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VonBrandt Family #1

To Save A Mate: Somewhere, TX Saga

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A chance he never thought he'd have comes at a price he never wanted her to pay

What do you do when everything you thought was real turns out to be a lie? How do you pick yourself up and move on? Move past the pain?

Kara McClure is living the perfect life. A great boyfriend, supportive loving parents, and a full ride to John McAdams University on a scholarship. What could go wrong? But something always does. When tragedy hits, you’re supposed to be able to count on those closest to you for support. Kara turns to the love of her life, Vincent Harris, only to find him supporting the nether lips of her sorority sister.

Luke VonBrandt is a business college student with a secret no one can know. When an accident threatens the life of an innocent girl he's secretly loved since high school, he risks everything to give her a second chance on life, even exposing the truth about what he is. The blue-eyed beauty haunts his dreams and her scent is all he can think about.

Luke’s wolf insists he find a way to claim her as his own.

But Kara’s broken heart will fight him every step of the way.

186 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2014

546 people are currently reading
1975 people want to read

About the author

Krystal Shannan

86 books1,430 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author Krystal Shannan lives in a sprawling ranch style home with her husband, teenage son, and two almost teenage daughters. Her home is full of love and laughter and lots of animals. In fact the welcome mat warns visitors that it’s a zoo inside—chickens, rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, dogs and fish! You name it, they’ve probably had it in their home at some point.

Krystal writes stories filled with magick, fantasy, passion, and just enough humor to make you laugh out loud. Join the fun and escape to a whole new world.

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613 (25%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
3,003 reviews25.3k followers
November 10, 2015
To Save a Mate: Somewhere, TX is book one in the VonBrandt Family series by Krystal Shannan. This book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by Krystal Shannan. I went into it thinking it was going to be a fun, sexy, shifter romance. What I ended up getting was so much more.

Kara McClure was a college student, living on campus in a sorority house but her parents lived near by. She had been dating the same guy for five years. She thought her life was perfect, until it wasn’t anymore. Tragedy struck and the obvious place to turn was to her boyfriend, except that she caught him in bed with her sorority sister who was also her roommate. So in one day, everything she thought was good was taken from her.

funeral bagpipe player: funeral bagpipe player

Luke VonBrandt has loved Kara for years. He’s always known that someday she would be his. But he had to wait until she figured out on her own the type of guy her current boyfriend really was. But Luke was forced to make a decision on that fateful night that would change both he and Kara’s lives forever. There was an accident and Kara lay dying. He couldn’t let her go, so he did what he had to, to save her.

celtic tatoo: celtic tatoo

Kara is dealing with so many emotions, grief, anger, betrayal. But now she feels something more, a bond to a man she barely knows. She doesn’t want this. She has too much to deal with right now. But she can’t seem to shake him. Every time she turns around, Luke is there. He should hate her for the way she is treating him but he just stays, doing what he can to help her.

couple in bed

Luke risked everything in saving Kara’s life. Luke and his family share a secret. A secret that’s been passed down through the generations. A secret that he will now have to share with Kara, when she’s ready. The question is, will she want him once she knows the truth?

You Are Mine Forever: You Are Mine Forever

This was a short book with so much packed inside. I loved it. Kara and Luke were perfect. Luke was the typical hot, sexy alpha male that knew what he wanted and patiently waited until it was time to claim what he knew would always be his. I can’t wait to read about his twin brother Noah in book two of the series, To Love a Mate.

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Profile Image for Seon Ji (Dawn).
1,051 reviews274 followers
June 18, 2016
++Spoilers++

2.5 stars

Not bad for a freebie but I'm glad I didn't pay for it.

I think this is the first time I have ever felt a novella to be too long.

The story was meh. Not to my mature tastes. It's about college aged people who act more like teenagers. The dialogue wasn't as immature or slangy as others I have read of this nature so that is a plus.

Little shifting going on, it's more a college romance read than a supernatural shifter book.

The heroine is one of the main reasons for the lower stars. It seems all she does is cry the whole time and push Luke away for IMHO stupid reasons. I hated the way she treated him especially after he saved her life, stuck up for her, and risked himself by bonding her to him to save her life. Yeah she had a lot of heavy shit to deal with, but it doesn't explain away her being a bitch to those offering comfort.

