Lone Wolves Author I. S. Belle
Book Review!
5 out of 5 stars!
“Alex has this vibe of, like…if everything finally went according to plan, then he could relax. But nothing’s ever gone to plan, so he can’t.”
Alexander's life hasn't been the same since he failed that one fateful mission. Spending the last three years living paycheck to paycheck and trying to scrape bye. Missing his family and the comforts of his family home. But he must prove himself to them and so he homes in on a werewolf pack. Aiming to take down their Alpha and present the head to his parents.
Only he can't seem to manage this feat on his own and a member of the pack would like nothing more than to see his Alpha dead. Begrudgingly Alexander agrees to team up with Tobias, but only until the mission is complete and then neither breath a word about their alliance. Little does Alex know that Tobias has just found his mate. Tobias cursing the universe's sense of humor! But if this mission is a success will Alexander even want to run away with a werewolf, or will he gladly skip back to his monster hunter family?
"“You’re alone,” Tobias realized. He laughed. “You snuck into a wolf den alone? What are you, suicidal?”
“Dedicated,” Alexander corrected."
I fell in love with Alexander from the moment I met him in "HONEYCRAVES"! I could also relate to him, so of course I had to dive into the book featuring him and possibly his HEA! You do not have to read "HONEYBLOODS" before this book, there are no major spoilers. This book is NA with some detailed, spicy, MM scenes. Belle even states it before you get into the read, this being the first NA under the pen name of I. S. Belle! Alexander is nineteen and Tobias is in his early twenties.
"But it was the want of an animal in a cage, missing the painful comfort of the too-tight bars."
The thing about toxic families and lifestyles is you don't realize it's bad until you're truly away from it. But sometimes physical distance isn't the only catalyst needed to break the mindset. Watching Alex from the start of the book to the ending I was cheering for my boy! Relating to some of the things he dealt with and was trying to acknowledge out loud but not ready to cross that line. Seeing him grow into an adult and becoming more independent and freer, even if he hasn't caught on just yet.
The heartache building as you wondered if Alex was going to choose his family even after everything him and Tobias were going through. The moments of vulnerability and openness! How Tobias gently pressed and found the tiniest chinks in Alexander's armor to get through to the real man underneath. I loved Tobias and how his laid-back nature balanced out Alex's serious one. The two having such great catty banter between one another!
Language is present in this read along with shared bonding over grief for past sibling loss. Violence, bloodshed, and bodily horror. Excruciating werewolf transformation and some interesting twists with a werewolf having painful scars. No perfect healing that leaves no traces. Toxic families and trying to get out. Healing, found family, having to consult Google on what to do with a werewolf in wolf form, fun action sequences with the famed Steve-van and werewolves, and so much more!
Loved the romance with a slow burn and angst. Tobias keeping the mate thing from Alexander who's really dense sometimes. But something is there between them that Alexander can't deny no matter how much he flips his knife or steers conversation topics. Watching the dynamic shifts between the two as the story and plot progressed was so much fun. Getting dual POVs! We do get spicy MM scenes that I read completely!
I do enjoy Belle's works and have read some of her other books under different pen names. But I don't know, there's just something about her LGBTQ+ books that have this kind of magic about them. The depth of the characters, how they're written, the chemistry, healing of traumas, especially family trauma, and found families! I may just be biased but this pen name and the books under it are truly special to me.
I did figure out some of the final twists but not all, one in particular breaking me! We do get an HEA for Alex and Tobias! Cannot wait for more and maybe to see these two in a future read!
Enjoy the book and don't forget to give the author some stars!
Lone Wolves (A M/M Fated Mates Werewolf Romance) Paperback by I S Belle, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
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