Review: Charming and steamy with a hot alpha male and a kick butt heroine
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 11, 2012
Going by the reviews which seem to be 50/50, I wasn't sure what to expect. For a first in series, I generally reign in my critique because obviously there are more books to follow, allowing for the plot to be stretched out. With that said, I really enjoyed this book. The world building wasn't complex - the story takes place in a shabby neighborhood of Chicago where people try to make a living in relative peace while surrounded by occasional drug dealers and hookers. From there, the story takes us to the woods of North Carolina. Nothing outlandish there.Alex(andra) Riley works with her father, James Riley as a mechanic. The father/daughter team run a mechanic shop of good reputation, and their clientele span all wage classes. They both have the friendship and the respect of their small community. Life as Alex knows it is comfortable, but all that is about to change. She hasn't been feeling comfortable in her own skin lately, reminding her of her loner existence and that she has always felt like a freak. Then her father tells her that he needs to talk to her about her heritage, but not before they're interrupted by a stranger.She finds out the truth about her father and that she's a half-breed. To make matters worse, the wolf in her is going into heat; her scent drawing danger closer every passing minute.Joshua Striker is in a race against time to find James LeVeau Riley and his daughter. Ever since the rumors about the former alpha having a daughter have proven accurate, every unmated wolf has been on the hunt to find and claim her. Doing so would boost their status among their ranks and mating with her would help their dwindling numbers. A Striker has always been head of security. They are judge, jury and executioner. Above all else, their duty is to protect the pack from violence, both from the outside as well as the inside. The current alpha and James' brother has sent Joshua to protect Alex from either being kidnapped or killed by the wolves, who would see her as tainted and won't accept a "watering down" of the lines. When he finally finds her, he's unprepared to find that his target is also his mate.Before she can get all the answers to her questions, they come under attack. James realizes that the only chance his daughter has is to let her go to her destiny and he trusts Joshua to get her to safety. What ensues is a cat and mouse chase through the streets of Chicago to find a way out of there and get to North Carolina and the safety of the Wolf Creek pack. Along the way they have to dodge other wolves who have teamed up with bounty hunters, whose specialize in destroying any paranormal species regardless of gender or age. The more time Joshua and Alex spend together, the closer they become. He knows she's his mate, but he won't claim her until she's had a chance to meet the other wolves and make her own choice. His honor demands it of him.The chemistry between Joshua and Alex is smoking hot! Ms Walters did a great job making the hero and heroine not only instantly likeable, but tough as nails. When she fleshed out Alex, she could have made her a weak female who is completely overwhelmed by the newest developments in her life. While Alex tries to cope with what she will become, she won't take crap from anyone. Her early training with her father - how to fight and how to shoot makes her a petite warrior female - a character I always love as the counterpart to the overprotective alpha male. Instead of trying to bend her to his will, Joshua loves her fighting spirit and her smart mouth. He says often enough that no one has ever made him laugh or smile, nor has anyone ever dared to speak to him, a Striker, the way she does. The author also didn't shy away from having Alex see her fair share of fights, blood, injuries and death - all things that strike a chord with the (otherwise) non-confrontational and gentle heroine.A majority of reviewers seemed find this book had to much sex and not enough plot/action. I disagree. I didn't get the feeling that the sex was injected just for heck of it. The wolf in Alex is in heat, and if you've ever had a cat in heat, then I'm sure you've seen her act ... like a cat in heat. Mine couldn't get enough of the feather duster. My point is, Alex would get sudden urges and Joshua met them the best way he knew how without "compromising" her virtue. I didn't find anything wrong with that. Then again we're talking about Joshua here, and he was very talented.If you're looking for a paranormal romance with lots of steam, strong characters, some action and suspense then this is a good book to keep you occupied.