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Five Packs #2
The Heir Apparent's Rejected Mate
He rejected me for “reasons.” Too bad for him. No take backs.
Rosie
Fate made a huge mistake when she mated me to Cadoc Collins. He’s the heir apparent. I’m a scavenger. My people are so low in this pack, we don’t even rank.
I should have known better, but for one night, I let myself forget the facts of life in Moon Lake. Cadoc Collins might be powerless to resist me, but he’s not going to claim me, either.
A pink line on a stick makes it a much bigger problem than my bruised heart.
I’m eighteen, knocked up, and publicly rejected by the future alpha. And this baby in my belly? It might as well be a target on my back.
Lucky for me I’m a scavenger. My kind are good at finding things, but we’re great at getting lost.
Cadoc
The fate of Moon Lake rests on my shoulders. I can’t claim the scavenger female.
The pack is on the verge of a revolt, and a mating so controversial could push our warring factions into open conflict.
All I need is time. I’ll do what’s expected of me as our future leader, and when the politics are sorted, I’ll do right by the odd little scavenger.
I’m the heir apparent. She’ll be there when I’m ready.
Right?
The Heir Apparent’s Rejected Mate is a wolf shifter romance. No cheating. HEA guaranteed. Intended for adult readers only.
Rosie
Fate made a huge mistake when she mated me to Cadoc Collins. He’s the heir apparent. I’m a scavenger. My people are so low in this pack, we don’t even rank.
I should have known better, but for one night, I let myself forget the facts of life in Moon Lake. Cadoc Collins might be powerless to resist me, but he’s not going to claim me, either.
A pink line on a stick makes it a much bigger problem than my bruised heart.
I’m eighteen, knocked up, and publicly rejected by the future alpha. And this baby in my belly? It might as well be a target on my back.
Lucky for me I’m a scavenger. My kind are good at finding things, but we’re great at getting lost.
Cadoc
The fate of Moon Lake rests on my shoulders. I can’t claim the scavenger female.
The pack is on the verge of a revolt, and a mating so controversial could push our warring factions into open conflict.
All I need is time. I’ll do what’s expected of me as our future leader, and when the politics are sorted, I’ll do right by the odd little scavenger.
I’m the heir apparent. She’ll be there when I’m ready.
Right?
The Heir Apparent’s Rejected Mate is a wolf shifter romance. No cheating. HEA guaranteed. Intended for adult readers only.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2022
2,532 people are currently reading
3,032 people want to read
About the author
Cate C. Wells
39 books2,625 followersCate C. Wells writes everything from motorcycle club to mafia to small town to paranormal romance. Whatever the subgenre, readers can expect character-driven stories that are raw, real, and emotionally satisfying. Cate's into messy love, flaws, long roads to redemption, grace, and happy ever after, in books and in life.
Along with stories, she’s collected a husband and children along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not exploring the world with the family.
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Along with stories, she’s collected a husband and children along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not exploring the world with the family.
Want a heads up on new releases and bonus content? Sign up for my newsletter at catecwells.com
I love to hear from readers! Let’s chat.
Facebook: @catecwells
IG: @authorcatecwells
Bookbub: @catecwells
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,024 reviews
December 28, 2022
12/26/22: After reading and enjoying book three, I really hit my stride with this series and this world and decided to come back and revisit this. And I really enjoyed it this time. I think I was originally put off balance by the high school/academy setting, but obviously knew that going in this time. Regardless, really enjoyed this the second time around and can see myself re-reading it often.
Original Review
Meh. Very unsatisfying, sadly.
The pack dynamics were very convoluted and, between that and the unexpected high school setting, the book felt groundless. Also, the two main characters were very bland with almost zero chemistry.
What a bummer as there was so much potential here and I know what this author is capable of.
November 29, 2024
4 Ride the Rush Stars ⭐
~a quiet second read of one of the best shifter romance series out there!~
"My mate, the future alpha, rejected me in front of the entire school, and I could probably eat him in three bites.
Well, damn.
Ain’t Fate a bitch."
This story was slower going then expected, yet The Heir's Apparent Rejected Mate kept me completely invested. In Moon Lake where the Alpha supposedly cares for the entire pack, it's all about pack politics and the pecking order. Yet somehow those pesky scavengers live on the outskirts and being at the bottom of the food chain sucks.
Cadoc Collins has the world of responsibility on his shoulders. Barely a man, his entire focus is on continuing the lineage and learning to reign. He has no time for a mate especially one who is a scavenger like Rosie. Unfortunately this will end up being his greatest mistake.
Rosie has no expectations and is accustomed to flying under the radar. But when she finally does shift and her heat is upon her, it's a clusterfuck of events. Cadoc and Rose may try to resolve this problem amongst themselves, but there's no changing what's already set in motion.
This was not a bully romance which I was grateful for. Just typical NA rich kid antics. Cadoc and Rosie were keen however their pack dictated how this played out. Luckily there were a lot of light hearted moments through Rosie's scavenger friends. Plus when we finally meet Rosie's wolf 🐺 you know she's going to end up being Queen Bee!
This book brought out so many mixed emotions. Although it could have been steamier, it had so much going for it. I also felt the author picked the perfect ending I hadn't expected.
BR with my kindred friend Rain. Although I feel that the time difference conspires against us, we always seems to end on the same page!
~a quiet second read of one of the best shifter romance series out there!~
"My mate, the future alpha, rejected me in front of the entire school, and I could probably eat him in three bites.
Well, damn.
Ain’t Fate a bitch."
This story was slower going then expected, yet The Heir's Apparent Rejected Mate kept me completely invested. In Moon Lake where the Alpha supposedly cares for the entire pack, it's all about pack politics and the pecking order. Yet somehow those pesky scavengers live on the outskirts and being at the bottom of the food chain sucks.
Cadoc Collins has the world of responsibility on his shoulders. Barely a man, his entire focus is on continuing the lineage and learning to reign. He has no time for a mate especially one who is a scavenger like Rosie. Unfortunately this will end up being his greatest mistake.
Rosie has no expectations and is accustomed to flying under the radar. But when she finally does shift and her heat is upon her, it's a clusterfuck of events. Cadoc and Rose may try to resolve this problem amongst themselves, but there's no changing what's already set in motion.
This was not a bully romance which I was grateful for. Just typical NA rich kid antics. Cadoc and Rosie were keen however their pack dictated how this played out. Luckily there were a lot of light hearted moments through Rosie's scavenger friends. Plus when we finally meet Rosie's wolf 🐺 you know she's going to end up being Queen Bee!
This book brought out so many mixed emotions. Although it could have been steamier, it had so much going for it. I also felt the author picked the perfect ending I hadn't expected.
BR with my kindred friend Rain. Although I feel that the time difference conspires against us, we always seems to end on the same page!
April 14, 2022
Aw man 😭 I had such high expectations after loving The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate that this second book didn’t quite live up to them. The story moves slowwwly and the groveling doesn't happen until wayyy later in the book. Same with the accidental pregnancy. The blurb made me think the heroine would get pregnant early on in the story, but no. There's quite a lot of world-building here and while it's interesting, there's still so much left to be explored in this pack that the ending almost feels a little unsatisfying. Like I wouldn't mind if we got another book set in this pack, because so much was up in the air!
Rosie and Cadoc are classmates at their shifter high school and they belong to the same pack that Cadoc has been groomed his whole life to take over. He's at the top of the food chain and she's at the very bottom, where she's known as a Scavenger. Since Cadoc places duty and his 'pack' above all else and follows his parents orders, he rejects Rosie as his mate. There is a ton of pack drama that I wasn't too invested in, because I just wanted more romance, but the romance moves at a glacial pace. Cadoc is torn between following his heart and following what he's been told he should do and be. The last third of the book is when the story and romance pick up and thankfully things do get better. Though, I would've loved to read more about the heroine's wolf because she sounds so cool, but we only see maybe two scenes where she shifts.
I am still happy we got more of the Five Packs series and am eagerly awaiting Mari and Darragh's romance. I loved the Scavengers too and wouldn't mind more of them. I know Cate C. Wells can write some excellent groveling and I neeeed more of it!
Thanks to the author for generously providing me an arc to review.
