Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright
Series: The Phoenix Pack #5
Published by Montlake Romance
Published on: May 3, 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Werewolves
Pages: 318
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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She’s a lone wolf with a cause.
As a volunteer at a shelter for lone shifters—the same one that rescued her—Makenna Wray has dedicated her life to finding homes for its residents. And when she discovers that a teen in her care is related to Ryan Conner, the broody, handsome-as-sin enforcer of the Phoenix Pack, she’s eager to help connect the two. She just wasn’t prepared to feel a connection of her own.
Lone wolves are loners for a reason—and most of them bad. Or so Ryan assumes until he meets the mysterious Makenna. Quirky and sensual, she seems to enjoy riling him, especially when she refuses to discuss her past. Although there is no mating bond, he’s sure she’s the one. All he has to do is be patient and wait. But when another pack’s sinister Alpha comes sniffing around, threatening Makenna and her shelter, this enforcer is ready to let his wolf off the leash…
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Five books into the Phoenix Pack series, Savage Urges is actually only the third of the series that I have read. And really unless you want to know all the back story of the rest of the pack, it worked well as a standalone, at least I thought so.
This time the story revolves around Phoenix pack enforcer, Ryan, and Makenna, a loner shifter wolf. Makenna finds homes for lone shifters and works for a shelter for loners. Ryan is cousin to homeless shifter, Zac. Zac is only fourteen and living at the shelter, after running away from his abusive pack. When Makenna finds out that Zac has a relative that can take him in, she meets with Ryan for the first time. The two work together to make Zac comfortable with the Phoenix pack in order to make him part of the pack. The attraction between the two is pretty much immediate. Ryan thinks she is his true mate, but Makenna feels nothing but the attraction.
So okay attraction. I still haven’t figured out what Makenna was attracted to. Maybe in the beginning with the whole bad boy thing, but after the two start sleeping together, I didn’t get it. But then I don’t get the whole pain with sex thing. When the main male character holds his woman down by the neck during sex, to the point of loss of breath at least once, well then said character isn’t going to be a favorite for me.
As with all of these books, there’s plenty of action and shifters getting hurt or killed. There’s an alpha that wants to take over the shelter because there are children in the shelter. And no he doesn’t have good reasons for this. The Phoenix pack takes over trying to protect the shelter. I did like the parts when they started treating the shelter as if it was part of their pack. Decorating the place and donating goods-that type of thing. That was pretty heartwarming.
Getting to see the pack members that were featured in the other books was also a plus for me. It’s fun to see what’s up with all of them. Greta, Trey’s grandmother was still around and bad mouthing any women that comes anywhere near the unmated men in the pack. Her favorite past time is to berate Taryn, Trey’s mate. Since Trey is the alpha of the pack that’s not a good thing. On Taryn’s part, she finds it amusing to bait Greta at every turn and this was the comic relief of this read, just as it was in the previous books.
This book wasn’t a complete loss for me because of the sex scenes-although there are a lot of them. I did enjoy Makenna’s and Zac’s characters. Ryan was more of an enigma, a man who rarely talked until he met Makenna. I liked that she changes him in that respect, but no he wasn’t a favorite of this series for me. Both main characters do have horrible back stories and that was sad, but still no excuse for the way Ryan treats her when they are alone. I know that there are lots of people that will enjoy this book and just because it wasn’t my favorite, doesn’t mean that others won’t love it.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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.
To bad you didn’t enjoy it as much as you would like. I don’t think this would be a favorite one for me if I was reading this series.
It’s a shame because I did really like the other two I read 🙂
LORNA recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
That kinda sucks, eh? When you’re excited about the pairing that soon turns to disappointment after they did the deed? I’ve read a couple of books like that before. It’s like their chemistry is only on the surface. Still glad you gave the book a chance!
Yes, all if these are erotica with a good story thrown in. But he just kept grabbing her by the neck! No.
