Great start to a new series! The author brings strong characters in Adam and Merit and weaves an interesting story filled with twists and turns along with the steamy romance. She adds in a terrific cast of supporting characters and paints her scenes perfectly. It's well written with an intriguing storyline. I'm looking forward to the next book. Loved and recommend this book.

This is my first time reading a book by this author Susanna Strom and I am fan of paranormal shifters so, I can say that I reading Secrets Of Shooting Star Lake. This is the 1st book in the “Black Rock Guardians Series.” Adam is a sexy werewolf shifter. Marit is a human and she catches her fiancé who is a coyote cheating on her with the wedding planner and she heads back to her bakery. Adam and Marit meet at her bakery and for Adam he knows that Marit is his fated mate. Adam has a problem his pack is not into human and werewolves being fated mates. Marit finds herself off to her grandmother’s cabin that is near Adam’s pack and his pack is in need of the land that the cabin is on. The thing is that Marit’s ex pack wants the land also.

Marit is not shy when it comes to shifters, so will she accept Adam as her fated mate, will Adam’s pack be ok with accepting a human into the pack, who will get the land that Marit’s grandmother’s cabin is on will it be Adam or Marit’s ex-fiancé’s pack?

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group, Cougar Creek Publishing LLC and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: attempted SA, kidnapping, attempted murder, stalking, manipulation
standalone: book 1 in the Black Rock Guardians series
final thoughts: such a cute and fun read with plenty of banter, action, pack dynamics, and romance. Great lead into what the next book will be about without a cliffhanger ending. While some of the story was predictable, I thought it was done really well and some of the twists really did surprise me! I loved the friend and family dynamics we got to see throughout and liked how the characters interacted (even if you were supposed to hate them!)


read this book if you love

💓 slowburn
🏝️ forced proximity
😬 angst
🌀 plot twists
🤜 rivals-to-lovers
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🤐 miscommunication
🏡 small town
🌍 world building
🤫 hidden truth/keeping secrets
💖 paranormal romance
🔮 supernatural creatures- shifters (wolf, coyote, etc)
😳 forbidden lovers (human/shifter)

Good twists and turns in this one. Not just a shifter meets his mate romance. Little bits of intrigue and some definite surprises. I enjoyed this story.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc.
I really enjoyed this book and I love the world building and the great characters in this book.

Wow - this was a really fun read that had me hooked from the start! I can’t wait to see where this series ends up taking us!

Adam is a potential alpha to the pack, tasked with picking up cupcakes when he meets Marit. Marit is a baker dealing with the loss of her grandmother and some recent shocks by heading in to work. This chance meeting ends up getting weirder for them both when it turns out Marit owns the cabin that Adam’s pack is looking to purchase. Oh, and she’s Adam’s mate.

For Marit, supernatural folks are still not a “real thing” so there are oodles of secrets and hiding at the start of Adam and Maria’s friendship. Take all this and throw in some very aggressive enemies that force Adam’s hand, and we’ve got a lot for Marit to take in. These two are a great pairing and I was really engaged in the potential mysteries of Marit’s past. I love all the characters and cannot wait to see the next pairing we get! All in all, this was a wonderful start to a new series by an author I will now be watching.

I'm such a fan of Susanna Strom since the amazing World Fallen series! I couldn't wait to read this book and, although it's completely different from her first series, I'm totally hooked. This story has great world building, strong relatable characters, shifters, fated mates, and plenty of potential for more page flipping books! I can't wait for the next one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As far as shifter romances go, I found this one to be interesting because of the twist with the heroine and her grandmother's heritage, etc. A bit of mystery and action mixed in with my shifter romances is how I like them! 10/10 will be downloading the next in the series as soon as it's out.

Super easy to read and definitely a fun bit of brain candy!!

NOTES:
Shifter - human romance
- Forest setting
- Available on Kindle Unlimited!!
- 🌶️🌶️/5 Definitely some open door smutty parts

A brand new shifter wolf romance about a loyal, honest protective man who finds his mate in the human woman he is supposed to get to sell her lease to the house on the land they want to protect for the pack. Seems straightforward, but nothing is as it seems, and her life takes some drastic turns, and she needs all the protection he and his wolf can offer. Great characters, story, and a little heat in the mix make the perfect read for a warm summer afternoon. I can't wait for more from this new world the author has created! So many matings waiting to happen!

