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The Finder
Emersyn’s heart was shattered when her father died when she was just twelve years old. If that weren’t enough, her mother married a man less than twelve months later, bringing her cruel step-brother into her life.
On her eighteenth birthday, she finally finds the courage to run away. She leaves behind the only life she’s ever known with just the clothes on her back and three hundred dollars in her pocket. She begins her new life under her new name—Emma.
For the first time in six years, Emma is finally free. She starts her new job, and her life begins to finally start tracking in the right direction. That is until the day she meets Garrett, the most gorgeous, intimidating man she's ever met. Unnerved by their connection, she tries to keep her distance. Little does she know that Garrett is the Alpha of the Northwoods Pack. She’s his mate, and he has no intention of letting Emma out of his sight.
Garrett isn’t the only wolf who has his eye on Emma, though. Things are about to get heated, and Emma is at the center of it all. When danger hits too close to home, Garrett pulls Emma into his world. She’s going to find out she has a lot more to do with his world than either of them realized. In fact, she just might be the savior of his pack and the entire wolf kingdom because she is The Finder, capable of finding wolves’ mates. Change is coming to the Northwoods Pack and leading the change is Emma. She just has to survive first.
**If you like paranormal romance with fated mates, protective males, and strong females, this series is for you. Each book in the series is full-length (95,000+ words), and features a different couple. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but is best enjoyed as part of the series.
On her eighteenth birthday, she finally finds the courage to run away. She leaves behind the only life she’s ever known with just the clothes on her back and three hundred dollars in her pocket. She begins her new life under her new name—Emma.
For the first time in six years, Emma is finally free. She starts her new job, and her life begins to finally start tracking in the right direction. That is until the day she meets Garrett, the most gorgeous, intimidating man she's ever met. Unnerved by their connection, she tries to keep her distance. Little does she know that Garrett is the Alpha of the Northwoods Pack. She’s his mate, and he has no intention of letting Emma out of his sight.
Garrett isn’t the only wolf who has his eye on Emma, though. Things are about to get heated, and Emma is at the center of it all. When danger hits too close to home, Garrett pulls Emma into his world. She’s going to find out she has a lot more to do with his world than either of them realized. In fact, she just might be the savior of his pack and the entire wolf kingdom because she is The Finder, capable of finding wolves’ mates. Change is coming to the Northwoods Pack and leading the change is Emma. She just has to survive first.
**If you like paranormal romance with fated mates, protective males, and strong females, this series is for you. Each book in the series is full-length (95,000+ words), and features a different couple. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but is best enjoyed as part of the series.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2021
2181 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Manney
20 books131 followersA. J. Manney lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and four kids. Some of her favorite things to do include reading, family days, being a pastor's wife, and watching football on Sunday afternoons with her family
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
January 11, 2024
No smut and def new adult with the way it's written. Insta lovey.. decent storyline. #kindleunlimitedfinds
March 28, 2023
This one has a lot of potential and it kept me reading to find out what would happen, but it just ended up being a miss for me. I felt like it was a good draft of the book, but really needed some work. The timing/pacing was off, there were a lot of unnecessary scenes or repetitive stuff (like how many times do we really need to read about Emma needing/wanting to shower???)
Emma has run away from home and after finally arriving in a town she feels called to, within one minute of getting off the bus (with literally no money or any belongings) she walks into a coffee shop and secures a job and then a minute later finds a homeless shelter that provides all her food and some clothes, etc. She also captures the eye of the Alpha the next day and he starts plying her with clothes, money and a personal taxi service. Then she decides to save the coffee shop and starts changing things up to drum up business - all on her second day there. I was just left wondering why all this had to happen so quickly? Why not have her struggle a bit, have things unfold at a more believable pace.
There were quite a few unnecessary or pointless scenes, like her roommate at the shelter or the friend she made there. Why is she learning sign language on a whim? She's on the run and in hiding, she doesn't really need or have time for a new hobby. Didn't have any relevance to the overall story.
She was constantly getting in scrapes where she was getting beat up but would bounce back almost immediately. After her first fight, she could barely walk and then suddenly she was running around the next moment just fine. Rinse and repeat.
I think the moment the book really jumped the shark was when the fight night was introduced. The book takes place over a couple weeks, Emma who is just barely 18 has run away from her abusive family. She has no real-world life experience, no real fighting/training experience and suddenly we're supposed to believe that she can not only enter a fighting contest with WEREWOLVES, but she beats all of them too! Give me a break. She is human, young and inexperienced going up against well trained supernatural werewolves with supernatural strength and she makes it to the end to face off against the alpha? Talk about endurance! She isn't a fighter (AND THATS OK, not all fantasy heroines need to be fighters), it is just plain silly to expect anyone to believe she is able to accomplish this.
Her Finder abilities are basically nonexistent. Why wasn't this a bigger focus of the story? It played a pretty minimal aspect in the overall story and I thought was an element that was just really underdeveloped.
The storyline with her brother also fell by the wayside and was anticlimactic. How did he even find her? I really don't think he ever would have been able to find her. This was not explained at ALL. And then he does finally find her and then just leaves. What was the point of even tracking her down if he is just going to give up and leave?
Emma isn't all that likable. Garratt was way to cliched "alpha" male. He wasn't likable either, he gets mildly better as the book goes on but seriously lacks communications skills. They don't really have any chemistry together and I felt the book would have been better if we could have seen them actually talk and get to know each other. I could go on and on.
Harsh review, which I hate leaving, but part of why I was frustrated is because I do think it has potential to be a good book/series.
Content Rated PG
Clean romance, kissing. Talk of sex/mating mainly him explaining their traditions - but no scenes. No language, mild violence
Emma has run away from home and after finally arriving in a town she feels called to, within one minute of getting off the bus (with literally no money or any belongings) she walks into a coffee shop and secures a job and then a minute later finds a homeless shelter that provides all her food and some clothes, etc. She also captures the eye of the Alpha the next day and he starts plying her with clothes, money and a personal taxi service. Then she decides to save the coffee shop and starts changing things up to drum up business - all on her second day there. I was just left wondering why all this had to happen so quickly? Why not have her struggle a bit, have things unfold at a more believable pace.
There were quite a few unnecessary or pointless scenes, like her roommate at the shelter or the friend she made there. Why is she learning sign language on a whim? She's on the run and in hiding, she doesn't really need or have time for a new hobby. Didn't have any relevance to the overall story.
She was constantly getting in scrapes where she was getting beat up but would bounce back almost immediately. After her first fight, she could barely walk and then suddenly she was running around the next moment just fine. Rinse and repeat.
I think the moment the book really jumped the shark was when the fight night was introduced. The book takes place over a couple weeks, Emma who is just barely 18 has run away from her abusive family. She has no real-world life experience, no real fighting/training experience and suddenly we're supposed to believe that she can not only enter a fighting contest with WEREWOLVES, but she beats all of them too! Give me a break. She is human, young and inexperienced going up against well trained supernatural werewolves with supernatural strength and she makes it to the end to face off against the alpha? Talk about endurance! She isn't a fighter (AND THATS OK, not all fantasy heroines need to be fighters), it is just plain silly to expect anyone to believe she is able to accomplish this.
