Member Reviews
I wont tell you anything lol, besides I love literally everything this woman writes and this is no different seriously if you haven't read any of this series begin with Feral Sins and binge everything in this series <333
There was a lot to like about Lure of Oblivion: it’s different locale, Gwen being human, Zander being so sexy and Kathy and her ridiculous pettiness being absent for most of it. Plus I freaking loved the main plot— A human willing to put it all on the line to right a wrong done to a shifter and a lone shifter at that. Add in it’s a part of my favorite series, and I was jumping up and down with glee.
One of the reasons I love Suzanne Wright’s books so much is because of her strong heroines and Gwen did not disappoint. She was loyal to her foster family, smart, badass, and had a sense of right and wrong that she would not deviate from. She saw a lone shifter female get assaulted by humans, and no matter how bad the pressure was for her to change her story, she stuck to her guns and was determined to see the perpetrators brought to justice.
Zander had all the tasty bits of a hero that I eat up with a spoon. He was an alpha male to his bones, smart, and determined to see Gwen safe through what was shaping up to be a dangerous situation.
Gwen and Zander were instantly attracted to each other, but they didn’t act on it immediately. That didn’t last long as the smoking hot chemistry between them was just too strong to ignore. Zander, per the usual with SW’s heroes, could dirty talk like a champ but the whole “baby” thing was a bit overdone.
Now, I’ll say again, this was a darn good book but I didn’t love it as much as I usually love books in this series. It ended up being a gush-worthy book that for some strange reason, I wasn’t gushing over.
It took me a bit to put my finger on the reasons why I liked vs. loved it. The first was the side plot of Zander’s twin. He was too batshit crazy so it came off as unbelievable to me. The second thing was that the usual over the top snark and laughs that I adore about the series was missing. There were some funny parts, but it wasn’t front and center as usual and I needed that.
I finished the book with a smile on my face, knowing that prior to the next one coming out, I’ll happily reread all the books, including this one in both this series and the companion series, Phoenix Pack. These two series put me squarely in my paranormal happy place.
Rating: 4 Ooh Baby Stars.
Paranormal romance involving a wolf shifter and a human. Gwen is the human who defends a shifter who has been attacked by human pond scum. The pond scum, like most pond scum, have never had to accept responsibility for their bad actions. Enter Zander, a wolf shifter who arrives for a stay at Gwen’s B&B. And the B&B is haunted. And Zander has a twin brother who hasn’t forgiven Zander for needing a kidney transplant. Said extra kidney provided by twin brother. (Who knew wolves could get kidney transplants?) Lots of people are talking. And thinking. I had a hard time keeping track of everything that was going on. Zander realizes that Gwen is his true mate. It takes some time to convince her. The bad guys, aided by Zander’s evil twin brother (the one missing a 2nd kidney) attack and there is a big fight. The good guys win with some assistance from the B&B’s resident ghosts. Gwen joins Zander’s pack. I would expect a novella with lots of baby wolves in the future.
3.5 Stars. I hate to say this because I'm a huge fan of Suzanne Wright and I love both this series and the Phoenix Pack series but if I'm honest this was my least favorite of both these series. It started out great but once Gwen and Zander started to get together it lost a little momentum for me. Usually I love the sex scenes in her book but for some reason I didn't like the ones between Zander and Gwen and while I love a dirty talking Alpha male I didn't like the way Zander talked to Gwen during their sex scenes in this book. I think for me it just came off too much of you're going to do what I say and I don't care what your opinion on it is. Maybe I was just in an off mood when I read it. The other thing that bothered me was the climax of the book. Zander is going to save Gwen who is being attacked but he has to get through his brother first. Okay, but he actually stops and talks to him first when he knows how urgent it is to get to Gwen. I was so frustrated that their didn't seem to be a sense of urgency to get to her. Anyway, other than that I still enjoyed the book and although I didn't love this one as much as I usually do I'm still a big fan of the series and will continue to read them. If you enjoy this series then give this one a read - it's worth reading it just isn't quite as good as the previous books IMO.
4.5 “It’s the first time I don’t get the title” Stars
I’m just as astounded as always by Ms. Wright’s capacity of giving us alpha males and kickass heroines without ever getting a cookie cutter feel to them.
In Lure of Oblivion, the most novel aspect is Gwen being human. I absolutely loved this one being a human-shifter match. Gwen’s had a difficult early childhood but this didn’t prevent her from standing up to bullies and what is right. She’s going all out to bring an anti-shifter bully to justice, even if she has to withstand violent bullying herself to do it.