Rosie and Cadoc are classmates at their shifter high school and they belong to the same pack that Cadoc has been groomed his whole life to take over. He's at the top of the food chain and she's at the very bottom, where she's known as a Scavenger. Since Cadoc places duty and his 'pack' above all else and follows his parents orders, he rejects Rosie as his mate. There is a ton of pack drama that I wasn't too invested in, because I just wanted more romance, but the romance moves at a glacial pace. Cadoc is torn between following his heart and following what he's been told he should do and be. The last third of the book is when the story and romance pick up and thankfully things do get better. Though, I would've loved to read more about the heroine's wolf because she sounds so cool, but we only see maybe two scenes where she shifts.
I am still happy we got more of the Five Packs series and am eagerly awaiting Mari and Darragh's romance. I loved the Scavengers too and wouldn't mind more of them. I know Cate C. Wells can write some excellent groveling and I neeeed more of it!
Thanks to the author for generously providing me an arc to review.
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April 21, 2022
I've fallen a little behind on my reviews, since I have upcoming exams, but this one comes out tomorrow so I'd better get my thoughts down. I should make it clear that this is 3.5 stars, rounded down only to differentiate from the first book, to which I gave 4 stars (and consider to be better).
18-year-old Rosie Kemble is a scavenger, one of the poor and downtrodden werewolves at the bottom of the hierarchy in Moon Pack. But when she realises her mate is 19-year-old Cadoc Collins, heir to the entire pack, she goes to claim him in front of everyone - only to be told to leave. So there's the 'rejected mate' aspect of the story.
But don't judge Cadoc too harshly: he's trying to keep Rosie safe, because there's about to be a big power struggle in the pack and claiming her publicly would endanger her. Unlike in some stories where this excuse seems weak, particularly because the heroine herself is already a seasoned arse-kicker, it makes total sense here: Rosie does not have any fighting ability whatsoever. Nor does she have the slightest ability, or desire, to understand political crosscurrents.
I won't lie, I found Rosie really frustrating, and her COMPLETE inability to try and understand Cadoc's motivations made her seem very short-sighted and immature. This is a problem which persists for pretty much the entire book, she never really has a moment of revelation where she tries to put others before herself. All she does mostly is whine that Cadoc won't acknowledge her publicly without trying to realise that actually, he's acting in her best interests. And she has the benefit of a pseudo-telepathic bond with him, where she can feel how much he cares for her, so she can't even justify her misplaced resentment!
Cadoc doesn't handle it perfectly, either, but he does at least try and he does at least want to keep her safe. He's not ignoring her for the hell of it.
The unplanned pregnancy thing: I hate this trope, yes, but it actually only manifested really late in the book - about 70% in. Still, it did enough damage there, managing to showcase Rosie's sheer stupidity and selfishness. Stupidity: she makes rash, impulsive decisions without giving them even a basic level of consideration, like how will I give birth to a baby by myself in the wilderness? And I'm not able to hunt properly in my condition, but let me comfort-eat the supplies of food my family have literally risked life and limb to give me!
Which brings us to her selfishness. Throughout the book, people go out of their way to help Rosie, and she repays them largely by not even trying to mitigate the awful punishment they receive in response, or by wasting their sacrifice through comfort-eating her food.
I realise I sound tough on her, but as an orphan and scavenger, I expected a lot more basic self-preservation ability from her. And honestly, compared to Cadoc, she just wasn't very likeable. She would make a terrible alpha female, because she never puts anyone before herself (not even her baby, and especially not Cadoc or the pack).
This is a minor point in comparison, but also the ending of the book is confusing and rushed - the big climax which everything was building up to is over in ten seconds flat, thanks to what's pretty much a deus ex machina.
So why 3.5 stars? Because the prose is still superb: supple, sparse, but descriptive enough to fill in the landscape. Aside from Rosie, the characterisation was also very good - I'm keen to read Nia and Pritchard's story, not to mention all the other wolves. But seriously, an unlikeable protagonist can really wreck the story.
_
Pre-review:
However, the first book's heroine was decently resistant to the hero, so I guess this is going on my TBR...
April 25, 2022
I'm conflicted on my rating for this story. Ultimately the story left me with more questions than answers and I disliked the high school setting. (Like mean girls but with shifters)
It's my fault for not reading the synopsis, and just downloading it like the greedy reader I am. I didn't realize the main characters are 18 and 19 years old, so it leans more towards NA, which I tend to avoid. However, this story isn't immature, there are deeply woven and rich histories told here. It's a heart wrenching story of the social gap between those living in poverty and those living in wealth, and two young adults who eventually break that mold.
I really loved the first book of this series, so it was a bit disappointing when the plot of this story was very similar to the plot of book one. A male rejecting the female even when he knows they're mates, which leads the female bereft and in physical and emotional pain.
I mean, I guess that's the theme if the series, but figured it would be told in a different way. The ending was rushed and it left me with SO many questions! Last irritant. He works out and trains rigorously everyday preparing for this death match only to have
💜 Thank you Isabella for another excellent buddy read! 💜
It's my fault for not reading the synopsis, and just downloading it like the greedy reader I am. I didn't realize the main characters are 18 and 19 years old, so it leans more towards NA, which I tend to avoid. However, this story isn't immature, there are deeply woven and rich histories told here. It's a heart wrenching story of the social gap between those living in poverty and those living in wealth, and two young adults who eventually break that mold.
I really loved the first book of this series, so it was a bit disappointing when the plot of this story was very similar to the plot of book one. A male rejecting the female even when he knows they're mates, which leads the female bereft and in physical and emotional pain.
I mean, I guess that's the theme if the series, but figured it would be told in a different way. The ending was rushed and it left me with SO many questions! Last irritant. He works out and trains rigorously everyday preparing for this death match only to have
💜 Thank you Isabella for another excellent buddy read! 💜
December 21, 2023
Re-read Audio Style 12/1-12/16/23
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
I loved Elle Sonali, she really elevated an already loved story. Silas Hart was good too but Elle was definitely the standout.
Original Review
I’ve seen some reviews that thought this one couldn’t hold a candle to its predecessor. Of course it gave me pause but I enjoyed the first one so much I knew I had no other choice but to try.
I think comparing these two books is like comparing apples and oranges. Some people just don’t like oranges, fortunately I love them.
I really enjoyed both these characters. They’re so multidimensional and confused. Cadoc had a hard road to navigate and Rosie is hurt so many times in the process. But it didn’t take away from her amazing character or strength.
Cadoc is all calm, cool and collected. His nonchalance is sexy af.
The dynamics between the nobs and scavengers is very similar to real life. You can easily compare them to the top 1% and people that rely on welfare. I also think both sides were equally right and wrong. The only thing they lacked to understand one another was communication.
Cadoc’s predicament is a total mindfuck. Because I want to be angry at him for his choices but at the same time I understand why he made them. It’s that pivotal situation of being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
But in the literal sense he’s stuck between what he’s expected to do and what he wants. It’s all fun and games being the leader until you realize how much self sacrifice is required of you. Even when you were raised to both expect and except it.
You know what else is a total mindfuck? Abertha’s little ‘love’ story that left us all with more questions than answers. The only thing it showed us was the true character of Cadoc’s mother.
Man, that ending may have been a little predictable but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t satisfying. I enjoyed how everything played out and how it was full circle. Because history has proven to be cyclical, everything comes back around eventually.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🎧🎧🎧🎧
I loved Elle Sonali, she really elevated an already loved story. Silas Hart was good too but Elle was definitely the standout.
Original Review
I’ve seen some reviews that thought this one couldn’t hold a candle to its predecessor. Of course it gave me pause but I enjoyed the first one so much I knew I had no other choice but to try.
I think comparing these two books is like comparing apples and oranges. Some people just don’t like oranges, fortunately I love them.
I really enjoyed both these characters. They’re so multidimensional and confused. Cadoc had a hard road to navigate and Rosie is hurt so many times in the process. But it didn’t take away from her amazing character or strength.
Cadoc is all calm, cool and collected. His nonchalance is sexy af.
The dynamics between the nobs and scavengers is very similar to real life. You can easily compare them to the top 1% and people that rely on welfare. I also think both sides were equally right and wrong. The only thing they lacked to understand one another was communication.
