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Off the Beaten Path
When Ward Johannsen’s little girl Ava shifted into a werewolf, she was taken into custody by the feds and shipped off to the nearest pack, all ties between father and daughter severed. Ward burned every bridge he had discovering her location, and then almost froze to death in the Colorado mountains tracking her new pack down. And that’s just the beginning of his struggle.
Henry Dormer is an alpha werewolf and an elite black ops soldier who failed his last mission. He returns home, hoping for some time to recuperate and help settle the pack’s newest member, a little pup named Ava who can’t shift back to her human form. Instead he meets Ward, who refuses to leave his daughter without a fight.
The two men are as different as night and day, but their respect for each other strikes a spark of mutual interest that quickly grows into a flame. They might find something special together—love, passion, and even a family—if they can survive trigger-happy pack guardians, violent werewolf politics, and meddling government agencies that are just as likely to get their alpha soldiers killed as bring them home safely.
Henry Dormer is an alpha werewolf and an elite black ops soldier who failed his last mission. He returns home, hoping for some time to recuperate and help settle the pack’s newest member, a little pup named Ava who can’t shift back to her human form. Instead he meets Ward, who refuses to leave his daughter without a fight.
The two men are as different as night and day, but their respect for each other strikes a spark of mutual interest that quickly grows into a flame. They might find something special together—love, passion, and even a family—if they can survive trigger-happy pack guardians, violent werewolf politics, and meddling government agencies that are just as likely to get their alpha soldiers killed as bring them home safely.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2017
29 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Cari Z.
133 books536 followersCari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
September 2, 2017
4.5 Stars!
This was my first book by this author but not the only book I've got on my TBR of hers. And after reading this I will definitely be moving them up higher on that list.
There are many shifter books out there and I have read many of them. What is hard is finding a shifter book that doesn't follow many of the usual tropes as in true mates etc. Well I found it in this book. This shifter book found a unique way to be different and I really liked the world the author built.
I had a hard time pulling myself away from this story. It had some really great characters. I really liked Ward. He was such a strong character even if he was sickly. The hell he went through to find his daughter was inspiring.
Henry is a great caring Alpha. He's doing his best to keep himself together after his failed assignment. But he's finding it hard. He wants to protect his pack but finds it hard to do when the government keeps wanting to pull him away from them.
The way the wolves are treated in this story was harsh. I didn't like how cut off they were and how the Alpha's were forced into dangerous situations without having a choice.
When Ward and Henry first meet it's a bit rocky, but soon Henry welcomes him in to the pack and promises to keep him and his daughter protected. Henry and Ward grow close. Henry finds a calm he's never known when he's with Ward. Ward feels safe with Henry. Their relationship isn't instant and grows at a steady pace throughout the book. I liked how it progressed and I adored them together.
There is quite a bit going on inside the pack. Some believe Henry needs to step down and let new blood run things. There is Ava who is still in wolf form and needs to learn to shift back and time is running out for that to happen. There's a young relationship that is forbidden. The story really keeps your attention with all that is happening. I can't wait to read the next one. I have a feeling it will be with Davis and the good Doctor. Hoping!
If you are looking for a shifter book that is original, then pick this one up when it is time dolls!
Happy reading! xx
**I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
This was my first book by this author but not the only book I've got on my TBR of hers. And after reading this I will definitely be moving them up higher on that list.
There are many shifter books out there and I have read many of them. What is hard is finding a shifter book that doesn't follow many of the usual tropes as in true mates etc. Well I found it in this book. This shifter book found a unique way to be different and I really liked the world the author built.
I had a hard time pulling myself away from this story. It had some really great characters. I really liked Ward. He was such a strong character even if he was sickly. The hell he went through to find his daughter was inspiring.
Henry is a great caring Alpha. He's doing his best to keep himself together after his failed assignment. But he's finding it hard. He wants to protect his pack but finds it hard to do when the government keeps wanting to pull him away from them.
The way the wolves are treated in this story was harsh. I didn't like how cut off they were and how the Alpha's were forced into dangerous situations without having a choice.
When Ward and Henry first meet it's a bit rocky, but soon Henry welcomes him in to the pack and promises to keep him and his daughter protected. Henry and Ward grow close. Henry finds a calm he's never known when he's with Ward. Ward feels safe with Henry. Their relationship isn't instant and grows at a steady pace throughout the book. I liked how it progressed and I adored them together.
There is quite a bit going on inside the pack. Some believe Henry needs to step down and let new blood run things. There is Ava who is still in wolf form and needs to learn to shift back and time is running out for that to happen. There's a young relationship that is forbidden. The story really keeps your attention with all that is happening. I can't wait to read the next one. I have a feeling it will be with Davis and the good Doctor. Hoping!
If you are looking for a shifter book that is original, then pick this one up when it is time dolls!
Happy reading! xx
**I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
September 20, 2017
***4.5 Stars***
Granted, the circumstances under which Ward Johannsen and Henry Dormer met are not the best, to put it mildly.
Ward lands on Henry's doorstep -literally-, on the brink of drawing his last breath -also quite literally- in search of his little daughter, Ava, who got snatched from under his nose by the government and sent to Henry's pack after turning into a werewolf. Ava is all the world to Henry and with nothing else to loose, he moves heaven and hell to find her, his own delicate state of health notwithstanding and fully intent on not letting himself be put off by an intimidating alpha werewolf.
Henry, who is not only the Alpha of the La Garita pack, but also due to some strange and dishonest regulations forced to work as an elite black ops soldier for the government, is hanging almost by a thread after an assignment gone wrong. He came home to recuperate, just to find himself not only confronted with a sense of estrangement -topped off with some territorial fights- and the government always breathing down his neck, but also face to face with a tenacious human who refuses unwaveringly to show his fear, much less leave his daughter's side.
What begins as a growing respect and a weird sense of protectiveness for each other, turns slowly but surely into some deeper feelings which threaten to alienate the pack even further, while at the same time, a sense of impending doom is looming over their heads...
I must admit that I'm a bit nitpicky when it comes to shifter stories, but the blurb intrigued me on the spot and since I enjoyed every book I've read so far from this author, I was not able to resist this story. I did not get dissapointed this time around, either, so I think it's safe to assume that the author and I just click.
The worldbuilding is very different from everything I've read so far, not to say unique in its own way, with a distinct approach to the origin of werewolves. Did I like how the werewolves were treated by so-called socialized human beings? No. But it's not different from how society treats outcasts in our real world and the author spells our manners out for us, in a metaphorical sense.
What really drew me into the story, though, were the characters. I just loved Ward's sense of humor...
... and I adored him for his strong soul. There is lots of steel under his apparently weak exterior which leads to him meeting Henry head-on and me chuckling more than once when he did not take any shit from the Alpha.
I loved Henry for his protectiveness towards Ward, but also for his vulnerability. I so do have a soft spot for a seemingly big tough guy with a violable core, which is always a win for me. Throw in a healthy dose of hurt/comfort and happy Simone is happy. Oh, umm, you might think now that it is the 'weak' human who needs it, right? Wrong! Speaking of a different approach... ;-)
Admittedly, I'm always a bit torn when kids are involved, which can be a hit or miss for me, but Ava just rocked and -let's be honest- who can resist an adorable wolf puppy? Yep, not me.
The romance was really slow burn, with more emphasis on the relationship development and sweet moments than being overly steamy, but it just fits the story and sometimes too many hot scenes can distract from everything else.
The whole thing was supported by strong side characters and I would love to see more of them. Maybe... probably... hopefully... Tennyson's and Davis's story?!
Recommended for everyone with a penchant for out of the ordinary shifter stories!
"It's not your place to take care of me."
"It is now, though," I said earnestly. "You're my pack."
You feel like pack. You might feel like more.
Granted, the circumstances under which Ward Johannsen and Henry Dormer met are not the best, to put it mildly.
Ward lands on Henry's doorstep -literally-, on the brink of drawing his last breath -also quite literally- in search of his little daughter, Ava, who got snatched from under his nose by the government and sent to Henry's pack after turning into a werewolf. Ava is all the world to Henry and with nothing else to loose, he moves heaven and hell to find her, his own delicate state of health notwithstanding and fully intent on not letting himself be put off by an intimidating alpha werewolf.
Henry, who is not only the Alpha of the La Garita pack, but also due to some strange and dishonest regulations forced to work as an elite black ops soldier for the government, is hanging almost by a thread after an assignment gone wrong. He came home to recuperate, just to find himself not only confronted with a sense of estrangement -topped off with some territorial fights- and the government always breathing down his neck, but also face to face with a tenacious human who refuses unwaveringly to show his fear, much less leave his daughter's side.
What begins as a growing respect and a weird sense of protectiveness for each other, turns slowly but surely into some deeper feelings which threaten to alienate the pack even further, while at the same time, a sense of impending doom is looming over their heads...
I must admit that I'm a bit nitpicky when it comes to shifter stories, but the blurb intrigued me on the spot and since I enjoyed every book I've read so far from this author, I was not able to resist this story. I did not get dissapointed this time around, either, so I think it's safe to assume that the author and I just click.
The worldbuilding is very different from everything I've read so far, not to say unique in its own way, with a distinct approach to the origin of werewolves. Did I like how the werewolves were treated by so-called socialized human beings? No. But it's not different from how society treats outcasts in our real world and the author spells our manners out for us, in a metaphorical sense.
What really drew me into the story, though, were the characters. I just loved Ward's sense of humor...
Horribly long teeth in a distorted jaw snapped less than an inch in front of my face, and I did what any rational person would in the face of a supernatural nightmare.
I screamed loud enough to raise the dead, and fought back.
... and I adored him for his strong soul. There is lots of steel under his apparently weak exterior which leads to him meeting Henry head-on and me chuckling more than once when he did not take any shit from the Alpha.
I loved Henry for his protectiveness towards Ward, but also for his vulnerability. I so do have a soft spot for a seemingly big tough guy with a violable core, which is always a win for me. Throw in a healthy dose of hurt/comfort and happy Simone is happy. Oh, umm, you might think now that it is the 'weak' human who needs it, right? Wrong! Speaking of a different approach... ;-)
Admittedly, I'm always a bit torn when kids are involved, which can be a hit or miss for me, but Ava just rocked and -let's be honest- who can resist an adorable wolf puppy? Yep, not me.
The romance was really slow burn, with more emphasis on the relationship development and sweet moments than being overly steamy, but it just fits the story and sometimes too many hot scenes can distract from everything else.
Was it love? Or was it just my desire not to be alone surging through my veins? It meight be either, but whatever it was, it was real. I looked at Ward and knew I'd found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I didn't trust easily, but I trusted him. I wanted him.
