Review: Great Reading
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2013
Sanctuary. To most, it is a place of peace and quiet, safety. To those in the supernatural world, sanctuary is so much more; it is a place you can belong, no questions or hassles as long as you don't endanger the group.In tiny Clover Tennessee, Jay Ancheta has blended in with the people, taking his role as Chief of Police seriously. No one knows he is actually a lone wolf, an alpha, in a place that has no idea his kind exist. When word comes that there are people out at Green Pines, Eden Green gets the Chief to accompany her out to the old family place, empty since her cousin Zack left. Eden knows there are things most folks don't understand, because she knows her cousin was more than human; he could become a wolf, and that was a secret she never revealed. At the farm, she and Jay find that Zack has returned, along with his small and ragged pack, after some very hard times in Memphis. When the Memphis alpha tracks them down and attacks the farm, Eden is turned, and Jay decides to create a Sanctuary right there at Green Pines. But there are still secrets, things that will rock everyone's world, and threaten them all. Can Jay help Eden accept her new status, and claim her for his mate? Can Zack and his pack accept Jay as their new alpha? And can the ghosts of the past be laid to rest once and for all?Haunted Sanctuary is the first book in Moira Rogers' Green Pines world, a world both new and yet familiar. The small town feel of the setting, combined with new characters and established ideals, makes for engaging and intriguing reading. I like this world, and liked that this story brought the action to Middle America, with just a salute to Southern life. I found the characters easy to like, and the story was filled with romance, danger and mystery.Eden Green, unlike the rest of Clover Tennessee, knows that there are more things possible than most are aware of. Smart, loyal and strong, she's known about wolf shifters since she was just a child. After all, her cousin Zack had that ability, and she was always just a bit jealous of his ability. I like Eden; she has this girl next-door personality, if the girl next door is able to accept becoming a wolf after being attacked, without losing her mind. I love her sense of loyalty, her ability to roll with life's surprises, and her willingness to accept the attraction she has for Jay when they begin spending time together after her turning.Jay Ancheta has been a `lone wolf' for years, after being an enforcer for some of the packs around the country. He has strength, and a sense of loyalty to his friends, and a determination to build a community where shifters, vampires, witches and any other magical being can be safe and free from persecution by the less than honorable alphas of the world. When Eden is attacked, and changes so swiftly, he realizes there is magic at Green Pines, and believes that it is perfect for a Sanctuary. I enjoyed watching as Jay and Eden becomes closer, and I liked that they didn't try to fight their attraction, but celebrated life and love, even in the face of all the difficulties.There are some wonderful supporting characters in this story, folks who are learning how to accept who and what they are. Some are born shifter, some are made, but all are determined to make the Sanctuary Jay and Eden are forming as much of a success as they can. I liked Jay's friends, who were his team of Enforcers and now are helping build a place. Colin, Shane and Fletcher are each strong, and yet all consider Jay their leader. I like the acceptance that Zack, Kaley, Lorelei and Mae have at Green Pines, and, when trouble comes, I like the unity these relative strangers find to keep life safe for all. I love this world that Moira Rogers has built, and hope that there are many more tales in this world to delight and enjoy. I will warn you that there are some secrets that are revealed here, and some mysterious happenings that are left for the future. I recommend this for all those who like a really good shifter romance, with heat and a hint of mystery and danger to keep you on edge.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews