lock his heart away in a prison as cold and hard as a diamond, who fights to resist the bond and their deep sexual attraction.

Far from home, with a soulmate who is still a stranger, Megan learns that the path to true love isn't quite as straight and easy as she thought . . .

What I Liked:

Typically I don't read review books four months in advance, because I always want to put out a review within one or two days - and typically publishers want to see reviews a month before publication. But I couldn't wait, with this book. I received it unsolicited from the publisher and I hadn't known much about it before picking it up. For some reason, I wanted to read a paranormal romance novel, and I dug this one out on a whim. It was a great decision because I ended up loving this book!

This novel is set in modern times but with a twist - werewolves exist! Megan is an alpha werewolf who is trying to find her alpha mate. She has been looking for two years but to no avail. On her eighteenth birthday, at her party where all of the eligible werewolves in the area were invited, she meets her mate - James. But James is none too thrilled to finally have a wait. He is a warrior wolf, different from Megan and her father/her father's clan, and he lives far away near Quebec. Megan has always wanted a mate, and she has always wanted someone to love her like no one else exists. But James isn't the Prince Charming she was expecting. She is far from home and living with a stranger - can she find love? Or is she destined to be mated but never loved?

I never used to be a fan of werewolf paranormal fiction but maybe it has been so long since I read one. I found this one to be wonderful! There are werewolf customs and traditions and rules that are included in the story, and the werewolf world and setup made sense to me. I had no problems with this werewolf story (in terms of the werewolf aspect)!

A disclaimer of a sort: this book is 100% paranormal romance, emphasis on the romance bit. If you don't want to read a story heavily focused on romance, pass on this one! I love PNR and I was in love with how much romance there was in this book (i.e. how much of the story was focused primarily on the romance). One of the complaints I always have with Swoon Reads books is that they are never actually swoony - but this book certainly is!

I get ahead of myself though; I'll talk about the romance in a few paragraphs. I always start with the characters. I adored Megan; she is sweet and kind, and a little naive, but she grows into her strength and stubbornness. She is an alpha but not an aggressive or violent one, though she forges her own path and sticks to her ground. I personally loved that she knew exactly what she wanted (a mate - someone to love her). Some might say that this is backwards and/or old-fashioned, but I thought this was lovely. She clearly knew what was best for her and had good reason to make the decisions that she did, regarding leaving home and going with James. It wasn't just tradition for her.

I also really liked James. He came across as a rude, cold jerk, but it was obvious from the start that he had baggage and was putting on a front. I'm not excusing his cold behavior but it was something that, for me, intrigued me and made me want to puzzle him out. He is a good guy, with a selfless and noble streak, and he was always a gentleman with Megan. He just wasn't always the nicest guy. But I loved his dominant, protective personality against her sweet and stubborn personality.

There were a number of secondary characters that I really liked! My favorite is probably Lucy, an elusive young girl living in James's castle. She becomes a friend to Megan, and Megan really needed that. I also liked James's pack, especially Tommy (who also becomes a friend to Megan). And James's father was a fun one.

The romance! I loved the romance. It's a hate-to-love, enemies-to-lovers, "arranged marriage" type of romance. Personally? I love these two tropes. It's not technically an arranged marriage since they didn't get married, but they are fated mates and they secured the bond in several different ways as the story went on, so you know what I mean. I loved the tropes of the romance. I also loved the slow-burn, sexy chemistry of the romance. James and Megan were throwing off some serious heat! They both really wanted each other, but were holding back for personal reasons. But that led to a lot of push and pull, and a lot of "almost" scenes. The chemistry was super hot!

And when there were finally some physical chemistry manifesting on the page... let me just say that this has to be the swooniest and steamiest Swoon Reads book I've read yet. I'm NOT saying this is an R rated book! The author has written everything in such a way that things are vague! But everything that can be inferred by what isn't written is some steamy stuff. Take my word for it!

No love triangle! I promise there is no love triangle or square or harboring feelings or weirdness with the best friends or anything of the sort. No external drama of any sort. As soon as James and Megan meet (which is within the first few pages), it's over for them - meaning, there is no chance of anyone else walking into the picture. They have a lot of chemistry, and a lot of curiosity for each other. And their bond is strong from the start, even with their hate-to-love relationship happening.

The story isn't just a romance, though the romance is huge. There are other conflicts, like Megan adjusting to life far away from home, and conflicts with wraiths attacking werewolves. I won't give too much away but I will say that I liked the other subplots that weren't primarily about the romance. I was never bored while reading this book - in fact, I practically flew through this book!

The ending is very satisfying! I wouldn't mind an epilogue or a check-in of some sort in the future, but I was really happy with the ending. It seems like this is a standalone novel which works for me!

What I Did Not Like:

I don't have anything specific that comes to mind! Maybe a little bit more with Lucy and her future, and a broader resolution to the wraith conflict, but honestly I wasn't too bothered by these things!

