Declan McIntire, alpha of the Stone Ridge pack, spent over a century rejecting the daughters paraded under his nose, hiding his preference for a male. Scenting Lark Trystan at a pack BBQ, he’s ecstatic to discover the cute, sexy human is his mate. He’s even more pleased that Lark knows about shifters and has been interacting with them for months. Declan quickly realizes the issue is his large size and dominant personality.Since the pack alpha is straight, Lark can’t figure out why Declan’s suddenly taking an interest in him. He also doesn’t understand why he’s so drawn to the big man, especially considering his poor track record with relationships. Dominant men always seem to think he’d make the perfect punching bag, and Lark has the scars to prove it.When Lark ends up in the hospital, Declan puts everything on hold, determined to take his mate home and prove that he’s nothing like Lark’s previous lovers. But not everyone in his pack is accepting of a gay alpha. Can Declan find a way to reconcile the two? Or will he have to choose between the pack he’s devoted his life to and the man who is quickly coming to hold his heart?
I have been reading these out of order, only reading the ones where the characters interest me. I read before this one and was interested in Lark and Declan. I loved Lark, though he got on my nerves a bit with his reluctance. I liked the addition of sweet Sara. And Declan was the hot alpha I enjoy. I have to say though, even though Lark was mostly used to shifters, I found it odd he didn't even question Sam's punishment at the end, the whipping. Strange.
There are many plot holes in this book.I'm not sure why the author usually put some homophobic issues in her books incessantly. OK,I get that someone,in the real life,is very sensitive to this sh*t,but the way she solves the problem is very antic.If people hate gay,they must be executed by snapping their necks.Ummm...Really ? I think it ruins my mood very much.
IMO,I didn't feel like I connected with the main characters from the beginning.While I was reading this book,I stumbled every time I saw the story was irrational.
This was book 2 in the "Wolves of Stone Ridge" Declan McIntire is the Alpha of the pack while at a pack BBQ he smells his mate. Lark Trystan is human he is a friend of Rainy's he knows about shifters and is cool with them in fact he likes hanging out with the cubs. When the alpha starts asking him questions he doesn't know what to think. Declan is not out to the pack and he is tired of pack member's trying to fix him up with women. I really liked both of these characters Lark who is a doctor was sweet and kind. Declan is a hot sexy Alpha male who looks out for his pack. When Lark is attacked outside a club Declan will do anything to keep him safe. Declan also tells the pack members that his mate is a male they face some backlash. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
This was a cute story. I liked how sufficiently broken and scared Lark was of Declan and I liked how Declan had to essentially woo Lark since Lark was so damaged.
The story is a nice one in a way where it leaves you with a bit of a smile (at least for me). Although the conflicts within we're not very extravagant they fit the story to match with the characters. I loved the fact that Sarah, an abused little shifter girl, was such a big part of the story but ultimately thought the story, especially Declan's 'accent' was not very consistent. Also, if Rainy and Cliff were not born in Ireland or ever visited, why do they have Irish accents? Wouldn't they have their way of speaking as those in Colorado do? Just a nagging thought.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. They always start off very good, IMO, because they don't just hop right into the sack. There's always a little reluctance on one of the mate's part which I really enjoy because it means the other mate has to work for it. These books are becoming addicting, though. I already want to start the next one.
This was a great sequel for . I liked this one better in some respects because the characters of Lark and Declan engaged me more than Rainy and Travis.
Declan is a typical alpha in many ways, but he also shows a lot of understanding for Lark's needs and past experiences. Lark is a lot stronger than his physical size let me expect, and that was a nice surprise. I also enjoyed the plot around Declan trying to hide he was Lark's mate and Lark worrying about one of the kids of the pack. Best of all, there are enough secondary characters around to pick from for another sequel.
If you like straightforward stories about characters who clearly belong together, and if you enjoy a paranormal touch, then you will probably like this novella.
2.5 stars I have to agree with other reviewers, that this book was a bit of a disappointment. Like the first book in the series, , the premise was good but the execution... Meh. I like shifter books so I might overlook these things if they were cheaper, but for $5 a piece I won't be continuing with the series.
Problems: 1) Forced Peril. Declan sniffs Lark and realizes they're mates. Fine. Now, I get that the author needs some drama or a catalyst to push these two together, but what she used was so cliche and forced not only did it come completely out of nowhere, but it had nothing to do with the rest of the plot and was never brought up again.