Her Finder abilities are basically nonexistent. Why wasn't this a bigger focus of the story? It played a pretty minimal aspect in the overall story and I thought was an element that was just really underdeveloped.
The storyline with her brother also fell by the wayside and was anticlimactic. How did he even find her? I really don't think he ever would have been able to find her. This was not explained at ALL. And then he does finally find her and then just leaves. What was the point of even tracking her down if he is just going to give up and leave?
Emma isn't all that likable. Garratt was way to cliched "alpha" male. He wasn't likable either, he gets mildly better as the book goes on but seriously lacks communications skills. They don't really have any chemistry together and I felt the book would have been better if we could have seen them actually talk and get to know each other. I could go on and on.
Harsh review, which I hate leaving, but part of why I was frustrated is because I do think it has potential to be a good book/series.
Content Rated PG
Clean romance, kissing. Talk of sex/mating mainly him explaining their traditions - but no scenes. No language, mild violence
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2021
3 Staring because of the plot, but even that feels too generous, more like 2.75 stars.
The book has a great initial plot, just didn't like the execution past the half way point.
Why introduce the vampires? Why have the prominent scene/flash back of Emma being bitten by Alec and it not amounting to anything, yet we are getting hints that she may be a latent wolf/half breed? Why keep on repeating how Emma is Garret's mate and by the end of the book, they have not taken the most crucial mating step?
Then, this is a conservative werewolf book, and I don't know how to feel about it. Garret+Emma don't get past kissing throughout the whole book. Just lots of heavy kissing and breathing and standing behind backs. The wolves shift, everyone is looking elsewhere - not that I'm saying they should be openly ogling each other, but the aspect of werewolf stories where shifting is a part of their lifestyle isn't there.
Then, reason number 19394939379394 why this book lost a star? Emma is very juvenile in development, she is just barely past the age of legal. Her thinking and actions were still clearly at high school level for some of the scenes. By the end of the book we don't know Garret's age (unless I totally missed that tid bit) and it gave me the creeps even though we know he is not an old guy. Then the fact she ran away from home, then by the end of this book, she is back to square 1, fully dependent on Garret, annoyed me. The two lacked communication, Garret growling and punching, Emma running and jumping to conclusions in very simple situations where talking like two adults would have helped clear the air in 2 paragraphs flat.
So, the book broke me from my reading slump, but I shall not be going forward with anymore books in the series.
The book has a great initial plot, just didn't like the execution past the half way point.
Why introduce the vampires? Why have the prominent scene/flash back of Emma being bitten by Alec and it not amounting to anything, yet we are getting hints that she may be a latent wolf/half breed? Why keep on repeating how Emma is Garret's mate and by the end of the book, they have not taken the most crucial mating step?
Then, this is a conservative werewolf book, and I don't know how to feel about it. Garret+Emma don't get past kissing throughout the whole book. Just lots of heavy kissing and breathing and standing behind backs. The wolves shift, everyone is looking elsewhere - not that I'm saying they should be openly ogling each other, but the aspect of werewolf stories where shifting is a part of their lifestyle isn't there.
Then, reason number 19394939379394 why this book lost a star? Emma is very juvenile in development, she is just barely past the age of legal. Her thinking and actions were still clearly at high school level for some of the scenes. By the end of the book we don't know Garret's age (unless I totally missed that tid bit) and it gave me the creeps even though we know he is not an old guy. Then the fact she ran away from home, then by the end of this book, she is back to square 1, fully dependent on Garret, annoyed me. The two lacked communication, Garret growling and punching, Emma running and jumping to conclusions in very simple situations where talking like two adults would have helped clear the air in 2 paragraphs flat.
So, the book broke me from my reading slump, but I shall not be going forward with anymore books in the series.
April 11, 2021
DNF at 32% when Emersyn tries to leave the hospital to get back to work at the coffee shop.
The book's narration was very dry and straightforward, and even the fight scenes weren't very exciting to me. There was a lot of telling rather than showing that caused me to not get very emotionally invested in the story.
I wasn't a fan of the mysterious relationship between the who-knows-how-much-older alpha Garrett and the just-turned-18yo Emersyn that hadn't been fully explained by the time I quit -- although I could easily guess where it was going. I thought she'd have some time to grow a bit older and have more life experiences under her belt before meeting the romantic interest rather than meeting him the very day she starts her new job after running away from her stepfather's house. Garrett's domineering attitude to the newly independent Emersyn was not attractive to me at all, and I didn't really get the typical cozy protective feeling I'd expect with a shifter story.
After looking at a few more reviews, I don't think I'm interested in trying to finish the book between the plot issues and expected relationship development.
The book's narration was very dry and straightforward, and even the fight scenes weren't very exciting to me. There was a lot of telling rather than showing that caused me to not get very emotionally invested in the story.
I wasn't a fan of the mysterious relationship between the who-knows-how-much-older alpha Garrett and the just-turned-18yo Emersyn that hadn't been fully explained by the time I quit -- although I could easily guess where it was going. I thought she'd have some time to grow a bit older and have more life experiences under her belt before meeting the romantic interest rather than meeting him the very day she starts her new job after running away from her stepfather's house. Garrett's domineering attitude to the newly independent Emersyn was not attractive to me at all, and I didn't really get the typical cozy protective feeling I'd expect with a shifter story.
After looking at a few more reviews, I don't think I'm interested in trying to finish the book between the plot issues and expected relationship development.
April 4, 2021
Pros:
- The pacing was well done and kept me wanting more.
- The book ended on an intriguing opening for book 2
- luckily no spanking (for punishment)
Cons:
- The cover
- The mmc was a little too alpha (in the bad way) for me. I guess I just missed where she was supposed to be attracted to him. He was controlling and chauvinistic ... Not enough chemistry for the level of alphahole.
- little to no steamy scenes, once again, just not enough chemistry.
- finally, the name of the book indicates she's a mate finder, but this was hardly touched upon. Should have named the book "alphas and the women that are forced to love them" 😂
- The pacing was well done and kept me wanting more.
- The book ended on an intriguing opening for book 2
- luckily no spanking (for punishment)
Cons:
- The cover
- The mmc was a little too alpha (in the bad way) for me. I guess I just missed where she was supposed to be attracted to him. He was controlling and chauvinistic ... Not enough chemistry for the level of alphahole.
- little to no steamy scenes, once again, just not enough chemistry.
- finally, the name of the book indicates she's a mate finder, but this was hardly touched upon. Should have named the book "alphas and the women that are forced to love them" 😂
February 13, 2024
2.5 ✨
The female mc was borderline unbearable. The romance was not really a romance at all.
But I was enjoying the plotline, so I’m going to try to read the next book.
Just to add: this book has a ton of typos and spelling errors. It’s also written in third person POV.
The female mc was borderline unbearable. The romance was not really a romance at all.
But I was enjoying the plotline, so I’m going to try to read the next book.
Just to add: this book has a ton of typos and spelling errors. It’s also written in third person POV.
April 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this, it was written in a way that takes you away, but it felt unfinished. Everything was going really well until the end. Was I the only one who thought this would be a trilogy? Her powers were never really developed, we never really saw the "marriage" ceremony, and the long awaited smut never came. And the author just moved onto the next story?
