Review: This Isn't Just Another Shifter Book....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 21, 2013
Emelia Hudson has worked very hard to build up her business - a bar in Seattle - but after buying the bar and receiving the deed for it, she finds that Wilder Financial has taken over control of the entire building, including her bar.  Unable to get answers from anyone within Wilder, Emelia takes it upon herself to get the answers she seeks.  She applies and is hired as a secretary within the company, and while the extra money is nice, her only mission is to get answers and sabotage one Mr. Drake Wilder.One evening, at the holiday party hosted by Drake Wilder, at his home, Emelia becomes overwhelmed with the festivities and takes a breather - in the wine cellar.  Helping herself to Wilder's stash of expensive wine, she soon has company in the form of a very sexy man named Russell.  The chemistry felt between Russell and Emelia takes them both by surprise, confusing them both.Unsure of how to find Russell, Emelia continues her daily routines as per usual.  When she's summoned to become a secretary to the boss, Drake Wilder, she isn't sure what propelled her there but is relieved since she will now be able to confront the man she is sure stole her bar away from her.  That is, until she realizes who exactly Drake Wilder is.Russel Drake Wilder is one of a pair of twin boys born to the late Alpha of the Seattle wolf pack.  By his decree, the first man, either Drake or his brother Silas, to find his Luminary would automatically ascend to Leader of the Pack.  A Luminary is a wolf's mate, which is an interesting deviation from other stories.  Drake finds is highly unlikely that the woman he met briefly in his cellar could be his Luminary, however events take their course and her Luminary status is confirmed.Drake wants nothing but to be with Emelia but dragging her into his world, since she's a human, is risky.  She may not accept it, and just like with other books, she fights it rather fiercely - partly because of the lifestyle (having to become a wolf) and partly because the bastard stole her bar out from under her illegally.Will Drake convince Emelia to take to necessary steps to become his bonded mate or will her independence and the issue with the bar push her beyond reason?Gone with the Wolf is a really great novel.  It combines the normal werewolf and bonded mate scenario with a lot of other not so common themes.  Bonded mates in Kristin Miller's novels are called Luminaries and to me that sounds like a great title to have.  The author takes a normal, everyday human and transforms her into the object of lust and desire for a local werewolf.  We are taken on a journey that invades the life of a hardworking, independent woman who is oblivious to the paranormal world around her.  She fights for the business she has worked so hard to build, not allowing a huge corporation to come in and take over.  Emelia is strong willed and stands up for herself and doesn't allow anyone to swoop in and treat her like anything less than an equal.Drake is a fantastically written main character.  He fights the attraction to Emelia at first, even going to far as to deny that their first touch was anything out of the ordinary.  When that doesn't work, he tries to bring her into his world the best way he know how - which backfires at certain times.  He knows that with the Alpha title at stake, the life of the Luminary he finds would be in danger from his brother Silas.  Unfortunately, Drake underestimates just how much danger Emelia would be in.Gone with the Wolf has its extremely tender moments but is full of action, drama, and suspense.I enjoyed it - and I think you all will, too!**Content Warning:  There are adult scenes appropriate for those 18+ only.Review Copy Courtesy of:  Entangled Publishing/NegGalley, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.