The book cover is deceiving. I was expecting more of a country/western/cowboy feel and got little to nothing of it except some obscure references to country music.

There are some serious editing issues, which I can generally overlook, but in this case it was difficult to do so.

The story felt repetttve and shallow. The conflict was minimal. I ended up skimming through alot and was relieved it was over. Seriously this book could have been half the length with no loss to content.

I didn't like that the chemistry seemed forced due to the bond. It was like one minute she's pushing him away and them bam out of the blue she needs him. They never really got to know each other as Luke wanted before they bonded.

The characters were flat and I only liked Noah and Luke.

Would I reccomend this? No. But if you can it for free, sure go for it.
Would I read more by this author? Probably not.

Safety gang

OW-No
Cheating- Not by H & h..... h's now ex boyfriend cheated on her.. thus him being an ex
Hero & Heroine - both experienced
Hero's past - never mentioned. One line said "he never felt this with any other woman before"-no mention of protection because past wasn't mentioned except for the one line.
Heroine's past- Mentioned ex boyfrined but no sexual details. Said used protection.
Cursing-Yes
Insta love- yes but the author tried to play it as not being so (failed)
Violence-some - fist fights
Rape-no
Sex- yes 2 times written pretty well. detailed.
HEA & ILY's - yes
Profile Image for XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy.
1,563 reviews506 followers
February 18, 2015
Loved this read. Luke and Kara were made for eachother. Even if it takes Kara a little bit to catch up to the fact. Luke's family steps in and helps her through one of the toughest times in her life and Kara needs their support now more than ever. It moves quickly as it's not a long book but you get a complete story. It'd be nice to see glimpses of their development through other character's stories. It was definitely a book that was easy to follow and enjoy.
Profile Image for ★Moonrise.
139 reviews314 followers
October 19, 2015
5 STARS!

Luke VonBrandt has had his eye on Kara McClure for years, but now that they are in college Kara hasn't given him a second glance. For Kara's part, she sees Luke and his twin brother as gorgeous, mysterious, and a bit intimidating. But Luke and his brother have to keep their distance if they are to maintain a deep, dark family secret. Being shape-shifters in a small town isn't always an easy secret to keep.

But when tragedy strikes, Kara's life takes a dangerous turn, and Luke may be the only one to save her. The problem is, it will come with a cost. And despite Luke's desire to come to her rescue, the cost may be too high for Kara. Still, it's a risk he's willing to take.

Now, Kara's lost in her own thoughts, and still reeling from the events that have derailed her life. Can she learn to trust again? The journey is full of twists and turns, but their attraction is undeniable. And slowly, they discover new and enticing possibilities. But will their love be strong enough to withstand what Luke still hasn't shared?

This is a fantastic paranormal romance, and I'm so excited to read the next book! I couldn't put it down, and when I turned the last page I wanted more. Steamy, adventurous, and full of surprises, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance filled with charm and wit. Loved!
Profile Image for Umaiya ❄️Ramblings of a Scattered Mind❄️.
1,128 reviews383 followers
September 22, 2018

If this had been my first Krystal Shannan book, I'd have never read another again.
And what a true shame that would have been because I truly adore her Soulmate Shifters in Mystery, Alaska series.

You guys this was so bad!
Like I imagine as disgusting and creepy/horrid as it would be to watch my kids have sex.
That is the absolute weirdest thing I've ever said. EVER!

So our MCs are supposed to be in college so over eighteen but they read like twelve/fourteen year olds and I do not want an image in my head of them getting their freak on.
Ewwwwww!

No go. NO. GO.
Dumping this series right here.
Profile Image for Jeri.
533 reviews26 followers
November 27, 2017
LOVE the cover, but the story was just meh for me. Better than some other freebies I have picked up though.

Kara is having a hell of a night. She finds out her parents both died in a car accident, then finds her roommate in bed with her longtime boyfriend, then stumbles into the road and gets hit by a truck. At least the guy driving the truck can save her, but will it be worth it?! He is a werewolf and binds them by magick to save her life. Good thing he's always been interested in her, but will she feel the same way?
Profile Image for Cheryl   Graham-Petit.
4,123 reviews26 followers
January 1, 2016
An ARC of this book was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.