He was my partner. My mate.
The whole thing was supported by strong side characters and I would love to see more of them. Maybe... probably... hopefully... Tennyson's and Davis's story?!
Recommended for everyone with a penchant for out of the ordinary shifter stories!
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession Dirty Books Obsession
July 16, 2019
3.5 Stars
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t really that good! First of all, I didn’t like the world the author created, I disliked the way they treated the wolves, it was like the authorities were mistreating them! I didn’t like that they had to be in hiding! Another thing and my major complaint was MC’s relationship; I couldn’t feel it! The pack’s issues overshadowed their relationship and I couldn’t feel the love between them! Despite the issues, I still liked it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t really that good! First of all, I didn’t like the world the author created, I disliked the way they treated the wolves, it was like the authorities were mistreating them! I didn’t like that they had to be in hiding! Another thing and my major complaint was MC’s relationship; I couldn’t feel it! The pack’s issues overshadowed their relationship and I couldn’t feel the love between them! Despite the issues, I still liked it and hope you enjoy it as well!
September 17, 2024
4.5 Seriously Impressed Hearts!
The title is so appropriate, for this is beyond any shifter book I've ever read, and it was quite the fabulous refreshing BR with Sara!
I don’t know if I can do this story justice but I’m gonna try…
What one has to know first is that this is a world where werewolves obviously exist. They’re a government experiment gone wrong decades ago and the age old debate did come up as to what to do with this new subset of humans with extraordinary abilities but potentially scary ones at that. There’s unfortunately now a very strict divide between “species” and once a person goes werewolf, they are pretty much separated from their human life and brought into the fold of a pack. Werewolves are basically second class citizens - highly monitored, regulated, and restricted as they pose a perceived danger to the masses should one go rogue. To keep them in line and to insure their safety, a pack’s alpha is basically conscripted to serve the government in any nefarious ways they deem necessary, using their deadly skills in the name of national security.
Knowing that, this book starts off with Ward. He’s desperately trying to find his newly shifted daughter Ava. By law, she is no longer legally his and has been unfairly taken away from him to an unknown destination to be raised by her “own kind”. Well fuck that. Ward is not going to give up that easily. His daughter is the only family he has left, and he is determined to be a part of her life, regardless of the fact that it’s basically unheard of for a human to live among werewolves. Luckily, he has a friend in high places that helps Ward track Ava down, and once he arrives, he staunchly refuses to budge.
Enter Henry. He’s Ava’s alpha, and though he knows Ward’s presence is probably the best thing for her, especially since she has yet to shift back to human and is slowly failing to thrive, his first inclination is to say no because it’s against the rules and Henry always follows the rules. Ward’s presence and how he came to find Henry’s pack puts all of them in danger, shining an unwanted spotlight on Henry as he essentially takes the “blame” for this breach in security.
With pressures and demands coming at Henry from all directions, the last thing he needs is to feel attraction to the newcomer. However, he can’t deny that Ward’s tenacity and bravery grounds him like no other, and though Ward was never something Henry ever imagined he could obtain, he sure is something Henry wants. In turn, Ward feels the same attraction and hesitation. Henry is prickly and intimidating but his consideration and care for all of those under his protection cannot be ignored. Ward realizes Henry is admirable in his acceptance to be an instrument for the government to use and abuse, taking their shit over and over for the good of the pack, sacrificing his happiness, his soul. If Ward can give and get some measure of comfort with Henry, he’s going to try his darnedest to do what feels right by him and what he starts to feel is now his pack too.
Perhaps as a warning, this isn’t a fluffy shifter romance. It’s so much more.
This had grit, an urgent seriousness to it. Life isn’t pretty nor kind. Responsibility weighs heavily, and it takes every ounce of willpower and determination and obligation to survive the unfairness of it all. Perhaps though, finding someone special to care for and to be cared by, can ease that burden. For those that need to know, the doling out of yummy bits between these two are small and far and few between. However, the gradual build and the UST are palpable and oh so strongly felt, and despite the low smexy level, this still kept my avid interest. Have no doubt though, I would’ve hungrily gobbled up more if given.
I obviously loved this. I want Cari Z to write at least 10 more books in this compelling complex world she has created. She better, because I have to know the fates of Tennyson and Davis!! Puh-leeeeasse don’t leave me hanging!!!
Like I said. Unique and wholly captivating. It sucked me in, caught me, and wouldn't let go. Very very highly recommended!
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
The title is so appropriate, for this is beyond any shifter book I've ever read, and it was quite the fabulous refreshing BR with Sara!
I don’t know if I can do this story justice but I’m gonna try…
What one has to know first is that this is a world where werewolves obviously exist. They’re a government experiment gone wrong decades ago and the age old debate did come up as to what to do with this new subset of humans with extraordinary abilities but potentially scary ones at that. There’s unfortunately now a very strict divide between “species” and once a person goes werewolf, they are pretty much separated from their human life and brought into the fold of a pack. Werewolves are basically second class citizens - highly monitored, regulated, and restricted as they pose a perceived danger to the masses should one go rogue. To keep them in line and to insure their safety, a pack’s alpha is basically conscripted to serve the government in any nefarious ways they deem necessary, using their deadly skills in the name of national security.
Knowing that, this book starts off with Ward. He’s desperately trying to find his newly shifted daughter Ava. By law, she is no longer legally his and has been unfairly taken away from him to an unknown destination to be raised by her “own kind”. Well fuck that. Ward is not going to give up that easily. His daughter is the only family he has left, and he is determined to be a part of her life, regardless of the fact that it’s basically unheard of for a human to live among werewolves. Luckily, he has a friend in high places that helps Ward track Ava down, and once he arrives, he staunchly refuses to budge.
Enter Henry. He’s Ava’s alpha, and though he knows Ward’s presence is probably the best thing for her, especially since she has yet to shift back to human and is slowly failing to thrive, his first inclination is to say no because it’s against the rules and Henry always follows the rules. Ward’s presence and how he came to find Henry’s pack puts all of them in danger, shining an unwanted spotlight on Henry as he essentially takes the “blame” for this breach in security.
With pressures and demands coming at Henry from all directions, the last thing he needs is to feel attraction to the newcomer. However, he can’t deny that Ward’s tenacity and bravery grounds him like no other, and though Ward was never something Henry ever imagined he could obtain, he sure is something Henry wants. In turn, Ward feels the same attraction and hesitation. Henry is prickly and intimidating but his consideration and care for all of those under his protection cannot be ignored. Ward realizes Henry is admirable in his acceptance to be an instrument for the government to use and abuse, taking their shit over and over for the good of the pack, sacrificing his happiness, his soul. If Ward can give and get some measure of comfort with Henry, he’s going to try his darnedest to do what feels right by him and what he starts to feel is now his pack too.
Perhaps as a warning, this isn’t a fluffy shifter romance. It’s so much more.
This had grit, an urgent seriousness to it. Life isn’t pretty nor kind. Responsibility weighs heavily, and it takes every ounce of willpower and determination and obligation to survive the unfairness of it all. Perhaps though, finding someone special to care for and to be cared by, can ease that burden. For those that need to know, the doling out of yummy bits between these two are small and far and few between. However, the gradual build and the UST are palpable and oh so strongly felt, and despite the low smexy level, this still kept my avid interest. Have no doubt though, I would’ve hungrily gobbled up more if given.
I obviously loved this. I want Cari Z to write at least 10 more books in this compelling complex world she has created. She better, because I have to know the fates of Tennyson and Davis!! Puh-leeeeasse don’t leave me hanging!!!
Like I said. Unique and wholly captivating. It sucked me in, caught me, and wouldn't let go. Very very highly recommended!
Thanks to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for a honest review
September 22, 2017
Read it. Loved it. Need more now!
September 21, 2017
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Not so bad*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This was a nice read. Not much happened - action wise - but it was a good (enough), enjoyable read. The book centers around Ward Johannsen (31) and alpha werewolf (for La Garita pack) and an elite black ops soldier, Henry James Dormer (how old?). Ward's daughter Ava Johannsen (4) shifts and becomes a werewolf and gets taken away from Ward and shipped off to the nearest pack, with all ties between father and daughter severed. However, Ward isn't about to let go of his daughter, so he tracks her down though - though not easy - and refuses to leave her, which is also where he meets Henry. Henry, who just come home from a failed mission, was not overall ready to met the strong headed Ward who'll do anything for his daughter. He also didn't think he'd gain respect for the man, nor find calmness of his presence. Then there's the werewolf politics, and meddling government agencies, timelines and guardians who aren't kind... how to make this work?
“You’re mine,” I snarled. “And he can’t fucking take you away from me without a fight.”
Ward is a strong man - personality wise - and a damn good father who refuses to give up on her. He's willing to give up his life for her, so trying to separate them is not a wise choice. Henry is tortured from everything he's been through; being an elite black ops soldier who's forced to do things many wouldn't survive and still come out of it with love and kindness in his heart. But that doesn't mean he's necessary nice, or talkative or lively or laughing, or ready to trust easily. But he's good, and once one earns his loyalty, you have it forever. Together they are kinda great. The second characters were cool too, though I wished we had gotten more of Davis, or that this book was a series. Would have kinda been awesome if we could've gotten more from the pack. And I wished we had gotten more of Ward with his daughter (in human form) and gotten more of a ‘family feeling’ between the two with Henry...
“You getting territorial on me, Ward?”
“Yeah.” I pushed my lower jaw out a bit. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Nope!”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal Romance (M/M)
Series: - Standalone.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Ward Johannsen.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Who knows?
Rating - 3.5 stars.
January 18, 2018
3.75 stars
Hmmm! i liked it! Not your usual shifter story but the story was captivating enough for me to keep going.
The Mc's Ward and Henry were likable.
This is the second Cari Z book i have read. Her writing is different from what i am used to but in good way.
The romance was a slow burn with no smexy times on page. I felt like it was more of Ava's story. It was like watching a movie about a father looking for his daughter.
The secondary characters were well developed and the writing was good.
If you are looking for an angst-free, sweet, low-steam, well written shifter book then this is for you. If you are looking for Mine! Mine!, Knotting shifter book then you will get bored reading this.
After this book i really need a book with hot smexy times.
Hmmm! i liked it! Not your usual shifter story but the story was captivating enough for me to keep going.
The Mc's Ward and Henry were likable.
This is the second Cari Z book i have read. Her writing is different from what i am used to but in good way.
The romance was a slow burn with no smexy times on page. I felt like it was more of Ava's story. It was like watching a movie about a father looking for his daughter.