Would I Recommend It:

If you like YA paranormal romance, definitely give this book a chance. You might be like me and not really into werewolf books; but trust me, this book was fantastic. The romance is so steamy and swoony and you will fall in love with James and Megan falling in love! This book is steamy but definitely still teen-appropriate.

Rating:

5 stars. I rarely give out this rating but this book made me so happy and I had so few complaints. Everything about this book worked for me - characters/character development, romance, chemistry, story, secondary characters, writing. I wouldn't mind seeing a companion novel in the horizon! Even a direct sequel wouldn't be bad, but I kind of like this book as a standalone, as it is. In any case, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be rereading it!

[Sophie "Beware Of The Reader" · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

I've been given an ARC by the publisher but it has no influence on my willing and always honest review

Bound to You was an enjoyable and easy to read story. It holds many potential but it was also frustrating sometimes.

Let's begin with the positive

The concept was refreshing.
No insta love when you find your mate. There is the bond you can feel it but it could have been titled The Reluctant Alpha! James did everything he could to avoid the bond. He avoided Megan like the plague.
On the other hand being the big bad alpha he wanted his mate in his territory!
It was all "chase me, chase me not".



Far from the usual werewolf trope. And I truly loved this! It was a nice change from the insta love you can find in other shifter books. I love them but was really delighted to find something a little bit harder in this novel.

The universe was original
The concept of warrior wolves with special abilities and purpose (not saying more) was interesting.

The side characters with distinct personalities helped to flesh out the story and gave a small community feel.

 

Now what I missed to give it 4 stars or more

My biggest issue was with Megan. She was quite immature.






Of course she is only 18 but she was quite gullible with pink ideas about love and mating bond. I know this also was the purpose of the story: opposing jaded and reluctant James to loving and bubbly Megan but it did not work for me. I wanted more depth and nuances in Megan. That said I know she will win other readers hearts as she is sweet and wants so much to be loved, to come first in someone else's priorities.

Dig deeper.
James had a traumatic past. What could have been a reason to amp up the angst, to add to the folklore explaining some magic has been barely brushed. We remain on the surface instead of diving in.

This story is also the epitome of how unecessary drama could be avoided with a good talk. But of course you have to be willing to talk what closed off James was not. Megan faced an impossible task!

 

Now all that frustrated me could very well overjoy you! I have friends blossoming with stories filled with misunderstanding and heroine having to grow up. It's just not my prefered reads. As my issues might not be yours give a chance to this story if you think this could be your cup of tea.

Last parting words: I thank the publisher for his trust giving me this book. It takes courage and a great amount of work to write and publish a story, never forget this.
Have you read it? Loved it?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie

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[Karlita | Tale Out Loud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The happily ever after isn’t a destination…Life isn’t a fairy tale. You don’t go through trials and everything works out perfectly. Life is hard and messy. All the time.

Omega wolves usually found their mate at sixteen and it happened around the time for most female alpha wolves. However, Megan Ross has not found hers yet. On her eighteenth birthday, her father, the Alpha of Alphas, threw a party where every wolf pack on the East Coast were invited. When a surge of magic and bond were connected, she finally met the wolf mate she has waiting for but sadly, not the fairy tale like she had always imagined.

Warrior wolf like James Sandleholm is a fierce class of wolves who once protected their race against wraiths. Having a troubled past, he didn’t expect that he will find a mate in Megan. As he realized that Megan was his mate, after all, he decided that not completing the mate bond would let him do what he always did and still be in control with his emotions.

Being taken away from her family and making Megan live in an empty floor castle, what James only did even from their first meeting was to ignore her, being rude and down-right mean. She didn’t know why he was so cold and distant towards her even with her attempts to get his attention for her to know him better. But is it too late for James to let her in?

Megan’s character from the beginning of the story was obviously naïve and her views on love were clearly all about hearts and flowers or the ones that only ended like those in the fairy tales. She badly wanted someone to love and love her back, an alpha wolf that would always be the knight and shining armor of her dreams. Because she was never anyone’s first priority and even being a part of a big family where her parents didn’t pay her attention, she felt alone and alienated. So she navigated for love from other people, her mate. So, I get why she thought finding James would change that.

James, on the other hand, was the typical alpha male character (that went on and on from other romance stories I read) who was detached, mean and insist to resist because, yeah! He has baggage — the ones who don’t want to show weakness and losing control. He knew he wanted Megan not just because his wolf did, but because he really likes her. What made him different though was if Megan was all expectations, James was more like reality.

Because of the damage his past done to him, he fear that everything that has something to do with magic, of being a warrior wolf, was forced and could consume him, when all he wanted was just to fall in love like a normal guy in a normal way without the magic of being a wolf. Not like Megan who found her one true mate by being bound from magic, which was like love at first sights, rushed and instant. She was trying to make James become what she perceived a mate would be like since she was young — expectations versus reality.

