In Megan's world, most werewolves find their mates by the age of 16. So, at her eighteenth birthday party, Megan's one and only goal is to find that elusive mate. When she does, he isn't what she expected. Instead of being whisked into romance, Megan finds herself mated to a cold, guarded warrior named James. Desperate to make their relationship work, Megan moves to Canada with James, but working her way into his heart is going to be a lot harder than she expected. Brandon has taken a unique spin on werewolves in her debut, slowly pulling the reader into Megan's situation. Megan and James' relationship is the driving force at the center of the novel, as readers will be desperate for them to figure out how to make it work. Brandon's characters are what make this supernatural romance exciting, overshadowing some of the unevenness in the plot. Brandon leaves enough room at the end to possibly return to the world of Megan and James, and readers will definitely be interested in learning more.

Too many unanswered questions lead to an uneven debut in Brandon-s story of fated love. Eighteen-year-old alpha werewolf Megan Ross is eager to find her mate. To help, her father throws a party and invites numerous packs along the East Coast. When Megan meets James Sandleholm, a warrior alpha from Canada, it is clear that the two of them are destined to form a life bond as mates. Though James immediately brings her home to his pack, he has no intention of fulfilling the bond. His reluctance stems from painful past associations of the toll that his mother-s death took on his father (if a warrior alpha loses his mate, he begins to lose his grip on reality). As Megan tries to break through James-s armor, she discovers that warrior wolves are dealing with a dangerous threat long thought to be extinct. Brandon presents a promising story of how past pain and future expectations can cloud the present, but inconsistent worldbuilding and development of characters- motivations lessens the story-s authenticity and impact. Ages 13-18. (Apr.)