The secondary characters were well developed and the writing was good.
If you are looking for an angst-free, sweet, low-steam, well written shifter book then this is for you. If you are looking for Mine! Mine!, Knotting shifter book then you will get bored reading this.
After this book i really need a book with hot smexy times.
June 21, 2018
4.5*
I loved this shifter paranormal from Cari Z. It's hard to come up with a new approach to a werewolf based narrative but this one did that.
The idea of werewolves being created via a military experiment gone wrong wasn't new, but the secrecy and use of the pack Alpha's as black ops was different and it worked well.
There's great world building and lots of layers to this story, which is light on the steam and has a slow burn but quite intense romance at its heart.
Ward was such an amazing character, his determination and dedication to his young daughter was admirable and I loved how he was willing to put himself in danger for her.
Henry was a complex character too, struggling with the expectations of being alpha while dealing with what was very likely a strong case of PTSD because of the missions he'd been forced into.
There's a good, solid set of secondary characters too and I'm hoping were getting a book two with Dr Tennyson and Davis as a pairing.
#ARC kindly provided by the publishers Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I loved this shifter paranormal from Cari Z. It's hard to come up with a new approach to a werewolf based narrative but this one did that.
The idea of werewolves being created via a military experiment gone wrong wasn't new, but the secrecy and use of the pack Alpha's as black ops was different and it worked well.
There's great world building and lots of layers to this story, which is light on the steam and has a slow burn but quite intense romance at its heart.
Ward was such an amazing character, his determination and dedication to his young daughter was admirable and I loved how he was willing to put himself in danger for her.
Henry was a complex character too, struggling with the expectations of being alpha while dealing with what was very likely a strong case of PTSD because of the missions he'd been forced into.
There's a good, solid set of secondary characters too and I'm hoping were getting a book two with Dr Tennyson and Davis as a pairing.
#ARC kindly provided by the publishers Dreamspinner Press in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 18, 2017
4.25 stars. Very good Cari Z werewolf story! Full review soon!
September 18, 2017
In Cari Z.’s latest urban fantasy,
Off the Beaten Path
, werewolves are the result of government’s experiment turns awry. The government pretty much rules the werewolves by forcing packs into special territories, guarded by a guardian whose job is to keep werewolves from the spotlight. The Alphas are forced into military service involving black ops to do what regular humans cannot do.
When Ward Johannsen’s daughter turns into werewolf, she is taken to a pack in secret, forcing Ward to ask his best friend to help him track Ava. Henry Dormer is the Alpha of the pack that takes Ava and he’s not sure how to handle a human that enters his domain and refuses to leave…
This is another SOLID story from Cari Z. who slowly but surely becomes an author I can count on. The story captured my attention from the first chapter when Cari Z. described the coldness that Ward experienced as he was trudging the snow to approach Henry’s land.
Off the Beaten Path , is a compelling read with strong world-built and sympathetic characters. It is a world where werewolves are treated badly by the government. Alphas come back from black ops without getting proper medical care for PTSD. Cari Z. is able to make me feel angry on their behalf.
Written from dual perspectives of Ward and Henry, the relationship between the two men moves at an unrushed pace. Henry is wary about Ward’s existence among the pack. He also has to deal with small frictions from suspicious pack members, a young werewolf making a move on forbidden wolf, as well as reporting to his bastard boss. Meanwhile, Ward’s main focus is his daughter, Ava, but at the same time, he has to adapt to being part of the pack and contribute what he can.
The secondary characters are excellent … from Henry’s sister and brother-in-law, to the pack doctor — whose background story is heartbreaking and I totally want him to have his own happy-ending, darn it! – to Ward’s daughter, as well as his best friend.
I hope Cari Z. will continue this universe, or at least give Tennyson and Davis their own love story. *nudge nudge*
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
When Ward Johannsen’s daughter turns into werewolf, she is taken to a pack in secret, forcing Ward to ask his best friend to help him track Ava. Henry Dormer is the Alpha of the pack that takes Ava and he’s not sure how to handle a human that enters his domain and refuses to leave…
This is another SOLID story from Cari Z. who slowly but surely becomes an author I can count on. The story captured my attention from the first chapter when Cari Z. described the coldness that Ward experienced as he was trudging the snow to approach Henry’s land.
I’d gone seven miles through the snow after abandoning my car, the pale winter sun doing little to warm me as I trudged along, hoping against hope for a sign that I was going in the right direction. Finding the fence had felt like a godsend at the time, but I’d been there for over an hour now, waiting for anything and getting nothing at all.
Off the Beaten Path , is a compelling read with strong world-built and sympathetic characters. It is a world where werewolves are treated badly by the government. Alphas come back from black ops without getting proper medical care for PTSD. Cari Z. is able to make me feel angry on their behalf.
Written from dual perspectives of Ward and Henry, the relationship between the two men moves at an unrushed pace. Henry is wary about Ward’s existence among the pack. He also has to deal with small frictions from suspicious pack members, a young werewolf making a move on forbidden wolf, as well as reporting to his bastard boss. Meanwhile, Ward’s main focus is his daughter, Ava, but at the same time, he has to adapt to being part of the pack and contribute what he can.
The secondary characters are excellent … from Henry’s sister and brother-in-law, to the pack doctor — whose background story is heartbreaking and I totally want him to have his own happy-ending, darn it! – to Ward’s daughter, as well as his best friend.
I hope Cari Z. will continue this universe, or at least give Tennyson and Davis their own love story. *nudge nudge*
A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls
The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
September 19, 2017
A captivating story with great characters, excellent world building, and a storyline that keeps you fully entertained!!
Full review here at Alpha Book Club
5 stars
February 7, 2018
Jack Wesley's narration made an already great book terrific!
Told in a dual third person POV with a sweet HEA, this story is filled with interesting world building, great, well-fleshed-out characters, and a compelling plot. This was absolutely entertaining.
I don't know where or what Jack Wesley has been doing before audio narrating, but he did such a fantastic job with this that I was shocked this is his only title on Audible.
His breath sounds are great, his tone is even, his pacing is great, he provided clear character voices, and he added emotional depth to the story.
Recommended!
Audio copy of Off the Beaten Path provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**
4.5 Stars
I had a hard time putting this down. Filled with interesting world building, great, well-fleshed-out characters, and an interesting plot this was a very entertaining page turner.
Ward Johannsen is willing to do anything to get his daughter, Ava, back. Removed from his care by Federal agents after she shifted into a werewolf, she is sent to a remote werewolf pack without Ward even being able to see her again. Ward uses every resource he has available to find her, and faces possible death in the Colorado mountains tracking down her new pack, to be with Ava again.
Henry Dormer is the Alpha of Ava's new pack and it's when he returns home after a failed assignment and meets Ward that the story really takes off.
I hated how badly the werewolves are treated in this world. Cari Z. definitely wove some first-class world building in this that sucked me in completely. Werewolves are certainly less than second class citizens and Alpha werewolves are treated even worse by the federal government - using them for black and extremely dangerous military operations.
There is a dual third person POV from both Ward and Henry. I really liked the way their relationship progressed and that the passion in this isn't excessive but fits with the storyline. There is a HEA and enough crumbs that it's possible Cari Z. could extend this into a possible sequel or series.
For the sticklers: There were a few small proofing errors, but hopefully those will be caught and fixed prior to final publishing.
Recommended.
Advanced Review Galley copy of Off the Beaten Path provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
August 25, 2017
I loved this book. Inhaled it in a day. Was so happy to have found it because I'd been kicking around between books, unable to find something I wanted again. When I saw this I knew I had to read it and it did not let me down.
Being vaguely general, this book contains -
A somewhat different spin on the standard shifter world(s) - the pack structure, origination, lands, government intervention
While it isn't dark per se, it can be emotional and definitely elicits strong feelings
It's first class storytelling
The MCs are terrific and supported well by secondary characters and situations
It isn't particularly steamy but there is a bit of sex - it's romantic and right for the story
If you like well written shifter books with great characters and plenty of feelings then I can't recommend Off the Beaten Path highly enough.
Being vaguely general, this book contains -
A somewhat different spin on the standard shifter world(s) - the pack structure, origination, lands, government intervention
While it isn't dark per se, it can be emotional and definitely elicits strong feelings
It's first class storytelling
The MCs are terrific and supported well by secondary characters and situations
It isn't particularly steamy but there is a bit of sex - it's romantic and right for the story
If you like well written shifter books with great characters and plenty of feelings then I can't recommend Off the Beaten Path highly enough.
September 22, 2017
I don’t necessarily like naming favorites, but deep down, paranormal romance is my favored genre. And to be even more precise, I prefer shifter stories. I don’t read a great deal of them anymore because unfortunately, I’ve stumbled upon more rotten eggs than golden ones. However, I am the first to thrust out grabby hands when a trusted author creates a new shifter story. Cari Z. takes the typical human + beast + abnormal powers formula and spices it up with her humor and some peculiar twists. And of course, a mega dose of love. She most definitely veers “off course” and I was thrilled to tag along for the ride.
Ward is introduced first and what makes him remarkable from the start is his unconditional love for his daughter. Ward is human, a single father, and determined to find his stolen daughter…at all costs. Who abducted his daughter? The government. This is not a free world; this is a place where laws are stringently enforced and lives are controlled. If a person is born with the shifting gene, as soon as it’s revealed they’re whisked away to a hidden community. Werewolves are forbidden to interact with humans unless the government deems it necessary. Few humans are granted clearance to bridge the gap between the species. Those selected ‘guardians’ live in solitude as well. The Alpha of the pack must bear the consequence of ‘payment’ to the government by assisting the military on mercenary missions. The price of being an assassin is slowly destroying Alpha Henry and when he returns from a string of exhausting assignments to discover an unauthorized human on his land, he nearly loses the fragile hold of his sanity. However, this brave stranger stirs something within Henry, something he’s afraid to acknowledge. Something close to comfort. Ward only cares about one thing, his daughter Ava, but before he knows it, he finds himself drawn to the big bad Alpha. Is there a way he can have both? Let’s find out, shall we?
What's to like: The reader slips from Ward’s mind to Henry’s with alternating dual point-of-view storytelling. I found this tremendously helpful and it heightens the ability to connect and understand both men. Packs are held together by respect and obedience. Although Henry’s wolves comply with his rules, there are a few new additions giving him a bit of trouble. His biggest dilemma and priority is Ava, the toddler pup seemingly stuck in her wolf form. He needs to find a motivating factor to lure her back into her human form. Her father is exactly the incentive needed to stimulate her shift. But it takes time, and time is not on their side. I enjoyed the urgency and steady pace. I really liked Ava!