It has been a long time since I read a book about werewolves with a setting like Sandleholm Manor, a castle taken straight from the set of Dracula movies; funny that Dracula and werewolves were mythological enemies and it was good that there were no vampires mentioned as it will be another Twilight-like story again. The flow of the story and the character dynamics between the two main with pent up sexual tension (which was more like New Adult-ish than YA to me) was actually good. But there are some important potential plot points that were not clearly developed.

It was mentioned that there’s a Peace Treaty going on with the wolf packs and most of them don’t know the still existence of wraiths, Dementor like creatures with claws and glowing eyes who were fed by wolves' energy, magic, and spirit. Only the alphas and warrior wolves knew about them and I waited that somehow there was an involvement or some kind of werewolf action that could happen within the story.

But even the minor characters who were part of James' pack felt like they just pop into the scenery whenever it’s convenient and just went along with their lives patrolling or killing wraiths without even having a real connection or making the story more interesting. Robin, Tommy and James father, Tryst, however, may have played essential roles in the overall plot; I think it was related majorly on how Megan and James realized the bond between them.

While there was a buildup to something like Lucy being hewdevi, the author leaves her character unexplored and even before the story ended, she became a mystery — what had she has to do with wraiths? I expected that she would be a turning point into something bigger having a heavy impact on the storyline. Unfortunately, it never came close to some kind of grand revelation like the one I thought. Unless maybe the author would decide to make a sequel for this even if the ending sounds like it's impossible? That, I still have to know.

Altogether, I still enjoyed and like the story. Alyssa Brandon was able to highlight the difference between the expectations we have on love and what is in it as a reality on a fast-paced roll which I would still recommend if you like to read something about werewolves.

***Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Children’s Publishing Group - Swoon Reads, Xpresso Book Tours and Alyssa Brandon for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Full Review - Tale Out Loud | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

[Nicolette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Hbiba · Rating 1 out of 5]

One star for the gorgeous cover. 🌟

[Marta :} · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thanks to Macmillan US for providing me with this copy of Bound to You, this hadn’t affected my review or rating in any way.
You can also find my review on my blog, here
I was looking forward to reading this book, I really hoped it was going to be a five star because it started out very well and the pacing was perfect, but some things just didn’t work for me.

I still think the book was lots of fun, I enjoyed most of it and I’m sure many of you will love Bound to You.

POSITIVE THINGS
There was a lot of angst and (sexual) tension in this one, I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of angst and this book gave me a lot of it. And also lots of steamy moments. I’ve actually seen many people wonder if it’s okay to categorize this book as young adult since it has some more mature themes, but I think it’s okaay. It’s high time we stop thinking sex is such a scandalous thing (let’s make it clear : there are no graphic scenes, there are just some make-out sessions).
The secondary characters were amazing, James’ pack was absolutely great, I liked them a lot, especially Tommy and Lucy. I would have loved to see more of them!
I actually really liked the writing as it was very flowing and the story had a good pace, I’ve read it quite fast, it was enjoyable, but had a kind of a guilty-pleasure vibe for me.
I related a lot to James, which was weird because he’s this misunderstood asshole – I usually hate this trope, but in this situation I understood him completely. The whole story is based on a mate-bond – werewolves feel the connection with their mate as soon as they meet them, it’s a magical kind of thing. Well, James was not liking this very much because he wanted to fall in love voluntary, without the magic part that makes him fall in love, and I thought that was pretty normal. I mean, if I were a werewolf and this mate bond thing happened to me, I would still have wanted to get to know my mate very well and fall in love with him on my accord before acting on my feelings that were magically caused.
But that wasn’t what Megan, our main character, thought for more than a huge part of this book, which brings me to things I didn’t like…

NEGATIVE THINGS
Megan was so immature, at times. I know it was supposed to be her character flaw because it was pointed out by other characters too, but it was too much sometimes. Whenever James and her had a conflict, she would run away in a very dramatic manner (too!) instead of sorting things out and it was annoying especially since she always complained about how bad James is at communicating.
BUT I could totally forgive these things because James did some very idiotic things too, I just got very tired of how much Megan considered having a mate an absolute necessity. It was all she ever thought about – how to make James like her, how to stop him from hating her and so on – and when her best friend pointed out that she’s too desperate and should find a hobby, she spends some time with other people, but still can’t stop thinking about James.

I’m glad that it was acknowledged in the end how superficial her view of the whole mate bond thing was because I always got the feeling that she was only infatuated with James and didn’t have any real feelings for him in the beginning even though she was very clingy and kept pestering James to have sex with her in order complete the mate bond.

All in all, Bound to You was an enjoyable read, I think it would be perfect for paranormal romance fans who prefer stories focused on characters and relationships instead of plot-focused stories.