March 3, 2025
2.5☆
The concept was great, but the execution was lacking. I also don't recall anyone having a personality here. One of the events that also didn't make any sense was how the FMC (just started training, and doesn't have any relevant supernatural abilities that could be used as an excuse for her sudden over-competence) beat everyone (trained fighters with years of experience) in the ring. Why can't these situations be at least a bit more realistic? It's too bad because the premise was interesting and the concept of her being a Finder had potential.
The concept was great, but the execution was lacking. I also don't recall anyone having a personality here. One of the events that also didn't make any sense was how the FMC (just started training, and doesn't have any relevant supernatural abilities that could be used as an excuse for her sudden over-competence) beat everyone (trained fighters with years of experience) in the ring. Why can't these situations be at least a bit more realistic? It's too bad because the premise was interesting and the concept of her being a Finder had potential.
March 21, 2025
I’d like my time back.
Long story short we have no romance at all. Garrett the main H / alpha just disappears constantly instead of explaining anything at all. Emma is supposed to be this strong woman but just looses all strength after meeting Garrett. Seriously, she went from navigating a new life with a new job, having new friends and responsibilities to suddenly fired from a job she loves, not being able to see her friend and the kids she’s learning ASL from to just being stuck inside a house where Garrett doesn’t tell her he’s a wolf and doesn’t explain anything about that life. She’s also extremely naive. I get it’s a YA but to many things were a stretch.
Also this book is titled the finder but we only learn more about the finder the last 5% of the book and it’s vague at that.
Long story short we have no romance at all. Garrett the main H / alpha just disappears constantly instead of explaining anything at all. Emma is supposed to be this strong woman but just looses all strength after meeting Garrett. Seriously, she went from navigating a new life with a new job, having new friends and responsibilities to suddenly fired from a job she loves, not being able to see her friend and the kids she’s learning ASL from to just being stuck inside a house where Garrett doesn’t tell her he’s a wolf and doesn’t explain anything about that life. She’s also extremely naive. I get it’s a YA but to many things were a stretch.
Also this book is titled the finder but we only learn more about the finder the last 5% of the book and it’s vague at that.
March 3, 2025
3.5
The characters needed more development and MFC acted immature. Though I did like that the author thought outside the box on what MFC was. But, I feel like there were too many holes and who does that moments, to fully enjoy this book.
The characters needed more development and MFC acted immature. Though I did like that the author thought outside the box on what MFC was. But, I feel like there were too many holes and who does that moments, to fully enjoy this book.
April 2, 2021
I loved it!!!
Yes!!!! These are the shifter books I live and die for! So I found this book by a chance of luck, I was browsing and seen it had just been newly released and I decided to give it a go after reading the blurb. Omg! I could not put it down! I absolutely loved this book! I loved the characters! And loved the entire storyline! It was amazing, obviously this isn't the end! But I'm not sure if we are getting others with this continued story or the other pack members? But in all honesty I don't even care either way since I just want more of it all. Definitely be following this author and future books
I do have one but for the author, you will need a proofreader. There are a few times where you kept saying Levi instead of Liam towards the end when Levi was already gone. And there was a few times at the end as well where the sentence didn't make sense. I'm not crazy obsessed about those kind of mistakes, but I know some readers are. Thanks for a great read
Yes!!!! These are the shifter books I live and die for! So I found this book by a chance of luck, I was browsing and seen it had just been newly released and I decided to give it a go after reading the blurb. Omg! I could not put it down! I absolutely loved this book! I loved the characters! And loved the entire storyline! It was amazing, obviously this isn't the end! But I'm not sure if we are getting others with this continued story or the other pack members? But in all honesty I don't even care either way since I just want more of it all. Definitely be following this author and future books
I do have one but for the author, you will need a proofreader. There are a few times where you kept saying Levi instead of Liam towards the end when Levi was already gone. And there was a few times at the end as well where the sentence didn't make sense. I'm not crazy obsessed about those kind of mistakes, but I know some readers are. Thanks for a great read
March 3, 2022
Clean but the hero is annoying
Ir was a clean romance but I couldn't stand Garrett. I felt like Garrett didn't show Emma enough respect and that really needled me. I got 90% through the book.and just quit. All of Garrett's decisions were meant for.the best, but he kept Emma in the dark. He was always making decisions and never asking for her input. I grew increasing fustrated at Garrett's character and just gave up. Emma may have had love but in the end does it matter? Because I didn't see much respect accompanying it.
Ir was a clean romance but I couldn't stand Garrett. I felt like Garrett didn't show Emma enough respect and that really needled me. I got 90% through the book.and just quit. All of Garrett's decisions were meant for.the best, but he kept Emma in the dark. He was always making decisions and never asking for her input. I grew increasing fustrated at Garrett's character and just gave up. Emma may have had love but in the end does it matter? Because I didn't see much respect accompanying it.
March 27, 2023
3.5 Stars
Y'all. I have been dying to find a clean werewolf romance that actually grabs and keeps my attention. It's like Christmas morning when I do! Lol.
Emma was a good heroine, mostly. She was kind, loving, always wanting to help others. But when it came to her own safety, she was like that one character in scary movies that kept running into danger without a second thought. She's also stubborn. Granted, Garrett could've been a little more honest with her but still. She just refused to listen to him and stay out of trouble.
Speaking of Garrett. Y'all. That man is ALL Alpha. He wants to keep his mate safe but with the secrets he's keeping from her, it's hard for him to do. He's demanding and overbearing in the beginning and of course Emma bucks his help. I think I would too. But the more they get to know each other, the kinder and gentler he becomes. But he definitely stays Alpha the entire book. Both of them are in new territory and it shows. Lol. But again, the woman is stubborn.
I'm not going to lie, I'm kinda struggling with this book. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did it keep me engaged? Again, yes. Did I want to put it down? No. But there were things that kept me from loving it.
The book could use a good proofreader. I did my best to ignore it but there was a lot of grammatical errors. I also had issues with just how freaking stubborn Emma is... especially when it came to all her injuries. Between a concussion and getting hit and kicked in the stomach and ribs several times (with combat boots on), there's just no way a person can handle all that and go back to work the next day and training in self defense the following day. I'm just not buying it.
With all that being said, I'm definitely intrigued to see what happens next. I'm kinda bummed that I didn't do more research on the series before starting it. I hate starting series that aren't complete. It's one of my pet peeves. Totally my fault, I know. 🙈😂 I'll keep going with the series because I need to see Max get his HEA!
Y'all. I have been dying to find a clean werewolf romance that actually grabs and keeps my attention. It's like Christmas morning when I do! Lol.
Emma was a good heroine, mostly. She was kind, loving, always wanting to help others. But when it came to her own safety, she was like that one character in scary movies that kept running into danger without a second thought. She's also stubborn. Granted, Garrett could've been a little more honest with her but still. She just refused to listen to him and stay out of trouble.
Speaking of Garrett. Y'all. That man is ALL Alpha. He wants to keep his mate safe but with the secrets he's keeping from her, it's hard for him to do. He's demanding and overbearing in the beginning and of course Emma bucks his help. I think I would too. But the more they get to know each other, the kinder and gentler he becomes. But he definitely stays Alpha the entire book. Both of them are in new territory and it shows. Lol. But again, the woman is stubborn.
