Excerpt ~ Luke
I sighed. “You felt it, right? The pull of the wolf, the web of instinct and destiny weaving between us.” I shook my head. “It pisses me off that those dicks hit you, but now…” I blew out a breath. “I can’t explain it in words. I need to protect you from that. Your safety is all that matters.”
She turned my way. “You know what drew me to you before we ever touched?”
I wanted to say my good looks, but I got the feeling she wasn’t in the mood for humor. Plus, she wasn’t really asking. Her head bumped the headrest as she stared up at the roof. “When I’m with you, I feel like me again. The real me, not this werewolf I got turned into.” Her dark eyes pinned me in my seat. “Please don’t turn into one of them. I’m not a thing to be possessed or protected. I’m Raven Wood. You’re the one who helped me remember that.”
I ground my teeth, struggling to think before I spoke. “You’re not seriously putting me into the same category as that excuse for a Pack you’re stuck in, are you?”
“No.” She faced forward again. “But it’s a really fine line. And it goes both ways.”
“What does?”
She let go of the wheel, her hands dropping into her lap. “I want to protect you, too. And I know these guys better than you do. If you ride in this van and go to the bar with me, Caldwell is going to kill you.” Her gaze rose to my face. “I’ve managed to stay alive for the past three months. I can take care of myself. What I need is help getting me and my sister out. You should focus on that and keep yourself safe in the process.”
I fucking hated that what she said made sense. I was thinking with my heart, so damned stoked to have finally found my mate, that I wanted every wolf in the world to know she was mine.
But she wasn’t a trophy to put on a shelf.
And as much as it killed me to think one of those assholes might touch her, I’d be no use to her dead.
I cleared my throat, searching for my voice. “There’s a good chance you might be smarter than me.”
That almost made her smile. “Nah, I just like being around you while you’re still breathing.” She glanced my way. “I’m pretty selfish like that.”
I laughed. She amazed me. Changed into a shifter against her will, stuck in a sick Pack, and through it all, my mate made me laugh.
Years of searching, worrying I’d never find her. And she was worth every minute of it all.
About Lisa Kessler
Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of dark paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her books have also won the PRISM award, the Award of Excellence, the National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award, the Award of Merit from the Holt Medallion, and an International Digital Award for Best Paranormal.
Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, and has performed with San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.
My Review
Wolf Moon by Lisa Kessler
Series: Moon #7
Published by Entangled
Published on: February 2, 2017
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Werewolves
Pages: 248
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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As the last Pack member without a mate, Luke Reynolds has become an outsider. When he takes a job as the head horse trainer in Sedona, Arizona, he’s looking forward to starting a new life. But everything changes the night he finds a beautiful woman stranded on the side of the highway.
Raven Wood has been bitten and turned against her will. Luckily, her spirit is stronger than most, and she has every intention of escaping the Sedona Pack. Somehow. The sexy lone wolf who rescues her might be just the answer she’s looking for.
But the Sedona Pack Alpha has a mission, and unless Luke and Raven can stop him, they’ll lose everything.
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Book seven in Lisa Kessler’s Moon series, introduces us to Raven, a bitten, not born wolf that lives with the Sedona werewolf pack. Luke, twin to Logan, who was featured in the previous book titled, Blue Moon, has now moved to Sedona leaving the Reno pack behind. He’s a horse trainer and lives and works on a local ranch. He knows nothing about a Sedona pack until he meets Raven by the side of her broken down vehicle, outside of Sedona. She’s in the midst of trying to escape from a sadistic packmaster and his henchmen that pass her back and forth-and not in a good way.
Raven is a strong character. She’s withstood being bitten against her will-not in the mate way-and being raped on a regular basis. Now she runs the pack bar and is barely surviving all the horrors of living with a psychopath. Her sister is a wolf as well, as she had Raven bite her so she could help keep her safe. Now the Alpha holds her sister as collateral to keep Raven in line. Logan, by rescuing Raven, finds himself smack in the middle of a pack that is hell-bent on taking over the Reno pack-something Luke is going to do his best to stop. He has to join the Sedona pack in order to do it, and convince the packmaster that he truly has separated from the Reno pack. I’ve always liked Logan’s character, while he was a peripheral character in all the other books. As the only unmated man in his pack, I’ve been looking forward to seeing him meet his mate. He’s been looking forward to it too, although he doesn’t think it’s going to happen! There’s also several wolves from the Sedona pack that I would like to see get their book as well now.
