Alaskan Wolf

Alpha Force #2

by Linda O. Johnston

When naturalist Mariah Garvey travels to the remote Alaska glacier region, she finds an abundance of beauty unparalleled in the Lower 48. The stark landscape, the vivid life force--and the powerful appeal of her rugged new guide, Patrick Worley.For Patrick, the beautiful nature writer is an unwelcome distraction. His job at the Great Glacier Dog Ranch is only a cover for his classified work with Alpha Force. He is on a mission to uncover the truth behind a series of deadly explosions, and her presence hinders his ability to shape-shift and to hunt--as only a werewolf can. Even if he, too, feels an animal lust hot enough to melt the Alaskan ice, he knows their desire cannot be satisfied. Nor can it be denied.

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Werewolves, Fantasy, Harlequin

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 16, 2010

About the author

Linda O. Johnston's first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year. Since then, Linda has had more short stories and novellas published, plus, by the end of 2018, she will have had fifty novels published, including mysteries and romance.

Linda currently writes the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries cozy mystery series for Midnight Ink, and also wrote the Superstition Mysteries for them, both featuring dogs. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, which was a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mystery series. And yes, they involved dogs, too.

Linda also writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, including a new miniseries about a K-9 ranch where dogs are trained. Linda additionally writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne including the Alpha Force miniseries about a covert military unit of shapeshifters--and all the werewolves also have cover dogs.

Linda, a currently inactive transactional attorney, now writes fiction full-time. She is a member of the Los Angeles chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America, including the Los Angeles, Orange County and Santa Clarita chapters.

Reviews

[Franci · Rating 3 out of 5]

10th book of 2019.

A very enjoyable read.
Patrick certainly is an Alpha type. But in the best possible way.
Would have liked to know more about Alpha Force, but seeing as this is the second book in the series I understand why it was not fleshed out more.
The ending was a little abrupt though. As if all the action and climax had to be crammed into a small space.
The tension between Mariah and Patrick was sizzling without being explicit. A nice alternative.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok... I normally don't read Harlequin books but I saw this on the shelf as I was putting books away at my bookstore and it sounded good. Well, it wasn't good, it was great!! It kept me reading until I finished the book in one sitting. Now I have to get the first one in the Nocturne series which I believe is The Wolven and be on the lookout for the next one. I have already made this series the next on my bookclubs list.
I normally read books with a lot of explicit sex scenes but I found that the way this was written was sexy even though it briefly mentioned the sexual acts. It was more the anticipation and the chemistry between the two characters that had me.
Patrick is a sexy Alpha male with a ton of secrets and Mariah is a Nature Writer with just enough investigative journalist in her to make this interesting and dangerous.

I give this book a BIG two thumbs WAY UP!!! I'm going to attempt to get The Wolven Tomorrow. ...lol...

[Amelia in PDX · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Alpha Force series.

Lt Patrick Worley, a member of the very secret Alpha Force, is undercover in Alaska to find out why all of a sudden all the glaciers are breaking up. Mariah Garvey is there to cover the Great Glacier to cover the ice break up and it's effect upon wildlife for the magazine that she writes for. She hires Patrick in his undercover job, to take her out dogsledding into the area that they are both interested in. After a day out on the ice the local resturant is the place to eat. Mariah is interviewing some of the locals for the magazine and Patrick, with his backup - Shaun, also go there to eat. they are invited to join the group, where they both listen to the discussion that is ongoing. Upon completion of the meal they (Patrick & Shaun) split up. Shaun to go back to camp and Patrick to walk Mariah to her hotel room. Upon returning to the dogsled camp, Patrick finds Shaun murdered and the situation becomes more taxing from then on. Read to find out what else happens here.

[Ann Unger]

loved it!

[Mykake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. What I like is that it is part of a series so even though it was quick I can still read more of the ongoing conflict and related characters.

[Samantha Kauchis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally not for me... It was predictable from page one, and boring. I almost didn't make it through the whole book... But I kept hoping it would get better.

[Mojca]

The person who wrote the blurb should've written the entire book.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the numbers listed, this is the second in the series.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book & look forward to reading more in the series!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome! Love the mystery of the glaciers breaking apart, and love the romance between Mariah and Patrick. And I love that Mariah had to take time to decide on wanting to move to Maryland to be with Patrick. The ending was much more realistic, and I loved that little bit of realism.

[Hollie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never got into this book. Nothing exciting or engaging in the first few chapters...

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Setting: Fort Lukman, Maryland; Great Glaciers Dogsled Ranch; town, Fiske’s Hangout, and nearby glaciers of Tagoga, Alaska;

Theme: destruction of nature; nature’s beauty; one’s own nature (lots of nature : ); love

Characters:
Lt. Patrick Worley: Alpha Force; werewolf; duty bound; investigating the too frequent calving of icebergs from the glaciers; undercover as a musher (dog sled driver);

Major Drew Connell: Patrick’s boss – has human wife;

Sgt Shaun Bethune: Alpha Force, human backup, computer geek; murdered and computer taken – what was he on to?