While one might think that because she’s not a shifter Gwen can’t take care of herself, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. She was kickass and tough, full of spank and sass only in a bit more subdued way than the previous heroines in these pack series. With smarts, a steel backbone and an incredibly caring nature (to those who deserved it) Gwen came to be one of my favorite leading ladies of the year.
Zander is in town for an unrelated business and staying in Gwen’s haunted B&B. Once he and Bracken find out Gwen is being harassed for standing up for a shifter against the town’s most influential family, they decide to stick around and offer their protection.
I also find it amazing how Ms. Wright manages to give us super alpha, bossy males even when they are not actually the alpha-est of their packs. Zander is an enforcer for the Mercury pack, he’s also the epitome of an aloof and broody male making him extra yummy once he starts to pursue Gwen.
I loved that we had a new setting for their story, outside of the pack territory which meant a lot less catty older pack members being annoying. I also enjoyed the new aspect we witnessed of shifter politics and how they dealt with human assholes. Overall, there’s less action than other books in these series, but I can’t say it really bothered me. There’s plenty of fights and suspense, and Gwen and Zander’s chemistry was hot enough to overcome any issues for me. I really loved how their relationship unfolded and I hope we get to see more shifters falling for female humans in the future.
I do have one tinsy little complaint and it is about the last-10-minutes-of-every-book-ending-with-butt-claiming-sex thing, which I feel is getting kinda old. I wouldn’t mind getting more babies/claiming ceremonies epilogues/endings.
Lure of Oblivion is a fantastic addition to the awesomeness that are the Mercury and Phoenix packs series and I can’t wait to get to the next member that’ll get a mate.
I have long enjoyed The Phoenix Pack and now The Mercury Pack, so it’s no surprise that I enjoyed Gwen and Zander’s romance. I liked the way this story comes together a bit differently than the other Mercury Pack stories. Gwen is strong, determined, stubborn, will stand up to bullies, and believes in doing the right thing… and she’s human. She stopped a young man from attacking a shifter, she will testify against this attacker no matter what others will try to do to change her mind. She’s loyal, a bit quirky, and the perfect woman to have at your side for a lifetime.
Now Zander just has to convince his wolf that Gwen is the perfect mate, fight off some troublemakers, and deal with other various issues. Zander has troubles of his own to deal with around the time he meets Gwen, but a human woman standing up against her own to defend one of his will put her square in the middle of his radar.
People are going to hate what they don’t understand, what’s different from them. It is a sad fact of history, real life and fiction. This is what we have in Lure of Oblivion – hate. And a woman who is willing to put her life in danger to stand up against hate. It’s a poignant story, it’s a relatable story and it’s a sizzling, love story as well. I enjoyed my time in this world once again and would recommend this story and the series to any Paranormal Romance or Shifter Romance reader.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Loved this instalment. Great new characters that fit seamlessly with old favourites. A fresh twist with the heroine being human. Can't wait to see what else the author can come up with.
Wow! I absolutely loved the latest in Suzanne Wright’s Mercury Pack! It is everything I want in a shifter romance.
Gwen is being harassed after witnessing a lone female shifter being beaten by a group of human thugs. Although the female has recanted her statement, due to similar harassment, Gwen refuses to do so. Too many times has she had to keep quiet against injustice and she won’t do it this time.
When Zander arrives at the B&B where Gwen lives and works, his wolf instantly backs away from her. The wolf is wary and guarded and confusing the heck out of Zander. After becoming aware of the trouble at Gwen’s door, he steps up to assist her by offering her and her family protection until she is able to testify.
Gwen is one tough heroine, able to protect herself in her own way and I loved that she could so easily get under Zander’s skin and drive him crazy. Zander knows that Gwen is independent, but he also knows something she doesn’t and he’s not going anywhere. The way he carefully handles the situation endeared him to me along with his protective instincts and desires.
This is a fast paced, action filled story with a couple of storylines running through it that kept me engaged the whole time. The secondary characters from previous books added to the overall feel of pack and family and that was exactly what Gwen needed and I needed that for Gwen. Amazing read that just made me hungry for the next one.
This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Montlake Publishing.
Dual POV
Safe – no ow drama and a tad of unwanted by the heroine om drama
Possible triggers – violence, emotional abuse, heroine’s mother abused
4 stars. Another good addition to my favorite shifter series! This is Gwen and Zander's story. Gwen works and lives at her foster family's bed and breakfast. Zander comes to town to stay at the inn for a few days for the reading of his uncle's will. Gwen recently witnessed some young men attacking a local young woman shifter. She reported it to the council and protects the young woman. But the men are from rich families and they are threatening Gwen and her family. Sparks fly between the couple, but things really start to heat up when Zander finds out that Gwen is being threatened. He decides to stay, and bring in pack help, to protect her. They spend a lot of time together and start to fall for each... (view spoiler). Everything works out for them and they get the HEA they deserve.