What's to love: It was easy to fall for Ward. He’s determined and selfless, with eyes only for his daughter. Until the leader of the pack returns home. He’s not intimidated by Henry yet understands the importance of getting in the Alpha’s good graces. What he didn’t expect was the attraction he can’t deny. His libido has been dormant for years but there’s something about the gruff and tough wolf that flips his switch. He’s never considered himself a strong man…until he has no choice. It’s amazing what tenacity and pure stubbornness can deliver. When Henry finally lets his guard down the tenderness is overwhelming. I adored his sister and the strength she adds to their story. Overall the story is unique and terrific but the greatest assets are without a doubt the characters. Top it off with some comic relief and some sexiness and I was one happy reader. AND…it looks like this might turn into a series or that could just be me hoping it will.
Beware of: The romance is slow but steady. Family is the core of this story. A father and daughter and a tight-knit pack, both fuel the fire that heats this tale. The ‘big brother’ in this story is mean and unforgiving.
This book is for: If you seek superior shifts like I do or consider yourself a Cari Z. groupie, I have a strong feeling you’re going to want to venture "Off The Beaten Path" with this journey.
Book UNfunk
Ward is introduced first and what makes him remarkable from the start is his unconditional love for his daughter. Ward is human, a single father, and determined to find his stolen daughter…at all costs. Who abducted his daughter? The government. This is not a free world; this is a place where laws are stringently enforced and lives are controlled. If a person is born with the shifting gene, as soon as it’s revealed they’re whisked away to a hidden community. Werewolves are forbidden to interact with humans unless the government deems it necessary. Few humans are granted clearance to bridge the gap between the species. Those selected ‘guardians’ live in solitude as well. The Alpha of the pack must bear the consequence of ‘payment’ to the government by assisting the military on mercenary missions. The price of being an assassin is slowly destroying Alpha Henry and when he returns from a string of exhausting assignments to discover an unauthorized human on his land, he nearly loses the fragile hold of his sanity. However, this brave stranger stirs something within Henry, something he’s afraid to acknowledge. Something close to comfort. Ward only cares about one thing, his daughter Ava, but before he knows it, he finds himself drawn to the big bad Alpha. Is there a way he can have both? Let’s find out, shall we?
What's to like: The reader slips from Ward’s mind to Henry’s with alternating dual point-of-view storytelling. I found this tremendously helpful and it heightens the ability to connect and understand both men. Packs are held together by respect and obedience. Although Henry’s wolves comply with his rules, there are a few new additions giving him a bit of trouble. His biggest dilemma and priority is Ava, the toddler pup seemingly stuck in her wolf form. He needs to find a motivating factor to lure her back into her human form. Her father is exactly the incentive needed to stimulate her shift. But it takes time, and time is not on their side. I enjoyed the urgency and steady pace. I really liked Ava!
What's to love: It was easy to fall for Ward. He’s determined and selfless, with eyes only for his daughter. Until the leader of the pack returns home. He’s not intimidated by Henry yet understands the importance of getting in the Alpha’s good graces. What he didn’t expect was the attraction he can’t deny. His libido has been dormant for years but there’s something about the gruff and tough wolf that flips his switch. He’s never considered himself a strong man…until he has no choice. It’s amazing what tenacity and pure stubbornness can deliver. When Henry finally lets his guard down the tenderness is overwhelming. I adored his sister and the strength she adds to their story. Overall the story is unique and terrific but the greatest assets are without a doubt the characters. Top it off with some comic relief and some sexiness and I was one happy reader. AND…it looks like this might turn into a series or that could just be me hoping it will.
Beware of: The romance is slow but steady. Family is the core of this story. A father and daughter and a tight-knit pack, both fuel the fire that heats this tale. The ‘big brother’ in this story is mean and unforgiving.
This book is for: If you seek superior shifts like I do or consider yourself a Cari Z. groupie, I have a strong feeling you’re going to want to venture "Off The Beaten Path" with this journey.
Book UNfunk
April 27, 2018
"Off the Beaten Path" is an interesting paranormal story with shifters.
In the world the author created to host her characters, shifters are forced to live mostly isolated from humans in an effort to minimize the posibility of them "turning" someone. The packs are extremely restricted and everything they do is monitored by the government. The werewolves are thought of as less than humans, as a subspecies that should be contained. It was very hard to read about the way they were forced to live.
Ward and Henry, the MCs, weren't true mates or destined to be together or anything like that. They were just attracted to each other and decided to do something about that. I wasn't expecting such a simple connection between the MCs in a shifter books and was pleasantly surprised by it.
Even though the story had good bones, ultimately, the execution was very simple. There were a lot of things going on but everything was getting resolved very quickly and effortlessly. Every problem, every situation was explored only on the surface and the characters never delved deeper. It was delt with and they moved on with minimal effort and that was that. I would have liked a bit more conflict, more effort on the characters' parts before everything fell into place.
I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Jack Wesley. He did a very good job with the story, changing his voice appropritely in a way that the characters were easily separated and even managing to provide a french accent for one of them. He was speaking clearly and there never was any problem with understanding him.
3 stars for this nice and interesting story that, sadly, lacked depth.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
In the world the author created to host her characters, shifters are forced to live mostly isolated from humans in an effort to minimize the posibility of them "turning" someone. The packs are extremely restricted and everything they do is monitored by the government. The werewolves are thought of as less than humans, as a subspecies that should be contained. It was very hard to read about the way they were forced to live.
Ward and Henry, the MCs, weren't true mates or destined to be together or anything like that. They were just attracted to each other and decided to do something about that. I wasn't expecting such a simple connection between the MCs in a shifter books and was pleasantly surprised by it.
Even though the story had good bones, ultimately, the execution was very simple. There were a lot of things going on but everything was getting resolved very quickly and effortlessly. Every problem, every situation was explored only on the surface and the characters never delved deeper. It was delt with and they moved on with minimal effort and that was that. I would have liked a bit more conflict, more effort on the characters' parts before everything fell into place.
I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Jack Wesley. He did a very good job with the story, changing his voice appropritely in a way that the characters were easily separated and even managing to provide a french accent for one of them. He was speaking clearly and there never was any problem with understanding him.
3 stars for this nice and interesting story that, sadly, lacked depth.
This review has been cross-posted on The Novel Approach Reviews.
*A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher via The Novel Approach Reviews in exchange for an honest review. *
November 1, 2018
Shifter books are always fun, when done well. And this was fun. I like Henry, Ward and Ava, wanted to know more about Samantha and Liam, Roman and Genna, and Tennyson and Davis. This was not your typical shifter story and that's cool. In this world, werewolves are the result of an accident by the military and as a result werewolves are kept on reservations (more or less) and are led by an alpha, but also have a human guardian not on the compound.
The alpha is forced into the military as a like assassin troubleshooter. Children born to human parents are forcibly removed if they turn out to be a shifter. Which is what happens to Ava.
There was a lot of "stuff" going on in the story I didn't care about so I skipped it. I really only wanted to see Henry, Ward and Ava. 😁
Cute and a manageable length. Happy ending with the jerk bad guy being removed from power and investigated. 3 stars
The alpha is forced into the military as a like assassin troubleshooter. Children born to human parents are forcibly removed if they turn out to be a shifter. Which is what happens to Ava.
There was a lot of "stuff" going on in the story I didn't care about so I skipped it. I really only wanted to see Henry, Ward and Ava. 😁
Cute and a manageable length. Happy ending with the jerk bad guy being removed from power and investigated. 3 stars
Read
September 21, 2017 5 Hearts
Well this was different and different is good.
Cari Z took the genre of shifters and added a little something extra to it. She plays with the tropes well known in the genre and then takes it to an almost dystopian level that made this a truly unique read for this redhead.
Ward Johannsen is on a mission. His four year old daughter Ava has been taken from him because she shifted into a wolf on her first day of school. Now Ward himself is not a werewolf but apparently the werewolf mutation was passed to Ava through her mother and the stress of school and being away from her dad caused the shift. Once that happened, the government stepped in and took Ward’s daughter from him and he is not having it. With the help of his late brother’s best friend and the only man he considers family, Ward sets off to a hidden location to get his daughter back. The only thing is, it’s Antarctic cold outside in Colorado and California bred Ward is a bit on the sickly side, so he gets all muddled to where he is, but thank goodness a kind hearted person decides to take pity on him when she finds out who he is.
Henry Dormer is the alpha of the La Garita and takes his role seriously. He knows the hardships and heartache that comes with running a pack and without the love and support of his sister Sam, Henry would be lost. When he comes back from his latest brutal mission as an elite black ops soldier to an unfamiliar smell and human in his house, things get complicated fast.
Let me take a minute to tell you a brief summary of this shifter world. The wolves aren’t natural, they are a mutation of an experiment that was supposed to give super soldiers the heightened senses of a wolf and instead turned them into wolves. The mutation can be hereditarily passed or passed through fluids with say, a bite. Most with the mutation have their first shift when they are young and are swiftly taken to a secret compound of sorts where the pack lives under the thumb of the US government and treated…well, treated like dogs. The alpha of each pack is forced to perform for the military doing the most gruesome of missions and the government decides when and how pack members will be eliminated. It’s quite shitty how the government treats the wolves and there are a good number of politicians etc. who would prefer they just be gone completely.
So, Ward is frozen and Sam – Henry’s non-wolf sister – brings him home to take care of him once he tells her he’s Ava’s dad. The pack knows the little wolf who showed up months ago isn’t in good shape, hasn’t shifted from her wolf state and is in the process of being declared with a “failure to thrive.” This right there broke my heart. As a parent, all I could think about was how much this tiny baby of a girl needed the only family she had, she needed her daddy. (And yet, giving us Ava as a pup is quite possibly the best thing ever in this book but I will get back to that.) Henry isn’t too hip to having a human on his land or in his home considering no one is supposed to know where they are but he feels and smells something in Ward he hasn’t before. With a few strong but caring words from Sam and her wolf husband Liam, Henry gives in and let’s Ward stay.
Ward’s reaction to the wolves was great. He was a bit scared, a bit curious and really, just in need to see his daughter. Ward will do whatever necessary to be with his daughter again even if that means never leaving the lands of the La Garita pack and actually staying with them as pack. His first trip to the clinic to see Ava was heartbreaking and yet adorable as heck because there is one hell of a hug that happens and then we get Ava in full pup mode! OMG! One of my favorite things about shifter books in when they are in their animal form and just acting like that animal would, and Ava is adorable as a pup and yet so freaking sad. You know this little girl wants her daddy something fierce, but is so new to this wolf thing she can’t figure out how to do shift. With the help of her now Alpha Henry and her dad there, this pup is working hard to get it done. Ugh. So cute. I cannot stress enough how cute Ava is.