Cadoc’s predicament is a total mindfuck. Because I want to be angry at him for his choices but at the same time I understand why he made them. It’s that pivotal situation of being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
But in the literal sense he’s stuck between what he’s expected to do and what he wants. It’s all fun and games being the leader until you realize how much self sacrifice is required of you. Even when you were raised to both expect and except it.
You know what else is a total mindfuck? Abertha’s little ‘love’ story that left us all with more questions than answers. The only thing it showed us was the true character of Cadoc’s mother.
Man, that ending may have been a little predictable but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t satisfying. I enjoyed how everything played out and how it was full circle. Because history has proven to be cyclical, everything comes back around eventually.
April 23, 2022
Very disappointed in this one. The story was too rushed and the main characters were a bit too bland. I didn’t really feel any chemistry between them it just felt too bland, forced and boring. The hero was no alpha just cardboard copy of a bland character just coasting through life on automatic pilot. I was truly expecting a lot better as I enjoyed the first one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2022
3 stars
I’m gonna start by saying that the first book set some high expectations and (for me) they weren’t met in this one. There’s only ONE Killian Kelly and ONE Una. Cadoc and Rosie are just the younger, dumber, gutless and more selfish versions of the couple in the first book. (again, that’s just my opinion).
The writing - as great as always. (and that is one of the best things about this book)
I never request ARCs - I don’t like criticising or expressing disappointment over something which I really wanted to read in advance and got the opportunity to do so - plus considering that most books are on KU its no hardship to wait and actually pay the author for reading the book - BUT I wanted to read this so badly - I needed the angst, the drama, the emotions - and that’s the biggest problem I had with this one. I didn’t feel it. I wasn’t heartbroken for them, I wasn’t cheering for them either. I mainly just wanted Cadoc to grow a pair and stick it to his dad and the rest of the nobs - sort of like the upper crust of the pack and then that was it.
Rosie - meh, I don’t know what to say about her. She was said to be scrappy and a scavenger and all that but compared to Una (h from first book) who had a business mind like no other and who was the definition of scrappy - Rosie was a little girl who wanted stuff but didn’t really set out to earn anything or work for anything. In my opinion.
And another thing that didn’t sit well with me is that in the first book we saw how misogynistic and backwards that pack was and how women were treated and the restrictions they had on them and yet they thrived. They played the game, stayed smart and behind everyone’s back they lived the life they wanted to live (as much as possible). There was no lamenting there was just action.
In this book however we see a different pack depicted which has its own dynamics. And while it was absolutely vile how the higher class treated the lower class in the pack I can’t help but feel like the ones from the lower class got complacent and just waited around for the others to drop off their rations of food and other miscellaneous items. They never took initiative, never wanted to learn but they preached about how that is what it means to be a a wolf or whatever - living of the land and sharing everything.
And fine, keep your morals but how does that help anyone when you raise kids to go through the same vicious cycle or poverty and abuse. (the women would prostitute themselves to the higher class wolves in exchange for basic items or food).
I get what the author tried to do. Show that what matters is who you are inside and what you value (pack, family, etc) not the material possessions that the upper class wanted. But I’m sorry it didn’t come across that way. Working for money, for comfort, for the things which would make the life of everyone you love easier - that’s not materialistic, that’s love too. I also think that the scavengers liked to point fingers at the nobs for being so and so, but I don’t feel like they have any ground to stand on. Just because they’re not as pretentious doesn’t make them any better. Should there have been equality in the pack? Yes. Are the nobs absolute asshats?- most of them yes. Are the scavengers any better because of their “family values”? NO!
I think disregarding everything and stubbornly wanting to stay in the dark ages at the expense of your kids suffering - SELFISH. And Rosie was scavenger through and through.
The world in which these characters live is anything but glamorous. Their aspirations - the same, but it really brings a dose of reality to the whole paranormal element which again is something I liked.
I would say as a conclusion, I didn’t dislike the book. I think it was well written and if you interpret some things differently that I did then maybe there’s even a good lesson in there somewhere.
But I can’t say that I enjoyed much about it. I didn’t like the pack dynamics, I felt like the conflict wasn’t resolved in a manner which would satisfy me, the characters didn’t go through as much growth as I’d hoped (especially Rosie, I would have liked her to learn some things from Cadoc too, not just the other way around). Their love story was also nowhere nearly as powerful as I’d hoped. I don’t know if this is because they are quite young but I feel like they needed to grow up. I’d love to see some bonus scenes 10 years down the line.
ARC review
I’m gonna start by saying that the first book set some high expectations and (for me) they weren’t met in this one. There’s only ONE Killian Kelly and ONE Una. Cadoc and Rosie are just the younger, dumber, gutless and more selfish versions of the couple in the first book. (again, that’s just my opinion).
The writing - as great as always. (and that is one of the best things about this book)
I never request ARCs - I don’t like criticising or expressing disappointment over something which I really wanted to read in advance and got the opportunity to do so - plus considering that most books are on KU its no hardship to wait and actually pay the author for reading the book - BUT I wanted to read this so badly - I needed the angst, the drama, the emotions - and that’s the biggest problem I had with this one. I didn’t feel it. I wasn’t heartbroken for them, I wasn’t cheering for them either. I mainly just wanted Cadoc to grow a pair and stick it to his dad and the rest of the nobs - sort of like the upper crust of the pack and then that was it.
Rosie - meh, I don’t know what to say about her. She was said to be scrappy and a scavenger and all that but compared to Una (h from first book) who had a business mind like no other and who was the definition of scrappy - Rosie was a little girl who wanted stuff but didn’t really set out to earn anything or work for anything. In my opinion.
And another thing that didn’t sit well with me is that in the first book we saw how misogynistic and backwards that pack was and how women were treated and the restrictions they had on them and yet they thrived. They played the game, stayed smart and behind everyone’s back they lived the life they wanted to live (as much as possible). There was no lamenting there was just action.
In this book however we see a different pack depicted which has its own dynamics. And while it was absolutely vile how the higher class treated the lower class in the pack I can’t help but feel like the ones from the lower class got complacent and just waited around for the others to drop off their rations of food and other miscellaneous items. They never took initiative, never wanted to learn but they preached about how that is what it means to be a a wolf or whatever - living of the land and sharing everything.
And fine, keep your morals but how does that help anyone when you raise kids to go through the same vicious cycle or poverty and abuse. (the women would prostitute themselves to the higher class wolves in exchange for basic items or food).
I get what the author tried to do. Show that what matters is who you are inside and what you value (pack, family, etc) not the material possessions that the upper class wanted. But I’m sorry it didn’t come across that way. Working for money, for comfort, for the things which would make the life of everyone you love easier - that’s not materialistic, that’s love too. I also think that the scavengers liked to point fingers at the nobs for being so and so, but I don’t feel like they have any ground to stand on. Just because they’re not as pretentious doesn’t make them any better. Should there have been equality in the pack? Yes. Are the nobs absolute asshats?- most of them yes. Are the scavengers any better because of their “family values”? NO!
I think disregarding everything and stubbornly wanting to stay in the dark ages at the expense of your kids suffering - SELFISH. And Rosie was scavenger through and through.
The world in which these characters live is anything but glamorous. Their aspirations - the same, but it really brings a dose of reality to the whole paranormal element which again is something I liked.
I would say as a conclusion, I didn’t dislike the book. I think it was well written and if you interpret some things differently that I did then maybe there’s even a good lesson in there somewhere.
But I can’t say that I enjoyed much about it. I didn’t like the pack dynamics, I felt like the conflict wasn’t resolved in a manner which would satisfy me, the characters didn’t go through as much growth as I’d hoped (especially Rosie, I would have liked her to learn some things from Cadoc too, not just the other way around). Their love story was also nowhere nearly as powerful as I’d hoped. I don’t know if this is because they are quite young but I feel like they needed to grow up. I’d love to see some bonus scenes 10 years down the line.
ARC review
April 28, 2022
✍🏼How to be the most pathetic and useless heroine in 426 pages. Congratulations, I played myself.🔥🤡
April 25, 2022
It's official. I absolutely adore this author's storytelling. She has a true gift of sucking me into her stories, making me fall in love with her characters and being glued to the story until the very end!
