When Luna Stack ends up snowbound in Claw Haven, Alaska after attending a business event, she would have never imagined that she would wind up being “bound” to a werewolf. Which is especially problematic as she is engaged and due to marry in a couple of months! Luna is not prepared for Claw Haven, she is a quintessential LA Party Girl and a variable ray of sunshine, but that is a persona that hides an intelligent, creative young woman who is itching to break out of her shell, and despite her initial reaction, Claw Haven and a grumpy werewolf might be exactly what she has been looking for.
Oliver Musgrove is also new to Claw Haven, but his reasons for being there are much different than Luna’s. A near tragedy caused by trusting a stranger, has left Oliver angry, guilty and unable to shift, making his ascension to alpha questionable. He and his pack moved to Claw Haven for a fresh start, they bought a rundown inn and have tried to move on from the past. But when his pack throws a party to get to know their new neighbors, Oliver has no desire to mingle with strangers and instead finds a bottle in the back room and decides to get drunk, never realizing what exactly he was drinking or the lasting effects of his actions. When Luna arrives at the inn during a blizzard and accidentally drinks from the abandoned bottle, he finds himself bonded to the last woman on earth he would ever want as his mate. But little by little, Luna worms her way into his heart, helping him heal, but she can never be his as she is promised to another and will leave as soon as they can break the bond.
This book was a fun read with sunshine/grumpy trope, that has the bonus of being a cozy, yet spicy monster/fantasy romance. I liked Luna and Oliver, but not immediately as they both took a little bit of warming up to. I enjoyed the story, but I had a hard time with Luna being engaged and in almost constant contact with her fiancé, while carrying on sexual relationship with Oliver, despite her fiancé’s support of that relationship – I just found that cringy. That aside, I loved Luna’s personal growth and her support for Oliver and the town. I also loved most of Oliver’s pack and all of the town residents. This is the first book in a new series, so if you are in the mood for a light, yet spicy monster romance – I think you would enjoy this book.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love.
Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, they know. But things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
In the climactic conclusion of the Dark Sides series, will the Aeons prevail and change the balance between dark and light for good? Or will Dark Sides, with despair and oppression, rule take down Auralia, then world? Can Cooper and Skye go deeper into darkness and learn the truth about love and light before it’s too late?
EXCERPT:
Skye drummed her fingers on the top of the table she sat at inside Coffee Is. The morning was moving along smoothly, but anxiety churned her insides. She didn’t need to look at a calendar; she knew what the date was. This day was special and was always laced with fear that started in the pit of her stomach and rose up to the middle of her chest, chasing her heartbeat into a sprint.
She knew what she wanted. To run. Run far away fast. Hide deep in the earth where they couldn’t find her, ever. But that wasn’t the answer, she knew. Facing the day, accepting that the danger of the cult she’d grown up in was in the past, and grounding in the present was her best strategy for peace. She knew it. Staying present was a whole other thing.
“Want a warm up?”
Her employee suddenly at her side startled Skye, but she covered it. “Sure. Thank you. How is your day going?” she asked.
The young woman gave her smile. “We’re busy, but everything is going well.”
“Good to hear.” Skye nodded. “Keep up the good work. Oh, and turn down the music.”
The young woman moved to another table, and Skye sighed. She had so much to be grateful for: a great business, wonderful employees, a beautiful circle of companions in the Aeons. But this day reminded her of the terrible ordeal she and her parents had endured. It should be a day to celebrate because it is the day she escaped. It could easily signify freedom from the cult’s oppression. She’d been so young when they’d lived there, though, its teachings had embedded inside her. Even as an Aeon, the foundational conditioning of the cult remained hard to break.
Skye took a sip of her coffee and focused on its richness. The bell dinging on the door set her nerves on edge. It was not new. It told her people were coming and going. But it triggered a memory, and suddenly her inner vision clouded.
A bell ringing in the courtyard at the commune summoned members of the community to a meeting. Fear gripped her heart as she took her mother’s hand, and she looked up to see her father’s face harden. What did it mean? Was someone getting punished for trying to escape?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR BIO and LINKS:
After cutting her writing teeth as a feature writer for commercial and trade magazines, a reporter for newspapers and radio, and an executive editor for a communications company, award-winning author Lynn Crandall tuned her voracious appetite for stories to writing contemporary and paranormal romance, women’s fiction, and romantic suspense. In her books, she enjoys taking readers on emotional journeys with relatable characters who refuse to back down, and face challenges and tribulations with heart and soul. She believes every love has a story, and hers is with one handsome husband and a large, beautiful circle of family, including her cat Winter.
Skye Stone runs a local coffee shop called Coffee Is. Like the name of her shop, she likes things simple and to the point. But she’s more than just a businesswoman in Auralia. She’s fighting for her life as an Aeon and working hard to save her town and her world. Like the other Aeons, she uses her special ability in her battle against Dark Sides. Her’s is reading auras and connecting with her ancestors for help. After all, a lot is at stake, so she can use all the help she can get. But as darkness is getting harder and harder to thrive in, she’s not sure even her ancestors can save the day.
Cooper Munson, a former bounty hunter turned Doctor of Psychology, and Aeon as well, has prided himself on being a solid member of their little band of light workers, using his ability as an empath to define truths and manage others. But the constant interaction with Dark Aspects is disorganizing his very soul. He can’t see a way through for him back to balance in light and love. Cooper and Skye are not alone in the mission, but things are getting complicated, and with darkness closing in, stronger and stronger, will they survive long enough to save the world from Dark Sides? What will they have to do to truly save their town and their world?
I will be 100% honest – I didn’t read the previous books in this series and that definitely impacted my ability to understand this book. I still don’t really understand the Magic or the Aeons, the Dark Sides or the battle they have been fighting for the entire series. I was also expecting more romance / spice, but what I got was pretty much a fantasy action drama with A LOT of characters and a very complicated “magic” system and interpersonal relationships. I believe that if I had read the series in order and therefore understood the basis for the series, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more, as it stands, I would say it has promise and the author has a great vocabulary and turn of phrase, but this is not a book I would read again.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Accidentally Wedded to a Werewolf by Isabelle Taylor
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