I'm not going to lie, I'm kinda struggling with this book. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Did it keep me engaged? Again, yes. Did I want to put it down? No. But there were things that kept me from loving it.
The book could use a good proofreader. I did my best to ignore it but there was a lot of grammatical errors. I also had issues with just how freaking stubborn Emma is... especially when it came to all her injuries. Between a concussion and getting hit and kicked in the stomach and ribs several times (with combat boots on), there's just no way a person can handle all that and go back to work the next day and training in self defense the following day. I'm just not buying it.
With all that being said, I'm definitely intrigued to see what happens next. I'm kinda bummed that I didn't do more research on the series before starting it. I hate starting series that aren't complete. It's one of my pet peeves. Totally my fault, I know. 🙈😂 I'll keep going with the series because I need to see Max get his HEA!
February 1, 2024
I wanted to give this a 5 star, but the grammar and punctuation were rough enough that it pulled me out of the story more than a few times.
I enjoyed this immensely. The main characters are young and they definitely have their immature moments, but overall it was a fun read.
The end felt a little rushed, but I feel like the author did a great job with the pack dynamics and developing the supporting characters as well as the main characters. The end also allows for an over-arching plot through the series, which could be interesting. I had a couple "I feel like I missed something" moments related to flashbacks/pre-book events, but nothing crazy.
I enjoyed this immensely. The main characters are young and they definitely have their immature moments, but overall it was a fun read.
The end felt a little rushed, but I feel like the author did a great job with the pack dynamics and developing the supporting characters as well as the main characters. The end also allows for an over-arching plot through the series, which could be interesting. I had a couple "I feel like I missed something" moments related to flashbacks/pre-book events, but nothing crazy.
January 1, 2025
Good story
I really liked this story, the plot was great and the world building was excellent. It was difficult for me to read because it is written in 3rd person.
Some points to help you choose to read it.
3rd person writing.
Sweet romance with very little spice. Fade to black.
Some plot holes but nothing that can't be overlooked.
Overall a good book, with a good story. I liked the characters.
I really liked this story, the plot was great and the world building was excellent. It was difficult for me to read because it is written in 3rd person.
Some points to help you choose to read it.
3rd person writing.
Sweet romance with very little spice. Fade to black.
Some plot holes but nothing that can't be overlooked.
Overall a good book, with a good story. I liked the characters.
July 8, 2021
This book has everything I usually look for in shifter stories, but it didn’t deliver for me. I liked Garret, I liked Emma, but I didn’t like the book. I found the writing poor and repetitive, there were some editing problems and I just didn’t connect with it. The story also felt cut in half. I didn’t hate it, I finished it and found it entertaining, but it disappointed me.
April 2, 2021
Unexpected delight
Was skimming the pages for a new read and the excerpt popped out and thought I’d take a chance,
I was definitely impressed and this book held my attention from start to end and then to the secret chapter that got sent to my email and the the 1st chapter of Liams book. Great find
Was skimming the pages for a new read and the excerpt popped out and thought I’d take a chance,
I was definitely impressed and this book held my attention from start to end and then to the secret chapter that got sent to my email and the the 1st chapter of Liams book. Great find
August 19, 2024
I promised myself I would not finish this trash but I wanted to see Garrett get torn to shreds.
At first I found myself feeling nostalgic because The Finder could pass for a fanfic. However, Garrett's abusive behavior ruined it.
At first I found myself feeling nostalgic because The Finder could pass for a fanfic. However, Garrett's abusive behavior ruined it.
September 27, 2024
I liked the story line. It kept me interested enough to finish the book, but y’all, it is terribly written. Not good. I felt like I was reading someone’s creative writing assignment from high school. Multiple grammatical errors, run on sentences, missing words and using the same vocabulary to describe everything. I was able to get past it just to read the story but ended up skimming a lot of the book tbh. It was also third person perspective, which I am just not a fan of. I do like the promise of the story and the series but I really don’t know if I can get past the way it’s written to finish the series.
November 4, 2023
A.J. Manney’s “The Finder” is a fun, contemporary fantasy full of sweet romance, funny characters, and suspense.
The world-building can be a bit slow, but the main character is so easy to root for, you’ll get lost in this story.
It’s the first of the “Wolves of the Northwoods” series, so there’s plenty more content to follow it! Available on Kindle Unlimited now.
The world-building can be a bit slow, but the main character is so easy to root for, you’ll get lost in this story.
It’s the first of the “Wolves of the Northwoods” series, so there’s plenty more content to follow it! Available on Kindle Unlimited now.
July 25, 2024
It wasn’t horrible and the idea of it is good, the writing style isn’t too bad either. That said I did not like the couple. Separate they’re fine, but together it’s like they’re total strangers. Any girl in her position would be uncomfy and not want random intimidating men know where she lives. And Garrett never just talking to her is crazy. I despised their lack of communication. They were together and talking maybe 10 times the whole book and that feels like a stretch. And it apparently took place over the course of a couple months. He never talked to her and then was surprised when someone offered her a way out and she was easily convinced to go. I was not expecting the plot twist with Kevin. Yeah he was kinda off but how did he know about all of them? Also Levi was unexpected to, why did he betray them and are we gonna find out? I think I’m gonna try the next book to see if I like that couple because Liam is great but who knows. Also was not expecting them to be in their early 20’s and she just turned 18. Yes she’s technically an adult but at the beginning he seemed so much older and she seemed so young that it was very close to being weird. Something is to be said that it was a clean book and closed door. And I don’t mind that but I don’t think the couple had any intimacy at all and every time they kissed was weird bc he did it for show for other people and never for her. It just didn’t do it for me. They weren’t even friends and she had no idea he was even interested and even when she went on a date and he interrupted he was mad but he never once told her that he was interested or explained to her anything. I just didn’t like it.
I just read another review that had some points that I want to remember bc they were also why I didn’t like this book and were my thoughts exactly. Garrett kidnapping her and making her quit her job was ridiculous and she had every right to run after that. Especially given her past THAT HE KNEW what did he expect. Also building and providing her her own coffee shop, when I read it I thought it would take business away from Helen, even if it is just the pack did the pack not drink coffee before when there’s 400 of them? So thank you to the girl whose review I read that reminded me of that. Also speaking of 400 of them. Did all of them live there or no? Bc that number just didn’t fit with any of the descriptions of things. Like how many enforcers there were really didn’t seem like a whole lot for that many people and the pack meetings. No way 400 people gather in 30 minutes and the whole town doesn’t know about them. Also fight night. Again no way that have a space for that many people and it’s inconspicuous. I actually did kinda believe that she beat the wolves bc she had been training every day with Madison and Kyle but the timeline of it only being a few weeks does put a dent in that, I just chose to overlook. I also didn’t quite understand the point of her fighting him except to show him she was mad. And after that for her to want to talk to him the next day and he denies her?!? Did they even talk about what she wanted to bc I can’t remember but the answer is probably no. Oh and her brother. What’s up with that bc I feel like he was forgotten as soon as the vampires came in. Which was also out of nowhere.