[Nouha Aouine · Rating 1 out of 5]

why did I even.. :')

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Review on Smada's Book Smack**
Megan has dreamed about the day she would find her mate and be swept away by romance, love and perfect happiness. What she never expected was to meet her mate and he has no desire at all to be bound to anyone. Her dreams are immediately smashed and instead she is left with a silent, broody mate James who whisks her away to the middle of nowhere Canada and promptly forgets she exists. Megan has no idea what to do with her mate, her new pack, her current living situation…heck, even her life. But there is more to James than she knows, a past that may stop them from having a chance at a future. ​

Sigh, I just love werewolf romance stories, they are just the best! There is just something about the mate bond (kinda sorta like a soulmate) that I love, two people who have maybe never met before getting an instant connection- they may not know each other, heck they may not even like each other, but there is a draw and ultimately they are absolutely perfect for each other. Bound To You is a perfect example of this concept, two completely opposite perfect strangers that end up being just what the other needed. It’s just so dreamy. And sure some people complain about “insta-love” in books, but I would never say that is how the mate bond works- heck, there doesn’t even have to be love ever in a mate bond, but it is a connection that can’t be denied. These are the only stories I am ok with some sort of instant connection between characters- they just can’t help it and I eat it up.

Yes this book is a romance (way more NA than YA due to the content of the steaminess and casual sexual mentions FYI), I really don’t think it could be classified as anything else, but there were some really great action and paranormal scenes added for flavor and to help with character development. James just so happens to be a very rare Warrior Wolf who’s purpose in life (afterlife? I am not 100% sure the wraiths are actually alive) happens to be to hunt down the wraith creatures that prey on werewolves- werewolves who think wraiths don’t exist. It was really cool, and very unique, seeing them battle and the origins of the creatures. I would love to learn more about this entire world.

That brings me to another point- this story feels like it is a standalone based on the ending, which was satisfactory to me- I could be finished with this world and the characters, but I don’t want to be! I want more story, be it with Megan and James, or interesting Lucy, any of the guys in the pack (like Robin!) or even some follow-up with her best friend (she has some hesitation in her relationship it feels). I would love it if Alyssa made this a series (hint, hint) with more on how things go for Megan later on.

I really enjoyed this paranormal romance! It was a fast, engaging read that I blew through one night (when I was supposed to be sleeping, but who needs sleep when they can book!) This was my first book by Alyssa and I look forward to what comes next.

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.

[Sascha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before this review, I have made it a point to indicate that many novels are: your-mileage-may-vary (YMMV), meaning that the novels are well written and appeal to many readers, it just so happens that I am not in that particular target audience. And this is more than fine because there is always going to be some reader who is touched by a writer’s work.

Bound to You, which has had a lot of success on Wattpad, is a YMMV for me. The character of Megan the werewolf dreams of being mated and having someone love her just for her. She comes across as very young and sometimes ditzy. Imagine Clueless meets the Twilight wolves.

Her inner wolf chooses James, who is tough and very old, although he appears to be about 23. James belongs to a special type of warrior wolf sect who continue to live until their pack dies out. These warrior wolves battle wraiths, which can be dangerous and deadly.

There are some page-turning action scenes and some humorous situations.

I would recommend Bound to You to readers in their late teens who may empathize more with Megan’s thoughts and struggles than us older readers can. The novel does include sex so may not be suitable for younger teens.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[✩₊⋆☾⋆ r a c h e l ⋆˖⁺₊✧⋆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remember seeing the cover of this book and the description and squealing in delight months ago because I have been looking for a good werewolf teen romance for a long time. Well unfortunately, this was a very disappointing read for me. Everything that I love about the paranormal genera was just not found here. There was no action, no deep turmoil, no intense villain or monsters. This was the kid glove version of werewolves.



Actually, this book is not really about werewolves. If anything, this book was more about two teens learning about love with the werewolf mythology in the mix but still taking an overall backseat. The elements are there with bonding to a mate and turning into a werewolf, but all the drama was mainly centered around James pushing Megan away. I kept thinking of the song by Katy Perry Hot N Cold. By the way, it is never good when a reader is writing a review and can’t even remember the names of the main characters and has to look them up. It was that unrememberable for me. There was nothing about this book that I liked.



Megan would constantly talk about how hot James was. Even when it made no sense for her to be thinking about that in times of trouble or when she was upset.



And even after reading this, I still don’t fully get why the plot needed to completely surround the fact James was afraid to bond with her. It made for a weak plot. I think it would have been more effective if the mating was more a part of the story but not the whole story. There was hardly any action in this book. How can you have a werewolf story with two small scenes of action?



Also the scenes that had action had a weak adversary. Wraiths. Now that sounds exciting I’m sure, but they don’t seem to really do anything that scary or have any real purpose to the overall plot other then giving the werewolves something to say they fight against. I think if their role had been stronger and there had been more world building with them, then the drama with James and Megan would have been more balanced out and we could have gotten some more action pact romancey goodness. By the way, this is labeled as a Young Adult novel but it does have a pretty descriptive sex scene in here. So for me this is more a New Adult novel then a YA. But tomayto, tomahto I guess.