I really liked both Gwen and Zander. Gwen was a human, but she had always been fascinated by shifters. She had a bad childhood with abusive parents until she was put into foster care. Zander also had a poor family life, with a twin brother who hated him and parents who favored his twin. Both of them had some baggage to get over before they could get into a real, loving relationship together. But once they were in, they were all in. They were really sweet together. I loved that Zander called Gwen baby. He was super swoony and protective. Overall, this was just a really good book! There was low angst, no pushing away, and most the drama was outside of the relationship. There was just a really sweet, sexy romance with some suspense and action. I really enjoyed it!
This is my favorite shifter series and this book did not disappoint! I look forward to more from Suzanne Wright and her Mercury and Phoenix pack gang!
I love all of Suzanne Wright's books, but this one is my favorite! To be fair, I say that each time a new book of hers comes out. As the third book in this series, I am really impressed that they keep getting better (sometimes its just hard to make the next books as great as the first one).
You can always rely on Wright to provide a well-rounded story with romance, sexiness, fantasy, great characters, and a great plot.
If you know Wright, you know her books are all about the supernatural world, set in our human world. Despite this overlapping, humans are not much in her books; if they are, it's usually as enemies. Finally, though, Wright has introduced a human character who is not only likeable, but is also the heroine!
Gwen, the human heroine, was amazing! Her love of wolves and interest in shifters, in general, is really relatable. Who wouldn't want to be a shifter? Or part of a pack, pride, or flock? In some way, if we are reading Wright's stories, we are interested in the supernatural world, right? Well, so is our Gwennie.
The one thing I would like to note as a not so positive thing is the plot. Although I liked the plot, and I believe it is the best way Wright could introduce a human heroine, I found it to be a lot like the plot of Makenna and Dante's story. There were a lot of differences, don't get me wrong - it's just that the overall arching plot of defending a loner shifter and being harassed by a spoiled rich guy, has already been used. While this does not annoy me (hence, the 5 stars), there may be readers out there who do.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Jordan – ☆☆☆☆
I have read several of the books in Suzanne Wright’s The Phoenix Pack series and The Mercury Pack series and I’ve always found them enjoyable reads. Although Lure of Oblivion (The Mercury Pack #3) can be read as a standalone, I think it’s best enjoyed in order, but not necessary if you wanna cut straight to book #3. Also, since The Mercury Pack is a spin-off series from The Phoenix Pack, be prepared to have some characters from the previous books make appearances. Now, I had some minor reservations about Lure of Oblivion because I wasn’t overly fond of Force of Temptation (The Mercury Pack #2). It just didn’t quite entice me in the same way as Wright’s books usually do. However, I had nothing to worry about because Wright once again easily lured me into her story! I have grown fond of all these characters throughout the series and I love the way she always finds a way to weave them back in to give us an update on their lives.
Lure of Oblivion follows the story of Gwen Miller, a human who takes a stand to protect a lone female shifter who was assaulted and harassed. Luckily, Zander Devlin, an enforcer for the Mercury pack, happens to be staying at the inn where Gwen works and he’s taken a sudden interest in the situation and in Gwen.
I loved Gwen because she was such a strong and independent female character and she had no trouble going toe to toe with Zander. Also, I was so excited to read Zander’s story and the chemistry between him and Gwen was perfect! Lure of Oblivion was another great addition to Wright’s Mercury Pack series and I can’t wait for Wright’s next book!
Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
I love this series and how the author blends new stories and older characters together seamlessly, and Zander's story is no exception.
Zander's wolf is scarred as is the man. When he meets Gwen, he doesn't understand why his wolf shies away. Gwen is strong, fights for what's right, and is loyal to a fault.
Gwen spent most of her childhood wondering why her mother didn't stand up to her stepfather, why she continued to let him abuse her. The best thing that ever happened to her was being taken away from mother and placed in foster care. Ever since, she's stood up for what's right even if she pays a heavy price.
She likes Zander, but doesn't understand what he sees in her. She's human after all. She knows that his wolf is wary of her and she believes it because she is human.
However, when Gwen's life is threatened by outside forces, Zander's wolf comes to her aid, forging a bond that cannot be broken.