I just read another review that had some points that I want to remember bc they were also why I didn’t like this book and were my thoughts exactly. Garrett kidnapping her and making her quit her job was ridiculous and she had every right to run after that. Especially given her past THAT HE KNEW what did he expect. Also building and providing her her own coffee shop, when I read it I thought it would take business away from Helen, even if it is just the pack did the pack not drink coffee before when there’s 400 of them? So thank you to the girl whose review I read that reminded me of that. Also speaking of 400 of them. Did all of them live there or no? Bc that number just didn’t fit with any of the descriptions of things. Like how many enforcers there were really didn’t seem like a whole lot for that many people and the pack meetings. No way 400 people gather in 30 minutes and the whole town doesn’t know about them. Also fight night. Again no way that have a space for that many people and it’s inconspicuous. I actually did kinda believe that she beat the wolves bc she had been training every day with Madison and Kyle but the timeline of it only being a few weeks does put a dent in that, I just chose to overlook. I also didn’t quite understand the point of her fighting him except to show him she was mad. And after that for her to want to talk to him the next day and he denies her?!? Did they even talk about what she wanted to bc I can’t remember but the answer is probably no. Oh and her brother. What’s up with that bc I feel like he was forgotten as soon as the vampires came in. Which was also out of nowhere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
I have to say.. I have mixed feelings about this book, but if I had to rate it it would be 3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️, that said it should be lower with how the plot was laid out but being generous with the fact that the book kept me laughing and commenting on every little thing that happened so I guess that’s a pro I would count.
DISCLAIMER!*. This book / series would be considered as a closed-door romance book not really a clean romance book.. That being said there was a few intimate moments/ scenes ?..No spice or explicit scenes thankfully ;)
I wouldn’t say it was a good read nor a bad/ overly cringed read maybe somewhere in the middle ?
Some ideas in the book or how the plot progressed didn’t fit with me in my opinion it could have gone better with other options.
Like for example one day BOOM !! 3 tall muscular guys (that apparently steal your breath when you just glimpse at them .. -NO SURPRISE, literally what happens in every single book the least you guys can do is not describe them all the same way cause that’s just boring ; I already know you are going to tell me he looks so attractive with his tall figure and abs that chisel his shirt like okay I really don’t care about that…💀-are in the cafe and keep on coming every single day and like they don’t really explain that they want to get to know the FMC etc… like I get it Garrett she’s your mate apparently *rolls eyes* but I don’t like how they all met and kept on sticking to her like glue without offering much reason.!
Like atleast give me some hands up that you wanna stick around with barely knowing her.
I kinda wished instead when they both first met we get to see it from Garrett’s point of view atleast I could have a better understanding of what was going on, but from then on till when Garrett Explained EVERYTHING.. I was confused with everything !
ALSO I find the part where vampires being involved unnecessary or maybe considering how it was laid out to us .. like out of no where the vamps are ruining the century old treaty with the werewolves and chaos is a spread… idk I wished it was given out to us differently or that it isn’t mentioned until the second book (mind you I’ve read the second book and skimmed/read most chapters for book 3 & 4 but I don’t think it counts that I read them both probably just book 2 … oh well..)
One of the things I did really enjoy is how the book first started out , it really intrigued and interesting and it kept me in suspense into wanting to know what will happen to the FMC as the first few chapters were laying out how badly she has been wanting to run away from her house away from her stepfather and villainous stepbrother.
Overall, this isn’t my best read, but it kept me in suspense the first few chapters and then it was just me laughing at every characters actions and thoughts 🤷🏻♀️.
DISCLAIMER!*. This book / series would be considered as a closed-door romance book not really a clean romance book.. That being said there was a few intimate moments/ scenes ?..No spice or explicit scenes thankfully ;)
I wouldn’t say it was a good read nor a bad/ overly cringed read maybe somewhere in the middle ?
Some ideas in the book or how the plot progressed didn’t fit with me in my opinion it could have gone better with other options.
Like for example one day BOOM !! 3 tall muscular guys (that apparently steal your breath when you just glimpse at them .. -NO SURPRISE, literally what happens in every single book the least you guys can do is not describe them all the same way cause that’s just boring ; I already know you are going to tell me he looks so attractive with his tall figure and abs that chisel his shirt like okay I really don’t care about that…💀-are in the cafe and keep on coming every single day and like they don’t really explain that they want to get to know the FMC etc… like I get it Garrett she’s your mate apparently *rolls eyes* but I don’t like how they all met and kept on sticking to her like glue without offering much reason.!
Like atleast give me some hands up that you wanna stick around with barely knowing her.
I kinda wished instead when they both first met we get to see it from Garrett’s point of view atleast I could have a better understanding of what was going on, but from then on till when Garrett Explained EVERYTHING.. I was confused with everything !
ALSO I find the part where vampires being involved unnecessary or maybe considering how it was laid out to us .. like out of no where the vamps are ruining the century old treaty with the werewolves and chaos is a spread… idk I wished it was given out to us differently or that it isn’t mentioned until the second book (mind you I’ve read the second book and skimmed/read most chapters for book 3 & 4 but I don’t think it counts that I read them both probably just book 2 … oh well..)
One of the things I did really enjoy is how the book first started out , it really intrigued and interesting and it kept me in suspense into wanting to know what will happen to the FMC as the first few chapters were laying out how badly she has been wanting to run away from her house away from her stepfather and villainous stepbrother.
Overall, this isn’t my best read, but it kept me in suspense the first few chapters and then it was just me laughing at every characters actions and thoughts 🤷🏻♀️.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2024
It is always wonderful when you find a new series that you can enjoy. This is the case for me with "The Finder" (Wolves of the Northwoods). I really enjoyed this read much more than I expected since recently I have been staying clear of YA/ books.
Emersyn's life changed drastically when her father died when she was 12 years old. Her mother shocked her when she married less than a year of her father's death. Her stepfather is a horribly abusive human being and her step brother and his friends are even worse. She is about to turn 18 and she her stepbrother has promised things are going to get worse for her. So, she steals $300 from her stepdad and sneaks out of the house late one night. Unfortunately, one of her step-bro's friends spots her.
Emersyn runs long and hard until she finds a quaint town in Wisconsin where she decides to settle and change her name to Emma. She manages to get a job at a coffee shop and starts to make friends. She manages to get a room at a local homeless shelter. There are a couple of guys who seem quite taken by her including a local police officer but Emma is cautious as to how much information she gives out.
One of the locals, Liam starts coming into the shop daily and teases her. Then one day, he brings in an incredibly handsome but brooding man named Garrett. He seems annoyed with her and she cannot understand why when she touches him and Liam she gets a strange sensation. Soon, Emma helps the owner of the coffee shop, Helen, make changes that increase the profits of the shop. She also has made new friends as well as an enemy of her roommate at the shelter.
Garrett insists that Liam take Emma home but after giving him the slip several time he decides to take matters into his own hands. He discovers that she has been living in a homeless shelter and that she has been attacked by her roommate. So, he moves her into one of his houses. It quickly becomes clear that Emma is not only on her stepbrother's radar but on others as well.