Secrets of Shooting Star Lake by Susanna Strom
Publisher: Independent Publishers Group, Cougar Creek Publishing LLC
Genre: Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy
Expected Publication Date: June 27, 2023

Secrets of Shooting Star Lake is the first book in the Black Rock Guardians by Susanna Strom and I absolutely loved it!

I could not put this book down! It grabbed me on page one and did not let go until I reached the last page (when I sadly stopped reading because there was no more pages). Even after I finished the book, I was not ready to return to reality because the world the author created was so fascinating and I needed more.

I thought the story was incredible and the characters were amazing! I want to go back! I will definetly be reading this one again before book 2 is released! I highly recommend reading this book if you are looking for an escape and a wonderful romance!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Secrets Of Shooting Star Lake is the first book in the Black Rock Guardians series by Susanna Strom. This is my first novel by this author, and I was impressed. This book did an excellent job of creating a magical, vivid world full of shifters, intriguing characters, and unpredictable storylines.

Adam is a wolf shifter, and he recognizes Marit as his fated mate instantly. Adam can’t escape the pull towards Marit even though it is forbidden. Marit is a human; she escapes to her grandmother’s cabin after her fiancé does the unforgivable. Marit feels the pull towards Adam, but she doesn’t trust her instincts or judgment regarding men.

I loved the instant connection between Adam and Marit. Their passionate romance kept me glued to the page. I felt the strongest element of the book was the family-centered plot. I enjoyed how both Adam and Marit had excellent support systems with their families. Adam was loyal, fierce, and protective. Marit is scarred, cautious, and independent.

I felt this was a solid start to a new series. The chapters switched between Adam and Marit, which I liked. However, there was some overlap chapters. The writing style was captivating, and I felt the author did a fantastic job balancing the paranormal with the romance. Several surprise elements kept me interested. All in all, I was impressed with this novel. Susanna Strom has the beginnings of an excellent series with this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I got an ARC of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review.


This was the first time I read a Strom book and I may have fallen into the trap of getting a book based on its cover- oops! But have you seen that cover? That, coupled up with poetical rejected mate, werewolves and spice? Sounded like the makings of a great book!

I did enjoy the world building and especially the fresh reference to the wolf counterpart as a “shadow brother”. I also loved the cousin relationships and the little tidbits we get here and there of the next book which may, or may not, focus on Zane and Annika.


Unfortunately the rest of this fell a little short for me. I found that the pace was a little strange- the heroine goes from being engaged to another man to meeting the MC and then catching her fiancé cheating to suddenly being really attracted to the MC and mating within 11 days. Although that’s not the issue, there were lots of comparisons of the MC with the ex and she goes from basically nothing to just suddenly sleeping with the MC at around 50%.

There were also lots of unanswered questions. I get that these will be resolved in future books but those that were directly linked to this book, such as Olga’s fate, should have been resolved.

Anyway.

An Engaging Storyline

Marit needed to be alone after the shock she had received and went to her Grandmother’s cabin to think things through which is when she encountered Adam again after she had been attacked.

Adam knew that Marit was his fated mate but she didn’t know who he really was and he was forbidden to mate with a human.

Once Marit by chance had seen him shift, things changed, Marit became aware of the supernatural creatures and how she was in the middle of all the strange things that had been happening!

An intense, slow burn into love fated mates romance, filled with action, suspense, wonderful characters, some shocking secrets revealed, hot steamy moments plus a great storyline which will keep you on your toes.

I couldn’t put it down! I had to read it all in one go! Looking forward to the next in the series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Loved Adam and Marit’s story. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series. If you like shifter books this is the one for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

“Remember what Grandma always used to say, ‘He:: hath no fury like a pissed off Hagen woman.’ We’ve got your back, cousin. Always.”

What a great start to a new series. Fated mates, suspense, secrets and super hot alpha males.

Adam knows from the very beginning she’s his mate. She feels the pull but has no idea shifters exist.

