Series: Wild Oak
Volume: 1/?Publisher: Self-Published
Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, MM shifter romance
Length: 60 000 words
Read in: English
Review copy format: epub
Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✰
Ascha has had big plans and dreams concerning his future and football career. Unfortunately, as he turns twenty-one, his life goes awry. It turns out that the young man is a shapeshifter and can take the form of a wolf. But that's not all. He's the long-awaited legendary True Alpha, and the fate chose Thaddeus as his perfect mate. Unfortunately, not everyone benefits from Ascha's awakening. There are those who don't want to give away the power they possess to anyone, even to the True Alpha.
Will Ascha be able to face all the challenges and accept the changes that are taking place in his life?
Will Ascha be able to face all the challenges and accept the changes that are taking place in his life?
"Awakening" is the first volume of the new series by JJ Harper "Wild Oak", which from the beginning looks very interesting and thus encourages us to explore this universe further. The first of the this book's advantages is undoubtedly the creation of the world. I admit, the publishing market is full of romance about shapeshifters whose existence is not generally known to ordinary mortals. However, in "Awakening" the author emphasized not the co-existence of shapeshifters and people, but the shapeshifters themselves, in this case wolves, as a community. To a certain extent, the construction of the universe in this volume focuses therefore on showing their everyday life, their pack life, and above all their beliefs, legends, and elements of folklore. I really liked it in this novel because it made the world more colorful, not fully discovered, in a word, even more interesting.
As for the story the author tells us in this volume, I admit that "Awakening" makes quite a good impression, as we can find here fast-paced action, undeniable chemistry between the main characters, surprising twists and turns, more or less dramatic events, and a pinch of sweetness. In short, the story is almost excellent. It's really interesting, it keeps us in suspense when needed, makes us happy or sad as expected. It is no wonder that it really engrosses us and makes it impossible to put the novel down. I admit that when I started reading "Awakening" I involuntarily thought about "Teen Wolf" TV series, fearing that the theme of the True Alpha would resemble the one we known from the mentioned TV series. However, it soon became clear that my fears were completely unnecessary, and it made this novel even more appealing.
However, there is a certain "but" that I want to mention, namely the biggest challenge of Ascha and Thaddeus's relationship. I don't want to reveal too much, so I won't explain to you in detail what is going on in this book, but I'd like to try to write a little about this problem. First, the arguments Ascha gives to explain his behavior that broke Thaddeus's heart are not really convincing. Wolf, True Alpha, a person who has domination running in his veins like blood, gives up without a fight and lets himself be dominated by an ordinary human? Seriously? Well, that would make sense if you look at the whole situation from a psychological perspective, especially if we take into consideration that Ascha's old dreams are his weakness. However, we don't really see much of it in the novel. What's more, Thaddeus should really be furious with his partner for a longer time. Well, Ascha deserved a decent lesson. At least that's what I think.
Finally, I would like to write something about the characters. Let's start with the main two, Ascha and Thaddeus. I really like the fact that the author builds them in many ways, as she shows us who they are in everyday life and how they behave in usual and unusual situations, who they become when they are together and emphasizes all the things they discover about themselves. In other words, J.J. Harper builds them constantly, throughout her entire novel, because the characters she outlines change, their image is not yet completely formed, so both Ascha and Thaddeus have the opportunity to grow thanks to each other. I also really like the fact that the author doesn't focus only on the main two characters, but also builds the side ones. They are created with care for their personalities, as it gives us additional insight into their love life. To put it simply, the author did a great job.
To sum up, "Unbreakable" is a truly wonderful, romantic, bitter sweet and unique novel. The readers can find here everything they want, including elements of D/s and BDSM. And the characters? They are amazing, interesting and definitely lovable. In short, I can recommend you this brilliant novel with a clear conscience, as it is perfect.
Headcanon: Sometimes Ascha and Thaddeus argue about whose turn it is to clean up and therefore they decide to make a housework schedule.
Fanfiction idea: Ascha and Thaddeus are going on a real date that is going well, but not as planned.
AU idea: High school!AU
Here's some more about:
Blurb
Book Title: Awakening (Wild Oak, Book 1)
Author: JJ Harper
Cover Artist: Tammy Clarke
Trope/s: Wolf shifter, mild fantasy, mention of Mpreg
Themes: Coming of age
Heat Rating: 3.5 flames
Release Date: November 26, 2019
Blurb
A prophecy, a True Alpha, and fates mates. Can Ascha accept that his life has changed forever?
At twenty-one, Ascha Stanton has it all: a wonderful family, great friends, a long-term girlfriend, and a promising career as an NFL star.