But along with the cute, there's a lot going on in this story and in this pack of wolves. We have not only the wolves but Sam who is human and married to a wolf. We have the guardian, John who is charged with protecting the wolves, but also doing his job with the government. We have Gerald and Peggy who want their eldest Roman to take over as Alpha because they think Henry is too soft at times. We have Tennyson who is a new pack member and a doctor who has one hell of a story of his own. We have Ward with his secrets about how he even knew where to find the pack, and we have Henry who is sent on missions that are so dangerous, he fears he may not return from them. And then we have Ward and Henry together, our MC’s who if you read shifter stories are basically fated mate-esque with a slow burn. Now doesn’t that sound delicious? Trust me it was.
This really was a slow burn shifter/human romance and no I am not being sarcastic. You get the normal wolf behavior of smells, scenting and hearing heartbeats, wanting to mark and mine etc. But Ward is such an amazing character that you, or at least I, wanted him to turn into a wolf for all sort of selfish reasons that don’t involve sex. I just wanting him to belong in every way, but Ward doesn’t need the mutation to belong, he simply does just by being himself. And all of that gives us a story where Henry and Ward get to know one another while they work together to not only get Ava to shift, but they work together for the betterment and contentment of the pack as the times continue to evolve.
So this, wow. I have so much to say still, but I will stop rambling and wrap this up.
This book was great. I loved Ward’s sense of humor and how he calmed Henry when most would run away. I bawled my eyes out with the Wilson scene and cried tears of joy over Henry and Ward’s first kiss and what happened before it. I adored Tennyson with a fiery passion and really would love to see just how much time he is now spending with Davis. I adored the heck out of Ava and the kids Sam and Henry teach when they get furry time and how much they LOVE when Alpha Henry visits. Goodness. I just loved the hell out of this book.
Off the Beaten Path did just that for me, it took me off my normal shifter path of reading and dropped me into a new world the author did a wonderful job of creating. It’s the story of two men who find each other in the least expected place but find the heart where they belong. It’s a story about being different in a world that would rather you don’t exist and fighting to remain and thrive. It’s one hell of a romance that has me wanting more already and really hoping this becomes a series. If the author needs a suggestion for the next couple… I volunteer Tennyson and Davis, for reasons.
A great buddy read and tag team review on the blog with R * A Reader Obsessed *!
Well this was different and different is good.
Cari Z took the genre of shifters and added a little something extra to it. She plays with the tropes well known in the genre and then takes it to an almost dystopian level that made this a truly unique read for this redhead.
Ward Johannsen is on a mission. His four year old daughter Ava has been taken from him because she shifted into a wolf on her first day of school. Now Ward himself is not a werewolf but apparently the werewolf mutation was passed to Ava through her mother and the stress of school and being away from her dad caused the shift. Once that happened, the government stepped in and took Ward’s daughter from him and he is not having it. With the help of his late brother’s best friend and the only man he considers family, Ward sets off to a hidden location to get his daughter back. The only thing is, it’s Antarctic cold outside in Colorado and California bred Ward is a bit on the sickly side, so he gets all muddled to where he is, but thank goodness a kind hearted person decides to take pity on him when she finds out who he is.
Henry Dormer is the alpha of the La Garita and takes his role seriously. He knows the hardships and heartache that comes with running a pack and without the love and support of his sister Sam, Henry would be lost. When he comes back from his latest brutal mission as an elite black ops soldier to an unfamiliar smell and human in his house, things get complicated fast.
Let me take a minute to tell you a brief summary of this shifter world. The wolves aren’t natural, they are a mutation of an experiment that was supposed to give super soldiers the heightened senses of a wolf and instead turned them into wolves. The mutation can be hereditarily passed or passed through fluids with say, a bite. Most with the mutation have their first shift when they are young and are swiftly taken to a secret compound of sorts where the pack lives under the thumb of the US government and treated…well, treated like dogs. The alpha of each pack is forced to perform for the military doing the most gruesome of missions and the government decides when and how pack members will be eliminated. It’s quite shitty how the government treats the wolves and there are a good number of politicians etc. who would prefer they just be gone completely.
So, Ward is frozen and Sam – Henry’s non-wolf sister – brings him home to take care of him once he tells her he’s Ava’s dad. The pack knows the little wolf who showed up months ago isn’t in good shape, hasn’t shifted from her wolf state and is in the process of being declared with a “failure to thrive.” This right there broke my heart. As a parent, all I could think about was how much this tiny baby of a girl needed the only family she had, she needed her daddy. (And yet, giving us Ava as a pup is quite possibly the best thing ever in this book but I will get back to that.) Henry isn’t too hip to having a human on his land or in his home considering no one is supposed to know where they are but he feels and smells something in Ward he hasn’t before. With a few strong but caring words from Sam and her wolf husband Liam, Henry gives in and let’s Ward stay.
Ward’s reaction to the wolves was great. He was a bit scared, a bit curious and really, just in need to see his daughter. Ward will do whatever necessary to be with his daughter again even if that means never leaving the lands of the La Garita pack and actually staying with them as pack. His first trip to the clinic to see Ava was heartbreaking and yet adorable as heck because there is one hell of a hug that happens and then we get Ava in full pup mode! OMG! One of my favorite things about shifter books in when they are in their animal form and just acting like that animal would, and Ava is adorable as a pup and yet so freaking sad. You know this little girl wants her daddy something fierce, but is so new to this wolf thing she can’t figure out how to do shift. With the help of her now Alpha Henry and her dad there, this pup is working hard to get it done. Ugh. So cute. I cannot stress enough how cute Ava is.
But along with the cute, there's a lot going on in this story and in this pack of wolves. We have not only the wolves but Sam who is human and married to a wolf. We have the guardian, John who is charged with protecting the wolves, but also doing his job with the government. We have Gerald and Peggy who want their eldest Roman to take over as Alpha because they think Henry is too soft at times. We have Tennyson who is a new pack member and a doctor who has one hell of a story of his own. We have Ward with his secrets about how he even knew where to find the pack, and we have Henry who is sent on missions that are so dangerous, he fears he may not return from them. And then we have Ward and Henry together, our MC’s who if you read shifter stories are basically fated mate-esque with a slow burn. Now doesn’t that sound delicious? Trust me it was.
This really was a slow burn shifter/human romance and no I am not being sarcastic. You get the normal wolf behavior of smells, scenting and hearing heartbeats, wanting to mark and mine etc. But Ward is such an amazing character that you, or at least I, wanted him to turn into a wolf for all sort of selfish reasons that don’t involve sex. I just wanting him to belong in every way, but Ward doesn’t need the mutation to belong, he simply does just by being himself. And all of that gives us a story where Henry and Ward get to know one another while they work together to not only get Ava to shift, but they work together for the betterment and contentment of the pack as the times continue to evolve.
So this, wow. I have so much to say still, but I will stop rambling and wrap this up.
This book was great. I loved Ward’s sense of humor and how he calmed Henry when most would run away. I bawled my eyes out with the Wilson scene and cried tears of joy over Henry and Ward’s first kiss and what happened before it. I adored Tennyson with a fiery passion and really would love to see just how much time he is now spending with Davis. I adored the heck out of Ava and the kids Sam and Henry teach when they get furry time and how much they LOVE when Alpha Henry visits. Goodness. I just loved the hell out of this book.
Off the Beaten Path did just that for me, it took me off my normal shifter path of reading and dropped me into a new world the author did a wonderful job of creating. It’s the story of two men who find each other in the least expected place but find the heart where they belong. It’s a story about being different in a world that would rather you don’t exist and fighting to remain and thrive. It’s one hell of a romance that has me wanting more already and really hoping this becomes a series. If the author needs a suggestion for the next couple… I volunteer Tennyson and Davis, for reasons.
A great buddy read and tag team review on the blog with R * A Reader Obsessed *!
March 12, 2018
4.5 stars CARI ZZZZZZZZZ, WHY YOU SO GOOD?!?! This was just an absolute delight. Despite the fact that the werewolf "territories" are poorly concealed prisons and "justifying their protected status" little more than indentured servitude, this was a beautiful and hopeful story. Despite Henry being at his wits end, exhausted and frustrated and used and abused. Ward was everything they didn't know they all desperately needed.
Loving his daughter with his whole heart he fully accepted (before the story even began) that best case scenario, he would stay on Pack land with Ava indefinitely and never return to his old life. He never wallowed or complained or felt bad for himself. He was grateful and overjoyed and appreciated that he was able to find his daughter and be allowed to stay with her, to help her.
The love story is slow, but also not. There's no insta-love but the two men immediately have a good dynamic based on mutual respect and understanding. Their feelings develop based on action, based on what they learn of the other man. Yes, it happens in a somewhat short period of time, but it never feels rushed. There is no "unexplained" attraction. It all makes perfect sense.
Sure I would have loved more sexy times, but it also wasn't necessary. We feel the attraction between the two men, and get to witness one sizzling peak of intimacy. The story was so rich with dynamic secondary characters and inter-pack relations that we certainly weren't lacking for story. Ava is in the story mostly as a wolf, so not too much annoying kid time or this-4-year-old-is-acting-like-a-12-year-old nonsense.
The audio version was perfect, from Henry's gruff tenor to Sam's normal (not annoying or high pitched) female voice. I really enjoyed listening to this and, full disclosure, listened to it in pretty much one sitting! I'll def keep an ear out for Jack Wesley's narration int he future.
I reeeeeeeeeeeally want Tennyson's story , and am SO EXCITED that Cari Z got approved for a second book in this amazing world! But I also (for once) really want more of Henry and Ward. I normally prefer to move on to new couples but in this case (maybe it was the lack of sex or that the pack is finally settled), but I'd also really love a second book for the two of them.
Either way I'm definitely keeping an eye out for this series. A new and complex shifter world with complex secondary characters and a slow burn love connection? YES PLEASE!
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
Loving his daughter with his whole heart he fully accepted (before the story even began) that best case scenario, he would stay on Pack land with Ava indefinitely and never return to his old life. He never wallowed or complained or felt bad for himself. He was grateful and overjoyed and appreciated that he was able to find his daughter and be allowed to stay with her, to help her.
The love story is slow, but also not. There's no insta-love but the two men immediately have a good dynamic based on mutual respect and understanding. Their feelings develop based on action, based on what they learn of the other man. Yes, it happens in a somewhat short period of time, but it never feels rushed. There is no "unexplained" attraction. It all makes perfect sense.