Well-written with a great story-line, and wonderful characters, To Save a Mate has everything you want in a shifter book... heartache, angst, drama, lust, romance, love, and a HEA.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews120 followers
Want to read
July 12, 2020
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/12/2020)! 🎁
Profile Image for Debra Johnson.
11k reviews180 followers
July 6, 2025
To Save a Mate (VonBrandt Family, #1) by Krystal Shannan is a Paranormal Romance. It was very immature and unfinished. A lot of it didn't make sense to me. Somehow Kara never knew Luke even though they went to school together and he somehow always knew she was to be his mate. Does not make sense!
She had dated some kind of playboy for 5 YEARS, who has apparently 'done' every female she knows, but she has NEVER suspected anything?! Really?
That is just a few of my problems with this book. It reads like a 14 or 16 year old tried to write an Adult romance and failed horribly.
Maybe a young adult would like this book, but then again......Nope. There is not enough of anything really happening. No mystery, no suspense. The best part of the whole book is the beginning when Luke runs into Kara with his truck. After that it is mostly crying and posturing.
Profile Image for Jasmyn.
1,604 reviews19 followers
July 13, 2015
Running over the love of your life is never a good idea. When Luke quite literally runs into Kara - he's forced to take drastic action to save her life. Of course, since he's been in love with her for as long as he can remember, his wolf is quite pleased at the change of events. But Kara (while glad to be alive) isn't so sure she wants to link her life to his forever.

I really liked how Krystal Shannan worked with Kara's emotions. She was traumatized and betrayed - so of course she doesn't want anything to do with anyone!!! Who would?? I really loved cheering Luke on as he tried to find a way to prove himself to her and show her that he is the perfect man for her.

I also liked that there wasn't a whole lot of "other stuff" going on. We had no ultimate bad guy set out to kill anyone - we had a jerky ex-boyfriend, but I think every girl has one of those. It was all about Luke and Kara - and I totally loved it!
Profile Image for Kelly.
156 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2015
This is a really cute story about Luke and Kara. It begins on Kara's worse day, ever. Kara receives horrible news and loses the one person she thought she could count on, all in the same day. Not to mention she woke up mated to a stranger. Luke has to tread carefully. Luke mated her without her consent. He must convince Kara he is someone she can count on, while introducing her to the world of shifters. He has his work cut out for him. The book is well written, you laugh, feel sad and roll your eyes with the characters. Definitely worth the read. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Clare O'Beara.
Author 25 books371 followers
August 12, 2018
Hearing her parents had died would certainly be a reason for a distraught young woman to accept a new group of supportive people in her college, however odd they were. Her boyfriend is decidedly her ex boyfriend and she has just been saved from dying in a traffic accident.

The guy who has admired her for some time just happens to be a werewolf, however, tied to the full moon in this case. How much tougher can life get?

This short story is an adult romance set in Texas. This is an unbiased review.
Profile Image for Maddie.
1,509 reviews
April 1, 2017
Everything in this story went way too fast. The idea was a good one but I just wish there had been more character depth and backstory then just having everything sprung so quick. It didn't really seem realistic to basically be done mourning in three days.
Profile Image for JodyL.
1,644 reviews5 followers
June 26, 2020
Different take on werewolf matings

This book portrays a werewolf mating differently than most other books. I will most definitely be reading more in this series.
Kara just found out some heart breaking news, discovers her boyfriend cheating and gets hit by a truck. All within the same evening.
Luke has been in love with Kara since high school. When he hits her with his truck, he completes a spell binding them together in order to save her life.
Profile Image for Evelyn Swift (Featherbrained Books).
830 reviews51 followers
November 16, 2016
I received a free version of the book offered by kobo. With only 160 pages the author, unfortunately, did not spark my interest to continue reading the rest of this series. There were a few glaring issues packed into such a short book:

1. The insta-love was unreal. One of the worst I have read, but there is an element of which does speed things along.

2. It felt very messy for such a short book. A western romance with paranormal werewolves mixed it and a slight new adult feel (due to the age of the characters and mention of university/college)? It didn't quite jive with me, although the author does get props for something unique.

