The Alpha's Claim

Bridenapped #2

by Georgette St. Clair

Bridenapping? That old tradition where the Alpha grabs the bride of his choice and takes her back to his pack’s property to submit to his lustful demands? That’s so 19th century.

Unfortunately, Derrick Hawkins, the sexy, arrogant Alpha of the Lightridge pack doesn’t care. He’s set his sights on his childhood love, Tabitha Sweet. Of course, they’re now such bitter enemies that she wouldn’t spit on him if his fur was on fire, but that’s okay. It’ll just make the claiming that much hotter.

Once upon a time, Tabitha had scribbled “Tabitha Hawkins” inside her high school notebooks (surrounded by little hearts and pictures of wedding rings) and dreamed of being carried away in her crush’s muscular arms. After a brutal betrayal, she hasn’t seen him in ten years. Unfortunately, he’s sexier than ever. And he’s being sworn in as Alpha. And now that he’s finally found her again, he’ll never let her go. That is, if he can figure out who wants to sabotage his newly formed pack and his newly claimed bride-to-be - before it's too late.

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2022

About the author

Georgette St. Clair writes hot, sexy romances starring Alpha heroes. The road to love may be rocky and fraught with peril (and humor and scorchtastic sex and healthy heapings of snark), but her shifters will stop at nothing to claim the women they love.

Georgette has worn many hats in life: newspaper reporter, EMT, internet marketer, cocktail waitress, temp, nurse’s aide (not in chronological order).

When she’s not rescuing fur-babies, she spends her days in a fantasy universe where she nudges her smart-mouthed, take-no-gruff heroines onto paths which will set them on a collision course with true love.

Reviews

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading from this author and I enjoyed it. Love when this happens, Derrick & Tabitha great with their banter, seggy tension and the smexy scenes were very hott. Love a good ole second chance romance..

This has:
Fated mate
Wolf shenanigans
Banter
Boy obsessed
Touch her and you die


Some violence on page.

ARC provided in exchange for a honest review all opinions are my own..

[Sydney M Neblett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language of love

I absolutely love that this author has returned to the bridenapped series. These characters are so entertaining with their animosity and underlying love. Not to mention those side characters that the author is so good at creating. I enjoyed watching them make their way to their HEA, and the author kept me on my toes with the betrayal and misdirection. This book is guaranteed to be a frequent re-read, and I can only hope that she will continue to add installments to the series.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining dive back into the Bridenapped series. I loved Tabitha and Derrick. She really could bring on the sass, like non-stop ;P Derrick was all alpha but I loved his sense of humour. Together, they had to work through their past, with quite serious stuff in it, solve the mystery going on around them and adhere to pack laws, all while not being able to resist their smoking hot chemistry. There are twists galore, lots of banter and family/pack woven around their romance I enjoyed the reading ride :D

[Trish (Beautiful Chaos Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by this author. It was cute, low angst, and a quick read with lots of funny banter. There were bad guys and a wee bit of suspense to keep your interest piqued. The characters were likable and all the side characters contributed to the fun feel of the book. There was not a lot of depth, as I said this was a quick read, but if you enjoy a shifter romance this is a cute second-chance romance with a great heart.

[Stox4story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeps Your Interest …. a little sass, a little pain, a lot of karma

LOL… the very first page I knew I was going to like this book when Tabitha said: “I’d been busy decorating the photograph of a very handsome man who was featured prominently in the gossip section. I’d x’d out his eyes and drawn little devil horns on his head. Then I gave him a curly villain mustache, just for emphasis.”

It just keeps getting better. And yes, Tabitha does drink from an endless well of sass, but don’t let that fool you. The story gets serious too … really serious. Especially when Derrick Hawkins comes into the picture.

And who is Derrick Hawkins? According to Tabitha, he’s the charming bastard who ruined their lives when she was seventeen and in middle school. And that did happen, but there’s always a backstory … and this backstory involves sacrifice, true love and secrets.

🤔 OBSERVATIONS:

✒︎ While I really liked this book, there were a couple of issues that had me rolling my eyes.

… Tabitha’s sass was good but often immature
… Tabitha gave in way too fast to Derrick. If she was as hurt by his rejection as she claimed, no way she would jump in bed with him without knowing at least part of the truth. Her immaturity reigned here.