I loved this story and I enjoyed Cadoc's and Rosie's characters. Rosie has had a tough life growing up as a scavenger, but she's always been able to rely on her strong family bond and knows her family has her back. I adored the turbulent feelings Rosie endured as she realized that Cadoc was her mate and how she knew their different classes would never work, so she never got her hopes up for a real pairing. This story is not a traditional rejected mate story though The story was rich and full of life, and felt very believable. I adored the entire journey of Rosie and Cadoc finally finding their way to be together. I will say this story isn't quite as angsty as I was hoping for, but the story was awesome enough to keep me 100% invested the entire time, and a bit sad to see it end.
Want to read
April 22, 2022I hope this book is just as good as the first and we get some delicious grovel 😖🙌🏽
November 20, 2022
5 STARS!
At this point, I'm convinced I could read this author's take on anything - literally anything - and I'd still have stars in my eyes.
I didn't care this installment felt a bit awkward; I reveled in its uniqueness. I hate it when authors write the same book over and over again and this was not a regurgitation in any sense of the word.
Honestly, I feel like the awkwardness was a part of the story. Cadoc's entire upbringing had funneled him into one course of action, and when he was confronted with Rosie's existence, he had no fucking idea what to do. He did his best based on his understanding of the world. And vice versa. Rosie was faced with the same problems, but in reverse. I LOVED how they met in the middle.
I'm 100% on board for the next book!
At this point, I'm convinced I could read this author's take on anything - literally anything - and I'd still have stars in my eyes.
I didn't care this installment felt a bit awkward; I reveled in its uniqueness. I hate it when authors write the same book over and over again and this was not a regurgitation in any sense of the word.
Honestly, I feel like the awkwardness was a part of the story. Cadoc's entire upbringing had funneled him into one course of action, and when he was confronted with Rosie's existence, he had no fucking idea what to do. He did his best based on his understanding of the world. And vice versa. Rosie was faced with the same problems, but in reverse. I LOVED how they met in the middle.
I'm 100% on board for the next book!
April 9, 2024
So it seems it was a she who was a big bad wolf and I can’t express with words how happy it made me 🥹
I feel empty now that they’re gone.
I finished the series with this one and I although I think Darragh was the cutest, I couldn’t pick a favorite even if I tried ♥️
I feel empty now that they’re gone.
I finished the series with this one and I although I think Darragh was the cutest, I couldn’t pick a favorite even if I tried ♥️
May 25, 2022
Wells has created such a three-dimensional and immersive world, and I was so excited to dive back into it! This one features a different one of the Five Packs, and while there were characters in the Quarry Pack that I had hoped would be featured in the second book, I immediately fell in love with the Moon Lake Pack.
Rosie, like Una from the first book, is a fantastic heroine. She’s a scavenger–one of the lowest in her pack–but she’s far from weak. When Cadoc, the heir apparent, realizes that his mate is a lowly scavenger, he panics. The pack is in flux as it is, and if he takes someone like Rosie as a mate, not only will he lose power, but the pack would suffer greatly if the sadistic Brody Hughes took over. Cadoc has to choose between his pack and his mate, and this choice is far from easy for him.
One thing I loved about this book was the themes of rank within the pack, andhow nicely it parallels privilege in the real world. The way that Cadoc, and the other “nobs” (the derogatory term for the high-ranking wolves that the scavengers use) view the scavengers is so fascinating. They judge them for not being able to rise out of poverty, when they have very little support to do so. Scavengers are viewed as lazy and unmotivated, when in reality their priorities are just different, and they lack the privilege that the ranking wolves have.
I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one!
Rosie, like Una from the first book, is a fantastic heroine. She’s a scavenger–one of the lowest in her pack–but she’s far from weak. When Cadoc, the heir apparent, realizes that his mate is a lowly scavenger, he panics. The pack is in flux as it is, and if he takes someone like Rosie as a mate, not only will he lose power, but the pack would suffer greatly if the sadistic Brody Hughes took over. Cadoc has to choose between his pack and his mate, and this choice is far from easy for him.
One thing I loved about this book was the themes of rank within the pack, andhow nicely it parallels privilege in the real world. The way that Cadoc, and the other “nobs” (the derogatory term for the high-ranking wolves that the scavengers use) view the scavengers is so fascinating. They judge them for not being able to rise out of poverty, when they have very little support to do so. Scavengers are viewed as lazy and unmotivated, when in reality their priorities are just different, and they lack the privilege that the ranking wolves have.
I loved this book and I can't wait for the next one!
April 30, 2022
3.5 STARS
After riding the high that was The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate, I was giddy with excitement for more in this series. And while this hit the spot, I can't help but feel that my expectations also got the best of me here too.
Rosie is a scavenger. Which in her pack, they're the lowest of the low on the totem pole. With little respect and zero recognition, she's used to going unnoticed and overlooked, until the moment she realizes her mate is Cadoc Collins. As the heir apparent, he's the next one in line to take over the pack, if he finally manages to flip shift in order to beat his known challengers.
There was a lot of world building here, and even though I enjoyed it, I couldn't help but feel the romance came in secondary. Add into it how young the two of them were, I really wished we got more of the romance. Additionally, I'm not a fan of surprise pregnancy trope in general, but I can overlook it for the right story. I think Rosie's age here just really made this not work for me. I don't even know how to explain it, but it didn't feel pivotal to the story. Rosie is just 18, and I wanted something else to bring them closer. But it is what it is.
Cadoc places his duty to the pack above all else, and so he rejects Rosie. Rosie of course doesn't take this lightly and writes him off so he has some groveling to do. And while he does work for it, it wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped. I loved the history of the secondary characters that we got here, but also couldn't help but feel that some things went unanswered. Perhaps we'll get that in future books, but it felt a bit left in the air.
This series is seriously addicting though and I can't wait for the next installment. While I didn't love this one, I didn't dislike it either. It hit the spot nicely and I'm looking forward to my next hit.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
Rosie isn’t the scavenger who is my mate, the female who I can’t claim—she’s air.
After riding the high that was The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate, I was giddy with excitement for more in this series. And while this hit the spot, I can't help but feel that my expectations also got the best of me here too.
Rosie is a scavenger. Which in her pack, they're the lowest of the low on the totem pole. With little respect and zero recognition, she's used to going unnoticed and overlooked, until the moment she realizes her mate is Cadoc Collins. As the heir apparent, he's the next one in line to take over the pack, if he finally manages to flip shift in order to beat his known challengers.
There was a lot of world building here, and even though I enjoyed it, I couldn't help but feel the romance came in secondary. Add into it how young the two of them were, I really wished we got more of the romance. Additionally, I'm not a fan of surprise pregnancy trope in general, but I can overlook it for the right story. I think Rosie's age here just really made this not work for me. I don't even know how to explain it, but it didn't feel pivotal to the story. Rosie is just 18, and I wanted something else to bring them closer. But it is what it is.
Cadoc places his duty to the pack above all else, and so he rejects Rosie. Rosie of course doesn't take this lightly and writes him off so he has some groveling to do. And while he does work for it, it wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped. I loved the history of the secondary characters that we got here, but also couldn't help but feel that some things went unanswered. Perhaps we'll get that in future books, but it felt a bit left in the air.
This series is seriously addicting though and I can't wait for the next installment. While I didn't love this one, I didn't dislike it either. It hit the spot nicely and I'm looking forward to my next hit.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
April 25, 2022
I really liked this book, but I can see why it might not be for everyone. First of all, it's very slow-burn. Secondly, the MCs are young (h 18, H 19) and much of the action takes place at the "Academy" which is like their High School so the book has a YA feel to it part of the time. However, the overall plot and storyline was one I really enjoyed.
There was a theme of class warfare running through the book. Rosie is a scavenger and scavengers are looked down on by the upper-class wolves. They call them Bog Rats. They live in swampy land and are given handouts to survive. They are really treated terribly. The wealthy "nobs" are the higher-order wolves who are only concerned with status and rank. The scavengers are forced to go to school and take useless classes while the nobs get to take real classes that will help them better themselves and be more successful. The nobs have also forgotten what it means to be a wolf and live in a more human way. This is the main conflict in the story.