Our eyes locked. Her forehead furrowed and her brows drew down. Her feet were planted firmly on the sidewalk, but her body swayed toward mine.

Merit just wants to get away from a bad breakup. Something about Adam keeps pulling her to him.

Oh boy her cousins are a trip!!

“In case you go missing,” she said. “If you end up in a barrel behind his barn, the police will need to know where to look for your body.”

“No more true crime shows for you. I mean it. You’re cut off.”
I am so looking forward to the next book. This author never fails to grab my attention from start to finish.

Shifter wars, betrayal, intrigue, and secrets from past and present provide a strong and somewhat complex storyline that keeps a fast pace. And not to forgets fated mates! A great weekend or vacation read that will keep you hooked.

I have been eagerly anticipating a new read from Susanna Strom and Secrets of Shooting Star Lake did not disappoint! Strom has created a new world full of shifters to kick off her second series. The book has all of the action, romance, close family bonds, and thundering plot that I've come to expect from this author, with a fun paranormal twist. I loved both Adam and Marit's characters (especially how protective Adam was) and how their story unfolded. What a great launch to the Black Rock Guardians series. I can't wait for Zane's book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Cougar Creek Publishing for access to this arc.

Secrets of Shooting Star Lake by Susanna Strom is book one in her Black Rock Guardians series.

Marit Hagen just wanted to recover from her disastrous relationship at her grandmother’s cabin in the woods. She needs the peace and quiet. She doesn’t need to be distracted by her peculiar attraction to Adam Landry.

Adam Landry, grandson of the alpha of his wolf pack, has always admired Freya Hagen from afar. The old lady had spunk. However, he doesn’t expect to connect to her granddaughter on sight.

Their connection is forbidden by pack law. They’ll have to defy all the rules and outwit pack enemies to appease fate.

This is a great introduction to the series. The plot is compelling with great twists and is appropriately paced. The characters are well-rounded with adequate backstories. Secrets of Shooting Star Lake is one of Susanna Strom’s best novels. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this 5 out of 5 stars novel and highly recommend it to all readers of paranormal romance, especially shifter romance.

My thanks to Independent Publishers Group, Cougar Creek Publishing LLC, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Want something sexy and swoon-worthy? Yes, this is the book for you. It's sexy, beautiful, lovely, and earth gripping yes!

Thank you to NetGalley, Susanna Strom, and Cougar Creek Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In all honesty, this was probably a 2.5 star read for me. Starting with the positives:

The world and shifter dynamics was very interesting! This idea that the wolf is a separate identity, yet an extension of the man, was very interesting. I really enjoyed some of the internal battles that Adam had with his wolf brother.

I enjoyed Susanna's take on mates as well. The wolf knows it and the man may take a while to catch up, indicating mates aren't necessarily love at first sight. I enjoyed that dynamic.

I also enjoyed the lore for this world. This shifter histories and the wars that take place.

Why was this book not rated higher for me? Largely because it all just felt... too fast. Too... middle school? Marit goes from being engaged to jumping in to a relationship with Adam with barely any hesitation. The author attempted to bring in an internal battle briefly, but it moved on rather swiftly. It didn't really impact the story at all.

Another issue I had is in relation to something I did enjoy - The wolf/man internal dynamic. Susanna kept telling us that the wolf knows, but the man may take some time to catch up... but it didn't actually happen in the story. I wish we could have seen more of this. More details in this instead of it just being told to us a handful of times.

The alpha dynamic was disappointing too. It's against the law for the wolves to mate with humans, but mating is a huge dynamic of theirs that they cannot control? Adam says consistently that wolves place their mates above all else... then why this ridiculous law?

Furthermore, it's stated at the end that, if there is shifter blood within a human's DNA at all... children with shifters will also be shifters... completely negating the ridiculous reason for this law.

Even furthermore, no one bats an eye that they are mates and Marit says, in front of everyone, that she is pursuing a relationship with Adam. The alpha who created the law simply does not care. Not even a bit. The whole premise and attempted star-crossed lovers bit did not work here. Too many holes.

Overall, there was the possibility for a good story here - There's potential for sure! Flesh out the story more, shore up these holes and I think there's a good book in these pages!