Mariah Garver: reporter; raised rich, family lost money by mismanagement; 30+ years old; wrote for sensational magazines for a while, until she and her family became one of the sensational stories; 3 years ago moved to Alaska; works as nature reporter for one magazine, with occasional articles for owner’s more sensational publications; inquisitive; caring;

Toby Dawes: owner of Great Glaciers Dogsled Ranch: ex-military – but unfortunately too talkative when drinking;

Emil Charteris, son-in-law Jeremy, and daughter Carrie: scientists studying the glacier; at first seemed warm to Mariah, but after a day stopped sharing any information with her;

Austin DeLisio aka Andy Lemon: millionaire; his company blowing up mines in lower 48, while he blowing up glaciers to get to the minerals/gold found under to glacier; hiding self as a nondescript piano player at Fiske’s Hideout; carrying on with Carrie and used father’s submersible;

Summary:
Both investigating – though Mariah focused on wildlife, Patrick on what’s going on – is it natural or manmade – and who killed his partner? Spend time together as Mariah hires him for dogsledding out on glaciers; share some hot kisses, but he pulls back – no serious woman for him;
In the end they catch the bad guys – working together to turn the tables on Austin and Carrie… and with the help of Patrick’s wolf. Both are a bit commitment shy, but both keep up with each other… until Mariah takes the risk, and goes to the Maryland Fourt to marry… ahhhh

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I generally like stories set in Alaska and stories about shape shifters, so I was really looking forward to reading this one. It had an interesting premise but, overall, the book was a disappointment. I never really engaged with the characters nor did I buy into the supposed sexual attraction between them, the writing style was a bit too simple for my tastes, and I was thrown out of the story when reading about flying squirrels and grizzlies living on a glacier. I've been to Alaska twice and had the pleasure of walking on two glaciers and sailing by a dozen more. I just don't remember trees growing on glaciers. I liked the mystery surrounding the calving glaciers but found the general plot too simplistic. Mariah goes out on a glacier, takes photos, has dinner with the researchers, goes to bed. Repeat and repeat. Occasionally has sex with Patrick to add variation to her day. And the ending - even more disappointing.

I don't generally give up on an author after one book, so I'll try another one or two by Johnston. Hopefully they'll be better.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. I did have a little trouble getting into it and not sure why.
Patrick Worley is a Lt. in Alpha Force a military unit made up of shifters and the partners they need on special ops missions. He is being sent to Alaska to find out why the glaciers are breaking apart.
He is working as a musher at the Great Glacier Dog Ranch. His partner is Shaun Bethune a computer geek.

Mariah Garver is a investigate reporter who has come to Alaska for peace and less stress and now works for Alaskan Nature Magazine. She's doing an article on the wild life and how it's being affected by the breaking apart of the glaciers.
There a scientists and some quirky locals and a murder happens so the is plenty of suspense and action. It's a good read.

[Altivo Overo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing clear but seemed rushed to the point where the complex suspense and intrigue were overly contrived. Supporting characters with complex motivations need to be drawn in greater detail rather than presented as wax manikins on whom to hang plot twists. The primary romance is of course the purpose of the book but even that seems too pat and overly contrived. Werewolf shape shifting is really a minor element, rather like pepper sprinkled on a salad.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book at some point maybe last year and had a hard time getting into it. I picked it back up and it got better but...the story line never really drew me in. I LOVED the 1st book in the series. But was disappointed with this one. Too much mystery..not enough romance. I still give it 3 stars it was an ok read nothing extraordinary.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also, das Buch war wirklich besser, als ich erwartet hatte, nachdem ich gesehen habe, dass es in der "Nocturne"-Reihe erschienen ist, hatte ich eher Schund erwartet, aber es war wirklich ein netter Zeitvertreib.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in the Alpha Force series, not to be confused with J.D Tyler's Alph Pack, I actually quite liked this one. It was a quick read, the characters were likeable and the plot, although predictable at points, held my interest to the end.

[Art (aka Whistler Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is well written, altho the ending is rather abrupt. The bood is second in the series, not as listed @ goodreads. proper order @ Amazon. #2.5 available there w/out collection inconvenience.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Alpha Force

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really better than I expected from a Harlequin romance. I hadn't read any since the formula books in the 80's I guess things have changed :)

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

To continue the movie metaphor - this is still a movie-of-the-week but it was filmed on location in Alaska...

[Rinou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Très court et plutôt banal malgré la localisation inhabituelle (Alaska). Je trouve le côté loup-garou peu exploité, et j'ai des doutes sur le long terme du couple.

[Jacquelyn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

He is job is to uncover the truth behind a series of explosions, and she is in his way smart and cute.....

[Laurla2 · Rating 1 out of 5]

not very good. skimmed most of it. super cheesy. should know better than to pick up a skinny harlequin novel.

[Erdahs · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTF did I just read?

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter dreck. This is one of those books that makes me wonder why I don't give romance writing a shot.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok book. It needed a little more meat to it.

[Marcia]

I read about 20% of the book, a bit beyond the first plot twist, but I never got into the story. The hero's werewolfism didn't draw me into the story, and I wasn't particularly sympathetic to the heroine's backstory.

To be fair, the premise of the two lead characters is probably closer to reality than most shapeshifter novels (although it's still a long way to being possible), so anyone who likes a more scientific basis for werewolves may enjoy this book. There's not much else in terms of the supernatural abilities beyond changing into a wolf at will, which also reduced my enjoyment.