Review: Alpha Instinct

Reviewed by Jen
 

Ana has been serving as Alpha of her pack ever since someone killed off all the men and pregnant females. But she knows she won't be able to keep the job for long. Werewolves respect physical strength and even though she is a good leader, she would lose to a strong male in a fight. Her neighbor, Taggart, is already sniffing around, making it clear he wants her as a mate. So when Connor and his pack come with an offer to join Ana and her wolves, she barely hesitates to say yes.

Connor and his brother stayed with her pack many years ago. She had loved him and hoped he felt the same, until one day he just disappeared. Now that he's back, he offers no explanation for what happened, but it's clear that whatever they felt for each other before --never went away. Ana struggles with her attraction to Connor, fearing that one day he may leave again. And he only makes matters worse by refusing to open up to her.

All the relationship drama takes place amidst the backdrop of a killer targeting the pack. Whoever poisoned the men months ago is back and is picking off the surviving women one at a time. Is it Taggart? The bigots of the Anti-Paranormal League? Or is it someone else altogether? Ana and Connor need to get their act together and figure it out before any more wolves are killed.

I liked the premise, but I had some issues with the romance. My biggest problem was with Connor. He sabotaged things between himself and Ana over and over again by his unwillingness to open up to her and share in the decision-making. I know he's alpha of the pack now, but he promised her a partnership that he never delivered on. He hurt her terribly when he left and I understand why, but he never tried to make it up to her... unless you count sex as a way to do that. Granted, the sex was good, but it wasn't enough to make up for his poor judgement. Over and over, he lies or hides the truth or excludes her or orders her around and it frankly got old for me. I believed in his love for her, but it was frustrating to read. Frankly, I found myself much more interested in the secondary love story forming between Connor's brother Liam and his human mate.

I felt like there was a fair about of repetition in the book, which grated a little. So did the feeling that the females were second class citizens to the men. I know this is often a reoccurring theme in books surrounding werewolf culture, but even our "good-guy" wolves perpetuated the stereotype.

There were things I did like. The sex was good. The villain reveal was unpredictable. I'm interested in Matt, the Native American dreamwalker. And I enjoyed little glimpses of the romances between Liam and December as well as Noah and Erin. And, well, who doesn't love a baby jaguar?

I wish this book had been a bigger hit for me, since I like Katie Reus and have enjoyed some of her other work. I think it's more that this particular relationship didn't work for me. I will give the series another try when the next book comes out. 3 stars.

*ARC Provided by Signet

Click to purchase: Amazon

Alpha Instinct

by Katie Reus

Release Date: February 7, 2012

Publisher: Signet