Without You

by Elizabeth Muse

Carter Blair is the glue. They’ve known that for a while. And he holds a lot of titles. Best Friend. Honorary brother. Unanimously elected pack mom. But that last one he’d wave off and say he ran unopposed, so it doesn’t count. Humble, kind, and a bunch of other ‘good person’ adjectives.Yeah, he’s the glue. And it makes sense. But it’s not exactly a shock when he falls in bed with the Alpha and everything just feels… right.But happiness never lasts long for them. Especially Carter. Definitely not Oliver. And when he’s dragged into the woods by a coven hellbent on their destruction, he dies, leaving them all behind to pick up the thousand tiny shards. Because those woods so close to their town are dark and dangerous and deep and all that poetic stuff.It seems like a hill too large, too monumental for any of them to climb. Because losing him means more than falling apart. Losing Carter Blair, the glue, means having no one to talk to, no one to push them forward, no one to remind them what they’re fighting for every single day.Losing him means the end of their family, their pack.Losing him means their Alpha, Oliver McCall, cannot find it in himself to function. But his mate is gone and they all get it. And yet, if the Alpha can’t move on, they’re all doomed. Oliver and his pack are the last line, the only line, of defense for the literal beacon of mystical forces that threatens everything they hold dear.So, Daniel Markham, their supernatural ambassador and guide, keeps fighting. He keeps pushing. He stands up, packs his bag to the brim, and he makes the long trek out to that wretched, demon-infested forest with the one shining soul still in it, determined to help guide him back to the land of the living.Because the world, their world, needs its glue.For all tropes, tags, and trigger warnings, please see yourself to the author’s website before purchasing this novella.

Paperback

About the author

Elizabeth is a (mostly!) dark romance author, a trope aficionado, a Mary Sue stan, a beanie baby hoarder, a single mom, pure chaotic evil, and a pitch wars alum who looks like a cinnamon roll but could kill you.

She specializes in spicy disasters, enemies to lovers, tragic backstories, grumpy villains falling for sunshine heroes too good for this world, bad boys and girls reformed by the power of love, arranged marriages, fake relationships, and second chances.

In her ridiculously limited free time, Elizabeth enjoys playing board games, experimenting in the kitchen, and trying desperately to cuddle her two demon kitties.


Reviews

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me while I go eat 7 tubs of ice cream after reading this!

This story was such a beautiful representation of grief and the way that one person's life can affect so much of the world. I think my favorite part of it was how many different POVs it gave us, and how each person had their own reason to love and grieve Carter. It was such a poignant way of showing the impact of a life, even when that person cannot see exactly what impact they are making on the world around them.

I adored the writing style and the way that everything simply flowed. It made the book such a quick read and made me want to keep going no matter what. The love and the depth portrayed in this book was amazing on so many levels.

I would highly recommend this story to anyone, and I cannot wait to read more of Elizabeth's writing!

[Shelba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed what was written on the pages of this book. But there’s a whole bunch of story that isn’t on the pages of this book.

There’s references to previous events… Paisley, Logan being trapped in his own mind by the Naberius, Carter later on having the same happen, Carter having some kind of PTSD from that event that makes him worry that he isn’t real. Alex dying, and whatever else happened to the rest of them at that time.

And then there is Carter’s death. I’m not quite sure the when, why or how of that event. It’s pretty glossed over. I’m also uncertain what Daniel did.

Even Oliver & Carter’s relationship happens mostly off page. And that’s also kind of muddled. They are soulmates, but Carter didn’t know? But Carter also had a crush on Oliver for ages, even though he didn’t realize he was into guys until they got together?

I thought maybe at the end of the book, it would tell me to look for x book for the companion book to this one, that actual tells me WTF actually happened… but this is listed as a standalone on the author’s site, and only two other stories are published, which don’t seem to have anything to do with this one.