2) Sarah. I was trying to figure out how old she was the whole time, finally decided on about 6. Then to find out... she effen twelve?!?! What 12 year-old climbs onto adults laps and plays with barbies?! It seemed like they wrote her younger, but then needed her to be at puberty age for the whole shifting thing so just said, "whatever, she's 12." And the shifting "twist" was obvious
3) Brain Damage Anyone? Yeeeeeah, I think most people are pretty aware about the concerns regarding concussions but no one here, let alone the MC who is an EFFEN DOCTOR acknowledges them at all .
4) Awkward Pet Names. Sexy-man and Pretty-man get very old, VERY fast.
5) Lacking Info. Did anyone else notice Lark say he'd been shot before?!?! Umm... was there a short story somewhere that I missed? How do you just thrown that out there and not explain it all. He's a doctor not a cop or something. WTF?
6) Random Add-Ons. So the book is over, we're in the epilogue, and we learn, "Oh yeah, and by the way, mates get a random ability and Lark's is empathic superpowers"... WHAT?!? (I don't think this is a spoiler because it has no bearing whatsoever on anything and makes no sense). That is SO fucking RANDOM, how do you just throw that out there in the freaken Epilogue?!?
7) Predictable Evil Villains (repeat of the exact same climax as last book). Seriously?!?! And just like last time, they did not explain at all WHY he is so evil. OK, so he's homophobic, but he still has some justification for his actions. Why was he such a dick to Sarah? What happened between him and her mother? What secret information did Declan find out about him that caused him to decide he needed to be dealt with
So yeah. These books are all the more frustrating because the story has potential, they just need a Beta reader or an editor or something to weed all the random crap and point out all the holes. Unfortunate.
Much like Stormy Glenn, Charlie Richards infuses her stories with just enough intrigue and endearing romance to make it possible for to me overlook bad writing. Not great, but a pleasant way to pass the time if you're in the mood for some sappy m/m shifter fun. Be warned that Richards sucks at dirty talk. The sex scenes can be a little awkward at times.
I was introduced to the MC alpha Declan McIntyre through the Paranormal Love series also by this author. It is set after this series, or at least starts a bit later because this series is like 60 books long (that's INSANE). Anywho I was happy to see him again because I simply had to know how a over 6 foot 250lb bald black man with a heavy Irish accent got the name Declan McIntyre (I picture a teeny leprechaun every time I hear this name). That's finally explained. Yay!
One of my biggest pet peeves though, is lack of continuity. Especially in a series, or interconnected series. Namely Lark is presented here as doctor, working at the local hospital. While in the Paranormal Love series he's a med tech. Two totally different things. Perhaps he gets busted down to med tech in later books? It seems unlikely
The plot is decent, but there are too many grammar and other mistakes to give this higher than a 3.
I like what he said about zoos. It's how I feel, too.
I love that there are also het relationships here, and women who do stuff that is important, not just cook and wait for their grandchildren.
I love that the alpha is black.
I like that he is a caring leader rather than an idiot who is only in power because he's stronger than anything else and who is constantly having to push back his animal who is always on the verge of running amok at any time.
The bad stuff:
Dogs are not color blind and they don't think wolves are either, just that the colors don't mean a lot to them. They are probably only partially color blind. It drives me crazy when books depict wolves as colorblind and it's frequent.
A very dark skinned black man in Scotland a hundred years ago had an elderly grandfather, too, who lived there? black slave brought to Ireland? Why did he go to America and leave his pack or how did someone come to bring a slave where it wasn't legal.
That girl is not twelve. She acts like she's five. 12 year-olds don't carry Barbie dolls to BBQs, especially one who has been taking care of herself and being abused and neglected. Seriously, an abused adolescent is defensive and aloof around other people.
Whipping is so archaic and disturbing.
Pretty good peril but didn't break any new ground, even mimicking the last book. The really good peril scene was completely irrelevant to the plot and other than the alpha saying he'd like to hunt down and kill those who hurt his mate, that's the end of it. I don't know why Declan didn't look for them.
There's so much missing information such as what happened with Russell and his mate and why he was the way he was (because homophobia doesn't explain his martyrdom, and what they were talking about with Lark getting shot. (My guess is that she had him get shot in her first draft and then make it just him getting beaten up instead).
