This is the first book by this author that I have read recently and is book three in the Alpha Pack series. This is indeed a stand alone novel and I had no trouble keep track of all that was going on, but I think I would have gained much enjoyment and greater appreciation of the story line had I read the first two books in this series. That being said, I was impressed with the way the author skillfully brought in just enough information for someone like me who had not any “history” with these characters, especially with the dynamics of the Pack and its warriors and attendant personnel.

This story features an individual who is really a “square peg in a round hole.” He has always known he was different as his father was quick to complain about and punish him for. When his maternal grandmother took him aside and revealed more of his magical legacy to him at age 13, he became even more aware of all that lay as undiscovered potential within him. However, the Kalen the reader meets for the bulk of the book is a man who has lived a troubled life, one whose dad threw him out at age 14, who never finished high school, who had to live and eat and survive on the streets by any means he could, much of it destructive and humiliating. His flashback to the times he sold himself for a bit of food or a safe place to sleep still haunted him. His anger over being robbed of love, caring, education, and a sense of worth continue to keep his emotions in turmoil, even now when he is discovering more and more about his magical powers. His grandmother foretold that he would be the most powerful sorcerer that had ever lived, so it stands to reason that the Unseelie king, a paranormal being who lived to rob the world of good, would seek him out and woo him to the dark side. It was only because of the kindness of the Pack and his almost hopeless love for Dr. Mackenzie that Kalen held on to what good still lived in him.

This novel veres back and forth between the sense of the hopeless and the hopeful, the inevitability of his succumbing to the darkness of evil and the hopefulness that he would discover his inner strength and goodness. He wavered between appreciating the friendship of the Pack and feeling left out when he observed close friendship that had existed for a long time, remembering how friendless his youth was. He went back and forth between needing the love of Dr Mackenzie and pushing her away as he feared that she would be hurt by the darkness that seemed to be gaining strength within him. So, to put it bluntly, Kalen was a mess. Yet there is friendship and loyalty which surrounds him even when he chooses to ignore or discount it. When the Pack Alpha wanted to kill him when it appeared he had gone completely rogue, it was the warriors of the Pack and Dr. Mackenzie who saved his life. Even when some vastly disturbing facts about his background were revealed to him, he was still sufficiently in possession of a sense of right and wrong to rebound positively, at least for a time.

I must admit, though, that authors seem to use personal situations to create crisis in stories. I know that when I found out I was pregnant the first time, I couldn’t wait to tell my hubby. Even in those days our marriage was a bit rocky, and perhaps I can empathize with women who want their lovers to love them for themselves and not for their babies, but you know, I was just flat out excited and wanted to share this with my man. There are always going to be rough times in relationships, but I get annoyed when heroines are always looking for the “right time” to tell their lovers about a pregnancy. Now don’t get me wrong: I know there are situations where a pregnancy is the worst possible bit of news. And I understand that fully. But in the case of a guy like Kalen who needs an emotional anchor more than most and when the mother is a psychologist who surely knew that about him, I wonder at the reluctance of the good doctor to tell Kalen about his upcoming fatherhood. I also wonder if that wouldn’t have been an even strong tie to the Pack and to the good they represented in there life.

This wasn’t always an easy book to read. It is very, very emotional, and watching Kalen go through his struggles against the Unseelie king and his struggles against that evil take-over were, at times, truly painful. I had to put the book down from time to time because I got so emotionally involved with the story that I felt really exhausted a couple of times. I guess that is story well told. It is a very well-written book, one that keeps to the story line and whose characters are well-defined and in many instances, very edgy. But underneath all the hurt and questioning, the wondering how Kalen was going to get through all this, was a sense that he was always a part of something good, a valued member of the Pack warriors and one that was needed and respected, even when he screws up. I found the book to be a good read. I can’t really use the word “enjoy” because it wasn’t a happy kind of novel. But I can say that it was a very satisfying one and a book that was worth reading. There are some surprises and twists in the story so that I was taken aback from time to time. Most of the time I was mentally on the edge of my seat. That’s a good read and one I am glad to have experienced. I liked it well enough that I am thinking of going back and reading the first two books in the series and then re-reading this one again. I think I’ll like it even better.

I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.