I'll put the main plot points in a spoiler tag:
Overall, the story was a little uneven, but I really liked the characters and their story (and the grovel was handled well). I don't mind a slow-burn and I really liked this book. (Just a note, the witch Abertha, tells a story about a rejected mate that just about broke my heart. She is a stand-out character in these books).
Safety
There was a theme of class warfare running through the book. Rosie is a scavenger and scavengers are looked down on by the upper-class wolves. They call them Bog Rats. They live in swampy land and are given handouts to survive. They are really treated terribly. The wealthy "nobs" are the higher-order wolves who are only concerned with status and rank. The scavengers are forced to go to school and take useless classes while the nobs get to take real classes that will help them better themselves and be more successful. The nobs have also forgotten what it means to be a wolf and live in a more human way. This is the main conflict in the story.
I'll put the main plot points in a spoiler tag:
Overall, the story was a little uneven, but I really liked the characters and their story (and the grovel was handled well). I don't mind a slow-burn and I really liked this book. (Just a note, the witch Abertha, tells a story about a rejected mate that just about broke my heart. She is a stand-out character in these books).
Safety
April 29, 2023
I stayed up to finish this book but also have so many thoughts and feelings about this book. First of all, the world this author writes in is dark. There is injustice and unfairness and it sucks! There is misogyny and classism.
These two people are young; 18 and 19. And in this world mate bonds are formed around 16 for girls. Seems like men could be at any age. And the unfairness of the natural world for women just sucks! Like their mate can impregnate them as soon as they go into heat for the first time and there’s very little that they can do to protect themselves. Add to that, heat makes girls long for their mate and biologically almost not be able to resist their mate. It doesn’t feel cool to me.
The hero messes up very badly because he’s so concerned with doing the right thing and not feeling and not acting on his feelings, that he really is damaging in his behavior. He doesn’t even try to grovel until like 80% in. And it’s not a super satisfying grovel.
I was consumed and intrigued by the story the whole way through even when it didn’t feel like the story I wanted. These two people are young and she is super forgiving. I wish that he would talk to her and be open and honest about everything with her. But he doesn’t seem to be built that way. I don’t feel excited about their long-term prospects. But the book did keep me reading until the very end.
The author is writing these books where men reject the women. Why do the men get to be strong and emotionless and have barriers while the women are weak and have biological imperatives to be with these men? Why can’t there be a woman that rejects a man?
These two people are young; 18 and 19. And in this world mate bonds are formed around 16 for girls. Seems like men could be at any age. And the unfairness of the natural world for women just sucks! Like their mate can impregnate them as soon as they go into heat for the first time and there’s very little that they can do to protect themselves. Add to that, heat makes girls long for their mate and biologically almost not be able to resist their mate. It doesn’t feel cool to me.
The hero messes up very badly because he’s so concerned with doing the right thing and not feeling and not acting on his feelings, that he really is damaging in his behavior. He doesn’t even try to grovel until like 80% in. And it’s not a super satisfying grovel.
I was consumed and intrigued by the story the whole way through even when it didn’t feel like the story I wanted. These two people are young and she is super forgiving. I wish that he would talk to her and be open and honest about everything with her. But he doesn’t seem to be built that way. I don’t feel excited about their long-term prospects. But the book did keep me reading until the very end.
The author is writing these books where men reject the women. Why do the men get to be strong and emotionless and have barriers while the women are weak and have biological imperatives to be with these men? Why can’t there be a woman that rejects a man?
April 21, 2023
2.5 Stars
➞ While I can’t deny that Nia is an awesome friend, I have a serious soft spot for Bevan. He is such a simple-minded character but his loyalty and fierceness when it came to Rosie had a huge impact on my opinion of him. But it’s actually not only these two. I loved how the scavengers were all so supportive and loyal to each other.
➞ Abertha’s story. It was unexpected, which I really liked.
➞ I was not a fan of the pacing. The whole story dragged somehow. Everything felt incredibly slow and kinda boring. There was nothing to get excited over, nothing that got my blood pumping or myself invested in.
➞ The romance felt very lackluster and weak because the supposed sweet moments were simply too little. Like sleeping outside her place every night? Walking her to class? Idk… the stone he found her? I’m grasping at straws here right now because I honestly don’t even remember what he did for her in the first half of the book anymore. This is where the chemistry between the main characters should have been established but unfortunately, it did not happen.
➞ Considering that the fate of the pack lay in both their hands, they played a pretty passive role in all of it. I expected a bit more "action", more stepping up, more rebellion, just… more. Let’s take Rosie as an example. I don’t know why I had these great expectations but after she realized that she must stand up for herself and her unborn pup, I really thought her inner speech would result in "let’s revolt against the nobs and show them all who’s alpha". I mean helllooo her wolf is as big as a house, she could have eaten them all like she always pointed out. Her wolf has not been used as efficiently (or is it effectively?) as I hoped she would. A wasted opportunity in my opinion.
And don’t get me started on Cadoc.
➞ Speaking of which, that confrontation scene at the end was something I've been looking forward to the most but it was over in like 2 seconds. Very disappointing.
➞ There are so many questions left unanswered.
Now that I have read book two, I can’t help but compare. THARM seems so much weaker than the first installment. I might have to adjust my rating of book one accordingly…
**ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
➤ What I liked
➞ While I can’t deny that Nia is an awesome friend, I have a serious soft spot for Bevan. He is such a simple-minded character but his loyalty and fierceness when it came to Rosie had a huge impact on my opinion of him. But it’s actually not only these two. I loved how the scavengers were all so supportive and loyal to each other.
➞ Abertha’s story. It was unexpected, which I really liked.
➤ What I didn’t like
➞ I was not a fan of the pacing. The whole story dragged somehow. Everything felt incredibly slow and kinda boring. There was nothing to get excited over, nothing that got my blood pumping or myself invested in.
➞ The romance felt very lackluster and weak because the supposed sweet moments were simply too little. Like sleeping outside her place every night? Walking her to class? Idk… the stone he found her? I’m grasping at straws here right now because I honestly don’t even remember what he did for her in the first half of the book anymore. This is where the chemistry between the main characters should have been established but unfortunately, it did not happen.
➞ Considering that the fate of the pack lay in both their hands, they played a pretty passive role in all of it. I expected a bit more "action", more stepping up, more rebellion, just… more. Let’s take Rosie as an example. I don’t know why I had these great expectations but after she realized that she must stand up for herself and her unborn pup, I really thought her inner speech would result in "let’s revolt against the nobs and show them all who’s alpha". I mean helllooo her wolf is as big as a house, she could have eaten them all like she always pointed out. Her wolf has not been used as efficiently (or is it effectively?) as I hoped she would. A wasted opportunity in my opinion.
And don’t get me started on Cadoc.
➞ Speaking of which, that confrontation scene at the end was something I've been looking forward to the most but it was over in like 2 seconds. Very disappointing.
➞ There are so many questions left unanswered.
Now that I have read book two, I can’t help but compare. THARM seems so much weaker than the first installment. I might have to adjust my rating of book one accordingly…
**ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
April 23, 2022
Fine. I forgive him or whatever 🙄
“Our fate. Our choice.
Our new beginning”
“Our fate. Our choice.
Our new beginning”
December 16, 2022
The first one was better. This hero is everything but alpha.
And the average age of this book is teenager so if you’re not ready to read a ya this may definitely not be for you.
I don’t appreciate when a paranormal is a book where everything is the same as in human world except the characters have some sort of ability as in this case they are werewolves.
So you have a high school with shifters instead of human, with popular girls and boys and those less popular and ostracized.
The basis for this separation is that some of them are scavengers, so the pack forces them to live separate in some kind of trailers without much assistance from the rest of the pack.
When the alphas son, a ridiculously immature boy, finds out he’s mated to a scavenger, he tries to keep the fact a secret, while banging the girl without his peers and his parents knowing it.
The reason for this behavior is his parents pressure to find a suited mate, ignoring the powerful bond.
The boy is torn between the attraction to his mate and the pressure of his pack.
There’s also an evil uncle that is the actual alpha and the boy should be his heir, but he knows he’s got a long way to go before he can challenge and beat him.
