Challenged - Lori O'Clare
AUTHOR: Lorie O’Clare
ISBN: 1-4199-0316-0
GENRE: Contemporary, Paranormal, Erotic Romance
PUBLISHER: Ellora’s Cave
REVIEWED FOR/RATING: Enchanted In Romance Reviews/4.5 Unicorns
BUY CHALLENGED HERE
Ali Bastien is twenty-two and dreams of excitement and adventure, which she knows she will not find with any member of her pack, none of whom interest her anyway. She still lives in her parent’s den, where she was brought up in a loving family amongst her littermates, with parents who are very much in love and who are very protective of their offspring. Her sire, Jonathon, rules the den with a firm hand; in his den, his word is law. Ali has always obeyed, and has rarely even considered going against his wishes – until she meets and falls in love with Stone McAllister. She first meets Stone at the tavern where she works, quickly deciding that this strong, experienced werewolf is just the one who can help her get some adventure and excitement. Flirting shamelessly with him, she gains his sexual interest and his agreement to take her some place nicer when she gets off work. Quickly falling head over heels for him, she pines for him when he leaves – though he soon returns. She is determined to have him as her mate, but to say he’s a bit resistant to settling down would be an understatement. Not to mention that her sire is against a mating between them, believing Stone to be too wild for her. Will Ali get her man (or should I say werewolf?) Will she be able to convince her family and her pack that Stone is the one for her? Not to mention she has to convince Stone himself.
Stone is a lone wolf; he is not on the market for a mate. Indeed, he’s only ever been tempted once. He keeps his emotions close to his chest, allowing few to touch his heart or get to know who he is underneath the surface. Popular with the bitches, Stone plays the field, forgetting those he sleeps with as soon as he’s done with them, leaving them sated and soaking. Meeting Ali, he knows she’s too young for him. He knows she’s using him to gain excitement and adventure. He knows she’s a virgin – and he’s well aware of Cariboo pack law regarding their virgins. Nevertheless, he can’t resist her, but neither can he get her out of his head afterwards, a first for him. He quickly returns home to Prince George, but returns three days later after volunteering to drive a truckload of timber there, the reasons for which he cannot fathom. It takes him awhile, but he finally realizes that he loves her. But is he willing to fight for her when another male wants to claim her for his own? Will he protect her from all who threaten to harm her? Is he as wild as Jonathon believes? Will he share her with his twin, as his twin shared his mate with him, as they share everything of importance to each other?
Challenged, indeed the whole Cariboo Lunewulf Series, is quite original. In Ms O’Clare’s world, there are two types of werewolf; the Lunewulf and the Cariboo Lunewulf, the main difference being the Cariboo are more aggressive. Based on this, there have been two separate series written, though some of the same characters make appearances in both series. This story is the third and last in the Caribboo Lunewulf Series, the three tales of which are the three McAllister littermates (Marc, Gabe and Stone). All have been well-written, with considerable thought and effort being put into them. With this story in particular, I really liked the determination of Ali to get her man, no matter the odds. Stone’s determination not to mate is originally frustrating, but his capitulation when put on the spot had me applauding him for facing up to the facts: he is in love, it’s a done deal, now it’s time to claim the woman he loves as his mate. There’s no room left for his previous determination to avoid mated life. The whole series contain scorching sex scenes, with Gabe’s and Stone’s stories including threesomes hot enough to set the monitor ablaze, so keep the fire extinguisher at the ready. Please note that this tale contains fight scenes and violence, but also enough action and plot twists to keep the storyline fresh and interesting. As stand alone stories, they are each brilliant. As a series, they are a must read, particularly for paranormal and shape shifter fans.
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