Sure I would have loved more sexy times, but it also wasn't necessary. We feel the attraction between the two men, and get to witness one sizzling peak of intimacy. The story was so rich with dynamic secondary characters and inter-pack relations that we certainly weren't lacking for story. Ava is in the story mostly as a wolf, so not too much annoying kid time or this-4-year-old-is-acting-like-a-12-year-old nonsense.
The audio version was perfect, from Henry's gruff tenor to Sam's normal (not annoying or high pitched) female voice. I really enjoyed listening to this and, full disclosure, listened to it in pretty much one sitting! I'll def keep an ear out for Jack Wesley's narration int he future.
I reeeeeeeeeeeally want Tennyson's story , and am SO EXCITED that Cari Z got approved for a second book in this amazing world! But I also (for once) really want more of Henry and Ward. I normally prefer to move on to new couples but in this case (maybe it was the lack of sex or that the pack is finally settled), but I'd also really love a second book for the two of them.
Either way I'm definitely keeping an eye out for this series. A new and complex shifter world with complex secondary characters and a slow burn love connection? YES PLEASE!
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
September 20, 2017
This was a nice shifter book, but I wasn’t too fond of the cruel world Cari Z. created.
Ward has a 4 year old daughter who suddenly shifts into a wolf. Wolf shifters are humans who contracted a virus, or are shifters because their parents were. Ava is immediately sent to the nearest pack and Ward is no longer allowed to see her. Of course Ward is a stubborn father who won’t leave his little girl, so he goes out to look for her.
And that’s how he finds himself on the outside of the fence of the small werewolf pack Ava was taken to. Ward is not sure he will make it since he is so cold out there in the snow without a coat. But when the Alpha’s sister sees him, he gets taken in before he freezes to death.
Henry, the Alpha, is not happy when Ward shows up and wants him to leave immediately. No human is allowed in wolf territory. But when Ava (who is still a wolf and is not able to shift back) sees Ward Henry agrees he might be good for the little girl..
This world was depressing. It was not a happy world with the way the wolves were treated. Or how anyone turning into a wolf is sent away, no matter how young.
The romance was okay, but I had a hard time warming up to hardass Alpha Henry. Ward and Ava were adorable though, and I was happy they were reunited.
Overall this world was a bit too dark for me to want to spend more time in it. The romance was without relationship angst and the sexy times took a bit of a backseat to the rest of the plot.
Ward has a 4 year old daughter who suddenly shifts into a wolf. Wolf shifters are humans who contracted a virus, or are shifters because their parents were. Ava is immediately sent to the nearest pack and Ward is no longer allowed to see her. Of course Ward is a stubborn father who won’t leave his little girl, so he goes out to look for her.
And that’s how he finds himself on the outside of the fence of the small werewolf pack Ava was taken to. Ward is not sure he will make it since he is so cold out there in the snow without a coat. But when the Alpha’s sister sees him, he gets taken in before he freezes to death.
Henry, the Alpha, is not happy when Ward shows up and wants him to leave immediately. No human is allowed in wolf territory. But when Ava (who is still a wolf and is not able to shift back) sees Ward Henry agrees he might be good for the little girl..
This world was depressing. It was not a happy world with the way the wolves were treated. Or how anyone turning into a wolf is sent away, no matter how young.
The romance was okay, but I had a hard time warming up to hardass Alpha Henry. Ward and Ava were adorable though, and I was happy they were reunited.
Overall this world was a bit too dark for me to want to spend more time in it. The romance was without relationship angst and the sexy times took a bit of a backseat to the rest of the plot.
October 7, 2017
I adored the plot... adored, adored, adored.
I personally have problems getting into first person POV, especially when it alternates.
I personally have problems getting into first person POV, especially when it alternates.
June 17, 2018
4.3 Stars
I loved the world-building and the characters were engaging; the audio was really well done as well!
I loved the world-building and the characters were engaging; the audio was really well done as well!
September 30, 2017
Originally reviewed at Sinfully.
Cari Z builds an interesting world for these wolf shifters with their origin story seemingly a nod to Captain America. The wolves are known to the public, but kept in check by the US government. Kept isolated on remote reservations, only in part for their own protection, the government controls everything including the media they are exposed to, the supplies they are given and who can come and go from the property. The alphas are forced into military black ops and not everyone in the government departments dealing with the wolves cares about their well-being.
Henry is one such alpha, who has just returned from another harrowing mission and has been away from his pack for too long. His newly married human sister Sam has been in charge while he was away, but as the Alpha he needs to be there to settle the pack’s newer arrivals and care for the young child shifter, Ava, who has failed to return to her human state. He returns to find the girl’s father has found them and although he is conflicted about the man’s presence, he has to agree that it may be the best chance to save the child. There are also some grumblings among some pack members that perhaps Henry doesn’t have what it really takes to be the Alpha. Henry is under a lot of stress between the military requirements and the unrest and changes in his pack and it’s starting to show in his behavior.
Ward’s young daughter Ava left for her first day of pre-school and he never saw her again. Shifting in class she was immediately taken by the government and placed with a werewolf pack. Months later he has found her and he will die before he will allow himself to be separated from her again. He has made his way into the compound surprisingly easy, but that’s before the Alpha arrives. Ward may be small, but he is feisty and not going to let his daughter get away without a fight, even if it’s with an Alpha werewolf that will surely mean his death.
As Henry and Ward work together to encourage Ava to shift and Ward begins to make himself useful to the pack, their initial physical notice of the other grows into more of a relationship of mutual respect. That, more than anything is what leads to their eventual coming together. They find a sense of peace together and become a solid team. While there is plenty of shifting and werewolf feels, the romance is more traditional. An interesting dynamic that I haven’t really seen in other shifter books, this is really a slow burn. That’s not to say there isn’t the eventual feelings of possessiveness and need to claim and protect, it’s just not an immediate reaction to the situation.
Aside from the main characters, the secondary characters were all well-formed and played an active role in the story. Henry’s sister (who is a wonderful, strong female character) bringing home her new husband has changed their family dynamic, their pack’s guardian seems more aggressive and angry, some of the younger pack members are taking risks that they might not understand the repercussions of and pack politics are rearing their ugly head. This all added an extra layer of tension to the story and I really liked being immersed in this community with the differing ideas and outlooks.
Not sure if there is a series planned, but I would like to see more stories in this world, perhaps Dr. Tennyson and Davis? If you’re looking for a bit of a different take on a shifter story I’d recommend giving Off the Beaten Path a try.
Cari Z builds an interesting world for these wolf shifters with their origin story seemingly a nod to Captain America. The wolves are known to the public, but kept in check by the US government. Kept isolated on remote reservations, only in part for their own protection, the government controls everything including the media they are exposed to, the supplies they are given and who can come and go from the property. The alphas are forced into military black ops and not everyone in the government departments dealing with the wolves cares about their well-being.
Henry is one such alpha, who has just returned from another harrowing mission and has been away from his pack for too long. His newly married human sister Sam has been in charge while he was away, but as the Alpha he needs to be there to settle the pack’s newer arrivals and care for the young child shifter, Ava, who has failed to return to her human state. He returns to find the girl’s father has found them and although he is conflicted about the man’s presence, he has to agree that it may be the best chance to save the child. There are also some grumblings among some pack members that perhaps Henry doesn’t have what it really takes to be the Alpha. Henry is under a lot of stress between the military requirements and the unrest and changes in his pack and it’s starting to show in his behavior.
Ward’s young daughter Ava left for her first day of pre-school and he never saw her again. Shifting in class she was immediately taken by the government and placed with a werewolf pack. Months later he has found her and he will die before he will allow himself to be separated from her again. He has made his way into the compound surprisingly easy, but that’s before the Alpha arrives. Ward may be small, but he is feisty and not going to let his daughter get away without a fight, even if it’s with an Alpha werewolf that will surely mean his death.
As Henry and Ward work together to encourage Ava to shift and Ward begins to make himself useful to the pack, their initial physical notice of the other grows into more of a relationship of mutual respect. That, more than anything is what leads to their eventual coming together. They find a sense of peace together and become a solid team. While there is plenty of shifting and werewolf feels, the romance is more traditional. An interesting dynamic that I haven’t really seen in other shifter books, this is really a slow burn. That’s not to say there isn’t the eventual feelings of possessiveness and need to claim and protect, it’s just not an immediate reaction to the situation.
Aside from the main characters, the secondary characters were all well-formed and played an active role in the story. Henry’s sister (who is a wonderful, strong female character) bringing home her new husband has changed their family dynamic, their pack’s guardian seems more aggressive and angry, some of the younger pack members are taking risks that they might not understand the repercussions of and pack politics are rearing their ugly head. This all added an extra layer of tension to the story and I really liked being immersed in this community with the differing ideas and outlooks.
Not sure if there is a series planned, but I would like to see more stories in this world, perhaps Dr. Tennyson and Davis? If you’re looking for a bit of a different take on a shifter story I’d recommend giving Off the Beaten Path a try.
May 19, 2022
3.5 stars
I really liked the originality of the worldbuilding and the shifter aspects—especially the parts regarding how the shift works and shifters have to learn it when they’re young—and I loved that the writing didn’t let the more unpalatable parts of the story get depressing. The premise in itself is pretty grim, with a father risking almost certain imprisonment or death to find his daughter after the government took her away, because in this world that’s how it works if a child manifests the shift and doesn’t have shifter parents, and some of the details about the shifters situation and Henry’s “job” for the government weren’t much better, once they were revealed. On top of Henry’s , it could’ve easily been too much.
The romance isn’t anything special, no insta-connection, no great passion, I would call it slow burn but that doesn’t fit either. It simply happened and, while I can see how it might be disappointing for some readers, I liked that it didn’t seem to be the only focus of the story or even the most important one. I kind of loved how It felt more realistic in a way, how they were drawn together by circumstances, and how their attraction to each other developed quietly in the middle of other important things needing their energy and attention. At one point, it seemed like the author was piling up too much to deal with, but it all came together in a satisfying conclusion.
Even though the worldbuilding and the secondary characters were introduced so well that I could easily imagine them being explored further in a series, that’s not to say that this book doesn’t feel complete in itself.
Under normal circumstances, I would round down, but it was such a relief to find something I wanted to read in the middle of a bunch of DNFs and books barely holding my attention lately, even more so because, when I picked this story and realized one of the MCs was big on parenting and completely focused on his daughter, I was almost sure I was headed for another DNF. It was nice to be proven wrong and I’m thinking that deserves a rounding up.
