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First Kyss
She has lost everything...her only hope is the mate Odin promised
Lone wolf, Kristin Andersen, has been adrift from her race since childhood when a monster-shifter killed her family. Now, she’s disguised her scent and infiltrated a dominant Montana pack, hoping to find the murderer. She wants vengeance, and she’s powerful enough to get it. Except being with the other wolves and the pack’s Alpha, Erik, makes her want more. She longs to belong—with Erik and with the pack.
He will sacrifice everything to save the world…even his fated mate
Alpha wolf, Erik Kron, doesn’t have time for love. A curse has ravaged his pack, Odin has bestowed upon him a cryptic prophecy, and a human woman—who sets his wolf on fire—has started work in the den. He longs to claim her, but he needs to stay focused. Otherwise, Fenrir, son of Loki, will be unleashed. And even the Gods will die in the coming apocalypse—Ragnarök.
But then Erik discovers Kristin’s secret, and he fears her desire for retribution will tip the balance toward ultimate destruction. Though he burns for her, he must stop her. Even if it means losing her forever.
Lone wolf, Kristin Andersen, has been adrift from her race since childhood when a monster-shifter killed her family. Now, she’s disguised her scent and infiltrated a dominant Montana pack, hoping to find the murderer. She wants vengeance, and she’s powerful enough to get it. Except being with the other wolves and the pack’s Alpha, Erik, makes her want more. She longs to belong—with Erik and with the pack.
He will sacrifice everything to save the world…even his fated mate
Alpha wolf, Erik Kron, doesn’t have time for love. A curse has ravaged his pack, Odin has bestowed upon him a cryptic prophecy, and a human woman—who sets his wolf on fire—has started work in the den. He longs to claim her, but he needs to stay focused. Otherwise, Fenrir, son of Loki, will be unleashed. And even the Gods will die in the coming apocalypse—Ragnarök.
But then Erik discovers Kristin’s secret, and he fears her desire for retribution will tip the balance toward ultimate destruction. Though he burns for her, he must stop her. Even if it means losing her forever.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 13, 2022
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Norse mythology and wolf shifters? Yes, please! This book drew me in right from the beginning—which was a problem as I needed to go to work. Layne does a fantastic job of weaving Norse myths throughout her modern paranormal romance, set in the wilds of Montana. We visit Asgard, meet Odin, battle Loki’s grandchildren, hit a nightclub, all while hanging with a beautiful, gifted artist, still trying to make peace with her tragic childhood, and a wickedly hot Alpha, doing his best to keep his pack safe while staving off Ragnarök. Sexy times ensue. The world Layne has created is easy to fall into and difficult to drag yourself back out of. I can’t wait for the next stories in the Wolves of Odin series!
Norse mythology and wolf shifters? Yes, please! This book drew me in right from the beginning—which was a problem as I needed to go to work. Layne does a fantastic job of weaving Norse myths throughout her modern paranormal romance, set in the wilds of Montana. We visit Asgard, meet Odin, battle Loki’s grandchildren, hit a nightclub, all while hanging with a beautiful, gifted artist, still trying to make peace with her tragic childhood, and a wickedly hot Alpha, doing his best to keep his pack safe while staving off Ragnarök. Sexy times ensue. The world Layne has created is easy to fall into and difficult to drag yourself back out of. I can’t wait for the next stories in the Wolves of Odin series!
November 19, 2022
Quick Summary: A thrilling ride where the contemporary meets mythology
My Review: First Kyss by Madelyn Layne was a fantastic first! This was book one in a new series about modern-day heroes. Steeped in Norse mythology, this particular story introduces Eric, the Alpha wolf leader of a pack of protectors destined to save the world, and Kristen, a tri-being and Alpha lead who vows to avenge those who have fallen.
What I Loved:
- I loved the strong female leads. Kristen, Gina, and even Dahlia all played pivotal roles. They were no shrinking violets. They each had a weight that they had to carry that the others knew nothing about.