✒︎ I wanted to push the story forward to the conflict and mystery rather than read intimate details of their bedroom romps. Thus, I skipped over those parts of the story.

✒︎ So glad the ‘bad guys’ met their Waterloo. They got what they deserved.

✒︎ Maybe I missed it, but kept wondering what happened to Tabitha’s dad?.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabitha and Derrick mostly grew up together. Tabitha's mother worked for Derrick's mother. In high school, they were secret sweethearts. Since Derrick was a wolf shifter and heir to the alpha, he was expected to mate his father's choice. Tabitha was a poor human. They finally decide to come out in public at the big dance. They were to arrive separately but would quickly make it clear they were together. However Derrick showed up with another girl on his arm. Tabitha is furious and then Derrick gets her mother fired. Tabitha has been betrayed and hates him. Years later Derrick turns up on her front doorstep. Rumor has it, he as the alpha of a new pack is going to bridenap his human mate and he has chosen Tabitha.

Derrick didn't want to betray Tabitha as a teen. His father the alpha had found out about their relationship and forbidded Derrick from being with Tabitha. When Derrick was about to refuse, his father lied and said that if he hooked up with Tabitha , the pack would be angry and exile Derrick's whole family. Not wanting his family to suffer, Derrick agreed. However as the years passed, Derrick figures out how much his father lied. He is ready to go out on his own and make his own way. To his surprise 2/3 of his father's pack went with him. He has made a new pack home and is ready to claim his mate. First though he has to get Tabitha to forgive him.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tabitha and Derrick seemed meant for each other until they weren't. Because of him, Tabitha was humiliated and her life upended. Imagine Tabitha's shock when Derrick shows up with the intent of "Bridenapping" her. As strong as her attraction was to Derrick, she refused to let herself forget how he betrayed her and her family. Derrick is finally avle to start his own pack, which gives him the right to finally claim the one who has always been his. Unfortunately, he is bound by laws that she doesn't understand and he may lose her and his pack if he can't find who's sabotaging his job sites.

This was my first read from this author. I liked the idea of the story.This was a short read and I wanted it fleshed out a little more; get to know more of the characters. It seemed like something was missing. I liked Derrick and Tabitha together but wanted more from them too. I didn't understand how the gnomes fit into the story.

The chapters alternated pov with the character name at the top, but sometimes the pov wasn't correct or it changed in the middle of the first few paragraphs. Overall, the writing isn't bad, but an editor or good beta team would really help.

I received a free copy from BookSprout for my honest review.
2.5 stars

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is part of the Bridenapped series each back can be read as a standalone with an alpha shifter and the women who steals his and his wolfs heart. Derrick and Tabitha were high school sweethearts invited to the dance and when she arrives he is there dancing with another girl with his arms around another the it girl or cool girl with wealthy parents. He asked her to marry him, announcing their engagement, but she cheated on him causing a breakup but not before Derrick ran her out of town. Derrick sexy as all get out shifter have loved only one girl but after being forced to humiliate her and never giving her a reason why but when he comes for her she is more than surprised. The attraction is still just as strong as it was the day they met but with his betrayal she is finding it hard to forgive or even really be around him but for him he finely has a chance to be with the one women his heart belongs a whole ten years later but will she give him a chance, will she forgive him, will she listen to his reasons, can he show her that he is trust worthy, and can they find happiness somewhere along the way?.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sassy Bride . . .

Derrick and Tabitha were sweethearts in high school until she walked into the school dance and saw him with his arm around another girl, the daughter of a wealthy businessman. They announced their engagement the week after the spring social, but the girl cheated on him and they broke up. But Tabitha remembered his driving her out of town, although she hadn’t known that it was to keep her safe from his step-father who didn’t approve of her.

Now Derrick is becoming the Alpha and is ready to steal his bride back and make a life with her. After his betrayal, she hasn’t seen him in ten years. Can Tabitha forgive him for the pain he caused her in the past? Can she believe his claim of love and that they will be together forever? Or is someone in the pack determined to make trouble for him?