As with the Reno pack, the evil group Nero, also gets involved and whenever Nero is involved, trouble follows. There’s plenty of suspense, injuries, and even out and out murders, to appease any action lovers. For romance fans, Lisa Kessler never disappoints. I loved seeing Luke and Raven meet their mate in each other. I did however wonder throughout the read how they were going to get out of the jam they are in because it almost seemed impossible, I shouldn’t have worried, Kessler told a strong thriller romance that was filled with twists and turns, along with a share of sensual moments. One thing I did miss was not seeing more of my favorite characters from the Reno pack.
Kessler has woven a wonderful series together, filled with danger, romance, good characters, and this book fit right in with the rest. The series might be finished, but I am not sure. I think one more book is in order to tie up loose ends-Nero? A spin off of the Sedona Pack might not be a bad idea either!
Highly recommended to adult paranormal romance readers.
Just a heads up-I mention the rapes Raven endures, but that is in the past as this book begins. No rapes occur in this book.
Giveaway
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
Sounds like a good PNR series, great review! 🙂
Stormi Johnson recently posted…Book Review: The Amish Midwife’s Courtship by Cheryl Williford
It really has been a fun series to read Stormi 🙂
Now look at those abs
blodeuedd recently posted…Carole’s Tuesday Post: Madam Tulip – David Ahern
Yes, he certainly has some abs!
Hi, Lorna!
It’s been a while. Sorry, life’s been cray-cray. 🙂 I think I might just check out this series. Perhaps a break from my normal is a good idea!
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[697]: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
It is a fun series with books that have an ongoing story line so it’s important to start with book one. Each book follows a different couple though. I hope you enjoy them if you get a chance to try them 🙂
*sigh* Yet another series I’ve been meaning to start, Lorna, but still haven’t. I’m glad this was a worthy installment in the series. I’m am quite curious about Raven’s resilience…she’d have to be strong to endure what she’s been experiencing. And I love that her sister loves her so much that she’d become a werewolf as well. And of course I’m interested in Logan as well. 😉 Great review!
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…Release Day Review ~ With Ties That Bind #3 ~ Trisha Wolfe
It’s a pretty good series Brandee. I think you would enjoy it, but I know you have a huge tbr pile and you’re trying to keep away from the one click button. Maybe someday you’ll get a chance. They do go in order 🙂
Thanks for reviewing Wolf Moon!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the book, and yes, we have one more book left in the series… We finally get to go inside the walls of Nero with Sebastian! 🙂 New Moon will be out in June. And hopefully you’ll see more of the Sedona Pack in a spin off series down the road… 🙂
Lisa
Lisa Kessler recently posted…Unexpected Adventures in Book Research
So glad to hear there’s another book. I knew we had to have more about Nero. And Sebastian huh? Well now I am even more interested! Looking forward to the next one 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review and Giveaway: Wolf Moon by Lisa Kessler (@Mollykatie112, @LdyDisney, @IndieSagePR)
I can see lots of good things to love about this story, Lorna. Seeing a couple make a good team and having lots of tight spots to make it exciting is what I love, too. I plan to read this series and I have the first several books so I’m ready.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Wulf and the Bounty Hunter by Gail Koger #TGPUL #Giveaway
Seven books already? How do I not know about this series? Great review.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Mercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti (@mlsimmons, @RebeccaZanetti)
Oh this sounds like a PNR I need to read! I love strong characters and it sounds like Raven is a good one to follow. Totally sold me on the whole series. 😀
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…Taking a Humorous Review Break: The Handmaiden’s Tale and 1984
Nice excerpt! I like how it gives me a bit of a feel for the author her writing style. Interesting that there’s a distinction here between bitten and born werewolves. Sounds like Raven has been through a lot of difficult stuff. Good to know the rapes are in the past and you won’t actually read that. This sounds like a solid series!
Lola recently posted…Review: A Cowboy to Keep by Karen Rock
I really enjoyed the except! Glad that despite being mate’s, they make smart choices!
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