Eventually it will be his mate to save the day, since her wolf is, well, a monster of a beast, and will literally devour the evil uncle.
It’s more a story about classes and social standard than a romance, where the difference between groups are solved thanks to the resourcefulness that the one considered weaker actually have.
The hero is a weak and immature boy, unable to stand for himself in front not only of his parents but also of his peers.
A great difference from the hero of the previous book who was dumber than dumb but actually quite alpha.
The heroine is somehow better and generally more mature than the hero.
I suppose the irony is well explained because her wolf is definitely the most terrifying beast of all the pack and then some, much more than the wolf of her weak mate.
Both celibate and virgin so completely safe in that department.
And the average age of this book is teenager so if you’re not ready to read a ya this may definitely not be for you.
I don’t appreciate when a paranormal is a book where everything is the same as in human world except the characters have some sort of ability as in this case they are werewolves.
So you have a high school with shifters instead of human, with popular girls and boys and those less popular and ostracized.
The basis for this separation is that some of them are scavengers, so the pack forces them to live separate in some kind of trailers without much assistance from the rest of the pack.
When the alphas son, a ridiculously immature boy, finds out he’s mated to a scavenger, he tries to keep the fact a secret, while banging the girl without his peers and his parents knowing it.
The reason for this behavior is his parents pressure to find a suited mate, ignoring the powerful bond.
The boy is torn between the attraction to his mate and the pressure of his pack.
There’s also an evil uncle that is the actual alpha and the boy should be his heir, but he knows he’s got a long way to go before he can challenge and beat him.
Eventually it will be his mate to save the day, since her wolf is, well, a monster of a beast, and will literally devour the evil uncle.
It’s more a story about classes and social standard than a romance, where the difference between groups are solved thanks to the resourcefulness that the one considered weaker actually have.
The hero is a weak and immature boy, unable to stand for himself in front not only of his parents but also of his peers.
A great difference from the hero of the previous book who was dumber than dumb but actually quite alpha.
The heroine is somehow better and generally more mature than the hero.
I suppose the irony is well explained because her wolf is definitely the most terrifying beast of all the pack and then some, much more than the wolf of her weak mate.
Both celibate and virgin so completely safe in that department.
February 23, 2023
Reread 2/22/23 I must’ve been in a “mood” the first time I read this and gave it 3 stars. I absolutely loved this book this go-around. Loved Rosie and Cadoc. Loved the angst and grovel. I bumped it up to 5.
I’m a HUGE fan of this author. I love the world-building and settings of this series. It’s obvious the author puts so much thought into every aspect of this shifter subculture and I devour it. I also love the prose.
What I liked: the setting, the world-building (minus one BIG THING—being the Scavengers’ weird reality), the prose, the premise for the story
What I disliked: the h, Rosie was exasperating with her willful ignorance! The scavengers in general made no sense with their removal from modern-day technology while being in contact with it every day at the Academy. They were scavengers, right? So they would’ve been snatching tech left and right because it is shiny and valuable? Also wouldn’t they be somewhat enterprising!? At least ONE person in the pack!? The pack from the previous book were business-savvy and enterprising! Lastly, the angst, nor the sexual chemistry were super strong.
I still enjoyed the book, though.
I’m a HUGE fan of this author. I love the world-building and settings of this series. It’s obvious the author puts so much thought into every aspect of this shifter subculture and I devour it. I also love the prose.
What I liked: the setting, the world-building (minus one BIG THING—being the Scavengers’ weird reality), the prose, the premise for the story
What I disliked: the h, Rosie was exasperating with her willful ignorance! The scavengers in general made no sense with their removal from modern-day technology while being in contact with it every day at the Academy. They were scavengers, right? So they would’ve been snatching tech left and right because it is shiny and valuable? Also wouldn’t they be somewhat enterprising!? At least ONE person in the pack!? The pack from the previous book were business-savvy and enterprising! Lastly, the angst, nor the sexual chemistry were super strong.
I still enjoyed the book, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2022
I will be honest and say that I had high expectations of this one and while I enjoyed it, there was still a sense of disappointment. This was one that I just wasn’t feeling any chemistry or romance at all and it’s such a shame because I really felt it in the first book, and the trope and setup of the story here really intrigued me and I was curious to see how the situation would be handled. So I do think I am being generous with my rating here, and it was a solid read. It really was a page-turner (most times if its a page-turner it’s a 4 star automatic for me since that is such a large aspect of my rating system). Still, I do think there could have been more focus on the chemistry between these two, I just wanted so much for their story, and it was a struggle to read this one because I just wasn’t feeling it at all, and just wanted to get to the ending and that is NOT how I like to read my books. There were definitely some positives to this story and the overreaching series plot was really fun, but honestly, the ending was such a letdown. I wanted it to be a kick-ass ending and while it was in some regards (this heroine saves the hero and its badass) i also felt like it just ended abruptly and we didn’t really get to see a truly satisfying outcome as what I would have expected from this one. But I definitely am intrigued by this series and what the author has implemented. I am so curious about book three and what we will get with that one. I really really hope it’s the story that I think it is. *crossing fingers*
Overall I found this to be wildly entertaining, with some unique takes on a shifter romance with plenty of depth and layout of character growth…..definitely one I can easily recommend!
Overall I found this to be wildly entertaining, with some unique takes on a shifter romance with plenty of depth and layout of character growth…..definitely one I can easily recommend!
November 12, 2022
1 + 1 star for abertha and rosie’s godzilla wolf
the plot was okay but the grovel was so not it. so much wasted potential breaks my heart💔
the plot was okay but the grovel was so not it. so much wasted potential breaks my heart💔
April 28, 2022
Overall this was a solid read. I actually enjoyed it more than I expected.
This author likes to include jarring unsavory descriptions of her characters. And that is in full force here. I think it kept me from really connecting with the characters.
This is a shifter book, so I’m expecting a fierce dominant alpha… but this hero isn’t really that. He’s kinda passive when I wanted him to hulk out. And defers to the h when I wanted him to bulldoze. He’s only capable with money and fighting and kinda useless otherwise.
The h is strong and capable. More capable than the H. She’s the opposite of a damsel in distress. She’s more of the alpha in this book.
I liked the angst that the hero’s passivity created tho. 🤷🏼♀️ I would have liked it more if we’d explored the OW drama further and maybe had some real competition for the h’s affections in the form of an OM.
Bottom Line? I was invested despite myself, but it was a little slow at times, with very little steam, and the dynamics were off. Sometimes this author’s penchant for preachy PC Equality/Feminism got in the way of what could have been a more compelling read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- no dubcon
- very slight OW drama - the potential OW bullies the h, but there aren’t really any scenes where you think the H is into the OW
- no OM drama
- dual virgins
- no condoms
This author likes to include jarring unsavory descriptions of her characters. And that is in full force here. I think it kept me from really connecting with the characters.
This is a shifter book, so I’m expecting a fierce dominant alpha… but this hero isn’t really that. He’s kinda passive when I wanted him to hulk out. And defers to the h when I wanted him to bulldoze. He’s only capable with money and fighting and kinda useless otherwise.
The h is strong and capable. More capable than the H. She’s the opposite of a damsel in distress. She’s more of the alpha in this book.
I liked the angst that the hero’s passivity created tho. 🤷🏼♀️ I would have liked it more if we’d explored the OW drama further and maybe had some real competition for the h’s affections in the form of an OM.
Bottom Line? I was invested despite myself, but it was a little slow at times, with very little steam, and the dynamics were off. Sometimes this author’s penchant for preachy PC Equality/Feminism got in the way of what could have been a more compelling read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- no dubcon
- very slight OW drama - the potential OW bullies the h, but there aren’t really any scenes where you think the H is into the OW
- no OM drama
- dual virgins
- no condoms
April 23, 2022
Dang, this one hurt me. But Wells pulled it off again. These 2 very young wolves had my heart and even though the situation they were born into was real shitty, I loved what they made of by the end.
Still wish this book had a bit more happy love time sprinkled through it though. I needed more joy to pay off the agony.
4.5 Stars
1.5 on the spice
Still wish this book had a bit more happy love time sprinkled through it though. I needed more joy to pay off the agony.
