RTC! Each instalment was amazing. Love it all. Will share more. Eve Bale is a great writer! Angst. Humour. Good man heroes. And adventure!
Some more thoughts: The first book was noteworthy for its angst. While the reader guesses early on the identity of one of the MCs, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story. The second book, while still playing on angst, expands the world. There is more information about different packs, Aerin's mom, and omega abilities...
And in the third book, what stands out, for me, is the world-building and the adventure. I was completely in with Aerin on rescuing the pack. Aerin and Mack were fine and in love so nothing to worry about on that score. This was just a good ol' adventure story of overthrowing the corrupt leader.
Consider this series from the perspective of exploring different pack dynamics via Goldilocks. Too hot. Too cold. Just right. Although not necessarily in that order.
Aerin's dad is in charge of one of the largest packs. He cares about appearances, order. He is always properly dressed. Designer cars. As this is one of the largest packs, we understand this to be the way things are done in the werewolf shifter world. Follow the leader and all that, pack before your needs. Even if it is in violation of your needs, there is no wiggle room. We see this in how Aerin's dad secures her alliance to Shane, despite knowing that Shane loves another.
Then we have Mack's dad, Connall. The Raleigh pack that, unfortunately, tore itself apart due to their inability to manage their aggression. Tempers flared up, they self-destructed and one of the toughest, strongest packs no longer exists. A lesson to other packs about what to watch out for, and why omegas are so prized. Their skills can help to diffuse situations from escalating out of control.
And then we have Mack's pack. A small pack but a pack where the Alpha doesn't act like a leader the way Aerin's dad acts. Yet he still commands the respect, love, and loyalty of his pack.
In Captured, we see a new pack dynamic. A mysterious, niche dynamic. This one goes the opposite of Mack's pack, goes even further than Aerin's dad's pack too. It's a totalitarian dictator regime, and very much Handmaiden's Tale, where no one has any say. Everyone has been beaten down.
A key teaching lesson here is how Aerin defeats the big bad boss, not through fear, but through showing this pack hope. Possible visions of what life can be like. Great ending to this series!