- Eric, Gunn, and Dane were the perfect matches for the female leads. Like the women they were attracted to, they were strong and driven to protect what was theirs. I loved how they were fiercely drawn to what I consider to be their mates.
- I loved how each couple had such different dynamics. I am excited to learn the backstory of each and every one in detail.
- I loved the fight scenes. It was non-stop action with each one. They were so well written.
- I loved and appreciated the unique character challenges and struggles. The way they were written added depth, layers, texture, etc. to the heroes.
- I loved the mix of magic and mythology. The present day angle made the storyline that much more interesting.
- The battle between the protagonists and antagonists had a total light versus dark vibe. I kept thinking there had to be a balance, surely. The very best stories all have a good versus evil theme, and that's what I picked up on.
- I loved that the Allfather made an appearance.
- The ending and epilogue were brilliant.
My Final Say: I adore mythology-rich stories. This one made me long to know more about Norse mythology. Readers who enjoy stories with this type of lore will love First Kyss...and I dare say everything thereafter in the series.
My Favorite Scene: I almost fell off my chair when the "bugs" were found and creatively responded to. (Ms. Layne, that entire scene sequence deserves a hand clap. Gunn deserved what he got.)
Other: In general, the pacing was good. There were multiple conflict points that kept the story moving in an upward trajectory. Dual (plus) POVs were present. Many questions were both answered and raised based on the events that occurred.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: M
Level: 🌶🌶
Re-read: Yes
Series: Yes
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read this title. The words I have shared are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.
My Review: First Kyss by Madelyn Layne was a fantastic first! This was book one in a new series about modern-day heroes. Steeped in Norse mythology, this particular story introduces Eric, the Alpha wolf leader of a pack of protectors destined to save the world, and Kristen, a tri-being and Alpha lead who vows to avenge those who have fallen.
What I Loved:
- I loved the strong female leads. Kristen, Gina, and even Dahlia all played pivotal roles. They were no shrinking violets. They each had a weight that they had to carry that the others knew nothing about.
- Eric, Gunn, and Dane were the perfect matches for the female leads. Like the women they were attracted to, they were strong and driven to protect what was theirs. I loved how they were fiercely drawn to what I consider to be their mates.
- I loved how each couple had such different dynamics. I am excited to learn the backstory of each and every one in detail.
- I loved the fight scenes. It was non-stop action with each one. They were so well written.
- I loved and appreciated the unique character challenges and struggles. The way they were written added depth, layers, texture, etc. to the heroes.
- I loved the mix of magic and mythology. The present day angle made the storyline that much more interesting.
- The battle between the protagonists and antagonists had a total light versus dark vibe. I kept thinking there had to be a balance, surely. The very best stories all have a good versus evil theme, and that's what I picked up on.
- I loved that the Allfather made an appearance.
- The ending and epilogue were brilliant.
My Final Say: I adore mythology-rich stories. This one made me long to know more about Norse mythology. Readers who enjoy stories with this type of lore will love First Kyss...and I dare say everything thereafter in the series.
My Favorite Scene: I almost fell off my chair when the "bugs" were found and creatively responded to. (Ms. Layne, that entire scene sequence deserves a hand clap. Gunn deserved what he got.)
Other: In general, the pacing was good. There were multiple conflict points that kept the story moving in an upward trajectory. Dual (plus) POVs were present. Many questions were both answered and raised based on the events that occurred.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: M
Level: 🌶🌶
Re-read: Yes
Series: Yes
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read this title. The words I have shared are my own and have not been influenced by the aforementioned in any way.
November 10, 2022
If you think that this is Norse mythology with shifters, think again. The Norse gods and goddesses are here, with the loose framework of events leading to Ragnarok, but that's where the similarities end.
This book tells its own tale of shifters guarding the worlds against Ragnarok. The plot loosely follows the sagas, but only in the bare bones of the framework. The rest, the majority of the narrative in the book, is created in this world of shifters and has its own story to tell. The shifter characters (besides the obvious characters of Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati) and many of the Norse terminology exist only in the world of this series.