The epilogue wasn't an epilogue, it's just a week or so later, and introduces new random stuff.
Lack of concern about brain damage is odd considering he got knocked out twice within a week or so at least once with a concussion, and also he felt faint and nearly blacked out a couple of times.
And what happened to the other shifters they rescued? They rescued over a dozen, yet at the end only four or five had been accounted for. (I'm not sure about Sam.) And the whipping is just so archaic for a pack that feels really modern.
I enjoyed it, though, because I love peril for any reason. :) So although this probably doesn't deserve it, I give it three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I really loved this sequel...I just loved Lark and Declan and thought they were just perfect for each other. I thought Sara was adorable, and I'm interested in knowing more about the new characters. And now I'm really looking forward to whoever's story is next! This is turning into a great series, with engaging characters and a strong family element that I really like. I think I said it before, but I really like how women are included in the series, while not being shoved in our faces as they have been m/m books. Can't wait for the 3rd book in this fun series!
Alpha's Prerogative (Wolves of Stone Ridge #2) by Charlie Richards.
I really enjoyed Alpha's Prerogative, Declan is the Alpha of the Wolves of Stone Ridge, and Lark is a friend of Rainy's who we met in the first book.
The relationship between Declan and Lark start of a little rocky and Lark can't believe that Declan is actually interested in him. Great m/m romance novel. Love Charlie Richards writing and can't wait to read more in this series.
A lovely story. Declan is every inch the alpha, but he has a soft center for his mate Lark. Lark is a friendly doctor. The conflict between the two isn't all that bad and the read is very smooth about the two getting together. Lark and Declan with little Sara is very cute:) I look forward to the next book and seeing who is linked with who next.
This book might have been more entertaining than the first one "werewolf at zoo" but it still was far below the mark. The core idea definitely had some potential however the poor plot execution, especially the weak and illogical conflict resolutions left a lot to be desired. The author seemed absolutely ignorant about: * Syndromes, recovery progress and limitations imposed by a broken nose and broken ribs * The basics about the human body * Differences between a four year old and a twelve year old's behavior * What happens when you got punched and hit your head while your nose and ribs are broken !! * Things to consider before having sex when a third party, especially a kid is around! * Normal human psychology , where human characters are concerned. And finally the editing was poor and some seemingly important events/decisions were mentioned without any elaboration.
What happened to the men assaulting Lark? What was truly wrong with Russell?
A lot of drama was thrown in just for the hell of it. It didn't seem to have any deeper purpose. I was trying to figure out how old Sarah might be when she all of a sudden is 12! What was that about? That makes Lark more than creepy letting a girl that age crawl up in his lap! And Declan carrying her around at the Zoo? She surely didn't act that age playing with barbies and stuff. I would have guessed somewhere between 4 and 6. That's coming from someone who has been working with children of all ages for about 20 years.
Because of the first book it was my understanding that after claiming you die if your mate dies and here is Declan talking about his father and grandfather both losing and surpassing their mates, were both their mates unclaimed?
Somewhat better written than the first one, we'll see if it keeps improving.
In My Experience With Shifter Books, The Sequel Is Never As Good As The First Book In The Series; But I Was Pleasantly Surprised And Really Enjoyed Reading This. I Fell In Love With Lark And Declan, And Thought They Were A Perfect Match; Add In Adorable Little Sara And You Have All The Makings Of An Amazing Afternoon Delight. I'm Really Looking Forward To The Next Story.
The complications were all forced and there was not enough character development. The background of the characters did not correspond to the final portrayal of the characters.
This is the second book that I've read in this series about the Wolves of Stone Ridge. This one is the second book in the series and I've read the ninth one. I have gotten on just fine reading it out of order though if you don't want to know ahead of time who gets mated to whom then you'll want to read them in order. Sometimes I'm in the mood for shorter lighter romances with very little angst and simpler plots. Because the series operates on the premise that the shifter will know their mate when he/she meets them, then I know it will just be a matter of time.
