I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

This was a good book but there were several errors in it that distracted me just enough. Like when going to Detroit from the UP you don't go through Lansing, you stay on I-75; at one point Joey zip-tied Alyssa's hands behind her back but later she was able to land blows with her hands (how when her hands are behind her back?) Also when Joey first captures Alyssa the text says, "Simon stood in the light of the single yellow porch light and he had Alyssa in a choke hold..." it should have stated Joey not Simon. While they were little things, it added up take away from the story for me. Would anyone not living in Michigan know about not needing to go through Lansing, probably not. Small editing errors are common for authors who are self-publishing but they shouldn't be for one with a publisher.

Alyssa was hard to understand for me as well. She couldn't understand Simon's way of life and the protocols that he needed to follow. She bulldozed her way through. She also couldn't understand the shifter ways of mating and the extreme importance. She was irritating to me.

With all of that said though, I did enjoy the story as I like Simon's character.

This was a pretty good read. Simon got discharged from the service when he was outed as a shifter. He then went home and stayed in his bear form. Alyssa needed help from him but accidently shoots him first while he is in his bear form. This story has lots of twists and turns and is well written. Something is turning humans into shifters and they try to find out why. I will look for the other books in the series . I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review

<i>I requested an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.</i>

It took me a while...along while to finished this book. And It was worth reading in slow dosage.

The combination of the action, romance, and the things between the story was really interesting. From my POV, the way Simon responded to the things around him was so instinctual and basic, you cannot help but fall for him. His needs and wants is as simple as any bear shifter could have. Added the fact that he can be one with his other half was amazing.

Alyssa...I like her. I really do. Her personality is something that would really match this Alpha's personality.

With everything that is happening in the series, I look forward to reading the next book.

After being abruptly kicked out of the military for being outed as a shifter, Simon has spent the past 10 months living as a bear. When Alyssa tracks him down for help, he’s not ready to deal yet, but he’s eventually pulled in to help her in Detroit where the shifter community is up in arms.
This was a decent book. It literally starts off with a bang:) The author spent a lot of time building Simon’s inner-conflict as a shifter, something most shifter books don’t really spend much time with. It keeps moving at a steady pace. Both characters were well written. The book ends kind of of with a cliffhanger. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This is quite a different take on shifters. Simon is an ex-military bear shifter and after ten months he is forced backed to his human self by Alyssa who needs his help with his friend, her brother Vic. A human, Vic now seems to be shifting into some kind of monster. Simon is a regimented man, and he needs to follow certain protocols to get back to his human side. This is why I did not care too much for Alyssa. She comes off as selfish and demanding although she is desperate to help Vic and she is TSTL at times while her and Simon try to find out what is going on with Vic and other shifters in the area. I liked the story in how Simon deals with his inner bear, but Alyssa spoiled a lot of the story for me. I just didn't feel their connection.

A somewhat interesting shifter romance story. It was okay for me overall. I didn't much click with the characters but I liked the plot and the worldbuilding.

ALPHA UNLEASHED is the fourth book in the Grizzlies Gone Wild series. It stands on its own with no need to have read the previous books. In fact, until I looked up this information, I didn’t know that there were other books in the series, but now I want to read them!

Very interesting and unique twist on a familiar trope. These grizzlies are bears when they are animals and they are humans when they are not. When they decide to meld the two, they are unstoppable! The brains of a human with the strength and determination of the animal, this is what Simon decided he must resort to in order to control the chaos. Then to control the chaos in his mind, he needs to admit that Alyssa is more than a one-night stand. She is his mate and he can’t walk away.

That’s what I meant about the twist. Fated mates, but he still feels he could walk away. It would not be easy, but it would be doable. That is unusual in a shifter book. I’m just glad he didn’t!

This is the first book I have read from Ms. Lyons, but I hope I get to read many more.

Note: while I was given this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

I was hooked from the beginning when Alyssa shoots Simon while he is in bear form. Alyssa is attempting to find Simon to help her brother Vic. Alyssa brings Simon to Detroit to help figure out what is happening to Vic. Simon has been in his bear form for ten months. It takes a while for him to revert to being fully human.

This is the first book I have read by Kathy Lyons. I loved her take on shifters living in the inner city and the virus. While this book is part of a series, it reads very well as a stand-alone.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

While I’ve read the other books in this series (a pretty long time ago), this book felt a little bit different (I think). Here, we join a woman determined to save her brother and her city by accepting that shifters exist.

The shifters in this world are not the sexy and awesome type you (and I) might be used to in the PNR realm. Instead, there is something horribly wrong with people in Alyssa’s neighborhood. Some are dying while trying to shift for the first time while others are becoming a horrible smelling gross half-shifter. The only idea that Alyssa has for saving everyone is to go find the only person her brother has outed as being a shifter – Simon.

Simon has almost abandoned his human half when an attractive woman goes after him with a gun. Upon shifting back, he’s forced to go through the slow process of becoming “man” again. It would probably be a little easier to just give up if he wasn’t undeniably attracted to Alyssa. Oh, and she’s his best friend’s younger sister, so that’s awkward. Luckily, shifter hierarchy plus military training equals Simon suddenly being able to get away with starting a relationship with someone who might otherwise have been off limits. While the romance is a little light, the story was interesting enough to keep me flipping pages.

Alpha Unleashed is an exciting shifter story that is full of surprises. Alyssa and Simon are strong, compelling characters that keep readers on their toes as sparks and tempers flare throughout the story. The romance if full of turmoil as well as being one heck of a rocky road for Alyssa and Simon to maneuver through in order to have any hope of achieving an HEA which really keeps readers engaged and wanting to know how everything works out for this couple.

The plot is fast paced and full of suspense and surprising twist that even the characters are unprepared for which has readers holding their breath in anticipation as the characters try to work through each curveball throw their way. The story is well written and it easy to picture each and every scene making it easy for the readers to become caught up in it.

This is the first book that I have read in the Grizzlies Gone Wild series and I must tell you that there were quite a few surprising and unique elements in Kathy Lyons’ shifter world. The characters were strong and drew me in while the story kept me glued to the pages, so I will definitely be reading the first three books in the series as well as looking forward to future books in the series. Although, I would like to mention that while I enjoyed the book, I do believe that it would have been better if I had read the books in order in order to better grasp the world and what is taking place in it overall.

Simon was a interesting male lead because of the difficulty shown in his transition from bear to human. This is an aspect not usually explored in these books. Alyssa was a worthwhile character as well as she exhibited some grit and determination. Overall, I enjoyed the book..
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

~ Under the Covers


I’ve been on the hunt for a new paranormal romance author and series to follow. I feel like, aside from the really big names that I still love, there hasn’t been a lot of new being added to my reading in the past few years. This series has been on my radar for a while but I hadn’t read any of them. Kathy Lyons is a pen name of Jade Lee and I remember reading maybe one book under that name and thinking it was just ok. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t picked this up. But it was finally time!

First impression was not what I expected. ALPHA UNLEASHED lacked all the things I love about a shifter romance. The narration and storytelling in this one for me felt… detached. I didn’t think it pulled me into the story or got me to care about either the characters or the plot. Which is saying something because if you break down the plot, it should’ve been interesting.

I also like to see a connection between the shifter animal and the personality of the human. It makes reading these kinds of books fun to me. I couldn’t see that here. Simon is very dry. And other than the fact Alyssa and Simon had met once before and there was already an attraction, there wasn’t much that made me believe they had a romantic connection other than lusting after each other. And that is also on the low end of the scale.

Overall, there was a lot more about this book that felt boring and sadly I couldn’t connect. I did manage to finish it only to find there’s a bit of a cliffhanger in the end and the overall series arc will continue in the next book. I can’t really say I’m invested to either go back and read the previous books, or continue from here.

I really had a hard time getting into the characters. Simon and Alyssa just did not seem that relatable. The world building was unique and interesting. While slow at the start the plot does intensify as you get about half way through. A new spin on the shifter dynamic.

I’ve read a lot of PNR and shifters are one of my favorite tropes. I’ve read and loved wolf and cat shifter stories, but recently I’ve been reading a lot more about bear shifters. Shifter stories are fun because the characters embody so many of their animal characteristics and bears are no different. The author did an amazing job of showing us just how different a shifter balances his two halves. K.L.'s shifters aren’t your run of mill types, the author throws in a few twists I didn’t see coming but still found highly entertaining.

Simon had headed up to the mountains to get away from everything and just be himself. After being outed as a shifter and released from his military career, pretty abruptly, he was left feeling restless and angry. Turning bear seemed like the best option for him.

But then his best friend’s little sister, Alyssa, shows up on his doorstep and literally shoots him back into the human world. Not realizing that 10 months have passed by, Simon is struggling to adjust from bear to human again and Alyssa is sprouting crazy theories about a strange flu like virus that effects humans and turns them into monsters.

All Simon wants to do is stay on his mountain and acclimate at his own pace but Alyssa’s brother, is his best friend. He might not believe Alyssa’s crazy theories but he owes it to his friend to at least look into it and find out what the heck is going on.

Back in the city, Alyssa’s theories aren’t sounding so crazy anymore. Not when his friend is sporting way more hair, fangs and killer claws. Nothing makes sense but something is definitely going on and Simon, along with a distracting Alyssa, will have to figure it out and fast. Especially with another outbreak on the horizon.

What I liked:
I really enjoyed the slight differences the author wrote into her own version of the shifter mythology. The fact that it’s a mental and physical struggle for a shifter to co-exist with his animal side, that’s not something we read a lot about. Simon’s transition from bear to human and watching him re-learn the basics to function really fleshed out his character.

