Today, I’m reviewing Forbidden Territory (prequel to Heir) and Heir, books two in the Sons of the Alpha series by Addison Carmichael.
Series: Sons of the Alpha
Title: Forbidden Territory (prequel to Heir)
Author: Addison Carmichael
Publication Date: May 1, 2019
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Some boundaries are not meant to be crossed…
Blurb: Knocked unconscious in a storm along the Rio Grande River, werewolf Sophie Gabrielle wakes up to find that she had crossed over from neutral Colorado into New Mexico, were-Coyote territory. Worse, she was rescued by Tomas Duarte from the notorious Juarez Coyote Pack itself. And in spite of his dangerously charming Latin façade, Sophie has no idea what he plans to do with her.
Or if he knows why she’s really there in forbidden territory in the first place.
A fast-paced read full of twists, turns, and romance.
Member of the Bryant Wolf Pack, Sohpia Gabrielle, wakes to a stranger looming over her. She’s sans clothes and shivering. It turns out her rescuer is Tomas Duarte, a coyote shifter, known enemy of wolves, and Sophia is in enemy territory.
Having boated down the Rio Grande earlier, she recalls the storm and losing her brother in the river, who told Sophia earlier they had to sneak into Coyote Territory to deliver some documents.
Tomas agrees to help Sophia find her missing brother, the only family she has left. And while they search, they fall in love, something extremely forbidden.
This novella moves fast. Each chapter-ending left me with questions and turning the next page. The author did a great job keeping me curious.
Tomas is a gallant hero, coming to the rescue even when he knows Sophia is his enemy. Sophia is a brave heroine, determined to find her brother, no matter the cost, even her life. They fall in love quickly, and this is very believable because of the bond they form as they trek through the wilderness in search of her brother.
I loved the mystery to it all because both kept secrets from the other, so the ending is a big surprise I never saw coming.
It’s a beautiful companion novel to the main course: Heir, which this novella is written for. I recommend reading Forbidden Territory first. It’s a wonderful romance and a great look into the coyote packs that you’ll come across in the Sons of the Alpha series.
Get it at Amazon
****
Series: Sons of the Alpha
Title: Heir, book #2
Author: Addison Carmichael
Publication Date: May 1, 2019
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Blurb: It’s bad enough Nicole Gabrielle is a low-ranking Sigma Wolf—she also harbors a taboo secret that would expel her from the Bryant Wolf pack there in the Pacific Northwest.
Nicki is half were-Coyote born from the notorious Juarez Coyote Pack.
But Nicki has bigger problems. Were-Bear gangsters blackmailed her family, and the only way to pay them off is to doctor her Pack records and disguise herself in order to hire on at the exclusive Timber Ridge community. No matter how hard she tries to fly under everyone’s radar, however, the hot and charming Jake Bryant pursues her with a royal vengeance, risking exposure to her deadly secret.
As the High Alpha’s heir apparent, Jake Bryant must abide by one specific Wolf law—he can never marry anyone below his Alpha rank. Unfortunately, his forced-upon fiancée Eva LeBlanc only loves his half-brother Neil.
If only he could locate his mystery “Sheila” who rescued him from Arcan Hunters one night twelve years ago. She is the only person who has been able to help him make sense of his chaotic life, and the only woman he’s ever truly desired.
With the exception of this intriguing new employee in the Pack organization…who seems strangely familiar.
Although the book is named Heir, it should have been crowned Forbidden, because that’s what the love between the son of the Alpha and a low-ranking mixed coyote-wolf is. Jacob “Jake” Bryant is engaged to a woman worthy of his social standing. Nicole Gabrielle hides a secret lest she be expelled from the safety of the Bryant pack. She works herself ragged, trying to put her younger sister through school, while being more parent than step-child to her stepfather.
And her stepfather’s in a bind. He’s racked up a big debt, and in order to save her family from certain death, Nicole must enter a place she’s avoided since she was a teenager—the main part of the Bryant pack territory.
Nicole’s loved Jake from afar, and hasn’t forgotten the wonderful afternoon they spent together after she saved him from werewolf hunters when she was a seventeen-year-old girl. But she’s a woman now, and she can’t let Jake figure out who she is, so with her hairdresser friend’s help, Nicole disguises herself in order to work off her stepfather’s debt in a place forbidden to her.
This is another great release from the author. I loved the “disguise” trope, and Nicole does this in order to become a part of the work pool at the Bryant pack’s main building. I’m not sure how she disguised her scent. I might have to go back and re-read because I may have overlooked this while reading the book. See how fast I was reading because the novel is so good LOL? It’s true. The author again builds a wonderful world of werewolves in a real setting of Washington state.
She also builds a nice pool of secondary characters who stand out, such as Jake’s parents—head wolf Robert, and his wife Catherine. Ian, Nicole’s best friend, who aids her with the disguise. Eva, Jake’s fiancée, who plays antagonist. I must admit Eva intrigues me. I’d like to know more about what’s behind the facade of the bitchy, beautiful prima.
Like Knight, Heir moves at a fast pace. The author doesn’t let the plot bog down anywhere in the book. Her writing is tight.
As for the romance, since it’s forbidden, there is resistance, but I won’t say on who’s part since I don’t want to give away too much of the plot. And it blooms from friendship into love seamlessly.
Nicole is spunky and sassy, and also extremely independent, giving that she’s raised by an irresponsible stepfather and also has to care for her younger sister.
Jake is brooding, even quiet, far from the ladies’ man he portrays in Knight. He’s a creative soul who longs to live a quiet normal life, far from Timber Lodge.
The ending is very satisfactory. Nicely tied up.
I recommend you read the book, and if you haven’t read Knight yet, be sure to check out my review for the first installment of the Sons of the Alpha series. The author has developed a wonderful series very much worth reading.
Get it at Amazon
Have you read any of the books from the Sons of the Alpha series yet? Do you agree with my review of Heir and Forbidden Territory? Let me know in the comments.
Maggie Blackbird 