4.5 Stars
1.5 on the spice
May 6, 2022
Didn't like it as much as the first ,but then again the first book was good,but not great for me.
April 23, 2022
3.5 stars. I loved The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate, it’s one of the best grovel books, and one of the best rejected mate books. So, I wanted to like this one – and it’s not a bad read, but it falls flat in comparison to that one.
These books remain great at creating werewolf worlds that feel unique, which is hard to do since there are SO many out there. The werewolf culture in them is interesting and feels very fleshed out. From the way they talk about sex as “presenting” to the slang terms like “nobs” to the scavengers way of thinking about the concept of ownership, they really do feel like another culture. Some werewolf books just feel like regular stories where the authors wanted to sprinkle in some wolf stuff (which is fine!) But these books have a depth to their mythology that’s fun to read.
Unfortunately, this book got TOO into that part – the entire first 20% of it was laying out the Scavengers way of life. As a result, there were too many random side characters, too many names being thrown at us, and it took the story WAY too long to get to the point of being a rejected mate book between Cadoc and Rosie.
It also….wasn’t really a rejected mate book? It kind of was, in the sense that Cadoc ignored Rosie when she first tried to recognize him as her mate. But after that, he basically DID treat her like his mate. He did some douchey things like push her away at certain moments, but he put a bodyguard on her from the start, followed her around, was obsessed with her, was a virgin for her, and they both planned to go through her heat together. So, that didn’t really give it a “rejected mate” feel. Instead of that kind of angst, their relationship was more of a choppy "one step forward, one step back." What’s ALSO misleading is the surprise pregnancy trope. That’s mentioned in the blurb, too, but it doesn’t kick in until 70% in. And, it’s not much of a surprise, since they discuss the possibility beforehand. So, the blurb for this book does NOT accurately describe it, at all.
The characters were likeable enough – in the rejected mate trope, I need a heroine who doesn’t give in too soon, and a hero who has semi understandable reasons for his behavior, and does enough to make up for it. They both did that. So, this isn’t the worst of the “rejected mate” trope, in the sense that she was too weak and he was too awful. Cadoc is different from Killian (from the first book) which isn't bad, but he’s also just not as compelling or loveable. And Rosie feels like a less dynamic imitation of Una from the first book. (However, I do love that this author writes heroines who are lower down than the heroes in their pack hierarchies - but they don’t feel insecurity from it, they look down on HIM for caring about superficial things).
Also, this book had pacing problems. After that first 20% took an unnecessarily long time to detail the Scavenger’s way of life, the final 10% of it had WAY too many big events crammed in, and it felt like we didn’t get resolution to a lot of plot points. Rosie’s wolf was giant, so I expected that to lead to some kind of reveal that she’s Alpha blood, or at least an explanation of why, but nope! The mean girl needed MUCH more comeuppance. The resolution to the problem of this pack being so fragmented also felt a bit childish, like Cadoc’s solution won’t last long term.
I’m not sorry I read this, I didn’t have a bad time, and I'll continue this series. I like this werewolf world a lot, and I like this author’s style. But as a follow up to The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate, this was a much sloppier story that was all over the place. The best books from this author are still that one, and Against A Wall.
These books remain great at creating werewolf worlds that feel unique, which is hard to do since there are SO many out there. The werewolf culture in them is interesting and feels very fleshed out. From the way they talk about sex as “presenting” to the slang terms like “nobs” to the scavengers way of thinking about the concept of ownership, they really do feel like another culture. Some werewolf books just feel like regular stories where the authors wanted to sprinkle in some wolf stuff (which is fine!) But these books have a depth to their mythology that’s fun to read.
Unfortunately, this book got TOO into that part – the entire first 20% of it was laying out the Scavengers way of life. As a result, there were too many random side characters, too many names being thrown at us, and it took the story WAY too long to get to the point of being a rejected mate book between Cadoc and Rosie.
It also….wasn’t really a rejected mate book? It kind of was, in the sense that Cadoc ignored Rosie when she first tried to recognize him as her mate. But after that, he basically DID treat her like his mate. He did some douchey things like push her away at certain moments, but he put a bodyguard on her from the start, followed her around, was obsessed with her, was a virgin for her, and they both planned to go through her heat together. So, that didn’t really give it a “rejected mate” feel. Instead of that kind of angst, their relationship was more of a choppy "one step forward, one step back." What’s ALSO misleading is the surprise pregnancy trope. That’s mentioned in the blurb, too, but it doesn’t kick in until 70% in. And, it’s not much of a surprise, since they discuss the possibility beforehand. So, the blurb for this book does NOT accurately describe it, at all.
The characters were likeable enough – in the rejected mate trope, I need a heroine who doesn’t give in too soon, and a hero who has semi understandable reasons for his behavior, and does enough to make up for it. They both did that. So, this isn’t the worst of the “rejected mate” trope, in the sense that she was too weak and he was too awful. Cadoc is different from Killian (from the first book) which isn't bad, but he’s also just not as compelling or loveable. And Rosie feels like a less dynamic imitation of Una from the first book. (However, I do love that this author writes heroines who are lower down than the heroes in their pack hierarchies - but they don’t feel insecurity from it, they look down on HIM for caring about superficial things).
Also, this book had pacing problems. After that first 20% took an unnecessarily long time to detail the Scavenger’s way of life, the final 10% of it had WAY too many big events crammed in, and it felt like we didn’t get resolution to a lot of plot points. Rosie’s wolf was giant, so I expected that to lead to some kind of reveal that she’s Alpha blood, or at least an explanation of why, but nope! The mean girl needed MUCH more comeuppance. The resolution to the problem of this pack being so fragmented also felt a bit childish, like Cadoc’s solution won’t last long term.
I’m not sorry I read this, I didn’t have a bad time, and I'll continue this series. I like this werewolf world a lot, and I like this author’s style. But as a follow up to The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate, this was a much sloppier story that was all over the place. The best books from this author are still that one, and Against A Wall.
April 26, 2022
Soooo... I hated this. I'm giving it two begrudging stars because I finished it, but I hated it.
Look, the MMC is an utter douchebag. Completely convinced of his own superiority and the rightness of his judgement, this guy has his head so far up his own ass that it is frankly unbelievable. He believes everything he's been told, even when it is FUCKING OBVIOUS that it is wrong. Like, say... he comments in his narrative at one point that the scavengers say they aren't being given enough food, but the pack nutritionists say they are so they are clearly lying. Take a look at the goddamn social setup asshole. He KNOWS that all the elitist twats in the pack regularly go down to fuck the scavengers (and in frankly horrifying other areas of the book, Rosie says that she's been told they are mean, not gentle ... so let's be honest, the rich boys are raping these women) in exchange for giving them food! So which is harder to believe? That these people who say they are starving are lying, have plenty of food, but are letting themselves be abused in exchange for fucking food OR that you people who think you rule the world prefer to keep them poor and hungry so you can do what you want to them?
If it wasn't so obvious that the rich assholes in the pack are mean bullies who enjoy abusing people - seriously, one dickhead pops a boner when he thinks he's going to get to beat them up for something, and that's not an exaggeration - this would have played better. But it was fucking obvious, and that made him fucking evil, and beyond stupid.
His treatment of the FMC was not forgivable. And that he'd be horrible to her and then go to fight training and ... take extra hits as if he's punishing himself. No, fuck you pal. You don't get to offset your own cruelty. You don't get to decide what your own punishment is. I have news for Cadoc: he's the villain.
And while I wanted to like Rosie (the FMC), I just didn't. There were parts about her that I definitely did like. I liked the earthy vibe, the connection to her people. But whenever she had to interact with Cadoc or the other bullies, she turned into this utterly spineless doormat who was unbelievably TSTL. Look, folks. The big ending crisis was her running away to hide ... taking Cadoc's high-end car to do it, so he finds her IMMEDIATELY because of-fucking-course it has Lojack. She's a brainless damsel who forgives everything instantly, and I can't stand her. At all.
Plus, for who even knows what reason, the author decided to give her this super-jacked Godzilla of a wolf. Does she use this super-wolf to defend herself? No. She literally lays there and takes an assault rather than defend herself. Does she stop her people from being starved and abused for helping her? No. She does nothing. She is a useless asshole.