This book is not bad but it is just not for me and not what I was looking for. I found it a bit cheesy and kept waiting and wanting something more. I can’t give this a higher rating because I am not only disappointed but I was bored and for the first time ever had to finish a book listening to the audiobook because I could not muster up the energy to finish it otherwise. It was either that or DFNing it so audiobook it was. If you like more contemporary romance but want a small element of paranormal, this maybe that book. But if you are like me and want the full paranormal experience and world building this may not be for you.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

Bound to You is a young adult paranormal romance by Alyssa Brandon. Bound to You is the first book in a new series about Werewolves (at least I hope so!). Now, let's just get this out of the way up front. I have been pretty burnt out on wolves for a while now. I have always enjoyed a good werewolf story, but after seeing countless dozen iterations of the same thing, I got a little bored. So I haven't really read too many young adult novels featuring werewolves in the past couple of years. Sure, there have been some of my favorite series in the past have been about werewolves, but I have not found any novels in the past 2 or 3 years that have grabbed my attention. In fact, almost all I have read were either DNF or under 3 stars. Until Bound to You. Holy cow, I loved this book. I really loved this book. I read it in one sitting and I stayed up until about 3 am reading Bound to You. On a work night. A work night people! That is unheard of for me. But this book was so flippin' good, I just had to keep going. It cast a spell over me. And I am so happy to say, it is the best werewolf paranormal romance I have read in years!

I love a story featuring a mate, especially a reluctant mate. It provides for the best kind of slow burn romance. Bound to You is told in dual narrative between Megan and James, with a heavier emphasis on Megan's point of view. Megan is super excited to have finally found her mate, and James is ...less excited. James is a warrior werewolf and he leads a very different life than Megan is used to. Honestly, the whole idea of Warrior werewolves and wraiths was a really welcome, and really interesting addition to the storyline. In fact, it is because of this storyline that I am hoping we get to see more books in this series. I feel like there is still so much more to explore in that aspect of the world. I really enjoyed Alyssa Brandon's take on the werewolf. She really did a great job fleshing out the community and the customs and the duties, especially of the warrior class. 

And then she did a fantastic job incorporating a really swoony romance. The romance is upper YA, maybe even New Adult, so I would be aware of that for younger readers. I loved the romance. The tension between Megan and James was both front and center to the storyline and secondary to other plot aspects when it needed to be, but it was fantastic. It is a big part of what kept me flipping pages late into the night. I cannot recommended this book enough. Whether you are a big fan of werewolf romances or if you are a little over the idea- give Bound to You a try. It is one of my favorite reads of 2018 and hands down the best werewolf paranormal romance I have read in years. I can't wait for more from author Alyssa Brandon. 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen year old Megan Ross has been eagerly anticipating meeting her mate. Her father is one of the most powerful Alpha of Alphas and she's something like a wolf shifter princess. Most shifters find their mates by the time they're sixteen and she's really hoping to meet hers, her Prince Charming, at her birthday party. Well that dream comes true. He is there. They do meet. However, that's where her dreams and reality start to diverge!

He's a warrior wolf and he obviously really doesn't want to be her mate. He's cold, uncommunicative and his first move after their mating is announced is to take her to his home - a castle like home in Canada, miles away from her family and friends! He has secrets he's not willing to share, a mate he is desperate not to bond with and his pack is like nothing she's ever encountered before. This shifter princess is not in for the fairy tale romance she's always dreamed of!

This is a  brilliant paranormal romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The contrast in Megan's expectations and reality are dramatic but I loved reading how she matured in this story. Much of the story is about the sexual tension between the couple, fitting into unfamiliar situations, developing relationships and learning to love. It is a well crafted story and different take on shifter romances. I really hope it will be the first in a series as I'd like to read more about the Warrior pack and their fight to protect the other shifters!

I requested and was lucky enough to be given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

[DEVIL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm slightly disappointed in myself for not recognizing the first time I read this that it was published from Wattpad (not a bad thing since I love Wattpad, but yk what I mean).

Werewolf/mate books are always such a comfort book for me so this was unsurprisingly entertaining and easy for me to read. The writing wasn't difficult at all to understand, but I do wish that some things in the book went further into detail (like Lucy and her background, a possible mate bond between her and Tommy, etc.)

But regardless it was super fun to read and I loved all of the warrior wolves (what a shocker).

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read the Hard Mate on Swoon after it was announced as a selected title. It was difficult to read to completion because it was riddled with typos and grammatical errors; as such I was constantly being pulled out out of the story-world because they were so distracting. I accept that most works on sites like Swoon or Wattpad are bound to have errors, but (and I am not exaggerating) almost every paragraph had at least one mistake. Some examples of the mistakes are, "eclectic fence"; "I wanted to be made love ot"; "I finished backing"; and "he ate tacos like tick tacks". Considering that this novel was originally up on Wattpad I am disappointed that the author did not spend more time correcting obvious mistakes before posting it to Swoon.

