Oh, God, finally, it's over...

I don't know what I expected from this book. I guess you could say I thought I would have a great time reading about werewolves, and action, and unbelievable romance, all with the bonus of a main heroine that was supposed to be sassy and entertaining. What I got was... far from it, I'm afraid.

The plot is pretty interesting, according to the blurb. Aurelia Fridell is a werewolf but can't shift, so the other werewolves consider her a freak. She has lost all hope of finding her true mate, until she meets Ceithin Starkley, who, unlike her, wants nothing to do with the whole "mate" thing. Add to that an unidentified stalker, and I believed I would sit back and enjoy a roller coaster of emotion, suspense, and action, packed up with at least a little hot sex on the side to spice things up.

Oh, how mistaken I was...

Either Mrs. Pierce has a very different - to state it... somewhat politely - point of view on what can be considered: a)a flowing and twisting plot, and b)a sassy woman (I'm not talking just about her main character, I'm questioning whether she understands the term in general, no matter how offensive this may sound), or my whole life so far has been a lie and I've been mistaking teen drama and whiny brats for... well, teen drama and whiny brats, when in fact they were the real deal! *enter snickers here, because I seriously can't say that with a straight face*

I'll leave the plot aside, since an editor can point that out much better than just a nobody reviewing as a reader. I'll even try to ignore the fact that some of my morals were not in sync with what Ceithin was doing - dude, even if you don't love the woman you flaunt around, even when you haven't touched her, at least break up with her before approaching another female (though, if you ask me, romance in books should involve 2 people who are NOT seeing anyone else when they meet, period, but that's just my own old-fashioned opinion). But I can't, under any circumstances, ignore the terrible, terrible main character that Aurelia proved to be!

Allow me to be more precise. Sassy means bold, cheeky, spirited - not whiny, self-pitying, or slutty. Yes, you heard me right, SLUTTY. And if this, too, is considered old-fashioned, then pardon me for not being impressed by a woman who will act like a bimbo in a club to get a man jealous, rubbing herself all over a stranger like a cat in heat, and - oh, how could I forget? - will try to either kill said man's date with her eyes or threaten her. Congratulations, Aurelia Fridell, you just put all those teenage school queens to shame!

Of course the faults don't stop there. One minute she's shy and girly and afraid, the next she's wanton, aggressive, and dominant. What was it that they called it in anime? Oh, yes, yandere - or yangire? Hell, even by using certain terms you can't name it exactly! Know why? Because there is no stereotype to describe her. Stereotypes may not sound like fun when creating a main character, but they are essential. By putting your character into a category, you make sure you keep them IC - yes, even when using characters that are our own creations, we need to be careful to stay in line. Aurelia was not in-character (IC). Unless she has a multiple personality disorder, in which case the writer should have informed the reader first chance she got (and no, having an inner side, a wolf side as she called it, still does not excuse the fact this was on the borderline of mental illness). Not to mention the fact she hated when those of her kind treated her like crap, but she treated humans the same way, looking down on them and trying to dominate them. Wow, talk about being a spoilt little princess...

Then, there was Ceithin. Yes, I said earlier I will restrain myself from questioning his morals as a man. Given the fact he was hot - then again, how many main heroes of romance do you know that aren't? - it's no wonder why so many readers are swooning over him. But every romance has its hot Alpha male lead, and by now, it's something pretty common. So, the natural thing should be for him to have some other positive traits, something that would make him stand out. Alas, there was none - I enjoyed his tendency to talk dirty, in and out of the bedroom, but again, there are so many others who do that, so I can't count it. He was just that: a regular, hot guy. Sorry, I'm not impressed. Any fictional guy can be tall, dark, handsome, and talk your panties off. But in the end of the day, if there is nothing else, he cannot keep you interested - unless you're shallow like Aurelia, then it's a different matter.

I don't think there's anything else to say, at least without overdoing it on the negative side. Before I finish this review, though, I would like to point out something I quite often say: when you find yourself caring more for the main characters' friends or family, then you know there is something wrong with the story. I was bored out of my mind throughout the book, brightening up only when Aurelia's brothers were mentioned. That should be enough to show you how much I loved and cherished Aurelia and her beau....

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.*** ( )