The appearance of three unknown men in his small town changes everything. Not only his life and future but also what he always thought himself to be: straight. Why then is he attracted to the handsome auburn-haired Thaddeus? How can Ascha hear his thoughts? And even more intriguing, what does the mark on both their chests mean?
Thaddeus explains a new path has been paved for him, one with the Wild Oak pack, who has been waiting for seventy years for the True Alpha to show himself and fulfill the prophecy.
Will Ascha accept that Thaddeus is the man he’s destined to be with, and will the rival pack accept him as their new leader?
Awakening is an MM wolf shifter book with elements of fantasy and mention of Mpreg. It includes some sexual content and is suitable for adult readers.
At twenty-one, Ascha Stanton has it all: a wonderful family, great friends, a long-term girlfriend, and a promising career as an NFL star.
The appearance of three unknown men in his small town changes everything. Not only his life and future but also what he always thought himself to be: straight. Why then is he attracted to the handsome auburn-haired Thaddeus? How can Ascha hear his thoughts? And even more intriguing, what does the mark on both their chests mean?
Thaddeus explains a new path has been paved for him, one with the Wild Oak pack, who has been waiting for seventy years for the True Alpha to show himself and fulfill the prophecy.
Will Ascha accept that Thaddeus is the man he’s destined to be with, and will the rival pack accept him as their new leader?
Awakening is an MM wolf shifter book with elements of fantasy and mention of Mpreg. It includes some sexual content and is suitable for adult readers.
Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
I stomp through the house, dodging my friends, and out to my truck. I slow down as I get closer. The dark-haired guy with the cold eyes I saw earlier is here, leaning against the side of the flatbed.
“Nice truck,” he says and rights himself. He’s taller than my six foot, but not by too much.
“Thanks. Do you mind moving away? I like to get going.” The guy gives me the creeps, and I remember Jared’s words. In my head, I try to reach out to Thaddeus, although I don’t why. Why would I trust him? I don’t even know if I can. “He’s here,” I tell him. I feel dumb, but it’s done. I reach for the handle of the cab.
“Hey, Ascha, you forgot your coat,” a voice behind me calls out. I look over my shoulder. Thaddeus is running toward me, holding a leather jacket I’ve never seen before. The dark-haired guy lets out a hiss and curses under his breath.
“Thanks, man.” As I take it from him, my fingers graze over his, and fireworks shoot up my arm. “Get out of here. I’ll get rid of him.”
“Sure, no problem. See you around,” Thaddeus says.
I drive straight home and park in my usual spot next to Dad’s BMW. Mom’s Prius is parked closer to the house. I climb out, but instead of hurrying inside, I stand still for a minute. I’m not alone. Someone is watching me. I can’t see anything in the pitch black surrounding me, but I know it, sense it. Tiny pinpricks are piercing my skin. The clammy feeling is all over me again. I’m burning up. I stagger inside and stumble through the kitchen. I need to get to my bedroom and my bed. If I lie down, I’ll feel better.
“Ascha? Are you okay?” It’s my dad, but I can’t see him properly. My vision is cloudy.
“No, it hurts. Every-fucking-thing hurts. I’m so hot.” I pant.
My mom lays her hand on me. I pull my arm away. Her touch is soft but still painful on my burning skin. “It’s happening, Tom. Dear lord, it’s happening to Ascha. I thought it was too late, that it had passed him by. What should we do?” Her voice is laced with worry, and tears fill her eyes. I wobble past them and make it to my bedroom, where I tear my clothes off. My T-shirt weighs too much on my skin, and I rip it from my chest. My jeans are next. They are too thick, too coarse, hurting me. Then another wave of pain overwhelms me. The pressure on my chest is like a branding iron, stamping marks on my skin, so hot, so deep, but it’s coming from inside me.
What’s happening? What the fuck is happening? I cry out, but it sounds more like a howl. My throat tightens. Too much pain, too much… my legs buckle, and I collapse, landing on my hands and knees. I cry out again. “Thaddeus.”
About the Author
You will normally find her in the living room—typing away—with her dogs, Maud and Siddiqi. As a hopeless romantic, JJ dives into her stories, always falling in love with her men, making sure they get the happy ever after they deserve, even if they do have to work hard for it.
As a bona fide bookaholic, coffee-addicted, wine-drinking and swear-like-a-sailor type of girl, she has yet to work out how to act her age!! LOL. And she has no intentions of growing up or growing old gracefully.
JJ lives in a small, very quiet, village in Lincolnshire, UK, with her husband and dogs, and spends all day dreaming up stories full of really hot men.
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