I really liked the originality of the worldbuilding and the shifter aspects—especially the parts regarding how the shift works and shifters have to learn it when they’re young—and I loved that the writing didn’t let the more unpalatable parts of the story get depressing. The premise in itself is pretty grim, with a father risking almost certain imprisonment or death to find his daughter after the government took her away, because in this world that’s how it works if a child manifests the shift and doesn’t have shifter parents, and some of the details about the shifters situation and Henry’s “job” for the government weren’t much better, once they were revealed. On top of Henry’s , it could’ve easily been too much.
The romance isn’t anything special, no insta-connection, no great passion, I would call it slow burn but that doesn’t fit either. It simply happened and, while I can see how it might be disappointing for some readers, I liked that it didn’t seem to be the only focus of the story or even the most important one. I kind of loved how It felt more realistic in a way, how they were drawn together by circumstances, and how their attraction to each other developed quietly in the middle of other important things needing their energy and attention. At one point, it seemed like the author was piling up too much to deal with, but it all came together in a satisfying conclusion.
Even though the worldbuilding and the secondary characters were introduced so well that I could easily imagine them being explored further in a series, that’s not to say that this book doesn’t feel complete in itself.
Under normal circumstances, I would round down, but it was such a relief to find something I wanted to read in the middle of a bunch of DNFs and books barely holding my attention lately, even more so because, when I picked this story and realized one of the MCs was big on parenting and completely focused on his daughter, I was almost sure I was headed for another DNF. It was nice to be proven wrong and I’m thinking that deserves a rounding up.
October 7, 2021
A wee bit uneven, but pretty darn good overall!
The first and last third of the book were five star awesome. However the middle third was a bit slow and more a three star result. Awesome characters and some very interesting world building and it all adds up to an overall 4 star rating!
The first and last third of the book were five star awesome. However the middle third was a bit slow and more a three star result. Awesome characters and some very interesting world building and it all adds up to an overall 4 star rating!
March 6, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up because still no 1/2 stars here on GR and the world building worked well for me.
Werewolves may not be my thing but a good story is a good story...
Ok so first things first. There are a lot of really wonderful reviews out there for this book and while this wasn't a five star listen for me...seriously that's on me. I wanted to give this one a try because...well, I really like this author and I've danced around this story for a while because...werewolves are just not a favorite of mine but...Cari Z...me likey!!!
There was a lot about this story that worked for me and while it wasn't quite enough to make me totally love this story, it was certainly enough to keep me interested and I enjoyed listening to the audio book.
I loved the world that was created in this story once again it was that little bit different than the typical. So often with paranormal or shifter stories everyone knows about them and they're accepted by some, feared by others or they're this secret that only a few people who have stumbled across them and managed to survive know about and yes both of these scenarios can and do vary in the fine details from author to author but I'm just keeping it simple here or I'd be writing a book of my own and that's not a life goal for me...ssssooooo...not happening...
And back to my original thought which was that I enjoyed the world that was created for this story to occur in. The world knows about werewolves but their strictly monitored and controlled they live in designated areas and are used by the government because of their unique abilities...can we say reservations? concentration camps? Yeah, that's right like it or not this totally plays on things that have happened in the real world and while I don't want to encounter these kinds of reminders in ever book I read sometimes being reminded of what can happen to a group of people when the world at large perceives them as being different isn't a bad thing and in this case it was well done because this story also serves as a reminder that just because something's different doesn't mean we need to fear it or that we have the right to cage it or in this case them. I know if some one were to try and lock me up just because I didn't meet their concept of normal I'd do my damnedest to be free...it's human nature. Anways, I have soft spot for this kind of story so this was definitely the part of the story that I really enjoyed.
Unfortunately there's another important part of this story and that's the part where Ward Johannsen goes looking for his daughter who has been taken from him because she has the werewolf gene and is going to shift...seriously? You take my kid from me and I'm going after her or in my case him as well and god help you if you try and stand in my way...so, I was totally on board with Ward and definitely cheering for him to find Ava. #teamWard
And then we have Henry...he's the alpha of the werewolf pack that Ava was given to and honestly I felt sorry for him. This guy did not get an easy deal and he's got a lot of internal anger and frustration... justifiably in my mind. But for some reason I just didn't feel the connection between Henry and Ward. I liked that they were both committed to Ava and wanted only what was best for her and I can't say that I didn't like that because I really did. I think I would have felt the connection between Henry and Ward a bit more if there had been more interaction between them...honestly, I'm not sure what wasn't working for me. It's not that I think they shouldn't have been together more like I just didn't quite see the connection as strongly as I would have liked...well, I hope that makes sense because it's my best shot at explaining this, sorry...words sometimes they fail me.
Overall there was a lot of strong potential in this one and as always the author really has crafted an excellent story, it just didn't appeal to me as much as I would have liked but if you're a lover of shifter books I strongly suggest checking this one out. I enjoyed it and I was once again impressed by a new to me narrator, Jack Wesley. I'm going to go guess that Mr. Wesley is new to the world of audio book narrating since when I searched for other books by him this title is the only one that I found so I'll definitely be watching for more by this narrator and Cari Z is still firmly on my list of authors I want to read because truthfully 3.5 stars from me for a werewolf book really isn't too shabby.
*************************
An audio book of 'Off the Beaten Path' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Werewolves may not be my thing but a good story is a good story...
Ok so first things first. There are a lot of really wonderful reviews out there for this book and while this wasn't a five star listen for me...seriously that's on me. I wanted to give this one a try because...well, I really like this author and I've danced around this story for a while because...werewolves are just not a favorite of mine but...Cari Z...me likey!!!
There was a lot about this story that worked for me and while it wasn't quite enough to make me totally love this story, it was certainly enough to keep me interested and I enjoyed listening to the audio book.
I loved the world that was created in this story once again it was that little bit different than the typical. So often with paranormal or shifter stories everyone knows about them and they're accepted by some, feared by others or they're this secret that only a few people who have stumbled across them and managed to survive know about and yes both of these scenarios can and do vary in the fine details from author to author but I'm just keeping it simple here or I'd be writing a book of my own and that's not a life goal for me...ssssooooo...not happening...
And back to my original thought which was that I enjoyed the world that was created for this story to occur in. The world knows about werewolves but their strictly monitored and controlled they live in designated areas and are used by the government because of their unique abilities...can we say reservations? concentration camps? Yeah, that's right like it or not this totally plays on things that have happened in the real world and while I don't want to encounter these kinds of reminders in ever book I read sometimes being reminded of what can happen to a group of people when the world at large perceives them as being different isn't a bad thing and in this case it was well done because this story also serves as a reminder that just because something's different doesn't mean we need to fear it or that we have the right to cage it or in this case them. I know if some one were to try and lock me up just because I didn't meet their concept of normal I'd do my damnedest to be free...it's human nature. Anways, I have soft spot for this kind of story so this was definitely the part of the story that I really enjoyed.
Unfortunately there's another important part of this story and that's the part where Ward Johannsen goes looking for his daughter who has been taken from him because she has the werewolf gene and is going to shift...seriously? You take my kid from me and I'm going after her or in my case him as well and god help you if you try and stand in my way...so, I was totally on board with Ward and definitely cheering for him to find Ava. #teamWard
And then we have Henry...he's the alpha of the werewolf pack that Ava was given to and honestly I felt sorry for him. This guy did not get an easy deal and he's got a lot of internal anger and frustration... justifiably in my mind. But for some reason I just didn't feel the connection between Henry and Ward. I liked that they were both committed to Ava and wanted only what was best for her and I can't say that I didn't like that because I really did. I think I would have felt the connection between Henry and Ward a bit more if there had been more interaction between them...honestly, I'm not sure what wasn't working for me. It's not that I think they shouldn't have been together more like I just didn't quite see the connection as strongly as I would have liked...well, I hope that makes sense because it's my best shot at explaining this, sorry...words sometimes they fail me.
Overall there was a lot of strong potential in this one and as always the author really has crafted an excellent story, it just didn't appeal to me as much as I would have liked but if you're a lover of shifter books I strongly suggest checking this one out. I enjoyed it and I was once again impressed by a new to me narrator, Jack Wesley. I'm going to go guess that Mr. Wesley is new to the world of audio book narrating since when I searched for other books by him this title is the only one that I found so I'll definitely be watching for more by this narrator and Cari Z is still firmly on my list of authors I want to read because truthfully 3.5 stars from me for a werewolf book really isn't too shabby.
*************************
An audio book of 'Off the Beaten Path' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2017
4.5 howly stars!!
Ever since I read my first shifter book, I've been hooked. For some reason, Off The Beaten Path escaped my notice at first, but when it kept popping up in friend reviews on Goodreads, I requested a review copy from the publisher.
I was not disappointed.
This is not some fluffy wolf shifter meets human and they live happily ever after shifter book. No, as the title indicates, this shifter universe is off the beaten path, set in an alternate reality where shifters exists, after a government experiment gone terribly wrong, but are controlled by the human government, living in remote areas away from human cities, within confined compounds, with the pack Alphas required to serve as ultimate soldiers whenever the military requires them to utilize their extra strength and abilities to carry out the military's dirty work.
Additionally, some children are born as shifters to human parents, and when their true nature is revealed, they are removed from their human parents, severing the relationship, and relocated to a shifter compound, where they either can shift back to human or, if they can't, are destroyed.
Thus, we meet Ward Johannsen whose young daughter Ava shifted into a wolf during a stressful situation and was immediately taken by the feds to the nearest shifter camp. Unwilling to give up his daughter, Ward does everything he can to obtain her location, which just happens to be in the Colorado mountains. And it's winter.
Ward is rescued, nearly frozen to death, at the perimeter of the pack compound. Once inside, he's faced with the pack's Alpah, Henry Dormer, who only recently returned from his last mission and hopes to have a bit of time to recuperate before he's sent out again.
Both men are really strong-willed and not inclined to give up. Ward is unwilling to let go of Ava, even if the law says he has to, and he does everything in his power to get back to her, even if that means willingly walking into a werewolf compound and standing his ground. Henry too fights every day to ensure the security and well-being of his pack, even if that means that he himself suffers abuse and faces possible death.
See, the government doesn't really care about the werewolves it created, considering them dangerous and thus in need of being kept separated and hidden, but is perfectly willing to use the wolves' Alphas for its Black Ops missions. Henry's CO especially is a sack of shit, vengeful and vile, but Henry knows he has to follow the rules so his pack can get what it needs to survive.
Relationships between wolves and humans are strongly discouraged, though not forbidden.