This was a good story line with nice pacing. The characters brought the story alive. Tabitha was feisty and put Derrick in his place, but he continued to love her. Will they get a chance to be together as turmoil in the pack arises? Grab your copy and find out if their HEA will finally catch up to them.

[Fay J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derrick has always, always wanted Tabitha. There was no question about that at all. However the choice was not his to make at that time. So in a bid to keep her and her sister safe he had to let her go. Now it is a whole other ball game. He has the upper hand and he is getting what he wanted. He might get lots of resistance and quite a bit of residual distrust but he is determined to win her over, win back her heart and make her his. Tabitha is just delighted that Derrick just walked through her aunt's front door, ten years after shattering her heart, no really she's ecstatic.. not!! The audacity of the man to think he can waltz his gorgeous self in, announce he's claiming her, bridenapping her no less and tell her to be ready and just expect her to go along with it. I don't think so! She may play along just for the sake of her family but that is as far as it is going..
Tabitha was fantastic. The right amout of righteous wrath and vulnerability. It's tough when it is your first love, even more so when it is your only love but we are not going there. When you know the truth you do feel for Derrick for the past and for Tabitha too. Loved this, oh and gnomes (yeah!!)

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good second-chance paranormal romance. The chemistry between them still burned hot. “Argh. Family. Can’t live with them, can’t put them in the old folk’s home because they’d escape and come back to stab you with their knitting needles.” “Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Every hour, every day, is a glorious gift from God, meant to be treasured.”

Tabitha and her sister live with their aunt. They moved in with her when they were run out of town by Derrick and his pack. She thought he had loved her, but boy was she wrong. Now after ten years, she was face-to-face with Derrick Hawkins.

Derrick was going to bridenap Tabitha. He had waited ten years for this moment. “Staying away from her for the past ten years had taken iron will and had hurt me every minute of every day. I never stopped thinking about her. Never.” Now I had a lot to make up for.

[Shanita Broussard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This plot had so much potential. I’d never read a wolf shifter bridenapping storyline before. The bridenapping scene was great, but none of the surrounding events made sense to me. It feels like they were just thrown in to extend the word count. Tabitha and her family talking to the magic gnomes seemed over the top and was never really explained. Derrick exposing himself to the aunt and her friend at the pickle factory was definitely over the top and uncomfortable. There were a lot of editing errors on the last few chapters like the author was in a rush to finish. Ten years was a long time for Tabitha to “hate” Derrick, yet still long for him. She seemed to have a good reason to hate him until the truth was finally revealed.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Was Coming To Claim Her!

Derrick Hawkins was coming for Tabitha, she had been his ten years ago and they had fallen in love until circumstances forced him to betray her, he was now due to be Alpha of his own back and in bringing back the old traditions, he was now ready to claim her. He had warned her that she was about to be bridenapped by him!

What a read, my heart is still beating with the romance and steam of it all! A great storyline with some mystery, surprise betrayal, great secondary characters who had me laughing out loud with some of their antics.

A really enjoyable read, well worth a 5* rating.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ashley Carr, LSoR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a new author to me, and I definitely will be checking out more of her work! The characters were well developed, and the storyline was intriguing and entertaining. The banter between Derrick and Tabitha was hilarious. She was holding a grudge against him because he broke her heart in high school and had her family run out of town. He was only doing that to protect her, and now that he is of age and able to fully protect her he goes after her and bridenaps her. There is a traitor among Derrick’s new pack, will he be able to get to the bottom of the sabotage before someone gets hurt? Will Tabitha accept her bridenapping before the full moon?

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been waiting for the next Bridenap book. It has arrived. Tabitha and Derrick. Okay so I was really mad at him at first. He seemed so unapologetic about what he did to her years ago. Pack politics and rules prevented him from saying anything. He was still dumb letting his step dad do it but he was a kid too. So I kinda get it. Loved their banter. I really enjoyed both characters. Usually I have issues sometimes liking a few here and there but I loved both Derrick and Tabitha. On a side note I've been reading this author since the beginning when she started writing. She's come a long way and has grown so much. I can't wait for more.