The relationship between the main character and her partner were also problematic for me. Megan has just turned sixteen and James, the man destined to be her partner, looks more than ten years older than her (and in actuality is 200 years old.) Not only is that completely inappropriate, but he also says rapey things to her like he wants to tie her up so she can't run away from him while he "takes" her. Overall, he's just a real jerk. Then, as if the whole scenario wasn't bad enough, the first time they're intimate is after the funeral of James' beta wolf.



I have to admit that I'm shocked Swoon picked this book because it seems to go against all of the "advice" they've been posting in their blogs. I would not recommend this book to my friends, and wish I could have the two hours of my life back that I spent reading it.

[Keertana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of elements of older, more classic paranormal YA tropes but actually done well. Megan, our protagonist, finds her mate at her 18th birthday party and moves to Canada to live with him and his pack. But of course there's a mystery behind his unwillingness to let her close and an even larger mystery behind the pack itself. I thought this story was incredibly entertaining and the romance was done really well, but the ending left a lot unresolved in terms of the larger plot, which I felt unsatisfied by. The writing was also just alright and while I felt like this story had so many interesting and honestly unique elements, I really needed them to be fleshed out more. As someone who requires detailed world-building in their novels, this didn't quite deliver. Still, recommended and I'll be watching to see if this author writes a sequel or companion novel, hopefully soon!

[Candace · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, let me just say I’m angry at myself for even reading this whole book. The writing was horrendous and the storyline was terrible. I mean… awful. And the “spice,” if you want to call it that, was not even a consolation prize. That was also trash. I read this book with a scowl on my face and my eyes rolled the entire time. I only continued reading because I already wasted my time on the first 90 pages (hoping it would get better) and I was determined to make this book count for something. My reading goal.

[Riddhi Mazumder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover looks gorgeous AF! April 2018 is still so far away.I'll pass out.I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.
I can only hope it is as beautiful as the cover.




Fingers-crossed!

[Rachel's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come. It was ok! Had some pros but definitely had some cons. So... 3.5 from me. I def have some werewolf recs before this one. But not the worst either.

[Ally Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m giving this book 4 Stars because I enjoyed the story, it was a fun werewolf ya-romance, and I would read more books by this author especially if it turns into a series! I really hope it does! There are so many fantastic stories she could tell, and even have some prequels that could venture into a historical paranormal romance genre! That would make me very happy!!

With that being said when it comes to character and plot development, at this point, and the writing style it should get 3 stars. It’s target audience is probably ya/na cusp. I feel there is a lot of amazing potential!

As a thirty something I wish the author would have just pushed the content into romance level maturity since it naturally flowed there. Combine that with characters delving into deeper feelings, and the reading experience would completely be upgraded.
It has some brief sexual content, occasional language, and some violence.

I cannot wait to read more! Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-4.5. I liked this one a lot.

This is a YA werewolf PNR but it doesn’t follow the typical - beautiful but she doesn’t know it girl moves to a new town and and falls in love with a super natural creature she didn’t know existed before etc. - plot of that genre. Instead Megan is a werewolf and had grown up in a family and pack. The book begins at her 18th birthday party when she hopes that among all the young eligible werewolf guests, she will find her mate. And she does find him there! But he’s not anything like she expected. James is brooding and angry and less than thrilled to now be mates - despite his Wolf’s eagerness about it. He is a warrior wolf living with his pack in Canada and he takes her there right away. Life with this new pack isn’t what Megan expected but she’s determined to make the best of it and win James over. I liked Megan and could sympathize so much with her excitement about being mated and confusion over James’ seeming indifference to it. But there’s a lot going on below the surface and as Megan - and we - slowly gets to know him, she begins to understand why he is the way he is. At the core of this book is a love story. A very swoony hate to love romance (well on James’ part it seems that way). I like the way this is set up, with these two being bound right away and having to figure out how to be together. And he message that every relationship takes work and care, even if you’re perfect mates.

My only downgrade of this book is that I wanted more at the end! Also we are introduced to James’ packmates as well as the mysterious Lucy, all of whom I adored and wanted to read more about, but some of those story threads (especially involving Lucy) were introduced and left wide open. As was lots of questions about wraiths. Hopefully that means the author has some companion sequels planned!

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: stand-alone? (Seems to set-up for a series)

[Stephanie Phillips (Stephanie's Book Reports) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is the debut novel by Alyssa Brandon. I enjoyed the overall story. There were a few issues I had with the book itself. I thought there was a few holes in the book that maybe the author might close if there are more stories coming later? I'm not sure if there will be.

Anyway. The writing and the story flows pretty well. The story focuses on Magan and James and their mating bond. She want's to consummate it he doesn't. There are many reasons on both sides. Their lack of communication brought on some difficult moments for the two during their story.

Overall, if you like werewolf stories, I'd say give it a try. Just know there's some pieces you might get stuck on like I did and would love some more answers about a few things in the story. Hopefully there will be more to come with this band of warrior wolves!