Obviously, Ward's presence in the camp, and his having found the compound, breaks all kinds of security rules, and Henry has to take the blame. Still, Henry realizes that Ward's presence will likely help Ava shift back to human, so he is willing to give it a try.
The attraction they both feel to each other is neither expected nor necessarily wanted, but Ward's persistence and courage seems to calm Henry in the face of the multiple pressures he's facing not only from his CO but also his pack.
This isn't some fluffy shifter tale. It's gritty, it's dark, and there are oh so many obstacles Henry and Ward face before they can find even a modicum of happiness. Though, I think the point here is that the happiness you have to fight for so hard is worth more in the end - simply because you have to fight for it.
At the end of this book, there's hope. Not only for Ward and Henry to have a happy ending, but for the shifters in the compound, and all shifters under the thumb of the feds. In fact, there are forces at work to better the lives of the werewolves and give them a chance to actually live.
I do hope that the author has more books planned, and that this will turn into a full-blown series. Because Tennyson and David surely need their own book.
This book is full of tension, passion, and courage in the face of nearly insurmountable odds. A true "edge-of-your-seat" read, this comes highly recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. **
Ever since I read my first shifter book, I've been hooked. For some reason, Off The Beaten Path escaped my notice at first, but when it kept popping up in friend reviews on Goodreads, I requested a review copy from the publisher.
I was not disappointed.
This is not some fluffy wolf shifter meets human and they live happily ever after shifter book. No, as the title indicates, this shifter universe is off the beaten path, set in an alternate reality where shifters exists, after a government experiment gone terribly wrong, but are controlled by the human government, living in remote areas away from human cities, within confined compounds, with the pack Alphas required to serve as ultimate soldiers whenever the military requires them to utilize their extra strength and abilities to carry out the military's dirty work.
Additionally, some children are born as shifters to human parents, and when their true nature is revealed, they are removed from their human parents, severing the relationship, and relocated to a shifter compound, where they either can shift back to human or, if they can't, are destroyed.
Thus, we meet Ward Johannsen whose young daughter Ava shifted into a wolf during a stressful situation and was immediately taken by the feds to the nearest shifter camp. Unwilling to give up his daughter, Ward does everything he can to obtain her location, which just happens to be in the Colorado mountains. And it's winter.
Ward is rescued, nearly frozen to death, at the perimeter of the pack compound. Once inside, he's faced with the pack's Alpah, Henry Dormer, who only recently returned from his last mission and hopes to have a bit of time to recuperate before he's sent out again.
Both men are really strong-willed and not inclined to give up. Ward is unwilling to let go of Ava, even if the law says he has to, and he does everything in his power to get back to her, even if that means willingly walking into a werewolf compound and standing his ground. Henry too fights every day to ensure the security and well-being of his pack, even if that means that he himself suffers abuse and faces possible death.
See, the government doesn't really care about the werewolves it created, considering them dangerous and thus in need of being kept separated and hidden, but is perfectly willing to use the wolves' Alphas for its Black Ops missions. Henry's CO especially is a sack of shit, vengeful and vile, but Henry knows he has to follow the rules so his pack can get what it needs to survive.
Relationships between wolves and humans are strongly discouraged, though not forbidden.
Obviously, Ward's presence in the camp, and his having found the compound, breaks all kinds of security rules, and Henry has to take the blame. Still, Henry realizes that Ward's presence will likely help Ava shift back to human, so he is willing to give it a try.
The attraction they both feel to each other is neither expected nor necessarily wanted, but Ward's persistence and courage seems to calm Henry in the face of the multiple pressures he's facing not only from his CO but also his pack.
This isn't some fluffy shifter tale. It's gritty, it's dark, and there are oh so many obstacles Henry and Ward face before they can find even a modicum of happiness. Though, I think the point here is that the happiness you have to fight for so hard is worth more in the end - simply because you have to fight for it.
At the end of this book, there's hope. Not only for Ward and Henry to have a happy ending, but for the shifters in the compound, and all shifters under the thumb of the feds. In fact, there are forces at work to better the lives of the werewolves and give them a chance to actually live.
I do hope that the author has more books planned, and that this will turn into a full-blown series. Because Tennyson and David surely need their own book.
This book is full of tension, passion, and courage in the face of nearly insurmountable odds. A true "edge-of-your-seat" read, this comes highly recommended.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. **
September 19, 2017
Engrossing werewolf tale w/o knotting and ABOverse or mpreg. I loved so many things about it but the alternate viewpoints (3rd/1st) had me confused until I picked up the rhythm better - and pulled me out of the story in the beginning. Other than that - solid tale and I really hope there is more set in this universe!
September 3, 2017
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thanks Michelle Visage, even your face said it all.
Meh .
My favorite word to describe my feelings after reading this. It wasn't bad, but it was nothing else. No spark, no connection, no feeling, and didn't seem like it worked well together. Felt like it was 2 stories going on at once, and the disjointed feeling didn't end at all. I have a couple questions about Ward. What happened to his life back in California? Did he have people to pack up and distribute his things? Was no one concerned about his abrupt leaving? This bothered me so much. Way more then the governmental use of werewolves to do their wet work. I mean werewolves are only stronger then humans, and I know they aren't that many but the whole working for the government and being their bitch didn't work for me. I finished it.
Ward's 4 year old daughter shifted on her first day of preschool, and he wasn't there to see her before the government sent her to a pack. He's doing everything in his power to get her back, no matter that the rules say otherwise. He has an ally who helps him locate his daughter and makes it his mission to see her, and get her back. Henry is the alpha of the La Garita Pack, and he's commissioned to the Army to do whatever they want. This last mission wasn't something that he seemed to let roll off his shoulders, he comes back home to a trespasser and is determined to follow the laws. Having the guardian's entire attitude changes keeps Henry on edge.
It was certain aspects that I liked. I liked Sam's character. I felt like alot of this was under-developed. Tennyson, for example could have had more use. I don't know if I liked how the culture was set-up. Everything felt to complicated. If Henry was the big Alpha dude with a case of heroism, he didn't seem like it at most times. The romance was soooo subpar! Blah, Blah, Blah. That's how I felt. I didn't like them together, probably because it was ZERO connection. I mean, they basically were lumped together because no one else was around. Then Sam having this convenient set-up at the end. It didn't work for me.
Personally, I didn't care for it much, but others might enjoy it. I haven't read many book by Cari Z, so I don't know if this is her formula or not. If you like PNR, then this might be for you. It wasn't the worst, and I've read worst, but I didn't really care for it.
March 22, 2018
Update for audiobook review:
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Off the Beaten Path was a really engaging shifter story, all the more noteworthy for being like nothing I have ever read in this subgenre. It is so hard in the shifter world to create something totally unique, and Cari Z has done it so well here. The world building is quite well done, and there is an almost post-apocalyptic feel to the world as these wolves live hidden away and isolated from everyone. They have hard lives, with small packs that must survive on what the government gives them and what they allow. The government controls their lives and uses their Alphas as weapons. Not only is it a really engaging take on shifters, but it allows us to see so clearly what kind of man Henry is. He gave up his life to lead his pack, and even though the burden is incredibly heavy, he continues on because he can’t bear the thought of anyone else having to do it. He loves his pack and he always puts them first, even as he grows increasingly weary and overwhelmed by his job.
You can’t help but love Henry, and Ward is a great match for him. Ward is stubborn and strong willed and from the start, refuses to be intimidated by Henry. Ward has dedicated his life to getting his daughter back, and upon finding her, is willing to give up everything to stay with her. To live as a human with a wolf pack means leaving behind his entire life, and he does so willingly. I love the mix of vulnerability and strength in Ward, with his love and dedication toward Ava combined with his ability to stand up for what he wants and needs. Ward gives such strength to Henry, provides him with a partner that can help him weather whatever comes their way. Ward’s steady presence and unflappability are just what Henry needs to ground him, and I loved these guys together.
The story opens with Ward just arriving at the pack lands, jumping in after Ava was taken and his search to find her. I think this is a great approach, as it immediately brings the crisis into focus and jump starts the action. This isn’t a suspense story, but there is a lot for the guys to deal with and Cari Z nicely balances the relationship development with the world building and the obstacles that that guys face. There are some engaging side characters, and the pack politics and how they play out add a lot to the story.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Off the Beaten Path was a really engaging shifter story, all the more noteworthy for being like nothing I have ever read in this subgenre. It is so hard in the shifter world to create something totally unique, and Cari Z has done it so well here. The world building is quite well done, and there is an almost post-apocalyptic feel to the world as these wolves live hidden away and isolated from everyone. They have hard lives, with small packs that must survive on what the government gives them and what they allow. The government controls their lives and uses their Alphas as weapons. Not only is it a really engaging take on shifters, but it allows us to see so clearly what kind of man Henry is. He gave up his life to lead his pack, and even though the burden is incredibly heavy, he continues on because he can’t bear the thought of anyone else having to do it. He loves his pack and he always puts them first, even as he grows increasingly weary and overwhelmed by his job.
You can’t help but love Henry, and Ward is a great match for him. Ward is stubborn and strong willed and from the start, refuses to be intimidated by Henry. Ward has dedicated his life to getting his daughter back, and upon finding her, is willing to give up everything to stay with her. To live as a human with a wolf pack means leaving behind his entire life, and he does so willingly. I love the mix of vulnerability and strength in Ward, with his love and dedication toward Ava combined with his ability to stand up for what he wants and needs. Ward gives such strength to Henry, provides him with a partner that can help him weather whatever comes their way. Ward’s steady presence and unflappability are just what Henry needs to ground him, and I loved these guys together.
The story opens with Ward just arriving at the pack lands, jumping in after Ava was taken and his search to find her. I think this is a great approach, as it immediately brings the crisis into focus and jump starts the action. This isn’t a suspense story, but there is a lot for the guys to deal with and Cari Z nicely balances the relationship development with the world building and the obstacles that that guys face. There are some engaging side characters, and the pack politics and how they play out add a lot to the story.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 12, 2018
I enjoyed this, but man I needed more happiness than I got. Werewolves were treated horrifically. I found the entire situation rather heartbreaking, but it still kept me very engaged. I wanted to know what was going to happen. I wanted to see them all get a happy (or at least happier) ending. I could see the tendrils of options for a sequel (I’m looking at you Tennison). I definitely want to see more of this world.
***narration review***
Jack Wesley is a new to me narrator. He did an excellent job with this story. I had no problem following who was talking nor their emotion. I will keep an eye out for more narrations by Jack.
***narration review***
Jack Wesley is a new to me narrator. He did an excellent job with this story. I had no problem following who was talking nor their emotion. I will keep an eye out for more narrations by Jack.
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