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tabitha and Derrick’s story is one of first loves and second chances. They loved each other as teenagers but had been torn apart due to outside forces. Tabitha is deeply hurt and reluctant to give Derrick another chance when he shows up to claim her. There are some fun characters in his pack and a lot of amusing moments as her family interact with his pack. Although there are tensions in the pack that lead to violence, this isn’t dwelt on in any detail, so it remains a lighthearted easy read. I really liked this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

[Carrie O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfying romance of the slighter brief variety

Oh, the humor in this one is the icing on the cake. A very enjoyable and somewhat quick read. A romantic shifter tale of love delayed and deceit getting its just desserts. A strong and yet kind hero, with a sassy heroine. The pacing was perfect with the possible exception of the ending, which felt tighter (in terms of word count) than the rest of the story. Lots of interesting small tidbits contained in the story, almost begging for more...but it finishes nicely and we get most of the loose ends tied up.

[Nicole Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

He calls her a foolish human & she calls him a Mangy pelted mutt - one of my favourite lines

What a brilliant 5 star read. Derrick & Tabitha's story is a true second chance romance. The banter between these two is hilarious & there is many LOL moments especially when she calls him a big stupid furbag amongst other insults. He is facing one uphill battle to try win her over whilst dealing with pack sabotage. Will Derrick succeed in claiming his mate?
I highly recommend giving this story a read.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derrick and Tabitha

From enemies to lovers, this romance has some good action, adventure, suspense and humor. The banter between the two main characters was thoroughly enjoyable and the source of the humor.

Tabitha was feisty and stood up to Derrick but he was not going to be denied. Very good and enjoyable storyline. Love a good paranormal romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[H J H…c · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

I’m trying to decide if this was better than the first one and I think I’m leaning towards no. It’s an enjoyable enough quick read, but I think the characters in the first book just spoke more to me.

Perhaps because Derrick and Tabitha had such a rich history together and we only were privy to a small insight through flashbacks. If the first chapter was them as teenagers and the second chapter started ten years later that would’ve played out better for me.

[Cherish Thyot · Rating 5 out of 5]

never forgotten love!

Great story line. The leading lady has felt slighted for 10 years and the leading man or werewolf in this case never gave up. He is determined to keep his promise but he discovers it is not so easy to start a new pac, win over a bride and have a happy ending. There is a twist at the end but it still sneaks up on you. I recommend this one to anyone who loves the shape shifter love stories.

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 years earlier, Derrick had broken Tabitha's heart - and forced her and her family to leave town. Now he was back - what did he want with her? Could she ever forgive him for the past? Who was the traitor in their midst? Loved the twists and turns, great characters and a brilliant story line.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hart's Reader Group · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had promise--a great plot idea--but the writing was poorly done. The tension was lackluster, the sexual attraction was not there, the whole thing with the gnomes was confusing and didn't feel like it fit the theme of shifters. Overall, I wouldn't recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review. This was so very cute . Derrick Hawkins a alpha werewolf has wait to be able to bridenap Tabatha for 10 yrs now he has his own pack and he's going to do what ever it takes to have her forgive him. beautiful

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bbridenaoped

Derrick was Tabitha first lo ve. That was until prom was and he was someone else. Tabitha poured the punch bowl over Derricks head. Ten years later Derrick comes to Tabitha and tells he is going bride nap her. And so this great story begins with so many twists and turns.Great rdad

[Trixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a fun time reading this book. Bridenapped and he announced it for the whole world to know. Well, he has his reasons and I find it acceptable. He was quite smart I realized later on and his chosen bride has no chance of resisting him.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janet Smith McHardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Derrick Tabatha's old school boyfreind tells her he intends to bridenappe her she is far from happy. She tells him to take his furry ass out of her sight. I love this story the sass the characters and the romance a great read. Georgett St Clair never disapoints.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

.

Georgette has given us a wonderful story that pulls us into the lives of Tabitha and Derrick and does not let go. The story keeps us turning the pages with hope, awkwardness, suspense, steam and witty banter. This book is part of the Bridenapped Series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridenapped is one enjoyable read. Tabitha and Derrick have a past that didn't end well and you'll learn why . Parts will make you laugh at the antics he gets up to too make her his and some serious issues as well.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kandiemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story. I was hooked from the beginning. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading it. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat. The characters are great and the storyline is different. I look forward to reading more from the author. Definitely recommend reading this.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.