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Galley provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Ok so this book is all about the sexual tension, and lemme tell you. I loved every second of it. I was definitely confused about the "young adult" label that got slapped on this book. It's all about mating... which is distinctly "adult" in my mind. I would categorize it more as a "new adult" title. But I digress.

The werewolf lore involved in this story was familiar but not worn out. I like the Gothic idea of a towering mansion in the mountains, where a wayward band of warrior werewolves live. There's romance in that alone. I also liked the heroine. She's got spunk and tbh it's nice to see a female character who says she knows about cars and actually knows about cars.

I know that this will probably (hopefully?) be a series, and I can't wait to read the next.

[Jennifer Speas]

I'm struggling so hard to get invested and care about at least one of the characters, but I've lost my steam at 26%. I just can not with this one. I hate when I have to DNF. 😞

*Thank you to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for allowing me the opportunity to read and read.*

[Forever Young Adult]

Graded By: Stephanie
Cover Story: Hand Modeling
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 2
Talky Talk: Uninspired
Factor: Werewolves
Relationship Status: Rooting For The Random Neighbor

Read the full book report here.

[Dani (Dani Reviews Things) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long while since I read a werewolf book. This particular one scratched a very particular itch: a hate-to-love story with a grumpy hero and a sassy heroine who keeps pushing his buttons. And yes, yes, there is obviously some alpha male stuff going on, especially with what I can only describe as kidnapping, but Megan learns to give as good as she gets. Also, yeah, it's a nice guilty fantasy of mine, so while I appreciated some things would be problematic in the real world, I'm going to use It's a Werewolf Thing as an excuse for how much I enjoyed Bound to You.

I loved the fact that James was none too pleased about the bond. It was a refreshing and rather funny take on the whole mating thing. Why do I like grumpy leads so much? I honestly don't in real life. If the Boyf gets grumpy IRL and won't tell me why, I just get frustrated and go to another room to read. But the dark and broody men in stories always get me going, and James was no exception. The tension between him and Megan was deliciously annoying, making the inevitable break in his control so much better. Swoon. And guys, there was the classic training together scene, getting all physical and sweaty together. My kryptonite.

I also loved how Megan could be both young and naive at times, while also being a force for change. It's why teens and young adults are amazing; they're idealistic and have the drive to make things happen. Megan's induction into the pack set off a slew of much-needed change, both in bringing the pack into the right century, and in bringing the pack closer together. (By the way, I'd love to have a pack. It seriously sucks that my family is so far away.)

This has been categorised as YA, but I'd say it's very much in that crossover territory. For a start, the heroine is 18, and the hero is older. I won't say how much so, but it definitely gave off Twilighty vibes, except at least in Twilight, Edward was meant to be 17 forever. So if I had things my way, I'd say this was more NA with an appeal for teenagers who want some sexy paranormal romance.

Yes, a paranormal romance. The relationship between Megan and James is very much the main focus of this story, and it's fantastic. But also great is the world and the scary stuff happening around them. James' pack consists of warrior wolves, and they're around because werewolves have a specific enemy that only they can kill. (No, not vampires.) And that adds just the right balance of danger to this romance.

All in all, an enticing diversion, especially if you're sick like I am right now! Please let there be a sequel...

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Edit~A · Rating 3 out of 5]

James would never let anyone control him with emotions again. Never risk losing his mind. Not to love or to madness.

I was so excited about this, waited a lot until I finally got the chance to read it. That said, I read the excerpt and because of it was looking forward to read it, but when I read it, it was not what I expected.

“Why? Are you afraid? Afraid your wolf is right and you’re going to start to want me? Love me?”
He turned his back on me, his broad shoulders in the black shirt making a wall. Yet it could not stop my words from reaching him.
“I think you are. You’re afraid,” I taunted.

The sneak peek was really catchy and interesting, but the book itself, was not that eventful. I loved that there was not a particular bad character, however I feel like if there was maybe we would have more character action. The thing is, that there were fights and everything, but we did not see Meghan and James a lot together, until the last couple of chapters, until then they barely even communicate or appear in the same scene, moreover, besides the lack of their interaction, there was not many interactions. The book mostly was told from Meghan's POV, and we spent most of our times in her head, and there were not enough conversations between two characters, which made it a drag in some way.

“That’s why I want so desperately to be loved, James.” I opened the bedroom’s door. “I was never anyone’s first priority. Never the one who had someone looking out for me. I was hoping having a mate would get me that. I’m sorry I was under that misconception. I’ll do my best to leave you alone from now on.”

I feel like there were many, many loose ends that never got tied in the end. The ending was kind of rushed, it seemed that the author wanted us to know what happened but she did that by pouring everything at us in one go and in a hectic way, like she wanted just to get over with it.

Be invisible, Lusine.