Garrett is aware of several facts. Emma is his mate and she is Finder, a person who can locate others with unique talents. However, he also has secrets of his own and if he has any chance of a relationship with Emma he will have to come clean about who and what he is.
As I stated earlier, I really enjoyed this read. I gobbled it down in one sitting and was looking for more. Yes, it was cheesy from time to time as YA novels can be but it did not interfere with my reading enjoyment. I would definitely recommend this book. I will be going on to the next book in this series.
Emersyn's life changed drastically when her father died when she was 12 years old. Her mother shocked her when she married less than a year of her father's death. Her stepfather is a horribly abusive human being and her step brother and his friends are even worse. She is about to turn 18 and she her stepbrother has promised things are going to get worse for her. So, she steals $300 from her stepdad and sneaks out of the house late one night. Unfortunately, one of her step-bro's friends spots her.
Emersyn runs long and hard until she finds a quaint town in Wisconsin where she decides to settle and change her name to Emma. She manages to get a job at a coffee shop and starts to make friends. She manages to get a room at a local homeless shelter. There are a couple of guys who seem quite taken by her including a local police officer but Emma is cautious as to how much information she gives out.
One of the locals, Liam starts coming into the shop daily and teases her. Then one day, he brings in an incredibly handsome but brooding man named Garrett. He seems annoyed with her and she cannot understand why when she touches him and Liam she gets a strange sensation. Soon, Emma helps the owner of the coffee shop, Helen, make changes that increase the profits of the shop. She also has made new friends as well as an enemy of her roommate at the shelter.
Garrett insists that Liam take Emma home but after giving him the slip several time he decides to take matters into his own hands. He discovers that she has been living in a homeless shelter and that she has been attacked by her roommate. So, he moves her into one of his houses. It quickly becomes clear that Emma is not only on her stepbrother's radar but on others as well.
Garrett is aware of several facts. Emma is his mate and she is Finder, a person who can locate others with unique talents. However, he also has secrets of his own and if he has any chance of a relationship with Emma he will have to come clean about who and what he is.
As I stated earlier, I really enjoyed this read. I gobbled it down in one sitting and was looking for more. Yes, it was cheesy from time to time as YA novels can be but it did not interfere with my reading enjoyment. I would definitely recommend this book. I will be going on to the next book in this series.
February 17, 2025
Highly overrated - read on KU
This was disappointing. With 4.4 🌟, I expected a good book. This could have been good. I missed that it is listed as YA. I think that is misleading. I would consider it teen. Its pg-13. Yes, I like spice in my books, but I wouldn't bump a rating down because I misses that this is in the "clean and wholesome" category. I do knock a romance that doesn't have chemistry and this book doesn't have it.
The few things I did like... Liam. He's the beta, which we don't learn until really late in the book. He seems fun. Madison - she's a great secondary character. The pack is huge, but we don't meet many members. That's about it.
The FMC is inconsistent. Sometimes she has a backbone and sometimes she is a doormat. She has some TSTL moments. We don't see much of the MMC. He disappears all the time. It seemed like he disappeared for days after every encounter the MCs had. There was so much wrong with their relationship.
Garrett, the MMC, is alpha. He's 22, which isn't logical. He's in charge of too much outside of the pack to be 22. He doesn't seem to know how to have a conversation about much at all.
Emma, AKA Emersyn, the FMC, is so innocent she seems childlike. Even without spicy scenes, it seems wrong for her to be mating anyone.
I see this next con happen in these types of books semi regularly and it never makes sense. Emma makes a big deal to work to earn her own money, but Garrett pays 2 people to guard her while she works at a bakery for minimum wage. The obvious answer is for to work for one of Garrett's companies where she would be surrounded by pack and for Garrett to help the bakery owner find another employee.
A big problem with this book is it takes forever to get to the part about werewolves. For a PNR, there wasn't much PN. For that matter, there wasn't much R, either.
The writing was fairly juvenile. There were a number of editing errors. And most people seem to prefer 1st person POV for romances. This was 3rd and only from Emma's POV. You can sign up for her mailing list to get a bonus chapter from Garrett's POV. It's about a pretty boring attack. There wasn't an aspect of the storing I'd be less interested in reading about from his POV.
We needed way more background on Garrett and how he became alpha. We also needed the story to investigate Emma's family.
I was also disappointed a human female from early-ish in the story didn't get hit with the karma bus unless I accidentally skimmed that part. She was a roommate Emma had for a few days.
I won't read more by this author.
This was disappointing. With 4.4 🌟, I expected a good book. This could have been good. I missed that it is listed as YA. I think that is misleading. I would consider it teen. Its pg-13. Yes, I like spice in my books, but I wouldn't bump a rating down because I misses that this is in the "clean and wholesome" category. I do knock a romance that doesn't have chemistry and this book doesn't have it.
The few things I did like... Liam. He's the beta, which we don't learn until really late in the book. He seems fun. Madison - she's a great secondary character. The pack is huge, but we don't meet many members. That's about it.
The FMC is inconsistent. Sometimes she has a backbone and sometimes she is a doormat. She has some TSTL moments. We don't see much of the MMC. He disappears all the time. It seemed like he disappeared for days after every encounter the MCs had. There was so much wrong with their relationship.
Garrett, the MMC, is alpha. He's 22, which isn't logical. He's in charge of too much outside of the pack to be 22. He doesn't seem to know how to have a conversation about much at all.
Emma, AKA Emersyn, the FMC, is so innocent she seems childlike. Even without spicy scenes, it seems wrong for her to be mating anyone.
I see this next con happen in these types of books semi regularly and it never makes sense. Emma makes a big deal to work to earn her own money, but Garrett pays 2 people to guard her while she works at a bakery for minimum wage. The obvious answer is for to work for one of Garrett's companies where she would be surrounded by pack and for Garrett to help the bakery owner find another employee.
A big problem with this book is it takes forever to get to the part about werewolves. For a PNR, there wasn't much PN. For that matter, there wasn't much R, either.
The writing was fairly juvenile. There were a number of editing errors. And most people seem to prefer 1st person POV for romances. This was 3rd and only from Emma's POV. You can sign up for her mailing list to get a bonus chapter from Garrett's POV. It's about a pretty boring attack. There wasn't an aspect of the storing I'd be less interested in reading about from his POV.
We needed way more background on Garrett and how he became alpha. We also needed the story to investigate Emma's family.
I was also disappointed a human female from early-ish in the story didn't get hit with the karma bus unless I accidentally skimmed that part. She was a roommate Emma had for a few days.
I won't read more by this author.
December 18, 2023
Run
Adult content, reader discretion advised. Emersyn was going to die by the hands of her stepbrother, Alec, and his friends if she didn't get away. The morning over 18th birthday she ran. She didn't stop running for 3 days. After which she found herself in Hopewell, WI. A far cry from Atlanta, GA. She knew Alec would continue to hunt her. She had to hope, like the namesake of the town she found herself in, that she would be safe for a little while. This is when Emma was born. She had some good luck when she first arrived. She found a job as a barista right after she got off the bus. She found a halfway house where she could live. Hope House provided food, clothing when available, and a place to sleep. She made friends with the customers at the coffee shop and a mother-daughter dou. Some who took an intense, borderline obsessive interest in her. One was Kevin, a police officer. Another was Garrett, a wealthy businessman with his own entourage.
