Review: Sorry, but you can skip this one
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 07 26, 2013
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Sam Crescent is an author that I admire and enjoy. So it really grieves me to have to write a less than favorable review of her newest book, The Alpha Takes a Mate. I liked the general storyline and Ms. Crescent's writing flows easily. However, I felt no connection to either the hero or heroine and even preferred some of the secondary characters to Brandon and Elle.Brandon is the alpha werewolf of the Northern Forest Pack and alphas tend to be confident, take charge men. But there's confident bordering on arrogance, and then there's arrogant bordering on a##hole. Brandon definitely fit the latter. In fact, he is somewhat of a Neanderthal who doesn't believe that humans warrant much respect. Unfortunately he ends up with a human as a mate and from the moment he senses her, he ceases to be concerned about her thoughts and feelings. He has his pack mates grab her, he painfully bites her wrist to mark her, and then he drags out of the diner where she works and takes over her life. He might as well have clubbed Elle on the head.Elle is young, having only just turned 21. While she is aware of werewolves and the concept of mating, she seems immature and unaware of the customs of the shifters. She allows Brandon to take over her life, take her virtue and then lie to his pack and other paranormal beings. Elle is hurt and humiliated but she doesn't stand up to Brandon.There is also a side storyline in The Alpha Takes a Mate of a possible threat from Elle's past, but it is over so quickly and barely explained that it is easy to overlook. In addition, Brandon receives punishment from his pack for his lies about his mate but I did not find the punishment redeemed his character at all. At least for me it didn't. Finally, the sex scenes offered some heat, but without the emotional connection between the hero and heroine, the lovemaking just fell flat.The Alpha Takes a Mate just never lived up to it's potential. Ms. Crescent has many other great books that you should put on your to read list. I just wouldn't put The Alpha Takes a Mate on that list.