Review: A long, slow easy romantic read.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 15, 2014
This is a lovely story that starts off slow and a little awkward.  There is a sense of Brian, as the Alpha of the smallest pack in the history of creation, trying to fit in with the rest of the wolf Alpha's but just hanging in there in terms of actually qualifying as an Alpha.  Luke, a human, stumbles across a wolf shifter event with Alpha's, packs and the Alpha's Alpha.  Since he is human that means he has to die, it's the rule.  But luckily Leo, a friend of Brian's, is the Alpha whose men found Luke.  He gets Brian to take him into his little pack, which he can only do without Farn's (the Alpha's Alpha) approval if Luke is his mate.  Brian takes Luke as his mate, even getting his favourite meat and cooking it for him ceremonially per their custom. He takes Luke to his home where he lives alone (the rest of his pack, his brother, sister-in-law and their pups) live elsewhere.  Luke comes from a care background and has no job and no money - he is suspicious of Brian's motives but more than that he is ashamed at his lack of resources and contribution to the relationship.  But there is something that holds them together, far from just pretending they are actual mates.  They find a way forward and then because Luke is now an Alpha through the mating, he starts inviting wolves into the pack - broken wolves, sick wolves, lost wolves...lots of wolves.  The pack grows to bursting point.  From five, to six (with Luke) to 26.The love story develops too.The writing is ok.  It is a little awkward.  The phrasing is a little clunky in places and some of the emotional connections aren't really there.  The pack hierarchy isn't as strong as the genre usually shows, it is implied it isn't as dominant.  It is, however, a story that engages you the more you read.  It made me smile, it made me laugh but it also left me wanting more detail and perception.  Worth the read, even just a sample - but remember it gets better as it goes along.