That being said, its always fun to see how the bond and togetherness comes about. In this one, it is the packs alpha wolf, Declan (who is incidentally a black Irishman) and a gentle human, Lark, who has recently learned about shifters. Declan is in the closet about his sexual orientation because he suspects that it might bother his packmates, but when he really gets a good look and scent of Lark all bets are off. Declan begins his campaign to win the trust and affection of his little mate. He knows it will frighten off Lark if he comes right out and admits it so he starts slow by offering friendship.
Lark is nervous around dominant men because of past experiences, but he is secretly attracted to Declan MacIntyre the pack alpha. It baffles Lark why Declan wishes to be around him and care for him, but he likes Declan so goes with it. Lark is a giving man and he cares for the young of the pack particularly a forlorn young girl, Sarah whose story is a significant part of the novella.
The plot included the stops and starts of Declan and Lark's mating that include various adventures that help draw them together. I consider this a light romance, but that does not mean that deeper issues are not touched on both the shifters rescued from the humans, the complications of Sarah's story and Lark being beat up because of being gay.
I enjoyed how Lark is submissive, but does not allow himself to be steam-rolled. It was also fun to watch Declan's scrambling attempts look after his mate as all the while keeping the secret of their matehood which backfired on him. It was also nice that the other members of the pack were part of the story too.
Nice shifter story with a steamy romance! Looking forward to reading more of this series!
This story leads right off from the first one. In fact it repeats the end of the first story but from the point of view of both Declan and Lark. It is nice to see the two of them come together. Though, the first story ended it set up to have a smooth transaction to the next couple.
Lark is a human but he is already acquainted with the pack. He was introduced to them a few months back and since then has been making his way in with most of the pack. There are a few that are not accepting because he is gay. He has really grown to love the little kids and has taken it upon himself to help watch over them and take them out on outings with a couple of the women(pack remembers). There is one young girl whom he has grown fond of names Sara. He takes it upon himself to watch over her. Her father is a jerk. He treats Sara like a maid and doesn't like Lark one bit.
Lark is attracted to Declan but Declan is just the type of guy Lark tries to avoid. He is huge and he is the alpha, which means he can/is dominating personality. But he cant' help but feel drawn towards him nevertheless.
Declan had briefly (smelled) Lark before but hasn't met him until the BBQ at his house. He knows right off the little human doctor is his mate. He just doesn't know how to make Lark now he would never hurt him. Plus, he is the Alpha, most of his pack just assumes he is straight. How will his pack react when they find out his mate is a human male. There will be people who are okay with it and there will be others who will be dead set against it. Hopefully, they will be able to survive long enough to find out if they will work out together.
I have been reading this series out of order. I started with book number 6 then went in order then went back to ones I haven't read. I still haven't read book 1. But whatever this review is about book two of Wolves of Stone Ridge series. This story about mating between the Alpha Declan and human mate Lark. I have been avoiding this book simply because I knew that Declan is from Ireland and his character written with that accent. I just find it just annoying and didn't think I could handle reading book full "me mate" and uses of "ye" in a sentence. I thought this book was okay and love the MCs interaction with the little girl Sara that is my favorite part and really that shouldn't have been it should have been the story of Lark and Declan. I felt that their story was rush and annoying with the whole I'm big so I'm dominant and Lark's physical description was stereotypical gay male. I just felt it was a generic shifter story with the whole I smell your arousal and I if I have read about some dude cock stiffening at inappropriate moment I'm going to scream. I get it after 100 or so shifter related book that mate equal you are physical attracted to one and other. I want to understand why emotional your attracted to one and I wish they quit with the whole "I love you" after they known each other for less than a month.
Cute, cute. The protagonists were perhaps slightly more prone to errors of judgement that the ones in the first volume, but they also came to their senses speedily and without prompting, so that’s all good.
Altogether it was really nice. I appreciate how in this series so far the obedience and dominance really works. It’s not demeaning and yet pretty much absolute and instinctual. Heroes of one story do not have to be top dog or even ranked second or anything, without it diminishing their manliness at all. XD
And this couple was nice. Eh, I overuse that word right now but it fits. If I don’t sound enthusiastic right now it’s just because I am tired.
� Well, I guess one thing about this latest book to complain about might be that the relationship seemed awfully sex-based, even if they held off the actual deed for quite a while. We’re assured of the love and they’re both really lovable guys so it makes sense, but yeah.
The next volume has an elephant shifter, as the cover betrays. As such, the guy is rounder than they usually are. This ought to be interesting.