3. How Kara deals with her . It happens so instantaneously that as a reader I can barely comprehend it, let alone the main character. The author would have done better letting the story happen 6 months or so after the tragedy to have Kara have some perspective and then use as the fresh new tragedy, instead of two big ones. Also the whole was really weird and the author did not write that part well at all. Anyone else who suddenly woke up with a would not act as calm and rational as Kara did.

Overall, for a free book this was a fast read and not terrible by any means but it wasn't enough to entice me to read on.

Featherbrained Books Blog | Twitter |
Profile Image for Jamoz23.
5,310 reviews46 followers
August 10, 2021
ORIGINAL REVIEW
More teenage angst than grown adults as the H's.
A very short story introducing the VonBrandt family of wolves.
I just don’t like this werewolf world where humans either have their memories wiped or are dealt with if they find out about the shifters.
This story didn’t please me as I liked Luke but found Kara immature and whiny. Luke basically saves her life due to her emotional behaviour putting her in a risky position.
Wasn’t that impressed with the rest of the family
Have owned, read and reviewed this book ages ago but reviews posted from back of book are missing.
UPDATED REVIEW 2021
A very short story introducing the VonBrandt family of wolves.
Really quite sad in everything that poor Kara has had to deal with.
Really an insta love story, though Luke has loved Kara for years but wouldn’t interfere in her long-time relationship with douche canoe Vincent. I didn’t feel Kara had really thought about Luke at all.
I liked Luke but found Kara a bit weak and immature.
Her behaviour in allowing Tonya, a virtual stranger to deal with her parents’ funeral, whilst she slept the time away, put me off her.
Luke saves her life due to her emotional mindset after two deadly blows within just a few hours, cause her to be careless. Though he was the one to accidentally run her over.
The VonBrandts’ rally around Kara as she is Luke’s mate and they were very supportive.
Have owned, read and reviewed this book ages ago but reviews posted from back of book are missing. Enjoyed this more this time around.
Reread in the box set and enjoyed this more this time around.
Profile Image for Vicki.
857 reviews63 followers
November 18, 2016
This was free on Nook and, well, you get what you pay for. Read like a first draft; the werewolf stuff was painfully cliched (wow you worked the "all Irish stuff is magic" angle into a werewolf book? Staaahp); and the characters, plot and emotional development made no sense. For instance, both her parents are killed in a car accident the same day she discovers her boyfriend in bed with her best friend, and the hero's parents are like, be patient with her she is in emotional turmoil and the guy is like you're absolutely right so they have sex the day after the funeral instead of the day of the funeral.

Also, and this might be a personal thing, but I have zero interest in "happily ever after" romance novels with college students as the H/h. Maybe the most intellectually honest thing about this book was how boring and depthless these two characters are. She's good at karaoke but won't sing without a few drinks in her and he's handsome and sporty and rich. ... how gripping? Basically they're two nondescript 19 year olds who live in Greek houses on the same block. I mean, call me meanspirited but I don't care about their romantic lives or buy that their love is eternal.

Skip this.
Profile Image for ♥ Joy Joy ♥.
462 reviews36 followers
June 23, 2018
The story was achingly sweet and I enjoyed the author's take on how her shifters work in the "normal" world. For those who have never read shifter romances before, just be aware that a majority of such romances are fast paced. This book being no different.

With that said, here are my complaints:

There was a lack of introduction to shifters in regards to their actual shifts. But it was good enough that I will give the 2nd book a try and perhaps that will address the shifting a bit more.

Fast paced romance =/= fast paced grieving time. I found that although the author did mention that the MC did continue to grieve, I didn't really feel like it was "real" and I think had she slowed the overall pace of the romance to cover a few months, it would have made this story a lot more likeable and given both the character and readers time to grow away from the MC's parents' deaths. I think it'd definitely have given the characters a chance to show readers much more of depth.

Still, it was an overall easy read and would recommend lovers of paranormal shifter romances to check out.

--------------------
6/22/2018 - Re-read this and unfortunately found myself disliking it even more than the first time around. Knocked this down from 3 stars to 2.
Profile Image for Traceys.
1,478 reviews72 followers
October 23, 2016
This book starts with a bang and some magick, that was enough to hook me!