The author has carefully crafted a world where shifters are charged with preventing Ragnarok and most of the main plot follows one wolf pack. It is rich with romance, deception, sex, violence...and also Fenrir's two sons on a rampage. It's refreshing to enter this world for a time, knowing that many of the characters you meet will be new and not just recycled versions of the sagas. All the terms are in the glossary, so I suggest reading that first. However, if you already know some about Scandinavian languages, you can jump right in and only look up a few words to see what they mean in this world. Many of them are similar, but there are a few where the meaning is very specific to the shifters' worldview.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book tells its own tale of shifters guarding the worlds against Ragnarok. The plot loosely follows the sagas, but only in the bare bones of the framework. The rest, the majority of the narrative in the book, is created in this world of shifters and has its own story to tell. The shifter characters (besides the obvious characters of Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati) and many of the Norse terminology exist only in the world of this series.
The author has carefully crafted a world where shifters are charged with preventing Ragnarok and most of the main plot follows one wolf pack. It is rich with romance, deception, sex, violence...and also Fenrir's two sons on a rampage. It's refreshing to enter this world for a time, knowing that many of the characters you meet will be new and not just recycled versions of the sagas. All the terms are in the glossary, so I suggest reading that first. However, if you already know some about Scandinavian languages, you can jump right in and only look up a few words to see what they mean in this world. Many of them are similar, but there are a few where the meaning is very specific to the shifters' worldview.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 10, 2022
Poor Kristen’s wolf showed up too soon. Both of her parents are dead and her wolf’s scent drove the unmated males feral. Her brothers died protecting her as well. As her mother’s spirit leaves for Valhalla, she foretells that a girl and a boy will be her family. Hans is one evil piece of work. Plot twists.
After her escape Kristen ends up in Missoula and the story picks up 12 years later. Gina (witch) is her foster sister and drives like Cruella. Erik and Gunner are funny. Poor Erik is cursed. Erik isn’t just an Alpha of a Valdyr pack, he is the Alpha of the pack the Fyrstr of the Varda- direct descendants of Odin’s pack to fight Fenrir, and Fenrir’s sons, Haiti and Skoll from freeing him to start Ragnarok. Omg squeeeee. I love Norse mythology! Erik, Gunner and Dane…. Just wow. This book was awesome! Super emotional roller coaster ride! Gimme the next book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
After her escape Kristen ends up in Missoula and the story picks up 12 years later. Gina (witch) is her foster sister and drives like Cruella. Erik and Gunner are funny. Poor Erik is cursed. Erik isn’t just an Alpha of a Valdyr pack, he is the Alpha of the pack the Fyrstr of the Varda- direct descendants of Odin’s pack to fight Fenrir, and Fenrir’s sons, Haiti and Skoll from freeing him to start Ragnarok. Omg squeeeee. I love Norse mythology! Erik, Gunner and Dane…. Just wow. This book was awesome! Super emotional roller coaster ride! Gimme the next book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 10, 2022
This book is a whole package! It has action, suspense, romance and surprises. I loved it and finished it in one go, couldnt put it down. The banter between characters is so entertaining and I want to be part of Kristin, Gina and Dahlias girl group.
I really hope Gina and Dahlia get their own books to see how their guys try to win them over.
I love that the female characters are independently strong but also work well together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really hope Gina and Dahlia get their own books to see how their guys try to win them over.
I love that the female characters are independently strong but also work well together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 12, 2022
I am a huge sucker for Norse mythology (I even majored in it in college, lol). The read this book purely for the Norse Mythology concept and I was not disappointed. Thoroughly entertaining and cannot wait for the next book in the series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 11, 2022
This was a great start to a new series. The character work and story line were well written and kept me entertained. I enjoyed the Norse Mythology that was included. I can't wait to see what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 15, 2022
*I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.* I loved this book. It's a great beginning to a new series, with clever and unique world-building, great characters, and a fabulous heroine. As soon as I finished reading it, I told the author I couldn't wait for the second book.
November 18, 2022
I really enjoy shifter romances and this was one that I loved. Well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characetrs that I loved. I also loved all the folklore in the book too.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews