Review: Katie Reus - Alpha Instinct

Moon Shifter Series:
 
Book 1:
 
Alpha Instinct: Ana Cordona and Connor Armstrong
 

 
Purchase on Amazon: Katie Reus - Alpha Instinct: A Moon Shifter Novel
Summary:
Fear has a scent. So does desire…
 
Ana Cordona has been a strong leader for the lupine shifters who survived after all the males and most of the females in her pack were mysteriously poisoned. As tough as she is, with no Alpha male, the pack is vulnerable to the devious shifter Taggart, who wants to claim both their ranch and Ana as his own. When Connor Armstrong comes back into her life, promising protection, it’s almost enough to make Ana forget how he walked out on her before—and reluctantly accept his offer to mate.
 
The minute Connor sees Ana again, it reawakens a raw hunger. He must have her for his bondmate—his wolf cries out for it. But his human side knows he must proceed with caution because of their complicated past. If he is to truly have her body and soul, he must go beyond his burning desire and win back her heart. Whatever it takes, he is determined not to leave her side again.
 
But Taggart and his rival pack are not their only enemies. A human element in town is targeting shifters. Their plan not only threatens Ana and Connor’s future, but the lives of the entire pack…
 
Review:
This was a good solid start to this series. This book immediately pulls you in and holds onto you until the very end. Ana and her family have just suffered tragic losses of most of her pack, leaving the all female pack vulnerable. Ana knows that something will have to be done and soon, if the rest of her pack is going to survive. She already has a neighbor that is creating problems for her.
 
Ana is a strong wolf and a strong woman and a good leader; however, she is no Alpha and they need an Alpha strong enough to hold other packs at bay. She is smart enough to know this and is smart enough to know that something has to give and soon. When Conner appears out of nowhere she is both thrilled as well apprehensive. 50 years ago Ana thought her and Connor were heading somewhere, somewhere hopefully more than friendship but then he left without a word and with him he took her heart. Now, that Connor is back he is pushing Ana to become his bondmate, the most intimate form of mating between two wolves, but Ana does not trust that Connor won’t just up and leave her again. The danger on the ranch escalates, her pack mates are dying, people are getting attacked and now more than even Ana has to lean on Connor and his warriors strength. I really liked Ana; she is a strong and compassionate woman. She has her packs best interest at heart but at the center of her heart, it’s Connor. She keeps her head about her in the middle of danger and hold true in a crisis. She is a good example of a leader even if she doesn’t have the physical strength she definitely has the fortitude. That same fortitude also, keeps Connor at an arm’s length; she is smart and doesn’t hand him everything up front. She makes him work for it. I always love when our heroine makes our hero work for it a bit. Although, I am a sucker for reunited love, I don’t like it to be too easy. LOL
 
Fifty years ago, Connor left his heart with Ana. She was his everything, his mate, his very life. For 50 years he has kept his distance from Ana and it was the hardest thing he ever had to do. When he heard her pack was in trouble, there was no way he wasn’t going to return for her. Connor returns and offers his leadership and his warriors but in return he makes some demands. Connor realizes fairly early that he made some missteps with Ana when he arrived. Now he’s got to put in work. I liked that he didn’t shy away from putting in the work to make Ana his. He might have taken for granted that Ana would just accept him and didn’t realize how much his leaving affected her. Now, he’s got to make up for lost time, but there is little time to woo his woman the way he would like. With deaths and the neighboring alpha sniffing around Connor is putting fires out (literally) left and right. Despite some fumbling with Ana, Connor is really a likable character, like Ana he has the packs best interests at heart. In that they are a solid team. He is a born Alpha and his protective instincts run deep. He does everything he can to protect what is his.
 
The passion between Ana and Connor runs high. They have 50 years to make up for. Even in the beginning when they are dancing around each other the sexual tension is palpable. Also, within this book we are introduces to several possible future pairings; which is setting up the series for success. I find a series is successful when the side characters are strong enough that you begin to care for them as well. This book has definitely gotten to a good start with this. Besides the explosive chemistry out on the ranch, there is a lot of action within this book. We have a couple of mysterious humans that are willing to do anything to get rid of the shifters that are in their midst. We also have the neighboring pack whose alpha not only wants Ana’s land, he also wants Ana, and he doesn’t care how he gets her. Look out to be quite entertained throughout this entire book. I am very much so looking forward to the future books in this series.
 
Rating: