Review: FORGED ALLIANCES by Katherine McIntyre

Sierra Kanoska fought hard for her position as wolf alpha of the Red Rock pack, and intruders in her territory receive the full brunt of what her claws, fangs, and smarts can accomplish. So when Dax Williams, de facto alpha of the Silver Springs pack, pays an unwelcome visit, Sierra’s ready to toss him out. However, the man's in a tough spot. The pack elders sabotaged his fight for alpha against his brother, driving him from his lands. Sierra hates underhanded moves like that, so she agrees on an alliance.

As they work together, she witnesses an alpha who wants to do right by his pack, not just the cocky wiseass she first met. Their growing attraction blazes hot, but the moment she and Dax lock lips, a mating bond emerges. Sierra sure as hell isn’t ready to share that intimate connection with a stranger, and the thought of forever sends Dax running.

Before they can talk, the Tribe commanding the East Coast shifters arrives to settle the dispute. Dax and his brother's punishment for their pack's civil war is a free-for-all on their lands. Not only does he have to defeat his brother, but any challenger in the region. Despite Dax and Sierra’s initial resistance, his wily charm relaxes her control-freak tendencies while her steadfast support bolsters his strength. Yet every new opponent places their newfound relationship under siege—one misstep, one wrong blow in the ring, and Dax could leave in a bodybag.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DPqptS

REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sierra is the wolf alpha of the Red Rock pack and she’s a damn good one. One day, she hears of intruders in her territory, a pack of mountain lion shifters from the Silver Springs pack, with Dax as their alpha. Dax is caught in a conflict with his brother over who should rule the pack. When it came time to determine the alpha with a fight, the elders interrupted it, leaving the issue unresolved and fracturing the pack into two sides - those who follow Drew and those who follow Dax. Now Dax has come to Sierra for help in righting this wrong. What these two didn’t count on was the instant connection they felt for the each other or the fact that they were meant to be.

I loved how utterly fierce Sierra was. This was the first time I’ve read of a female alpha and I loved it! She was strong, loyal, steadfast and true. I especially loved how she bolstered Dax’s leadership. This man went through such a rough time and his vulnerability bled through his POV, however, Sierra, even when she was shying away from their bond, was always there to listen, advise and encourage him to be the great man she knew he could be. There were a great many things to enjoy about this story, such as the battle scenes; the heartbreaking horror that Drew inflicted because it gave great depth to the story and showed the many sides to these characters; the introductions of the side characters that I’m sure will make the cut into their own stories; and the way the relationship between Dax and Sierra developed.

I’m not sure what the next story in the series will be about or who will feature in it. There were a couple of blossoming relationships in this one so it would be anyone’s guess. However, what you can expect is some phenomenal writing, a sexy couple who may not be ready for what life and love have in store for them, an intriguing conflict, and a hard-fought happy ending.

Paranormal Romance - shifter | Dual POV - 3rd person | Heat: 3 out of 5 | Standalone - Book #1 of the Tribal Spirits series