SubDominant

Isherwood Pack #2

by Missy Welsh

Gay Werewolf Shifter Romance.

Varick Ward was raised in a werewolf pack to hate everything he's become: a gay man in a pack that allows him to be out and also accepts humans. But losing his mate to the violence of homophobia and then spending two years trapped as a wolf has changed him for the better. Since Varick joined Isherwood Pack, he's been slowly regaining a real life despite keeping his pain to himself.

When the king of werewolves invites the pack to Romania for an official introduction, Varick goes because protecting his alpha is his job. Right away, things go sideways. They're barely through the doors of the Romanian castle where the king's pack lives when a man attacks-- Or wait. Is he trying to protect Varick from everyone else? Like a new mate would? And this time around, Varick isn't the dominant partner.

Luca Antonescu is a pack teacher whose wife died three years ago. While he's looked, he's never approached another man because he knows he's really nothing special. But now that he's driven to claim this scarred giant of a war beta, Luca wants to be the best mate he can be. And Varick makes that easy since he seems to Luca to desperately need someone to care for him.

Though the couple is meant to be in isolation while they bond, ghosts from Varick's past are plotting against the people he now calls family. Though circumstances separate them and danger hovers on the edge of town, can these two persevere and secure their second chances at love?

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Shapeshifters, Fantasy, M M Paranormal

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2019

About the author

Missy Welsh stares into space a lot, has conversations with cats, takes notes while people-watching, records conversations (not the ones with cats), named her laptop Norbert and her phone Pushkin, has backups of her backups’ backups, faints at the sight of a misused semi-colon, and will often ask socially unacceptable questions of strangers. Basically, she’s a writer.

Reviews

[Anke]

Because of - reasons.

[Diane Dannenfeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two of the series and even though it can been read as a stand-alone, I think it would be more enjoyable if you read the first book. You get more of the pack dynamics and Varcik was rescued at the end of that book. He was being kept captive but a nut job of a veterinarian. Anyway, we find him as the beta of the pack, turns out he is actually a war beta which is very close to an alpha. Their pack receives and invitation to Romania to meet with the head of all the wolves. While there, Varcik finds something wondrous, a second chance at a life with a mate. His first mate was killed by his former pack and he was left for dead when the nut job found him. Luca is also not stranger to heartbreak as his wife had died a few years ago. Even though she was his mate, he loved her with all his heart. I loved seeing these two get their second chance at an HEA. But it’s not all rainbows and unicorns, someone is out to kill the alphas and there is a race to find out who is behind it before it’s too late. Even though I had that portion figured out pretty early on, I still enjoyed the book.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked

This was a great follow up. Three was more mystery and mayhem in this book. We got to know more about Varick and the extensive trauma he experienced at the hands of his previous pack. We are more of Finn and Cas and we meet the king of the werewolves. The mystery is trying to figure out and locate who is trying to kill the alphas. I am looking forward to the next installment!!

[Xanthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

SubDominant is the second book in the Isherwood Pack series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first. Varick was one of the men rescued at the end of book one and has now become Beta and security for the Isherwood Pack. When the pack travels to Romania Varick is immediately pounced on and protected by Luca, a somewhat smaller but surprisingly dominant werewolf.
Both men have tragedy in their lasts but Varick's is a lot more intense and coming back to haunt him and the pack as attacks occur against the Alphas. Varick's job is to keep his new family safe, and now his mate, but he never thought it would be adjustable old pack.
I love how this story is similar in it's sense of acceptance, love and family as in book one but then there is a different relationship dynamic between the MC's along with a slightly harsher plot to this book that drew me in, needing to know more about Varick's history and how they could possibly affect the new Isherwood Pack and the new ways that have come into effect with the new King of werewolves. Luca is a great match for Varick as he allows the man to be strong and stoic when needed but also to let everything go and become more submissive when he needs to. They work really well together and make a wonderfully supportive and loving couple. They show that size doesn't matter when it comes to a d/s dynamic and everyone deserves happiness regardless of their past.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how the pack moves forward and who gets their story next. The overall story arc of the attacks will make for interesting reading and to see how it affects the new dynamic and laws that the new King has established.
Definitely a recommended book and series!
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a little while since I read Isherwood, so I needed to do a little bit of a re-read to remember all the relationships here, but it was definitely worth it to give myself the reminder. Varik has been through so much, both with his birth-pack and after that. It was wonderful to see him have someone in his corner, fighting to protect him for a change. I also loved how Varik made Luca feel valued (especially after his supervisor at the castle talked to him -- beeyotch!). Since the previous couples have shown up in the following books, I hope to see more of these two in the other two books in the series. (BTW, mazel tov to Erica and Saffron!)

[Séphora · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review book

This book was a disappointment for me. A lot of things were wrong..the subdominant relationship for example, what’s the point to have a « dominant » in the relationship if at the end its the opposite. Also the mate relationship was way under represented, they look to me like a normal couple ..it’s amazing how they could handle the weeks of separation so easily....Moreover, they’re wasn’t a real plot in this book...too boring for me.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This instalment of the series had a lot more sex than the previous one and I found it detracted a bit. I wanted to see these two outside the sheets more. There’s supposed to be a plot thread about the role reversal if dominated to sub but I don’t feel it really panned out.

Danger from Varick’s past threatens many and reaches into the next book.

There were a few editing errors that stood out, mostly missing words.

[Mnms · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my mind there was something off about it, like we never really got to know Luca... and the story seemed a bit accidental and like it glossed over most stuff except the sex. I still liked the unique shifter story, but I much preferred the first book.

[Monika Mik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.
I was invested. Didn't love this like the first one, but still very very good.

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5