The Mercury Pack is back in a fast paced thrilling romance that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Gwen and Zander are two wonderful characters that reached out and stole my heart with their vulnerable but fierce personalities. They both had tough exteriors that hid their tormented past and readers can certainly understand their views on life and empathize with the way they protected themselves. Gwen may be a human heroine but she has a loyal strong heart and attitude and she fits right in with both the Mercury Pack and the Phoenix Pack.
These characters easily captivate readers and ensure that they have to know the whole story, while the suspense builds throughout the story with lots of thrilling action and danger. The bad guys may be a bit typical with their hatred of anything or anyone different but they grab reader’s attention and hold tight because the reader wants to know what they will do next.
I look forward to each and every visit to either the Mercury or Phoenix Packs, because Suzanne Wright brings the characters and the world to brilliant life with well written words that ensure I get caught up in what’s happening and fall in love with the characters and my visit to packs was just as exciting this time as ever and I can’t wait to visit them again unfortunately it looks like I will be waiting impatiently until summer 2018 for my next visit, but I am sure I will quite satisfied with that visit as well.
Another enjoyable installment to the Mercury/Phoenix world that Wright has given us. She has knack for changing it up and yet keeping it simple and what we still love.
Suzanne Wright is an automatic read for me and Lure of Oblivion just proved it once again. I just love the maturity of her characters. I can be pretty picky out heroines. I like my male characters to be pretty dominant but I need the female character to be strong as well. I just prefer reading a female character that stands up for herself and doesn't create more unnecessary drama due to lack of communication.
Gwen is hands down one of my favorites. She stands up for herself in every way. She is being bullied and instead of backing down, she stands for what she believes is the right thing no matter the cost to herself. Even handling her very dominant wolf shifter, Zander she allows him to be what he needs, while still being what she needs to be for herself. That seems to be such a rare quality in a female lead lately.
Zander was equally as great as Gwen. The dominance you see in his character isn't there to just be in charge. He genuinely needs to protect and care for Gwen and his pack mates. When she does something he doesn't like, these two handled it maturely. I get such a kick out of reading a couple like this.
I genuinely can't wait for more in this series. There is just so many good side characters to look forward too.
I have never been disappointed in a Suzanne Wright book. That said, this one I did not fall immediately in love with like I do all her other books. Please keep in mind this book still received a 4 star rating from me, because it was a great read, there was just something missing. Maybe it was because her heroine was a human in the shifter world. I don't know. It is still a great read.
Gwen, while human, is a strong female lead. Zander is a quiet, broody male shifter. They are attracted to each other and the story takes off from there. The story-line is good, the suspense is good, the secondary characters are great. I guess I just really did not get Zander, but, still enjoyed the story. I will absolutely continue to read Ms Wright's books, they always have delivered a great story for me.
Received as an Arc from Netgalley for an honest review.
Shower I need a shower after that! Oh my too hot to handle! If you are up for some sexy hot adventures this is the book for you. Great read that you couldn’t put down. I really like the Mercury Pack, I really didn’t get into the strange and weirdness of the Pheniox Pack.
Zander is hot...no combustible! I really like him. Confident to a point and for being so reserved he wasn’t with his love to Gwen. Gwen was tough and snarky. She was the perfect ting to Zander’s yang. They were hot together...HOT!
The evildoers were evil and you really could hate them. Karma is a kick in the ass!
Great read! Enjoy! It will be interesting who the next book will be about!
Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
In typical Suzanne Wright fashion, this book brought the heat!! Not only was it interesting, it was emotional and an enjoyable read. I definitely recommend!
I gave it 3.5 stars
LURE OF OBLIVION was a little different from previous Mercury pack books.
Different how? Well for starters, Gwen is human. Now don't make any mistakes, she might be human, but she's a total bad @ss. I totally loved her and can't wait to see her in future books as she continues to grow with the pack. I can't say that I came into LURE OF OBLIVION knowing anything about Zander. Sure we have seen him in past books, but he didn't stick out to me or draw me in and make me yearn for his story. I didn't finish book three totally loving him—he could be a bit of a jerk and his bedroom talk didn't do it for me—but I liked him.
The relationship between Gwen and Zander was slow, but built nicely. They had nice chemistry and their attraction towards each other jumped off the pages.
The story as a whole was decent. There was plenty of conflict, some life and death action, and the secondary characters added some nice twists to the story. There were a few slow dragging spots and I would have loved for the whole pack to be more involved, but enough of them were there to make it ok.
I haven't met a Suanne Wright book that I didn't like and LURE OF OBLIVION definitely hit the like list. Not her strongest book, but still enjoyable it and look forward to more.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.