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
Compared to the others in this series and the one from the Mercury Pack series, it wasn’t as good. The banter between Makenna and Ryan were highly entertaining though
The banter when he doesn’t grunt? Yes, I did like that he made himself talk to her. I just really liked the other two I read better:)
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
Meh from me
That about covers it!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
I like the idea of a shelter for the shifters and that she works there. Sounds like there are some good dynamics for the story. Too bad it was only so-so for you.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Rocky Mountain Desire by Vivian Arend #Review
Yes, I liked the premise with the shelter-actually a lot. He just kept grabbing her neck! I wasn’t happy with that. 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
Despite the problems, it still looks like a okay addition to the series. I think I would have loved the protecting the shelter part. I love heartwarming in PNR. Somehow it just seems more in that genre.
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…On My Wishlist: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling
It was an ok addition to the series and I actually liked it a lot before he started holding on to her neck. Hated that 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
I do want to read this one, since I have really loved all the previous books!! Sorry to hear it didn’t meet up expectations.
I think a lot of other people will really enjoy this one. I just can’t hack the pain with sex thing-just not my favorite aspect of romances!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
Glad this wasn’t a complete loss and you did like parts of it. Great honest review!
Thank you, I really hate to write a review like this, but I try to be honest in my reviews. Parts of the book were good and I enjoyed the pack dynamics and some of the heartwarming parts, but in the end, just disliked the main male character-not a good thing in a romance for me!
I’ve got a copy of this on audio. I haven’t started it yet. Sorry this didn’t work out as much as you’d have liked.
Melanie recently posted…Review: The Order by A.C. Donaubauer (@mlsimmons, @AC_Donaubauer)
Thanks, I wish I had liked it better too, because I really liked the other two I read by her 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
I’m sorry this was a favorite installment in the series, Lorna. But I understand where you’re coming from. I am glad there were other elements that balanced out the bad…in particular Greta. I love the sound of her! I still have the first in this series sitting on my shelf. Maybe I’ll have time to start it this summer?!? 🙂
I think you will really like the first one Brandee. The fourth one was good as well 🙂 And you may like this one as well-who knows? I think I am in the minority 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Savage Urges by Suzanne Wright (@Mollykatie112)
Bummer it wasn’t a favorite. Was she at least turned on by his aggressive bedroom behavior?
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Admiral by Sean Danker
Yes, she was, and like I said, I just didn’t get it, but I guess she did 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Hidden Monster by Amanda Strong (@Mollykatie112, @aewstrong, @CleanTeenPub)
A shame you didn’t love this one, but I suppose that happens in a series, you do get you favourite characters. Maybe you just don’t like Ryan!
Naomi Hop recently posted…Pulse by Amity Cross ~ Review & Swoon Thursday (@amitycross)
Here’s where I admit to not even remember Ryan from the other books I read. So I don’t know-I do know the bedroom scenes are really the only reason I didn’t like him 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Hidden Monster by Amanda Strong (@Mollykatie112, @aewstrong, @CleanTeenPub)
The past couple books in this series have been rather meh for me. I don’t get into the pain with sex thing either, so not sure if this one will be my cup of tea either.
Samantha recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Favorite Middle Grade Books
Not just pain, but making her lose her breath really got me. Yes, it wasn’t a favorite for me 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Hidden Monster by Amanda Strong (@Mollykatie112, @aewstrong, @CleanTeenPub)
i was eh abought the sex too,but i liked the shelter part,the Zac part,the Dexter and Savanah and Riley part,loved the Pheonix Pack being so protective and taking care of the kids and the shelter and making Makenna feel like home,liked seeing couples from previus books including Ally and Derren my favs.Loved the protectiveness and the friendship and Ryan and Makenna interactions when out of the bedroom
I like the Phoenix pack as well, and seeing the other couples was definitely a good thing in this book. I enjoyed the shelter part too. I just couldn’t get past the neck part of the sex scenes-just went too far for me. I am glad you are enjoying this series 🙂