Alyssa was a pretty strong heroine. Definitely not a damsel in need of rescuing. She was a tough nut to crack for a second there but she did grow on me. I liked that she gave as good as she got both with Simon, her brother Vic and any other person who thought to overlook her. Together, Alyssa and Simon worked as a couple that worked side by side and with an easy flow between them.

3.5 stars!
Alpha Unleashed started off odd for me. He had been in bear form for 10 months?! Dude, WTH? But, the story then becomes more of a brother's friend love story, so if you like that trope, this would probably interest you. There is a bit of mystery as to what is happening to her brother, which was interesting. Overall, the story has a mix of danger and intrigue, but it blended well with the campy-ness of the characters. Also, y'all know I love me a fated mates story! Its my jam!
blog link live on 3/15/18

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I have not read any of the previous books in this series and while some of the previous couples are mentioned, it is not necessary to have read their books to keep up with this story. It is able to read this as a stand alone.

Alyssa was so much fun and I loved that she was tough and didn't back down from anything! She knew what she wanted and was determined to get it.

Simon had Alyssa going back and forth as he came back from staying in his bear form for ten months. It was pretty interesting to see how he struggled to get his humanity back and remember basic things like how to read. When he used Sesame Street to help him remember his alphabet and mentioned C is for cookie - that was just too funny!

Along with the humor there was also violence as the bears struggle for dominance and the hybrids try to control their forms.

While they try to figure out what is behind the Detroit Flu that is really behind the small population that turns into a hybrid, they do find out the way it is being distributed to the population. Readers are left in the dark who is behind the plot and hopefully more will be revealed in future books in the series.

I found it interesting that this book was different from other shifter books that I have read as Simon felt like there was an on/off switch between his human self and his bear and only later comes to realize that they can merge well and not be a killing machine.

I loved that Alyssa really care for Simon and had to work to get him to realize so many things!! Great HEA but hope we see more of them in future books.

4.5 Stars

Alpha Unleashed is the fourth book in Kathy Lyon’s Grizzlies Gone Wild Series. In fact, this is a standalone read and seems to kickoff a new direction for the series.

Simon Gold joined the military to gain the discipline he felt he was missing. He’s a strategic thinker and a good fighter. The military gave him a purpose. So when he left the Army, he became a lost man. Seeking a break from all the changes going on in his life, he shifted into his grizzly bear form and roamed the wilderness of Gladwin State Park. The bear became happy being free and Simon ended up being a bear for ten months, which is completely unheard of. This changes when Alyssa Nelson shows up and shoots Simon, thinking he’s a bear attacking her.

Alyssa is desperate to get help for her brother Vic, who is Simon’s best friend from the Army. People in Detroit are getting sick and dying. Some are even becoming disfigured and turning into monsters. The CDC has dubbed the illness the Detroit Flu. Simon swears he can’t help, but Alyssa insists that he is Vic’s only hope. Alyssa’s appearance and insistence that Simon accompany her back to Detroit puts Simon on a collision course with his destiny.

While seeking answers to what is causing the strange outbreak, Simon accidentally ascends to the position of Alpha of the Detroit Griz. He immediately starts making changes. Certain people in the pack don’t feel change is warranted, thus making Simon and Alyssa targets. Lines are drawn. Alliances are decided. Heroes will rise. But one thing is for certain, Simon, Alyssa, and Vic will never be the same again.

Kathy immediately draws you into the story, with Simon’s bear having a true bear moment. She transitions into showing the playful banter between Simon and Alyssa after Alyssa shoots him. With an intriguing storyline and scenes you can visualize, Kathy keeps you glued to the pages.

Alpha Unleashed is a complete story, with a HFN for Simon and
Alyssa. However, the story arc will continue to be played out in the next book as the Detroit Flu promises to continue to spread.

At first, I was not very interested in this story. It was very bland, and kinda weird how Simon behaved. Totally different from other shifter books/stories
But by half way, I was deeply into to the story, needing to know what the Heck was going on.
I am happy with how it developed, yet there are still questions unanswered.
This does, yet doesn't end in a cliff hanger. Kinda hard to explain.
I guess, I will be on the lookout for the next book so I can get my answers. I did not read any of the other books leading up to this one.

If you love sexy were creatures and disgusting monsters, this book is for you. Action and adventure as Alyssa and Simon, (the werebear) face a virus that changes humans into were monsters. Simon must also overcome the desire to stay bear and lose his humanity.

Alyssa Nelson’s half-brother is turning into some kind of animal after suffering from the “Detroit flu”. He implores her to find Simon Gold as he is sure the Simon can help. At wits end Alyssa finds Simon and badgers him into coming to see what is going on with her brother.
Alyssa is smart, tough and driven. Simon has been in his bear form for 10 months and hasn’t really grasped his humanity yet which makes for a few scary moments.
Alpha Unleashed isn’t your usual shifter story and is the better because of that. This is part of a series but can be read standalone.