Not everything was coming up roses, however. She kept having bizarre encounters with the friends surrounding Garrett. Her roommate kept stealing the few meager belonging she was able to acquire. When finally confronting her roommate, Emma was beaten, earning a broken rib. Men kept trying to attack her. It's at this point, the weird comes out. The furry kind of weird, and all the monsters come out to play.
Not everything had a clean closure. What happened to her roommate? She beats the crud out of Emma and nothing happens to her? Did they ever catch Alec after he found Emma? There was enough context with this to provide future interest. Almost like he's gonna be part of a future major battle in another book. Were the vampires just a random after thought? There was really not enough context to provide intrigue about them. That part of the book sort of felt like splatter paint artwork. Just threw something in and hoped that it worked. It was a miss.
Adult content, reader discretion advised. Emersyn was going to die by the hands of her stepbrother, Alec, and his friends if she didn't get away. The morning over 18th birthday she ran. She didn't stop running for 3 days. After which she found herself in Hopewell, WI. A far cry from Atlanta, GA. She knew Alec would continue to hunt her. She had to hope, like the namesake of the town she found herself in, that she would be safe for a little while. This is when Emma was born. She had some good luck when she first arrived. She found a job as a barista right after she got off the bus. She found a halfway house where she could live. Hope House provided food, clothing when available, and a place to sleep. She made friends with the customers at the coffee shop and a mother-daughter dou. Some who took an intense, borderline obsessive interest in her. One was Kevin, a police officer. Another was Garrett, a wealthy businessman with his own entourage.
Not everything was coming up roses, however. She kept having bizarre encounters with the friends surrounding Garrett. Her roommate kept stealing the few meager belonging she was able to acquire. When finally confronting her roommate, Emma was beaten, earning a broken rib. Men kept trying to attack her. It's at this point, the weird comes out. The furry kind of weird, and all the monsters come out to play.
Not everything had a clean closure. What happened to her roommate? She beats the crud out of Emma and nothing happens to her? Did they ever catch Alec after he found Emma? There was enough context with this to provide future interest. Almost like he's gonna be part of a future major battle in another book. Were the vampires just a random after thought? There was really not enough context to provide intrigue about them. That part of the book sort of felt like splatter paint artwork. Just threw something in and hoped that it worked. It was a miss.
September 12, 2025
Unique
In a genre so overfilled with similar fated mate stories, this one is unique because Emma is a Finder. She is not a witch, nor fae; she is a gifted human. Her gift's purpose is to strengthen a wolf pack, forever changing her "human" life.
Unfortunately, there are downsides. There are still Alphas who see Emma as a possession, not a person. They covet her and seek to own her. Then her alpha mate panics, the usual overprotective instincts toward a mate going into hyperdrive, with a side of ignorance about humans. Things get real complicated, real fast.
It does sort out, sort of. The emergence of a Finder has roiled the supernatural community; they too are going to be forever changed. How Emma deals with everything is impressive: she suffers, she thrives, then she stands strong and fights back—sometimes all in the same day. Emma and her Alpha both evolve as people and as a couple, yet the broader issues in the supernatural community remain.
There's no cliffhanger; it's just clear there's a lot more story to be told.
This was my second reading. While I move on to book two, I can already sense I will thoroughly enjoy reading this book and this series a third time. Part of that is from how real the people in this book are written, side characters included.
CONTENT
I especially appreciate that there is NO on page sexual intimacy. In fact, it appears Emma and her Alpha wait until after their mating ceremony to be intimate. There is non-graphic self-defense violence and some heavy issues. It may be triggering (violent bullying, implied threat of sexual abuse, fight scenes with deaths, abduction). Acknowledging the existence of enemies is unpleasant, but is realistic.
The overall message is positive: the value of each person, helping others, fighting for what's right, taking responsibility for and being humble about personal failings, and forgiveness.
I am looking forward to re-reading book two!
Happy Reading!
In a genre so overfilled with similar fated mate stories, this one is unique because Emma is a Finder. She is not a witch, nor fae; she is a gifted human. Her gift's purpose is to strengthen a wolf pack, forever changing her "human" life.
Unfortunately, there are downsides. There are still Alphas who see Emma as a possession, not a person. They covet her and seek to own her. Then her alpha mate panics, the usual overprotective instincts toward a mate going into hyperdrive, with a side of ignorance about humans. Things get real complicated, real fast.
It does sort out, sort of. The emergence of a Finder has roiled the supernatural community; they too are going to be forever changed. How Emma deals with everything is impressive: she suffers, she thrives, then she stands strong and fights back—sometimes all in the same day. Emma and her Alpha both evolve as people and as a couple, yet the broader issues in the supernatural community remain.
There's no cliffhanger; it's just clear there's a lot more story to be told.
This was my second reading. While I move on to book two, I can already sense I will thoroughly enjoy reading this book and this series a third time. Part of that is from how real the people in this book are written, side characters included.
CONTENT
I especially appreciate that there is NO on page sexual intimacy. In fact, it appears Emma and her Alpha wait until after their mating ceremony to be intimate. There is non-graphic self-defense violence and some heavy issues. It may be triggering (violent bullying, implied threat of sexual abuse, fight scenes with deaths, abduction). Acknowledging the existence of enemies is unpleasant, but is realistic.
The overall message is positive: the value of each person, helping others, fighting for what's right, taking responsibility for and being humble about personal failings, and forgiveness.
I am looking forward to re-reading book two!
Happy Reading!
April 29, 2024
Shifter/Single PoV/Alpha
SYNOPSIS (Standalone linked series): The FC, Emma, is a human whose father died when she was 12 and her mother married her step father who also had a son. The son and stepfather were abusive and Emma ran away when she turned 18. While working in a coffee shop she meets the Alpha of the Northwood Pack and it turns out they are mates. Emma also finds herself being tracked down by her step brother and others. There‘s a HEA
Heat Level: 🥶 There’s no heat, no sex scenes and maybe a kiss. This isn’t so much innocent and sweet as completely devoid of romance
There are a lot of typos and editing issues which are annoying. A point to note is that whilst this is a standalone with the next book covering a different couple there’s no closure on multiple points including the MC and FC actually bonding or figuring out how to deal with those after her. I was majorly skimming by the end of the book.
I also found the writing to be on the juvenile side with repetition of sentences and descriptors. For example, the FC, when describing how bad living with her stepfather was just talks about them doing a lot of awful things and a lot of horrible things like locking her in the basement. That’s it aside from her being taken to the forest and tied to a tree. There’s no explanation as to why the FC was treated this way or of her going to the police or her mother doing anything. The backstory is paper thin to non-existent.
The FC’s interactions with the MC are arms length and I never felt any real relationship development. There’s more interaction with the side characters than the MC. The FC came across as very young and the MC as much older. There was minimal backstory for any of other characters and we know very little about the MC or the Northwood Pack.
Not for me.