Plus, for the record, having the first book in the series feature 27 year olds and the second book feature high school brats and drama ... man, that's a bait-and-switch.
Look, the MMC is an utter douchebag. Completely convinced of his own superiority and the rightness of his judgement, this guy has his head so far up his own ass that it is frankly unbelievable. He believes everything he's been told, even when it is FUCKING OBVIOUS that it is wrong. Like, say... he comments in his narrative at one point that the scavengers say they aren't being given enough food, but the pack nutritionists say they are so they are clearly lying. Take a look at the goddamn social setup asshole. He KNOWS that all the elitist twats in the pack regularly go down to fuck the scavengers (and in frankly horrifying other areas of the book, Rosie says that she's been told they are mean, not gentle ... so let's be honest, the rich boys are raping these women) in exchange for giving them food! So which is harder to believe? That these people who say they are starving are lying, have plenty of food, but are letting themselves be abused in exchange for fucking food OR that you people who think you rule the world prefer to keep them poor and hungry so you can do what you want to them?
If it wasn't so obvious that the rich assholes in the pack are mean bullies who enjoy abusing people - seriously, one dickhead pops a boner when he thinks he's going to get to beat them up for something, and that's not an exaggeration - this would have played better. But it was fucking obvious, and that made him fucking evil, and beyond stupid.
His treatment of the FMC was not forgivable. And that he'd be horrible to her and then go to fight training and ... take extra hits as if he's punishing himself. No, fuck you pal. You don't get to offset your own cruelty. You don't get to decide what your own punishment is. I have news for Cadoc: he's the villain.
And while I wanted to like Rosie (the FMC), I just didn't. There were parts about her that I definitely did like. I liked the earthy vibe, the connection to her people. But whenever she had to interact with Cadoc or the other bullies, she turned into this utterly spineless doormat who was unbelievably TSTL. Look, folks. The big ending crisis was her running away to hide ... taking Cadoc's high-end car to do it, so he finds her IMMEDIATELY because of-fucking-course it has Lojack. She's a brainless damsel who forgives everything instantly, and I can't stand her. At all.
Plus, for who even knows what reason, the author decided to give her this super-jacked Godzilla of a wolf. Does she use this super-wolf to defend herself? No. She literally lays there and takes an assault rather than defend herself. Does she stop her people from being starved and abused for helping her? No. She does nothing. She is a useless asshole.
Plus, for the record, having the first book in the series feature 27 year olds and the second book feature high school brats and drama ... man, that's a bait-and-switch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2023
3.5 Stars
It took me a little bit to get into because much of the first half takes place in HS and has a YA feel, but it ended up being my favorite of the three… and it’s all because of the h.
This takes place in the Moon Lake pack which is a neighboring pack of the first book. The pack dynamic is somewhat similar to what we saw in the last book’s Quarry Pack except here the scavengers are looked down on rather than the unmated females.
Rosie is part of the scavengers, a group of shifters that live on the fringes and are considered trashy/uncouth. Cadoc Collins is the future alpha and tasks with keeping the pack out of his evil uncle’s hands.
This isn’t the standard rejected mate scenario because Cadoc wants Rosie, and only rejects for duty. He’s trying to keep her people safe until he’s strong enough to defeat his uncle. So, it’s not the gut-wrenching heartache angst, but still had some feels/grovel because Rosie is no pushover.
I liked both mc’s. I found Cadoc less alpha/kickass than Killian (last H), but he’s definitely nicer/not an asshole. Rosie was my kind of h. She was vulnerable and brave, but also strong. Her wolf was a badass and I loved it, especially since the other two h’s are weak and depend on their alphas to make them strong/save them. Rosie can save herself… and her man if needed.
Bottom Line- Pretty good - not perfect, but I inhaled it. My main complaint was I felt like the ending was rushed. The book is over 400 pages, and they don’t even go to address the situation until 95%. I’d have rather had less pages of the camping trip and more dedicated to the big showdown and fallout. I felt like there were some lose ends left with the Moon Lake pack, but maybe it’ll be addressed in future books. I kind of hope the witch and his dad gets a book. It would be a true rejected mate scenario with the potential for loads of angst.
It took me a little bit to get into because much of the first half takes place in HS and has a YA feel, but it ended up being my favorite of the three… and it’s all because of the h.
This takes place in the Moon Lake pack which is a neighboring pack of the first book. The pack dynamic is somewhat similar to what we saw in the last book’s Quarry Pack except here the scavengers are looked down on rather than the unmated females.
Rosie is part of the scavengers, a group of shifters that live on the fringes and are considered trashy/uncouth. Cadoc Collins is the future alpha and tasks with keeping the pack out of his evil uncle’s hands.
This isn’t the standard rejected mate scenario because Cadoc wants Rosie, and only rejects for duty. He’s trying to keep her people safe until he’s strong enough to defeat his uncle. So, it’s not the gut-wrenching heartache angst, but still had some feels/grovel because Rosie is no pushover.
I liked both mc’s. I found Cadoc less alpha/kickass than Killian (last H), but he’s definitely nicer/not an asshole. Rosie was my kind of h. She was vulnerable and brave, but also strong. Her wolf was a badass and I loved it, especially since the other two h’s are weak and depend on their alphas to make them strong/save them. Rosie can save herself… and her man if needed.
Bottom Line- Pretty good - not perfect, but I inhaled it. My main complaint was I felt like the ending was rushed. The book is over 400 pages, and they don’t even go to address the situation until 95%. I’d have rather had less pages of the camping trip and more dedicated to the big showdown and fallout. I felt like there were some lose ends left with the Moon Lake pack, but maybe it’ll be addressed in future books. I kind of hope the witch and his dad gets a book. It would be a true rejected mate scenario with the potential for loads of angst.
August 16, 2023
Whilst I didn't love this as much as TTARM I did still read it in a day. It wasn't quite as gritty either, I felt and believed in the connection between Cadoc and Rosie but I wasn't as invested in them for some reason. I was thrown by how much of this had a school/academy setting, I'm not a huge fan of NA books and whilst Cadoc and Rosie often came across as older than their chronological age, it did have those angsty elements of a NA romance, along with typical high school behaviour.
It was much easier to connect with Rosie, who was strong in her own "fly under the radar way", than Cadoc. There were valid explanations given as to why Cadoc was the way he was but the execution of his character didn't quite work for me. That said I did enjoy the dynamic between them, their "romance" and how they interacted with one another. The writing is as amazing as always and I begrudged when real life interrupted the reading experience!
I was left feeling there were a few loose ends in this one, a lack of explanation for some things. The main two were that we didn't get to experience Killian finally connecting fully with his wolf and it wasn't explained why the scavengers spent a lot of their time partially changed. Initially, it appeared the author was suggesting scavengers eventually turned feral and "took a walk" ie disappeared into the hills lost to moon madness. Later in the book, we discover it meant suddenly something very different - but this explanation didn't gel with how it was thought of/ discussed in those earlier scenes. And if it was happening at such an alarming rate why were scavengers still putting themselves at risk?
Despite focusing more on the negatives in my review this is a really good story and I do highly recommend both the series and the author. I've read the short story about Derwyn and Enid and will be reading book 3 asap.
It was much easier to connect with Rosie, who was strong in her own "fly under the radar way", than Cadoc. There were valid explanations given as to why Cadoc was the way he was but the execution of his character didn't quite work for me. That said I did enjoy the dynamic between them, their "romance" and how they interacted with one another. The writing is as amazing as always and I begrudged when real life interrupted the reading experience!
I was left feeling there were a few loose ends in this one, a lack of explanation for some things. The main two were that we didn't get to experience Killian finally connecting fully with his wolf and it wasn't explained why the scavengers spent a lot of their time partially changed. Initially, it appeared the author was suggesting scavengers eventually turned feral and "took a walk" ie disappeared into the hills lost to moon madness. Later in the book, we discover it meant suddenly something very different - but this explanation didn't gel with how it was thought of/ discussed in those earlier scenes. And if it was happening at such an alarming rate why were scavengers still putting themselves at risk?
Despite focusing more on the negatives in my review this is a really good story and I do highly recommend both the series and the author. I've read the short story about Derwyn and Enid and will be reading book 3 asap.
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