Overall, despite all of that it was an interesting read, but I feel like there should be another books, because we never got to know who is Lucy, what happened to her. I am also looking forward to see the story behind her name, because Lusine is an Armenian name, which means moon, and it said she had an accent, so I am looking forward to her story. If there is not going to be a story for her I would be disappointed, because that means that her character should not have existed at all.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Megan Ross, the daughter of the Alpha of all Alphas, has never met someone who can make her feel complete. She has some issues since her father has been busy with his work as the werewolf leader and in dealing with her other siblings. But at her eighteenth birthday party, she meets James, the man who is destined to be her mate. Despite the fact that he seems disinterested in her, a bond is a bond, and the two cannot resist the call in their blood. Off she goes to Canada with James and the rest of his pack. She's sure that she will find her happily ever after at his estate. But James is dismissive and distant, and Megan struggles with her role in his world. Sometimes he seems to want her, but at other times, he keeps her at arm's length. He and his pack spend much of their time out hunting wraiths, which results in Megan coming to James's rescue. It was hard at times to read the passages in which she was so desperately seeking his love and approval, and I think I was only able to make it through the book because of the parts told from James's perspective and revealing his reasons for not being willing to complete his bond with Megan. Although her feisty nature was a plus, in some ways this book seemed to represent a relationship that was a throwback to years ago, and I couldn't help being bothered by how isolated she was from everyone else, all that she was giving up for James, and the fact that she figured everything would work out right away. Don't relationships need to be based on trust developed over time? The two of them had hardly been around each other for any length of time, and Megan expected a happy ending right away. I'm sure some teen readers will gobble this up and long for a relationship with someone like James, but even with the werewolf veneer, it was hard for me to care much about these two and that inexplicable bond that drew them together. There were plenty of loose ends dangling as well as oddities about some of the characters that bothered me too.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simply put, this is a book of wasted potential. There are so many things to explore, like the modern-yet-separate world in which Megan lives. The history and purpose of the warrior race of werewolves. The war between the werewolves and the wraiths. Where the wraiths came from, for that matter. And how their hierarchy works. How warriors sink into madness when the mate bond is broken. What Trist meant when he kept babbling about time. More than anything else, though, the relationships between Megan and her family, Megan and James, Megan and the pack, and James and the pack. Not to mention Lucy. What is even the point of having her around and adding her narration if it lends nothing whatsoever to the story? And where, exactly, is Megan getting all this money for the furniture and redecorating supplies she's ordering?

Megan is supposed to be incredibly smart, wanting to study engineering in college. She is supposed to have gotten into Caltech. I don't buy either. Her inner monologue, all her conversations with anyone, and her behavior lean toward the obsessed, immature teenager she actually is. She assumes a mate bond means automatic love, is ready to have sex with James before even meeting him, and tries to force him into a relationship he isn't ready for and doesn't seem to want. She is a rather annoying character who shows no development or growth. She is exactly the same on the final page as she was on the first, as are her relationships with every other character. James also has absolutely zero development. The picture we are painted of him is every bit as shallow as the one we are given of all the background characters.

The writing of this book is also lacking. The word "very" is used way too much. The grammar is surprisingly bad, given the number of people a book needs to go through before reaching publication. Ultimately, it felt to me like reading a first draft of a middle-school storytelling project.

[Stories Under Starlight Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read a werewolf romance book, but this caught my attention because it didn't seem like the ones I've read in the past. Which is good - I wanted something different. Being the daughter of an Alpha pack leader, Megan is given a party in hopes that she will find her "mate." But, this werewolf story is not the happily ever after Megan was hoping for when she finds her mate in a Warrior Alpha named James. When James realizes he and Megan are "True Mates," he practically wants to run away. He loathes the idea of not being in control of his emotions (and life), and having Megan follow him around like a lost were-pup (so to speak), makes it even worse. Megan doesn't understand why James is so distant, but she is determined to give their relationship a chance - even if James doesn't want to.

The story is mainly centered on the relationship dynamics between Megan and James, which is fine if you purely want a romance story. However, there is a part of the story line that was a bit confusing to me. The enemy of the werewolves are these creepy creatures called Wraiths. They apparently feed on people and werewolves, but only come out in the city and at night. This is fine, but there was no background or solutions of any kind at the end regarding this threat. They fought them and that was it. There was no plot regarding these beings. So, recommended if you like a werewolf romance that is not an obsessive love story, but an actual growth towards developing feelings. So, more authentic then your average romance in this genre.

*Received a DRC for an honest review.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 2 out of 5]

So... I was not a fan of this novel. as you can see by my rating. It's biggest crime in my mind is the wasted potential. There was a few good characters set up and the plot had many interesting strings coming from it.

Then...

It just ended. No resolution for at least 3 of the plotlines and as far as I could find, this is a stand alone novel.

I like the setting, I liked the how the warrior wolf pack was set up. There was good reason for James angst and past pain, but it didn't go anywhere. In fact it was frustrating and unfulfilling in my mind.

I would give Alyssa another chance, because I could see the possibility if she gave herself more room to develop things. However, I can't recommend this to my friends and that is the reason for a 2 star in my mind.