SYNOPSIS (Standalone linked series): The FC, Emma, is a human whose father died when she was 12 and her mother married her step father who also had a son. The son and stepfather were abusive and Emma ran away when she turned 18. While working in a coffee shop she meets the Alpha of the Northwood Pack and it turns out they are mates. Emma also finds herself being tracked down by her step brother and others. There‘s a HEA
Heat Level: 🥶 There’s no heat, no sex scenes and maybe a kiss. This isn’t so much innocent and sweet as completely devoid of romance
There are a lot of typos and editing issues which are annoying. A point to note is that whilst this is a standalone with the next book covering a different couple there’s no closure on multiple points including the MC and FC actually bonding or figuring out how to deal with those after her. I was majorly skimming by the end of the book.
I also found the writing to be on the juvenile side with repetition of sentences and descriptors. For example, the FC, when describing how bad living with her stepfather was just talks about them doing a lot of awful things and a lot of horrible things like locking her in the basement. That’s it aside from her being taken to the forest and tied to a tree. There’s no explanation as to why the FC was treated this way or of her going to the police or her mother doing anything. The backstory is paper thin to non-existent.
The FC’s interactions with the MC are arms length and I never felt any real relationship development. There’s more interaction with the side characters than the MC. The FC came across as very young and the MC as much older. There was minimal backstory for any of other characters and we know very little about the MC or the Northwood Pack.
Not for me.
August 29, 2025
I wanted to like this so badly, I have been searching for a new shifter series to sink my teeth into. This one isn't it. I read until 73% then skimmed the rest of the book out of sheer stubbornness.
The writing feels immature, someone else mentioned fanfic vibes and I can understand where they are coming from. There are typos and a few grammatical errors. The dialogue is a little clunky at times, the story line is meh, and there are a few instances of repetition. Storyline is not at all resolved, other than Emma apparently falling completely for Garrett and them being mated.
Emma is set up in the beginning as this strong character who escapes an abusive situation only for her to lose all will upon meeting Garrett. He never even explains anything to her until 70% of the way into the book. He just steps in and takes control of her life. She acts angry about it, then one look and she's back to "oh, ok, if you insist". Last straw for me when I was already losing patience for the book was page 280 when he is apologizing for letting her get kidnapped and Emma tells him, " 'You saved me. Garrett, you've only ever taken care of me. I'm so sorry I didn't see it.' "
Girl. No. He literally kidnapped you, didn't tell you anything, took away your job, separated you from your new friend and her daughter who you wanted to babysit and learn sign language from, took away and disconnected your phone, wouldn't let you leave the house...
He of course claims everything is because she's his mate, but she's also "valuable" as the Finder and is treated as an object they can challenge Garrett for or pay for. Even after he explains the basics he continues to control her and treat her more like property than a mate.
The writing feels immature, someone else mentioned fanfic vibes and I can understand where they are coming from. There are typos and a few grammatical errors. The dialogue is a little clunky at times, the story line is meh, and there are a few instances of repetition. Storyline is not at all resolved, other than Emma apparently falling completely for Garrett and them being mated.
Emma is set up in the beginning as this strong character who escapes an abusive situation only for her to lose all will upon meeting Garrett. He never even explains anything to her until 70% of the way into the book. He just steps in and takes control of her life. She acts angry about it, then one look and she's back to "oh, ok, if you insist". Last straw for me when I was already losing patience for the book was page 280 when he is apologizing for letting her get kidnapped and Emma tells him, " 'You saved me. Garrett, you've only ever taken care of me. I'm so sorry I didn't see it.' "
Girl. No. He literally kidnapped you, didn't tell you anything, took away your job, separated you from your new friend and her daughter who you wanted to babysit and learn sign language from, took away and disconnected your phone, wouldn't let you leave the house...
He of course claims everything is because she's his mate, but she's also "valuable" as the Finder and is treated as an object they can challenge Garrett for or pay for. Even after he explains the basics he continues to control her and treat her more like property than a mate.
September 5, 2024
The writing style of this book was...off. It just didn't seem right and the pacing could have been better. By the end of the book it seemed like there were some things still missing, and the point where the main characters confess their love for each other was so surprising because it seemed way too soon, even though the book is 100k words. From the time I started it I could tell I was reading a lower quality book, but I actually think realizing this made me enjoy it far better because I didn't take the characters, their actions, or the plot too seriously. I ended up laughing quite a bit throughout the book, whether it was because of what was happening, the characters actions or thoughts, or the bad writing style. The book was highly entertaining and had just the right amount of stupidity and behaviors I hate in main characters that surprisingly, I didn't put it down until I finished it. This book was just what I needed right now, something not to take too seriously because I knew it wouldn't be too good, but also good enough that I could stay invested in the story. I don't think it was intended to be a humor, but I found it hilarious and so I'm giving it 4 stars. It used to be 3 (2 stars when I was in a part I particularly disliked) but by the end I decided that if it made me laugh, but it wasn't perfect, then it deserved 4 stars. I haven't been able to finish a new book in months since this one, so there's that too. I'll probably read the next ones in the series, but not for a while. I don't need two of these kinds of books in a row.
April 8, 2021
I did really enjoy reading about Emma and Garrets story.
We follow Emma as she flees from a poor home life and goes out in the big world with nothing but the clothes on her back.
She’s terrified and alone.
Whilst fleeing, a town “calls to her” and she takes this as a sign.
Once at this town, she manages to score herself a job and settles down at Hope House.
On the first few days of her new job, she meets Liam who in time brings mr talk dark and handsome along with him and mr scary.
Over the course of the book, you get to know Mr tall dark and handsome (aka Garrett) and how he will do anything to provide for, care and protect his mate.
Emma knows nothing of his world until she is thrown head first into it and is given no choice but to face the truth whilst Garrett fights for her, to keep her safe.
We watch the couple jump hurdles together and truly start to see their relationship blossom which is lovely.
However, I will say that I was a tad disappointed with the ending.
The epilogue shows us their mating ceremony and it’s really sweet but just as the actual event takes place, the book ends.
I know perhaps we see more of them in the books to come but I must admit that I’m disappointed about not seeing more from their point of view and how the ceremony went.
That being said, apart from that, it was an awesome book and I devoured it in under 6 hours.
Thanks for the awesome read!
We follow Emma as she flees from a poor home life and goes out in the big world with nothing but the clothes on her back.
She’s terrified and alone.
Whilst fleeing, a town “calls to her” and she takes this as a sign.
Once at this town, she manages to score herself a job and settles down at Hope House.
On the first few days of her new job, she meets Liam who in time brings mr talk dark and handsome along with him and mr scary.
Over the course of the book, you get to know Mr tall dark and handsome (aka Garrett) and how he will do anything to provide for, care and protect his mate.
Emma knows nothing of his world until she is thrown head first into it and is given no choice but to face the truth whilst Garrett fights for her, to keep her safe.
We watch the couple jump hurdles together and truly start to see their relationship blossom which is lovely.
However, I will say that I was a tad disappointed with the ending.
The epilogue shows us their mating ceremony and it’s really sweet but just as the actual event takes place, the book ends.
I know perhaps we see more of them in the books to come but I must admit that I’m disappointed about not seeing more from their point of view and how the ceremony went.
That being said, apart from that, it was an awesome book and I devoured it in under 6 hours.
Thanks for the awesome read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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