I read this in one sitting late at night and I knew I had to finish it. I loved the Vonbrandt family they were very close-knit and looked out for one another and whoever was important to any member of the family. The VonBrandts also happen to be werewolves shifters!

Luke VonBrandt has watched Kara from afar but one night something goes wrong and she is injured, he has the power to help her but doing so is binding.

Kara is lost, she has received the worst news and been hurt by who she thought was a loyal boyfriend. She wakes up in a truck, covered in blood and is a little confused.

Kara has one more shock in store and its not easy to digest but can she resist the caring and gorgeous Luke VonBrandt - it seems not, I liked how he gave some space even though it was difficult for him.

I'm definitely going to read next book in series, I love a series where there is a strong family bond.
Profile Image for Ana.
2,038 reviews6 followers
February 4, 2015
Great New Series!

Ms. Shannan does it again!

Kara is feeling so much grief, but Luke transmits so much tranquility with just a touch. She is fighting the attraction she feels towards him, but can she let her emotions rule her head after being cheated on by her boyfriend of 5 years?

Luke has been in love with Kara for years and watched how that man-whore has cheated on her. Now that fate has literally thrown her in his arms, will he be able to hold back his emotions, or will he grab the bull by the horns?

This story has sadness, but a lot of love. Love these Western Shapeshifters from Somewhere, Texas, hope to read more about them.

I was gifted this book by the author for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carla Simoes.
394 reviews15 followers
April 26, 2016
Este e-book foi-me oferecido pela autora no decorrer do evento "3-day-paranormal-event-giveaway".

Supostamente é o primeiro livro de uma série no entanto não foi o primeiro que li desta saga, mas para mim foi uma leitura muito melhor do que o anterior. Adorei o Luke e o amor e carinho dele pela Kara.
Tive imensa pena dela e de toda a situação e não pude deixar de imaginar como me sentiria se fosse comigo....

O romance deles foi doce e adorei que ela tivesse aceite tão bem o que ele é.
Um começo de serie excelente que me deixou com vontade de ler todos os outros livros.
Profile Image for Alicja.
42 reviews
July 3, 2016
From paranormal side there is nothing new : Shee's his mate, he's waiting for her so long. She's got alot terrible tragedies - death of Parents , betrayal long-term boyfriend. What's different? The fact that the heroine do not take at once the hero with all the trimmings . She's depressed , scared , and he tells her some stories about being bound ( well a little of her guilty) . Luke must be patient , first he has to help her in mourning , and after that get her. His family helps him. I liked the family and I liked how Kara slowly becoming a part of it . A little fast storyline but nice.
Profile Image for Sylvia.
323 reviews41 followers
March 21, 2015
Luke VonBrandt always loved Kara McClure from afar. He was wait his time before Kara's boyfriend, Vincent got caught for his cheating ways. One night Kara's world came crashing down and Luke knew he could not lose her. It was a heartfelt story about love and loss. Life must go on. Kara had to find her path to begin again especially with someone who truly loves her. I received a complimentary copy from the Author for an honest review.
Profile Image for Susan Foulkes.
995 reviews3 followers
January 18, 2015
A sweet love story with a paranormal twist.

This book had everything I expect from the genre - well written characters (the loveable ones and the boo hiss ones!), a great storyline and emotions that jumped off the page....I both cried and laughed with Kara.

An entertaining read that I recommend to all romance lovers.

I'm so looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Gladys Mills.
1,963 reviews8 followers
August 29, 2016
Save a Mate. Young people go through a lot preparing to be adults. But on top of that you have to deal with tragedy, makes life real hard. Luke and his family try to help Kara through all her tragedies and helping her to realize why she was still alive. They helped her come into the realization that she was now part wolf because of what Luke had done. She also had to get use to Luke loving her with all his heart. And Luke and his family help Kara get rid of Vincent once and for all.
Profile Image for Candace.
950 reviews
February 7, 2017
I have had it with this eBook. The favorite word in the book is the "f" word. It is probably a good story but it is not for my reading taste.
Profile Image for Andrea Heltsley.
Author 15 books325 followers
September 9, 2017
I enjoyed this shifter book. It was a great start to the series. I loved the characters and was impressed with the story. I'm looking forward to the next book! Five glittery stars!
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